I could only take one visitor at a time today due to COVID19 protocols at the Cancer Center now, so I had Kent come with me in the morning so he could meet with the oncologist and get me started, then Kylie came with our lunches and some games around 11:30. I had just gotten started on treatments around 11, after getting my labs done, meeting with the doctor, and getting anti-nausea pre-meds. Dr. Corum said he would contact my nurse navigator to have her set up an ultrasound in a couple weeks, as well as the appointment with my surgeon after that. He expected surgery to be in 4-6 weeks – so May, which is what I was expecting as well. Then we’ll resume the herceptin and probably perjeta also every three weeks to finish out the year. But no more of the hard chemo drugs!!! So it was time to celebrate by ringing the bell!!

My energy should continue to improve and my hair will start to grow back – probably in several months or so. My hemoglobin had dropped again, but less than last month and my white blood count was back to normal as it has been every time at the end of each treatment cycle. It will likely go down after 10-14 days then come back up again, which is why it’s best to wait for surgery until it’s back up to normal.

Kylie figured she could whoop up on me playing Blink (a speed card game) since my brain isn’t functioning at full power now – she was right!! I was still able to beat her at Othello though! We also played Guess Who, and a couple of regular card games. I showed her how to play Mastermind with six colored pencils and some white paper like my cousin Charla and I used to do when we were probably in high school. We were on point, each of us solving two games each in 2-5 plays.

I’m feeling tired, but happy and hopeful tonight. Pretty sure I’ll sleep better tonight than I did last night! Those crazy steroids really mess up my sleep cycle! Praying for minimal side effects again this round – I’ll keep you updated.