Abraxane #2

2nd round down. 

My port was a bit difficult to access, given some of the swelling I still have.  That's unfortunate because I will say -- it is not pleasant to have them stick a one inch needle into your chest -- let alone have to do it twice!  I had to send Mike out into the hall.  I was afraid he'd see my face and get queasy. 

After they start the port, they draw some blood and send it to the lab to check my counts.  Meanwhile, I meet with the doctor.  Today's meeting was uneventful.  A quick discussion about how last week went and then off to the chemo room. 

While Abraxane is only a 30 minute infusion + 15 minute saline flush, it winds up taking a bit longer from start to finish.  They have to wait for my labs to come back and then they start mixing the Abraxane.  Apparently, it takes it a while to dissolve, so I was in the chemo room for almost an hour on only a saline drip.  I suppose the extra fluids can't hurt.  We were in the big room today -- about 8-10 chairs (one woman around 40 years old, two women around 50 + three men 60+).   Rachel Ray was on the two tvs, talking about s-e-x... it was probably the most uncomfortable chemo experience ever.  For serious.

I saw a woman that I met last week named Janelle.  She is going through treatment for primary breast cancer and is ~40 years old.  She's doing pretty much the same treatment I had 5 years ago.  She cried last week when we met.  When she told me she had just been diagnosed and was halfway through her treatment, I wasn't sure whether to lie or tell her the truth (which could be depressing for someone who is just starting her own fight).  Being a terrible liar, I opted for the truth.  I'm still not sure that was the right decision.   I guess we all know the reality that, despite our best efforts to poison the beast, breast cancer can recur 2 years out, 5 years out... 10 years out... we don't like to think about that -- how could we deal with this a second time???  But maybe it's good to see that if that should happen to us, we'll do the same thing we did the first time:  pick up our chin, dig in our heels, surround ourselves with those we love and fight like hell... just like we did the first time.