AlexandraZ wrote:How is it going?
I've been following this thread and would love to hear how you are doing, Gina!
Thanks for asking! I have been doing really well.
I feel almost completely healed from my liver resection at this point - I guess I am 7 weeks out at this point? Part of my incision scar still feels a bit sore, that's about it.
What's maybe more interesting is that my first two rounds of chemo after the surgery have been a breeze. It's almost like my body is tolerating the chemo better now that there is less / no active cancer in my body. (I need another resection to finish off tumor removal, but the ones remaining have clearly calcified so between that and my CEA of 0.6 - when I started at 941 - it seems like most of the cancer has been contained for now.)
I was convinced that my first chemo after surgery was a lower dose but they checked me when I went in for my 2nd chemo dose and said no, it was normal. I was shocked because I actually GOT MY PERIOD while I was on this round of chemo. (They told me that 1) I wouldn't have my period on chemo and 2) treatment would probably push me into menopause.) So far, it's returned each time I've had a few weeks off, but it really rocked my world when it came back a few days after chemo. I struggled with infertility for years, so the irony of celebrating my period as a sign that my body is working is not lost on me!!
My second chemo went as well as the first. I had a few days of fatigue but almost no other side effects which is awesome considering how much I struggled with GI stuff for my first 15 rounds.
My dermatologist had me start a higher powered steroid cream, Clobetasol. That has mostly kept my Vectibix rash at bay, although I was only supposed to use it for two weeks and then step down to something less powerful and I haven't. Well, I tried - and the rash came right back, so back to the Clobetasol. Of all the side effects I've had to deal with, the chemo rash has by far been the worst.
I also figured out that my hair has been growing back. I started to use Rogaine before my surgery, and was a little spotty about continuing it. But I just realized a week or so ago that I had an inch or two of new growth. It's curly, so it's giving me some serious volume. I had read that Rogaine worked during chemo - not sure if it did and/or if my chemo break helped it along, but either way happy to have some hair! So far, it doesn't seem to be falling out.
On a personal basis, things continue to be tense for my husband with his narcissistic boss. The latest was an email he received telling him he shouldn't expect a bonus at year end. That's a significant chunk of his compensation - and one we've been counting on, frankly. He needs to get out of there. We talked to an employment attorney yesterday. Contractually, if he is terminated, it is a significantly better situation for him financially than if he leaves voluntarily - like, it could be worth ten times as much when it comes to a buy-out of his shares. So now, he basically has to wait it out until they terminate him, which is an interesting / frustrating situation. Thank goodness I'm feeling good right about now, because the situation SUCKS and we joke that it is really hard when we are both in the dumps at once.