The rest of yesterday's story

I already posted my great news! According to my PET/CT, and my CEA of 2, I am considered NED! And I get a one week break over New Year's.

I had a few questions answered about things that the ultrasound and CT had picked up - no worries on any of it. My liver function is back to normal for all numbers. Stopping the fluconazole and its interaction with Coumadin made a difference. I got my vitamin D level and it was in the ok range. My CEA was 2.5 on 09DEC. It is now down to 2. Once again we do not know if the elevation was cancer still growing in my body, or if it was just a lot of inflamation from surgeries and infections.

I was working on getting flights booked for Mexico using our credit card miles. I had to purchase one with our personal card miles and the other with my business card miles. Two very different programs. I had a lot of trouble with the business card rewards people - I had them holding a seat - promising that I could call right back after getting my husband's seats secured, and purchase mine. So I got my husband's done - nonrefundable, non-changable due to using miles. I called back and got someone different that told me they aren't allowed to hold seats, so there was no way I had anything on hold. What? I went round and round with him - he was an idiot. Then his system locked up and he had to reboot - it took a long time. I was done with my chemo - 5FU pump hoooked up and ready to go. But I was stuck trying to wrap up this ticket for another 30 minutes - unsuccesfully, as they idiot was booking different flights than my husband is on... I asked to talk to a supervisor, and when he switched me over I was cut off. Imagine that. I gave up because we really needed to leave.

As I was packing up my daughter said I was getting a funny rash on my chest. And it was spreading fast. I didn't notice the rash, but was having issues with the very sore throat that felt like it was swelling again (not the first time this has happened, but we've been controlling it with Decadron and Benadryl). I showed the nurse. She got the one doctor that was still in at 6PM. She said I could not leave. You could literally watch the rash spread, and my throat was closing off. They sat me down and unhooked my pump and hooked me up to IV mega-sterio​ds; Solumedrol.​ And then fluids to flush. Just like watching it spread, you could watch it dissipate. Within 30 minutes I was good to go. Enough time to make it to the 7:30 concert.

I don't think I'll get Oxaliplatin again. My oncologist really wanted me to tough it out and get 8 cycles at full amounts. But the allergic reactions are getting worse, and not controlled by Benadryl either. I made it through 5. But I think I'm done. This could mean the rest of my chemo cycles could be a lot easier for me. My blood counts might stay better, and the neuropathie​s shouldn't get worse, and maybe even the nausea will lessen. I can only hope.

So I think the idiot working travel for the business rewards did me a favor keeping me there beyond the time I should have been. Had I left earlier I would have had to go to the ER again. Not fun. Instead I just had an extra half hour in the infusion room. Another long day leaving home at 8AM and not leaving the onc's office till 6:30PM. My daughter sure was a trooper again.

And we did get out in time to make it to my boys' concert. It was wonderful - they both had solos, and sang in two choirs together, plus the oldest is in 3 groups that the younger one isn't, and the younger one is ni 3 groups that the older one isn't. There were very few (only all-girl choirs) performances that I didn't have at least one son in. And Encore (the elite group) sang their a capella holiday carols in the lobby at intermission. This was exciting for me because I missed their Holiday on Main caroling because I was in the hospital with a PE.

I had a very long happy, but stressful day yesterday. I expected to sleep, as I was so exhausted. But the Solumedrol kept me up till after 4AM. I'm still exhausted, but not sure when I can sleep again. I'm starting the downhill chemo slide... disconnect tomorrow afternoon, and then I slide deeper till about Tuesday. I should be feeling good enough to enjoy Christmas Eve with family even if I can't eat my traditional favorites.

I'm NED and going to Mexico for New Year's!!!!! What more could I ask for right now?!!!