Pink Ribbons - The Chemo Test

Pink Ribbons is a feature series I have started that is posted every Wed.  I am a Pink Ribbon Warrior, having gone through the chemo, surgery, radiation, the year of waiting and recently stage 2 reconstruction...which I find is really the first of many little surgeries.  I am at a place in my life where I am willing to open my journal from that time and share with you my anger, fears, challenges and pain of finding out you have cancer.  At the end of the post, you will find the links of the previous posts from the most recent first and going back.  These are not current events.  This is me sharing with you from the other side of breast cancer. 

Marcia picked me up and went with me to my "chemo class".

 And THERE WAS NOT A TEST.  

The nurse was joking but I thought she was serious!  I have spent the last 3 days studying my chemo drugs and the side effects and when to call the doctor and.....THERE WAS NO TEST!  It is an outrage!  

I kept waiting for the test and finally I asked.  They laughed.  Then later they realized I was serious and had believed the nurse about the test.  I told them they should be ashamed.  If you can't believe your chemo nurses, then when are you SUPPOSED to believe them?  

They hung their heads and said they were sorry for misleading me.  But they were snickering.  I don't think they were very sorry.!

I had asked Marcia to go with me because I knew sometimes when you are facing big medical issues you don't always catch everything that is said.  I wanted an extra pair of ears.  KJ couldn't come...well he COULD have but I told him, not to because I wanted him with me for the port surgery.

I will be taking a chemo cocktail called CT...It’s Cytoxin and Taxotere.  We talked about their common side effects and the kind of drugs the doctors will give me.  The chemo nurse said that chemo feels a lot like early pregnancy....really, really tired and really, really nauseous.  Goody.

She talked about different programs for people undergoing cancer treatment...Several programs offered by the American Cancer Society.  It's interesting and disheartening that Susan G Komen offers nothing to people with cancer.  I guess they just talk about self exams, collect lots of money and sell pink ribbons.  

I asked if there was any classes the nurse just shook her head.  She made appointments for me with the American Cancer Society for the Look Good, Feel Better program.  They will also evaluate my “needs” and see how they can address them.  ACS is really cool, and so I’m glad Mr. Rosey has had a deduction from his pay sent to them through the United Way Combined Federal Campaign.  He started that after daddy died of colon cancer.

Marcia and I were going to go out for lunch but there was some crisis in the parsonage, so she had to get back home.

In a moment of complete and utter bravery on my part, I walked across the street and knocked on the landlady's door.  When she answered I explained that I just learned I had breast cancer.  I asked her to extend some grace with our lawn mowing because normally I do it.  Now with KJ's condition and my chemo, it might get a little long.  Well! She would not hear about it.  She told me they would take over the lawn care and that I should just concentrate on coping with the chemo.  I'm grateful beyond words.

Fighting Cancer is Easier with the Support of Friends, the American Cancer Society, 

Skilled doctors and nurses!