Voice from Suzanne on Chemotherapy

Hello everyone!!
Since this is my first posting I want to say how much I have appreciated all the out pouring of love and kindness I have received from the beginning. I would have to say a girl could not do this alone cause honestly chemo at times isn't much fun. I have received three out of eight treatments and so far have done OK until this week. I have the dreaded experience of nothing tasting good to eat. If you know me you'll know how important food is to me. Mostly food has a very metallic flavor to everything and I thought oh my goodness this isn't good. It has been difficult to want to eat and keep my energy up. Energy being very pivotal in my being able to still work at my deli job at Super 1. This food thing went on for several days and I must say I felt very discouraged by this. But like they say this too will pass and I knew I was on the up swing when I was able to eat some lentils and rice cat made. Don't get me wrong I have been dreaming of food.....like Hatch green chilies , Scallops from the road stand in New England, Indian food from the UK and Thai food in Cambodia. All these foods of course include my beloved family and friends and traveling. Hay look, if you can't eat anything good you need to dream about it and dream big time, it really helps.
The other interesting thing is how I entered this process with my sense of self and then I notice I'm involved in a new process with this chemo. Sometimes the process is all consuming and I forget to just remember this is just a place on the road and it won't always be this way. How I am trying to counter act this is I just sat on the stoop and watched Stuwe (our wired haired dachshund puppy) and Max the Cat play. As simple as it sounds it was very fun and normal and relaxing. So it is an interesting journey to say the least.
I have been enjoying the blog spot that Cat has so lovingly put together. Left to my own devises I would not have been able to have pulled it off. The pictures are so fun and I have loved all the comments. It really lifts my spirits a lot. And don't you just love all the chemo girls!! They have been hanging in there with me from the beginning which I feel very blessed by. My favorite 9 year old Madelaine came this last time which was great. I wanted her to see what I was going through so that she won't worry about me. I loved having her great kid energy right there. Madelaine was a big trooper that day.
Lots of other wonderful things have happened I have received lots of great gift like this Ipad I'm writing you on from Tracy and Patty. I have gotten lots of great jewelry and would say my BLING factor has greatly improved. I have received so many significant religious items from my friends in Texas, New Mexico and North Carolina who have been looking out for my spiritual well being. I have gotten tokens and gifts some being re-gifts that I had given years ago, and I have gotten other tokens as a way of keeping connected to those who love me that are far away. I have been very blown away by everyone and how in their own way have made a personal connection to me. It is so wonderful and if I had the right words to describe it would probably have to be a new word. Calls have come in too which i have not always been able to return......but please know how much this means to me. Honestly, a girl just can't do this on her own....Please know that I do feel incredible blessed and held up by all the amazing people who surround me and know that I adore you all. You are always on my mind and in my HEART even on the bad days......the thoughts of you helps me get through it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. So when this is all said and done I will gladly except any and all invitation to meet you at your favorite eating place and order everything off the menu...I'm not kidding!!! So until then eat something yummy for me and know that I LOVE YOU!!!

Third Chemo Treatment

Teresa Suzanne's wonderful Nurse

Suzanne

Madelaine and Suzanne

Dr Scott and Suzanne

Judy White

Sweet Suzanne

My heart throb!!

Sherry Lee   

After we got home even Abby came to lay her hands on Suzanne

Pamela, Leslie, Carolyn

Dioica and Suzanne











Wednesday August 17, 2011 was Suzanne's third chemo treatment. Teresa her nurse slowed the treatment down a little and Suzanne tolerated the infusions much better. As you can see from the photos she is doing great.  The Photos this time are of all that come to visit her for her treatments. Ally was there later but we missed a photo op.

A Walk in the Wildlife Refuge

Since starting Chemo we haven't really done much walking like we were, so we decided to take Stuwe and Sue-Ann and get out for awhile. Every where that Stuwe goes he draws such a crowd. All the kids at the Summer Camp stood in line to hold him and then we did the group photo.

Naked Therapy

I've been pondering since the last  Chemo exactly what Suzanne meant by Naked Therapy.  Even though I haven't witness it I'm thinking it may be similar to Naked Ironing.

The Cadillac of all Juicers

Since Suzanne has to be careful about certain antioxidant's that might interact with chemo we decided to get her vitamins with fresh squeezed vegtebjuice. Meet Annabel the  new Juicer......now we are just trying to find the organic fruit and vegetables to go in her......Isn't she a beauty! The first attempt at using it Suzanne blew a carrot clear across the living room, it covered the dogs, the counter, the table. It must have been like a canon.....was so sorry I missed it.   Juicing party anyone??

Second Chemo

The 3rd of August was the second chemo.....she started out really good, humorous, even telling  Dr. Scott she had started Naked therapy, and then soon as the first bag was going she almost immediately started not feeling so good. First bag is anti nausea meds, steroids, next bag is the Adriamycin, then the Cytoxan. By the third bag she crawled in bed and slept the rest of treatment.  Later in the afternoon by the time we got home she was better. Rested the rest of that day and the next but by Friday the girl was ready for her colonic.  That is one tough chick.
The photos are just a few of the chemo girls that come for Suzannes treatments.... Alli and Caroline, and Sherry Lee. There were others that day,  Julie Nardie, SueAnn, Leslie Grossman, and Odette.....They have to give Suzanne a room cause she has so many visitors.

The Port-a-Cath

A week after the first Chemo Suzanne had a Port-a-Cath placed to make the chemo sessions a little easier. Its basically a rubber stopper placed under the skin that has a line like a IV that goes into the subclavian vein and goes into the superior vena cava. The rubber stopper under the skin is the access port for all chemo from now until she's done;  which is 8 rounds of adriamycin/cytoxan 1 day every other week. Then 12 rounds of taxol/herceptin 1 day every week, the herceptin is given because her cancer is HER2 positive , the other markers of progesterone/estrogen were negative. Then 9 months more of herceptin 1 day every three weeks for a total of a year.  After the taxol/herceptin there will be a short break before a double mastectomy and then radiation that can take place while she is doing the rest of the herceptin.

Your friend and your sister is amazing in all of this.  She is taking this on as an adventure, with grace, dignity, and humor and I can assure you everyday in this with her is adventuresome. No two days are the same so far. Be proud to know her, to call her sister and friend.

The First Chemo

Its amazing how anti climatic the first chemo becomes after all the wait and worry. Suzanne handle it with grace and dignity as always.

The Hair Wizzing Party

 

When Suzanne was diagnosed she thought it would be too emotional to have her hair fall out in her hand, the shower or on her pillow so she did the thing she does best....Throw a Party