Hey. Hey! Someone take those sleeping pills away from her!

So...
[akward pause]
How have you been?
[more akward pause and some shuffling of feet]
You know it's been a little while since we've talked.
[silence and sideways eyeglances]
OK. Fine. Lets talk about the last post. NO I wasn't drunk. I can't drink right now. And I wasn't high. The only drugs I can score are from my doctor. I was just really tired and it was really, really late and I took a sleeping pill that made me really, really ...really loopy. And now we know...sleeping pills and blogging Do Not Mix. Happy? Have we finished discussing the elephant on the blog? Can we get back to normal chit chat now? Fine

So. I'm fine. Let's see. Where were we? Before the sleeping-pill-induced ramble, I left you all with "Happy Thanksgiving thoughts". Well, I hope you all survived the aftermath of Turkey Day better than I.
Chemo side effects decided to rear their ugly head at about 3:30 AM Friday. And of course, the rest of the family was upstairs in a happy, turkey induced sleep.
After the first bought of nausea, it took three failed attempts to stand up to go upstairs (to get help) , several more revists of thanksgiving dinner and about 45 minutes lying on the bathroom floor, to come to the realization that my best bet was noise. So, I proceeded to slam the door of my mothers new bathroom cabinet until someone came to see about the racket. Thank God Dad is a light sleeper. Mom and Erica slept right through it. Dad got Mom and Mom got my compazine. Then all was right with the world.
I spent all of Friday recovering and vegging, and saving up my energy for Saturday
Saturday, Marta, Erica, my cousin Lucy and myself went into the city. We first went to South Street Seaport to see the Bodies Exhibit. Very cool. Then we walked fifth ave and saw the windows at Saks. Then we strolled through Rockefeller Center and around to see Marta office in the city before we headed home. It was a very nice day and I dropped like a rock when I got home.
After church on Sunday mom and erica went to pick Katrina and Chuck up at the airport. They had dinner with us. It was nice to have them home although they said they had a great time in Florida.
Well, you saw how monday went. I slept till noon. Did some work went to class. Went home for a quick nap. and then back out for concert rehearsal. Tuesday wasn't nearly as hectic. I got some work done and then went to class. Today I ran to Westchester for some blood work. Everything is fine and my counts look good.
Then mom and I went to visit Aunt Ann and Carl in the hospital. I'm sure most of you know by now. They were hit by a car crossing the street in White Plains. It was in the paper and everything. (Of course in the paper they are refered to as "an elderly couple". Oh. Aunt Ann is upset about that) Anyway, they seem to be in good spirits though Aunt Ann was a little loopy still from some of the drugs. They might be in there for awhile so please send out some happy thoughts and prayers for them.
It was later then expected when we left the hospital so I came home and crashed on the couch till choir time. After choir it was time for my nightly dose of drugs (anti-viral, anti-fungal, antibiotic(2)) and give my self a nuprigin injection. Oh that's right I forgot to tell you about the injections. For the last seven nights I've taken a handful of drugs, and then shot my self in the leg with a syringe. .... .... I hate needles. And that really is all that needs to be said on the subject.
That's pretty much it.. You're all caught up. So. I'll talk to you later. -Elizabeth

So...If nothinig else this will be a really intersting update.
Its very late, i'm exhausteed but unable to sleep. this wouldn't realy be a problem as i just took a sleeping pill a little while ago and teh longer that is in my system the sleepier i will get.. however, i have forgotten thet my touchtyping skills ohjly work well wehn either A. My eyes are opened or b. im not about to fall asleep from the sleeping pill. Dont panick yet. I have everyintention of making it inot my bed before i become compoletly unconcious. I was just hoping that one of my sisters. which everyone chekcse first might be so kind as to call mom and ask her to not wake me up untill 1030 or soo. That wyould be swell. Thanks - Elizabeth

Happy Thanksgiving!

Chemo went well and now we're on to Turkey Day! Yah! Food is staying down!
Actually I haven't yet tested that on anything besides cashews and chips, but so far so good.
I have no intention of posting anything lengthy today. There are turkeys to eat and yams to marshmellow, but I wanted to send a Thanksgiving Shout out to my sister Katrina in Florida. (Told you I'd update) I hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving, along with all of the Florida Fitz's you're with.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone
Elizabeth

And in today's production....

In today's production of Elizabeth's Chemo the part of "chaperone/driver" will be played by the up and coming sister, Erica. The part of "witty comic relief" will be reprised by cousin Lucy. The role of "cleaning the house and preparing for the Thanksgiving invasion but arriving at chemo in time to drop off lunch and learn how to jab me in the leg with a needle" will be played by the ever versatile mom.
Other supporting actors in today's production are Dad acting as second driver taking Katrina and Chuck to the airport for their Thanksgiving in sunny Florida. (I think it's 70+ degrees there. Pack a bathing suit)
This is the final scene of Act 1: RICE
No flash photography during the treatment and don't forget to tip your chemo nurse.
Enjoy the Show!

So...a few hours ago I was sitting in class.

No, don't go back and read it again...you read it right. I was sitting in class. Now I know what you're thinking. "Didn't she say she had a chemo today." Yes...yes I did. We got to othe office at 8 and finished up at around 4, which was just enough time to get to a 4:45 class. I didn't really want to go, But the power of the maternal guilt trip combined with my own stubborness in wanting to finish out the semester was more than I could overcome. In hindsight...not the best of moves. I got sick and had to have a friend drive me home.
We had a debate or at least were preparing to have a debate about handwriting versus keyboarding based on an article I haven't read. Mostly because I put off my reading cause of the chemo brain, but honestly, after thursday, school sort of fell to the wayside.
The debate was just starting to shape up when I made my escape. I feel a little bad for not hanging around to participate, but in all honest I was working on default. Basic functions only. (Breath in...breath out. Breath in...Breath out. ...No, no, no! Not throw up...Breath. )
Not only does the chemo (or at least the I of ICE) make me feel like crap, but apparently it can cause hallucinations as well. Betsy warned us last friday that they would need to take me to the hospital if I should start acting weird. Mom asked her to define weird. Anyway, so far I haven't seen any pink elephants. However, in class the projector started to flicker and I had to check with Vicki (my ever so helpful friend and emergency driver) to make sure it wasn't in my head. She reassured me that it wasn't. (Phew)
When we got home I was starting to have some serious trouble with the holding down of ...well anything. Even air. Got a bad case of the hicups. Anyway, I took a compozine so that I might settle my stomach enough to take a kytril. (Yes, Iknow I took an anti-neasea pill in order to take another anti-neasea pill. However I have a ton of compozine and only a few kytril. ) I also resorted to the ginger candy or should I say the candied ginger. Just as disgusting as I recall but by the fourth one I was ready for soup. (Thanks Amy. And Carol I had yours for lunch yesterday ...good stuff.)
So to sum up quickly both chemo's were long and tiring and boring. Although today less so because my cousin Lucy from slovakia joined us. I taught her poker and we chatted. She acted as a buffer between mom and I. (Don't judge her by her size...she may be small, but she's wiry)
I'm sure there is more I should tell but I'm exhausted so...goodnight.
-Elizabeth

So, for those of you who are still checking this thing....I had my CT scan today.

All is not well. As I was waiting for Dr. Ahmed, a fellow was taking notes on my last six weeks. We had never met before so I showed her where Fred used to be. As I'm pushing down on the spot...lo and behold I feel Fred. That's right. His corpse has been reanimated and is back to cause more problems.

Fred II: Revenge of Zombie Fred.

Anyway there is a lot of stuff to get through so I'll move quickly. Pay attention and keep your hands and arms inside the blogs.

1. Fred and Bob (the chest hot spot) have both grown significantly in the past six weeks, to such an extent that there was no need for a biopsy. Dr. Ahmed saw the scans and declared Fred resurected.

2. I start Chemo tomorrow. Not CHOP. If one chemo regiment fails to do the job, protocol requires a switch. I will be starting ICE. Combine that with the retuxin and you get RICE. ( I know, funny, yet that is what they call it.)

3. I will go through 4 phases of treatment. Are they actually four different phases...I don't know. It's just how I've broken it down in my head

Phase 1: Chemo : RICE - this is done over three days.

Friday - The R,I, &E from RICE along with several other drugs to counteract sideeffects so that the chemo doesn't kill me.

Monday - The I and E from RICE along with several other drugs......

Wednesday - The C and E from RICE along with several other drugss...... You get the idea.

After the chemo I have seven days of injecting myself with a drug to regrow bone marrow.Then I wait three weeks and repeat the first part of phase 1 over again. In other words, 2 cycles of RICE.
I then wait two weeks and get a PET scan.

IF the RICE has done it's job, we move onto phase 2. (If it hasn't we move onto a contingoncy plan that has not yet been devised. )

Phase 2: If the PET scan shows what we hope then I will recieve a bombardment chemo.
That isn't its real name. It is just what I am calling it in my head. They will give me a chemo designed to shut down my bone morrow...sounds bad right...wait for it...wait...only to start it back up again with days upon days of the self done shot that regrows bone marrow. This apperently will dump a whole lot of stem cells into my bloodstream.

In about two weeks time these little stem cells will be ripe for harvest. At which point I go back to the hospital, have another catheter inserted into my neck and then I am off to what I am fondly calling the vampire room where they will suck out my blood, whirl it around, take out the stem cells and shoot the rest back into me. We will do this until they get 2 million stem cells. It might take one day...it might take four. But they want 2 million.

Now I asked why they couldn't just use my port...apparently the injector that puts my blood back is high pressured and has been known to blow plastic ports to pieces. So, I get the catheters, and when the're done drinking my blood I get them removed.

Phase 3: Once again, provided that the previous phase went off with out a hitch, I will be thrown back into the hospital. Once there I will recieve intensive chemo. (Yes...another one for these keeping count this will be three for this course of treatment,...four overall.) I don't remember the name of this one, but I have it written down and I'll let you know. Dr. Ahmed described it as taking four months worth of chemo, and doing it in four days. (That just doesn't sound like fun)
When done, they will give me back the stem cells they stole and keep me for two and half weeks. For around a total of 3 weeks in the hospital all in all.
They want to keep me in a sterile environment, make sure my body starts working on its own again, and make sure that my bone morrow starts producing its own cells. Needless to say, for most of phase 2 and all of phase 3 I will have a non-existant immune system.

Phase 4: Ahh, the easy one. Radiation.

So there you have it, the four phases of my new treatment. This should put me done somewhere in february or march. And the entire thing will be riddled with tests and scans. Ok, I'm wiped so I'm going to bed. long day tomorrow and all. Later. - Elizabeth