Chemo, a second time

[Sparkly]

I wrote in January that my serous endometrial carcinoma had metastasized to my lungs. I chose to hold off before getting treatment, partly just to enjoy life a little while and partly to allow the tumors to grow in order to get a substantial biopsy.

That all happened, and last Thursday was my second round of chemo this time through. Thus I've lost my hair again, soon to lose eyelashes (the worst insult!), but otherwise feeling okay.

I realize at this stage, it's only a matter of extending time, knowing the end is inevitable. I'd like to think I'm invincible, but I'm not. I'm trying to enjoy the time I have with my miraculous daughter and extra-miraculous granddaughter, and I'm writing my "memoir" bit by bit with help from one of my sisters.

I so miss being young and vital, loaded with energy, dancing hours a day and living with reckless abandon! But as my Mom used to say, we must take life as it comes.

Thanks again for this space to write about it.

[sheshe2]

1. Sending love and hugs to you, Sparkly.

[Sparkly]

3. Thank you, sheshe2

I knew you would understand.

[Silent Type]

2. Very sorry. But that's a powerful/inspiring post for many. Hope you post again when you can.

[Sparkly]

4. Thanks for saying so, Silent Type.

I sure will, and I appreciate the encouragement!

[blm]

7. And we appreciate yours.

💐💐💐

[Karadeniz]

5. I get a mastectomy tomorrow. I dont know yet what chemo ill have, so i dont

know about losing my hair. This is the first I've heard about losing eyelashes! Guess I'll find out about eyebrows, too! Let's send each other healing thoughts. I'm going to ask for an NDE, but I'm not that lucky... still, it would be fun! If

[blm]

6. Wishing you wellness.

[Karadeniz]

16. Thank you !

[SheltieLover]

14. Healing vibes on the way to you

[Karadeniz]

17. Thank you !

[Sparkly]

28. Wishing you the best!

Depending on your cancer, many people get through chemo -- including hair loss -- and live a long life afterwards. Hoping that's your journey!

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Hang in there and fight for every minute.

[Sparkly]

27. I will, thanks!

[Cha]

9. Ohh Sparkly💙🌈

.. you sure can write

It's so hard.. you're a Brave Angel here on Earth

I'm Grateful We Have DU to Share With our Friends.. Where we've spent so much of our Lives For Good.

Wish you the Very Best with your Family and Loved ones 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

[Sparkly]

26. Thank you so much, Cha!

[elleng]

10. 08)

[Sparkly]

25. :)

[DFW]

11. Going through chemo requires a special kind of courage

My wife had cancer twice. The first time, it was in 2001, and she had several rounds of chemo under which she suffered horribly.

The second time was in 2016, and it was a rare form of cancer known among specialists here as “the murderer,” since it is very silent, pretty much always fatal, and only makes itself known when it’s too late. Her onc said it was the earliest he had ever seen it discovered, and scheduled an immediate operation. It lasted five and a half hours, and they took 84 (!!!) biopsies. The doc was amazed when, 3 days later, they ALL came back negative. He said he had never seen that in thirty years. He said for the first time, he would give a patient the option of no chemo. We asked about the odds of survival. He said he thought 50-50 either way, but he thought chemo wouldn’t improve her situation, but it was her call. Remembering her agony from 15 years before, she decided to risk no chemo.

We have the deepest respect and wonder for anyone willing to go through it more than once.

[Staph]

12. I had endometrial cancer in 2013.

Hysterectomy, chemo, radiation.

It returned in 2017 - more chemo - and then in 2019. The onc said there is no more treatment. I got a second opinion and ended up on an immunotherapy drug. Keytruda had been around for a while, but they had just started using it on endometrial cancer that year. The side effects are minimal compared to chemo. No hair loss, though I did end up with rapid-onset rheumatoid arthritis in my hands.

It's been 5.5 years - no return. Get a second opinion!

[Sparkly]

20. Understood - I think it depends on type and microscopic analysis.

Mine is serous endometrial carcinoma, staged at 3-B to begin with. I don't think I'll be a candidate for any more chemo after this.

I've been getting Herceptin infusions, and Keytruda will be in my future, but they're holding it for now. I asked about Metformin even, but I tend to have low blood sugar (and low weight), so that was a "no."

Any help for your hands?

[Staph]

30. I started at stage 3B as well.

There isn't much that they can do for the damage to the hands, though I take methotrexate to slow the process. Surprisingly, I can still knit and crochet and do other detailed work. I just can't make a fist - a great difficulty for those of us trying to defy The Man!

Just a reminder of something I learned on the first round of chemo - be happy when your hair falls out. It means that the chemo is working! Those drugs are poisons to fast-growing cells, like chemo and hair follicles.

[orleans]

13. i'm so sorry you are going through this

my motto the past several years has been a little tune i "composed" (ha)
F E CCC
lyrics: it sucks to get old

you aren't the only one missing their youth -- i miss mine so much too.

maybe if you get tired of "writing" that memoir you could pick up a tape recorder and record some of it (almost like you're doing monologues) and your sister can transcribe it for you later.

sending some positive vibes and love your way.

[Sparkly]

21. Thanks!

I like that idea. I thought I'd video record myself, but never did.

[orleans]

31. i didn't even think of video. maybe some videos would be a springboard for

monologues or whatever style you end up writing in (or a combination of writings such as bits of dialogue in script form, monologues, poetry, first person narrative, maybe even little boxes with a sentence or two of "deep thoughts"--a little bit of this/a little bit of that; it doesn't have to be consistent. you could even add in some of your favorite photographs)

and then let your sister deal with the mechanics of it all

or your writing could be a springboard for videos

i don't mean to overwhelm you with a bunch of stuff, i'm just brainstorming a few ideas.

[SheltieLover]

15. Healing vibes on the way to you

[Sparkly]

22. Thank you!

[brer cat]

18. Wishing you the best, Sparkly.

[Sparkly]

23. Thanks!

[Clouds Passing]

19. I'm so sorry. Chemo is yucky. I hope you can start feeling better soon.

I am experiencing so many health problems because of cancer radiation treatments.

[Sparkly]

24. Radiation was the worst!!!

I had pelvic radiation (x 25) and was VERY sick from it. Can't have it for my lungs because it would affect my heart too, I'm told.

I hope you're soon feeling better, too!

[Clouds Passing]

29. I'll have to get new heart valves asap. It's cause serious atherosclerosis and diabetes also.

Those radiation sores are the worst!