Wednesday, November 19, 2008
% division
I went through all of my 5 pathology reports with one of my nurses the other day. I learned a ton of medical terms and most likely have now forgotten most of them. The thing I did learn is that my tumor cells are becoming more aggressive. It's not a shock. The time between surgeries has gotten shorter so put it together - the cells divide faster and hence the tumor grows faster. I started (back in 2000) with a division of 8-9%. Not too bad. Now in 2008 the division is 35%. I'm waiting to hear back from my oncologist on the prescription for Temodar and how to take it. I hope to start that soon. Why put it off any longer I guess. I need to step up and become a fighter again. Not a floater. It's been great - the time off but now I need to get back to it. I plan to get back to work on December 8. The week my company will start laying off my friends that I have known for the past 8 years. They have been through it all with me. All 5 surgeries.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Week 3
Wow! I can't even believe it's been 3 weeks since surgery already.
I met with the oncologist last Friday about future treatment(s). He rattled off so many options that Todd and I left feeling very confused. I know the tumor board recommendation is for me to do a chemo drug that is in pill form. I was on Temador in 2000 and again in 2003. I took the chemo 5 days out of every month. I had nausea and fatigue as the sessions accumulated. The major issue with the drug is how expensive it is. Because it is administered in pill form, obtaining it is like getting any prescription filled at Kmart or Walgreens. You pay your co-pay. Ours is a percentage and the drug is so expensive that the percentage left for us to pay previously was over $700 per month. Todd and I need to figure out how expensive this will cost us and how we are going to pay for this. Stressful.
Also, I went to see the surgeon today because my sutures were oozing... puss. Pleasant, eh? He was not concerned about the look of my incision and put some Bactine on my head and sent me home. A few of the sutures were so sensitive and hurt all the time so he took those out for me. He was tempted to take them all out but is hesitant because of the the trauma my scalp has been through. He was afraid that my incision could start to open. I'm good with having them in for a while longer. I get those out the day before Thanksgiving.
I am going to go back to work after Thanksgiving. That's the plan anyway.
I met with the oncologist last Friday about future treatment(s). He rattled off so many options that Todd and I left feeling very confused. I know the tumor board recommendation is for me to do a chemo drug that is in pill form. I was on Temador in 2000 and again in 2003. I took the chemo 5 days out of every month. I had nausea and fatigue as the sessions accumulated. The major issue with the drug is how expensive it is. Because it is administered in pill form, obtaining it is like getting any prescription filled at Kmart or Walgreens. You pay your co-pay. Ours is a percentage and the drug is so expensive that the percentage left for us to pay previously was over $700 per month. Todd and I need to figure out how expensive this will cost us and how we are going to pay for this. Stressful.
Also, I went to see the surgeon today because my sutures were oozing... puss. Pleasant, eh? He was not concerned about the look of my incision and put some Bactine on my head and sent me home. A few of the sutures were so sensitive and hurt all the time so he took those out for me. He was tempted to take them all out but is hesitant because of the the trauma my scalp has been through. He was afraid that my incision could start to open. I'm good with having them in for a while longer. I get those out the day before Thanksgiving.
I am going to go back to work after Thanksgiving. That's the plan anyway.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)