Tomorrow is the last day of my radiation. They were radiating a tiny tumor inside my neck (C-2) vertebrae, and in my lower back. I have been tolerating chemotherapy pretty well, but radiation is a real drag. Since my neck is being ‘nuked’ it affects my throat area. I have had a horrible sore throat for days.
I went to chemotherapy Thursday and they wouldn’t give it to me. My white cell count was too low. So they gave me the bone strengthening drug, zometa, and a shot of ‘neupogen’ I think.
Neupogen forces your bone marrow to make new cells. I was so sick following that shot…extreme fatigue, muscle aches for the next day. I know some of our other cancer survivors on the board will be taking this drug…this is how it affected me.
This might sound like bad news for my treatment, but it isn’t. The doctor said I am responding well to chemotherapy and it stays in your system…So it won’t hurt me to take a few weeks off. This coincides with my trip to visit my cousins in Denver. I was going to have to do chemo and then in late afternoon when I was done (because it takes forever for that giant bag’o’ drugs to drip into your veins) . But now I can leave early. My daughter and I are excited about this trip…we get to bring our dog…50 pound dog in the back seat of a Toyota Corolla…good times!
not sure if first picture worked
Glad to hear you are going to get away for a bit. The picture of your dog came through just fine (what a fun picture) but neither one of your daughter works.
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: good luck with your treatment.
Thanks, Sagerat, that was just the pic I wanted to share. 
Woohoo! Here’s to last days of radiation. May it truly be your last for the rest of your life!
I’ve had two 70-ish pound dogs in the back of my little Saturn. It’s fun. A bit crazy, but fun.
Good luck with the medical stuff, and have fun on your trip.
I’m sorry to hear you’ve been so sick, but congratulations on how well you’re doing with your treatment! I hope you guys have a great trip!
I’m going to be getting Neulasta to boost my white blood cells.
Have a wonderful time in Denver, and come back refreshed and ready for the sprint to the finish line!
I’m so sorry you’re going through this but glad you have your daughter and dog to keep you company.
Those are nice pics of your pooch and daughter. I hope you guys have a great time on your trip and that the break from treatments gives you a chance to recharge.
The neupogin did the trick–I went in my oncologist’s office to do a white cell count. Afterwards, Dr. R. came into the little room I was in and said “You’re going out of town?”
“Yes,on Thursday”
“OK, it’s good.”
I had my last radiation treatment yesterday. It was kind of bittersweet…well mostly sweet. They said they’d miss me and I gave them some homemade biscotti. (They are so nice there, I thought I should do something.)
I had to go to radiation 5 days a week for three weeks, granted, I was only in there for about 10 minutes per day, but it’s gonna be weird not having any doctor’s appointments for two weeks.
Radiation is way worse than chemo in terms of side effects. I still have this raging sore throat, which vicodin won’t even touch.