Booster Shot #1

In anticipation of my WBC levels diving as a reaction to chemo, my Onco already told me prior to cycle 5 that I'll need 2 booster shots. This to make sure I don't catch any infection and my counts are ready for the next (and last!) cycle in 2 weeks. 

NEUPOGEN is the booster's brand name. 

It is used to stimulate the production of granulocytes (a type of white blood cell) in patients undergoing therapy that will cause low white blood cell counts. Neupogen is used to prevent infection and neutropenic (low white blood cells) fevers caused by chemotherapy. It is a support medication, not a treatment for cancer. 

I'm due for my second one tomorrow but today after only the first shot, I feel so much more energized.

Chemo or Alternative Medicine?

Before I write further, let me just say that this entry contains my personal beliefs about Alternative Medicine as a means to address cancer, any type of cancer. These thoughts didn't come from books or online articles. I respect others and the choices they make as far as treatments are concerned. 

There's been a lot of talk about Alternative Medicine being the friendlier option. It's always been compared to chemotherapy. If you look at these two options, even without the benefit of in-depth research, the former will always emerge as the easier choice. Easier in terms of what? 

Side effects

Economics, maybe

But what really is the bottom line when you find out you have cancer? 

Kicking it and doing what you can to keep it from coming back. 

So this is how I look at it: 

If I want to get rid of a nasty cold stat, I would take a pill and not just sleep it off.

If I want to recover from the flu, I'd swallow paracetamol every 4 hrs. 

If I want to address dysmenorrhea pain, I'd take Flanax instead of use a hot water bag. 

Cancer is not something you can joke around with. If you know you have it, you don't waste time getting rid of it. To me, choosing to go with Alternative Medicine for my breast cancer would be wasting precious time. BUT, there are factors to consider. In my case : age. I'm 44 years old. The younger you are, the more active your cancer cells are. The older you get, the slower they move around. Get the picture? The form of treatment I choose should be able to catch up with them. I don't think Alternative Medicine can achieve this. If a person in his/her 60's or 70's says alternative medicine is what works best for them, I'll believe them. Chemo does take a huge toll on one's physical being.

Not to say that I never had any second thoughts about chemotherapy. There have been many instances, prior to the start of treatments, when I questioned my own decision. But at the end of the day, I consoled myself with the fact that I'm not a doctor and my doctor knows best. This is what she recommends and I'm not in a position to tell her that she's wrong. Of course, that's me. 

Chemo is not really my friend. I've had a love-hate relationship with it from the start. It is, by far, the only thing that has made me go into panic attacks. I've never ever taken a Valium before. But thanks to chemo, I can now say I have. 

I talked about chemo with both my Breast Surgeon and my Onco even before my first cycle started. Thanks to them, I was convinced that this was the option I should go with. My main goal is to live long enough to see my children go off into the world on their own. If I can live way longer than that minus an illness, then that would be a really pretty bonus. Chemo is the tougher protocol, but I know I'll have more peace of mind after I'm done. 

That Metallic Taste

It used to be just a story I would hear from cancer or former cancer patients. I could never understand nor relate to it because it sounded so strange to me. Food tasting like metal? Odd, to say the least. Now I know exactly what these people were talking about. I still can't describe it properly. But yes, metal is the closest thing that comes to mind. 

Luckily for me, this part is just a phase and it disappears when the good days post-chemo start rolling in. The longest it has stayed is about a week. Then my taste buds return to normal and everything tastes good again. Also, this hasn't stopped me from eating --- thank God. 

I just tend to ask for certain things to help address this inconvenience while it's happening. Here are some of the stuff I would normally buy or ask N to get for me when things become frustrating:

Ice Cream - even a cheap sundae cone from McDonald's or Jollibee will do the trick

Gulaman and Sago - why this? Because it's got crushed ice! I usually send the driver to the nearest Goldilock's branch to grab me a couple of orders. Really takes your mind off the metallic issue.

Magnolia's Popsies (or the Twin Popsies I grew up loving) - it's flavored ice, that's why. Feels so good on the tongue, no kidding.

I've also tried eating with chopsticks instead of the usual spoon and fork, so as not to amplify issue. Kinda works, too. But AGAIN, no two people are the same. While most cancer/chemo patients will tell you that they experience this, the effects on each person are different. In my case, I don't completely lose my appetite. I just ride it out until the issue disappears. For some, it could be a serious concern because you can't afford not to eat during treatments. 

Photos grabbed from Google Images

Barley : Good for Cancer?

I get all sorts of information on what to eat, drink, medicines or supplements to consider. This has been going on since the day I decided to go public with my breast cancer diagnosis. But no matter what anyone suggests, the bottom line is really this : to live a healthy lifestyle.

One of the things that's been suggested to me is BARLEY. Whether it's in the form of capsules, a powdered drink or what have you. People are saying that Barley is good for cancer patients. There are articles that will tell you it helps prevent cancer but I don't think anyone can truly say that something, when taken on a regular basis, will stop cancer from attacking your body. It probably offers some kind of protection, but not a guarantee.

Once you're diagnosed with a disease like this, you're recommmended to increase your intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Barley appears in this list. 

Plant Family	Examples
Grains	Wheat, rye, oats, rice, corn, bulgur, barley
Green leafy vegetables	Lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, endives, beet greens, romaine
Cruciferous vegetables	Broccoli, cabbage, turnip, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, bok choy, watercress, collards, kale, mustard greens, rutabaga
Umbelliferous vegetables	Celery, parsley, fennel, carrots, parsnip
Allium vegetables	Garlic, onion, shallots, chives, leek
Legumes	Soybeans, peas, chickpeas, lima beans, peanut, carob, dried beans (kidney, mung, pinto, black-eyed), lentils
Solanaceous vegetables	Nightshade family: eggplant, tomatoes
Cucurbitaceous vegetables	Gourd family: pumpkin, squash, cucumber, muskmelon, watermelon

Source : www.hopkinsmedicine.org

I guess it should then be a consideration when it's time to sit down with my Onco to discuss what kind of supplements I can take when chemo is done. This is going to be part of my long-term nutrition plan. Still reading up on other stuff I should be including in the long list of things I should be eating on a regular basis.

Moving forward!

Update : Post Chemo Day 3 (Cycle 5)

Like clockwork, I start to feel the side effects on the 3rd day. Today's not bad so far, but I always know the side effects have arrived because I don't really feel the same. I'm up and walking, but I heeded my Onco's advice to start on the pain killer today (instead of when the body pain IS actually here). This is to avoid what happened after cycle 4. Yeah, the anxiety attack which amplified the body pain and rendered me useless and helpless for a whole day. Unthinkable!

I'm alright. Just a little lazy and now slightly sleepy. I'm in bed, typing away and checking on my social networking accounts as always. It's cool. 

Looking forward to Sunday Family Style lunch here at home with Mama and home-cooked Sinigang na Sugpo, Porkchops and Palitaw for dessert!

And yes, I've changed my pain killer because Arcoxia didn't really impress me. 

Let's see if Celebrex does the trick!
I'm liking the yellow stripes. 

Happy Sunday, y'all!

Water, I'm Slowly Learning To Love You

Everyone knows how important water is. My Onco says it's one of the most natural forms of medicine for a sick body. It flushes out toxins from the body especially out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells, and provides environment for ear, nose, and throat issues.  

According to medical resources, the required daily intake for men is about 3 liters a day, while for women it's about 2.2 liters a day. Why is it so easy for me to imagine those amounts inside bottles of Coca Cola? That's 'cause I grew up not loving water. Throw me into the pool or make me spend a whole afternoon at the beach and I'm perfectly alright. But water INTAKE is a different story. 

I don't know what happened or whom I should blame for this haha. But my default drink has always been either Iced Tea or Coke. That's everywhere I go, including when I'm at home. There was a time, in the early to mid-2000s, when N and I would never ever have water at any given time. Just Coke. All day, everyday for years. Shaking your heads? I know, right. 

It's taken me a while to get used to drinking water as a daily habit. In fact, I still have to have soda every now and then. But my soda intake today is a far cry from what it was. I can now go a whole week without it. I've learned to drink more H20 especially after a chemo cycle, when all the crappy stuff needs to get out of my system, to avoid extreme side effects. The longer the toxins stay in my body, the more difficult it will be to recover from a cycle. That's all I keep in mind each time I have to down a huge glass of water. 

I still semi-struggle with having to drink too much. With soda, it's always, "May I please have some more?". But not with water. 

Sigh ... my on-going love-hate relationship with water. Make me fall in love with you some more!

Brunch and a New Book

I got another sweet surprise lately, from a fellow Pink Warrior and now friend. We make it a point to meet up on a regular basis. I'm just a few steps ahead of her. I just had my 5th cycle, while she is scheduled to have hers in a few days. We've had so much to talk about because there's so much we can relate to. It really helps to have a small group of friends who understand what you're going through 100%. I'm proud to say that Terry A. is one of them.

On our most recent meet-up at Nic's in San Juan (it was our 3rd time here already), we got to compare notes again and talk about Graduation Day. Yes, we're finally talking about graduating from chemotherapy. Time flies! 

I got to introduce Sabine to Tita Terry when she picked me up after coming from school. Anissa will have to be introduced later on when her busy schedule permits. 

Before I left, Terry handed me a gift. I love it when friends give me books!

I've heard and read a lot of great things about this book, and not just from anyone but people I know personally. Most of them have told me that they've had this book for a while and they go back to reading it every now and then. That only means it's really worth having and keeping. I'm still only on the first chapter. It's the kind of reading material that you don't rush. Louise Hay's thoughts need to be understood and absorbed carefully, for them to have a positive and long-lasting effect on you. Atleast, that's what I think. In fact, she suggests that you read it once and then a 2nd time. The 2nd round should be a more focused effort. There's a strategy and I intend to follow it. 

I'm really not sure where this book is available but you can always try the old reliable National Bookstore first. It shouldn't cost too much because it's not hard-bound. 

So grateful for all the love I keep receiving from friends, old and new.

Thanks again, Terry! 'Til our next date!