Tues, 28 March 2006
My Dear Friends,
Where do I start?
In treatment yesterday, the nurse gave me a pamphlet detailing the new drug they'll be starting on Monday.
"Wait a minute!" I said, looking at the chick wearing a head covering on the front of the pamphlet. "She doesn't have any hair!"
Looks like I'm gonna be hairless again! Major bummer. Now I'll look sick even though I feel fine. I hate looking like a cancer patient. It scares people and you have to convince them you're not going to drop dead soon.
So I cried.
In the afternoon, I visited the radiation oncologist. Since nothing hurts and, after viewing the x-rays, he deemed me at low risk for fracture, we will not radiate at this time. He does recommend we watch it closely, meaning a scan of some sort every three months.
Stopped upstairs at my other oncologist, the second opinion guy, who's Head of Oncology at that hospital. Just planned to leave him a note or talk to the nurse. The chemo change (Gemzar) my oncologist had discussed with me last week was different than the hairless choice. I was not allowed to have Gemzar and be in radiation at the same time. Since I'm not having radiation, I wanted to ask the Head if he wanted to change his mind back to Gemzar (and keep my hair).
As I sat in the waiting room while the nurse was pulling my file, the Head walked in. He stopped to ask how I was doing, said I looked great and sat down for a minute. I started to explain myself but he said we shouldn't talk in the waiting room. He said he'd have them put me in a room. I was shocked because it usually takes three months to get in to see him. I always make my appointments way in advance. I had just wanted to leave him a note!
In the exam room, he explained various studies that put the hairless choice above the rest. He did ask how I felt about losing my hair. I told him if I can live (for example) three months without hair or five months with it, I'll take the five months. I don't want to make a bad choice based on hair alone.
Now I'm having second thoughts.
S.H the nurse called me today. The white cells are low again...only 1.9. I need to inject myself three times this week. I'd better go take a shot out of the fridge. It hurts less if I let it sit out for a bit (too cold).
I'm really bummed about the hair.
Love,
Jeanette
Where do I start?
In treatment yesterday, the nurse gave me a pamphlet detailing the new drug they'll be starting on Monday.
"Wait a minute!" I said, looking at the chick wearing a head covering on the front of the pamphlet. "She doesn't have any hair!"
Looks like I'm gonna be hairless again! Major bummer. Now I'll look sick even though I feel fine. I hate looking like a cancer patient. It scares people and you have to convince them you're not going to drop dead soon.
So I cried.
In the afternoon, I visited the radiation oncologist. Since nothing hurts and, after viewing the x-rays, he deemed me at low risk for fracture, we will not radiate at this time. He does recommend we watch it closely, meaning a scan of some sort every three months.
Stopped upstairs at my other oncologist, the second opinion guy, who's Head of Oncology at that hospital. Just planned to leave him a note or talk to the nurse. The chemo change (Gemzar) my oncologist had discussed with me last week was different than the hairless choice. I was not allowed to have Gemzar and be in radiation at the same time. Since I'm not having radiation, I wanted to ask the Head if he wanted to change his mind back to Gemzar (and keep my hair).
As I sat in the waiting room while the nurse was pulling my file, the Head walked in. He stopped to ask how I was doing, said I looked great and sat down for a minute. I started to explain myself but he said we shouldn't talk in the waiting room. He said he'd have them put me in a room. I was shocked because it usually takes three months to get in to see him. I always make my appointments way in advance. I had just wanted to leave him a note!
In the exam room, he explained various studies that put the hairless choice above the rest. He did ask how I felt about losing my hair. I told him if I can live (for example) three months without hair or five months with it, I'll take the five months. I don't want to make a bad choice based on hair alone.
Now I'm having second thoughts.
S.H the nurse called me today. The white cells are low again...only 1.9. I need to inject myself three times this week. I'd better go take a shot out of the fridge. It hurts less if I let it sit out for a bit (too cold).
I'm really bummed about the hair.
Love,
Jeanette
posted by Mark Kappe @ 5:29 PM
1 Comments:
At 2:51 PM,
Lindsay said…
Hey Nette,
I agree with the Dads; your head IS nicely shaped - I think most bald guys would be jealous of your head (ok, that sounds weird...and funny!).
I love you!!!
-Linz
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