Good news at last!

I received a call from Dr. Puhalla's office two weeks ago. I was told that they had a spot for me in the clinical trial. Woo hoo~! I had an appointment on Tuesday, December 8th at 4:30 p.m. to meet at Magee Hospital to fill out the consent form for the clinical trial. This is both exciting and scary. I'm excited to get started but also worried on whether or not I will tolerate this treatment as well as I did the last (at least I feel I tolerated it well).

I was put in the exam room at 4:20 p.m. I had just a gown on and those rooms are always cold. I put my winter coat on over it and sat in a chair versus on the table. I fell asleep and woke up about 10 after 5. It was awfully quiet in the offices and I started to wonder if they had forgotten about me. Finally, at 5:45 p.m. or so, the doctor came in. She had to read all the paperwork to me and go over the possible side effects. My favorites were the ones reported in animals but not in humans.
1. Excess production of salvia. Do they make cute bibs for adults?
2. Abnormal gait. The president of NationalLink said that if she saw me walking around the office like John Wayne, she wouldn't worry.
3. Mild sleepiness followed by mild excitation. *Snore* Hey! Are you people working?!?!? *Snore*

After signing the consent form, I left and went over to the Rivers Casino. I had arranged to meet Meghan (MFD) and her husband, Cliff, there. She and I were there first and she ended up winning $61 with a $20. We won't talk about what I didn't win. We had dinner at the buffet and it was much better than the first time when John and I went. I think they're getting the kinks out. I found that it's still too smokey for me there and ended up having an asthma attack walking out to the car. Combination of the smoke and the cold air, I think.

Dr. Puhalla told me that I would have tests scheduled next week and start treatment the week of Christmas. That's not new to me. My first chemo treatment started on December 22, 2008. I'm just waiting for the call for the tests. My creatonine was great; only .90.

I am definitely not looking forward to the queasiness and need to find out if they'll give me the same great drugs they gave me the last time. I'm also not looking forward to the muscle aches and pains and the hair loss. It was coming in nicely and I almost paid Philip Pelusi hair salon $30 to trim it up. Glad I didn't since it will start to fall out again. Maybe it won't...the side effects say "possible" hair loss. We'll see. It's too cold to be bald. Guess I'll have to wear my pink breast cancer awareness Steelers cap (man are they bad this year).

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've last posted. I've just been too tired to go online when I get home. Of course, the office, where the main computer is located, is freezing. I wear a robe and gloves when I'm in there.

Take care everyone and hope you're having a wonderful holiday. As soon as I hear more, I'll post.

-Suesan