To be honest I laugh about it now, and to be honest, I laughed about it then too. Then is the first time I was told I had cancer back in 2003. Come to think of it, every time they told me it was back, didn't freak out either. I don't think that is normal. Could I be off my rocker? Well, I don't own a rocker so yeah, I could be. But I don't think so.
I mean really, in reality I already knew. A lump on the back of my left thigh grew from a golf ball size to about a cantaloupe well, it is kinda obvious. Then having the manager of the store you are working at notice your leg because the left pant leg was getting tighter on the thigh helped, she actually threatened me!! She told me if I didn't go see a doctor the next morning (I worked 2nd shift) I shouldn't bother coming in until I saw a doctor and had a note from them!
Well, me being me, and just getting insurance, I got my fat butt to the Urgent Care on York Road. They told me put one of those wonderful gowns on, and when the doctor came in she asks, in a rather bored, condescending tone - "What is the matter? How can I help you?" I just stood up and showed her the left thigh, OMG, when I turned around I was looking in a mirror, and her face just dropped. "You need a specialist. We will find one in your network and make the appointment for you as soon as possible." Well, if that doesn't all that doesn't give you a clue nothing will.
No, I didn't cry or scream or ask "why me", each time I asked, "OK, what are we going to do, when do we start, don't sugar coat crap, and be honest. I don't need the kid gloves treatment."
Luckily, all of the doctors I have and had understand where I am coming from. I have no idea where I get my tenacity or strength as some people call it from.
Don't get me wrong, chemo is awful. Even the "milder" chemo that people can take orally have side effects. The antibody chemo I was on gave me 5 or 6 days of exhaustion right off the bat, killed the taste buds, nausea. Still killed the bone marrow so red blood cell production was down, white cell too. Never mind it let the cancer spread.
The current chemo Yolandis (from the sea sponge) is every three weeks, and it takes a week to 10 fays to get back to an "almost" normal. Side effects that get to me are rapid heart beat, like a pounding in your chest when you do just about anything, and interferes with breathing. Sucks having sound like I ran a mile just walking up a set of stairs.
Right now I feel great. My doctor changed my schedule to every 6 weeks rather than every 3. Mainly just for the summer so I can enjoy as much of it as possible, and stay out of the hospital. Though those two pints of blood may have just helped my system out a bit too.
Radiation in 2003 sucked a$$. The burn on the back of my leg was purple, oozed, and burned. I learned the hard way that Solarcaine does nothing but make the burn worse on radiation burns. Trust me.
I dreaded having to get radiation in 2011 because it was on the sternum, bra and the such rubbing a radiation burn. Guess what? They improved how radiation is given and they can pinpoint it now. My burn was the size of a dime!!
A challenge has been given me several times, and my response is "I will not go quietly into the night."
Now here is the oddity for me. Whenever I have cancer, my nails grow. I mean nails I can put polish on and have people compliment. I do house work and do not baby my hands, but I have nails! Every time I had cancer, my nails are awesome till I get tired of them and cut them off and they grown right back.
So why do my nails grow so well when I am given such nasty drugs? And why when I am healthy, not on chemo are my nails always breaking off or not growing?
I mean really!!
