Awaiting The New Year

The last couple days of 2011 have been pretty slow.  We spent a few days hustling about, searching the web, making a lot of phone calls and filling out form after form.  The biggest thing weighing on my shoulders is child care.  What will I do with my kids when I have to go in for treatment or am suffering from some of the lovely side effects that my treatment may bring.  We believe we have secured a spot at the preschool on the joint base for Maddie, but we were still out of luck with Tommy.  He's on the waiting list, but the wait list is 4-5 months long, not very helpful since my treatment starts next week.  On Wednesday I got a call from one of my oncologist who asked if there was anything else she could help me with.  I told her our biggest issue at the moment was child care.  Day cares in our area are extremely expensive (one place was $340/week!) and the military care facilities all had waiting lists that were 4-5 months or over a year long, depending on the base.  The very next morning I get a call from the care manager, Gail, at the oncology office.  She spoke with the child care director at the army base (where I have my treatment done) and they agreed to bypass the waiting list, at least temporarily, and provide child care for Thomas!  Ok so it is only a temporary fix.  I spoke with the director myself later that day and she said that they could provide care for the next 6 weeks, but they may be able to extend it.  My hope is that Tommy can be picked up at the joint base with Maddie, before his time runs out at the army base.

In other news, I had another meeting with the oncologist this week.  The visit was to confirm the plan for treatment, fill out my exceptional family member program paperwork (EFMP is for family members of military personnel that have medical conditions that require special care or special services) and pick up my meds.  Dr. D talked to us about the side effects of the chemo I would be receiving.  Good news, I shouldn't lose any of my hair.  Bad news, diarrhea, tiredness, nausea and weird sores on my palms and bottoms of my feet (really, sores?).  I've heard the diarrhea thing several times now and I'm starting to get worried.  Got on a support network and read how one lady was tethered to her house due to diarrhea!  To get myself prepared, I've had several conversations with friends about Depends.  Yes that's right Depends, the adult diaper.  I've been told they are just like wearing granny panties.  Grrr, granny panties, now those are sexy!  Out of curiosity I wonder if they come with cartoon characters on them?  Note to my friends who always like to say that I've gone crunchy granola because I choose to use cloth diapers on Tommy, no I do not plan on going that route if it becomes necessary.  I draw the line between baby poo and my own!

After we talked about side effect, we went over the time line one more time.  It was confirmed that I will have radiation in combination with low does chemo 5FU for 6 weeks, followed by some rest time.  Then I will have the surgery to remove what is left of the cancer and then some.  After a couple weeks of recovery I will have 4-6 months of chemotherapy, known as Folfox.  Once that is all over, 9-12 months, I should be golden!  I will require screens for the rest of my life, but hopefully the cancer will be gone for good.  Before I left the office, Dr. D brought me my drugs.  OMG are there a lot of them!  4 pills in the morning, 4 pills in the evening and that is for the low does chemo.  Plus I got pills to mitigate the possible side effects.  I was like a walking medicine cabinet.

So some things I'm not allowed to have with chemo.  No vitamins or supplements.  I personally thought that maybe vitamins would maybe help the way I feel, but I was told not to take them, the chemo needs to do its work.  Best thing for me is a good diet.  However, I was told that most chemo patients tend to take a bland diet to fight the nausea.  More importantly....I'm not allowed to drink.  Now I'm not an alcoholic by any means, but I'm known to have a glass of wine or a beer now and than.  I like have something every once in awhile so I was a bit upset when I was told no alcohol.  Doctor said that chemo changes the taste of it so I probably wouldn't like it anyways.  She said it will make the beer taste like metal.  As I sit here typing I am also sipping on my last alcoholic beverage.  Next year (well next year-ish, when I wake up in the morning) I will be quitting cold turkey.  Ugh....

Looking at my clock I see that 2011 has ended and 2012 is now upon us.  I would be a liar if I said I was looking forward to this new year.  Oh well, it's to late now!  It is another year and even though it is going to be rough I need to stay positive.  Cancer or not, I'm a lucky person.  I've got a great family and some great friends, that's all you really need.