What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy (also called chemo) is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells.
How does chemotherapy work?
Chemotherapy works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells, which grow and divide quickly. But it can also harm healthy cells that divide quickly, such as those that line your mouth and intestines or cause your hair to grow. Damage to healthy cells may cause side effects. Often, side effects get better or go away after chemo is over.
What does chemotherapy do?
Depending on your type of cancer and how advanced it is, chemo can
- Cure cancer- when chemo destroys cancer cells to the point that your doctor can no longer detect them in your body and they will not grow back. (This is what God is going to do, CURE ME, in Jesus mighty NAME!)
- Control cancer-keeps cancer from spreading, slows its growth, or destroys cancer cells that have spread to other parts of your body.
- Ease cancer symptoms-shirnks tumors that are causing pain or pressure
How is chemotherapy used?
Sometimes, chemo is used as the only cancer treatment. But more often, you will get chemotherapy along with surgery, radiation therapy, or biological therapy. Chemo can:
- Make a tumor smaller before surgery or radiation therapy. This is called neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.
- Destroy cancer cells that may remain after surgery or radiation therapy. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy (My cancer was removed on 4.24, so this is the type of chemo I will receive, to destroy any cancer cells that may remain.)
- Help radiation therapy and biological therapy work better.
- Destroy cancer cells that have come back (recurrent cancer) or spread to other parts of your body (metastatic cancer).
How does my your doctor decide which chemotherapy drug to use?
- The type of cancer you have. Some types of chemo drugs are used for many types of cancer. Other drugs are used for just one or two types of cancer. (I received a Muger heart test to show that my heart is healthy. From a surgical standpoint I'm healing very well- even though I have massive nerve damage/pain- this does not delay starting chemo...due to the type of cancer I had removed (which was a very aggressive one) they do not want to delay treatment.)
- Whether you have had chemotherapy before.
- Whether you have other health problems, such as diabetes or heart disease.
Where do you go for chemotherapy?
I will have my treatments at Providence Regional Cancer Partnership in Everett, WA
My doctor and nurse will watch for any side effects and make any needed drug changes, if necessary. I can have visitors during treatments, and bring snacks since my treatments will take 2-3 hrs per visit.
How of often will you receive chemotherapy?
Treatment schedules for chemo vary widely. How often and long you get chemo depends on:
- Your type of cancer and how advanced (My diagnosis was: Breast cancer, Stage IIIA, left infiltrating ductal cancer)
- The goals of treatment (TO CURE)
- The type of chemotherapy
- How your body reacts to chemotherapy
I'm receiving chemo in two phases:
Phase one: Adriamycin + Cytoxan every two weeks for 4 treatments
(after each treatment I will return the following day, to get an injection to help increase my white blood cells count)
Phase Two: Taxol weekly for 12 weeks
How is Chemotherapy given?
I will have intravenous (IV) there the chemotherapy goes directly in my vein. I received a power port during surgery (placed under my skin that they will use to draw blood, give IV, and use for chemo treatments)
I will be undergoing chemo until October of 2013-I will have 4 weeks off after completing the treatments, before I start radiation therapy.
There are a ton of side effects to chemotherapy & each drug has different side effects. The most common are: (yet I plan on not having any of these!! Thank you Jesus!)
- Low blood count
- hair loss (People say I have a cute face, and this shouldn't be a problem lol)
- fatigue
- nausea (I have 6 different anti-nausea medications to use during treatment!!)
- loss of appetite
- diarrhea
- stomach pain
- changes in skin color/nail color
- missed menstrual periods
- mouth sores
- red or watery eyes (Only Adriamycin)
- red colored urine (Only Adriamycin)
- bone pain (Taxol)
- sweating (Taxol)
- muscle or joint pain (Taxol)
There are many warning signs to advice the doctor and lists of things to watch for during treatment. I have a 24hr on-call line to receive medical advise and/or attention. One main side effect is watching for fever. If my temperature goes above 100.5 then I have to call in right away before taking a fever reducer. This is due to infection and they will monitor this very closely.
How will I feel after chemotherapy?
It affects people in different ways. How you feel depends on how healthy you before treatment, your type of cancer, how advance it was, and the kind of chemo you're getting. Some people do not feel well right after chemotherapy. The most common side effect is fatigue, feeling exhausted and worn out. Doctors & nurses cannot know for certain how I will feel during chemo.
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Continue to Pray for me during this time. I'm still healing from surgery (3 weeks post-op this week), and I'm suffering from severe nerve damage and restricted range of motion. I started physical therapy last week and have already completed 3 sessions. Peggy said I'm getting better each time, but it's very painful and difficult. I have to be able to put my arm overhead for radiation, so getting my range of motion back is very important.
I continue to pray all throughout the day. Some days I'm more emotional then others, but I trust God will bring me through. I'm thankful for my loving family and friends- always encouraging me! God sends me a smile everyday in some way, shape or form. I love the LORD for that!! He's always watching out for me, and he remembers to make me smile.
I need more SLEEP! I just have been taking naps here and there- ever since surgery due to pain, it's very hard for me to fall asleep. Pray for the pain to decrease and my sleep in increase. I long to be comfortable. Thank you for all your prayers, they do work!
I'm loving how many people are now saying "Fight! Pray! Win! It's so encouraging:) I see so many wearing the wristbands and T-shirts- It makes my heart smile. It's now a movement that will continue even after I'm cured to help encourage others. It's 5:06am so I'm going to ice my shoulder and try to get an hour of sleep...God Bless!
Fight. Pray. Win.
XO
Nicole
