Back from the wedding, on to oncology!

Friday to Monday I hoped to just try to feel normal. My dear cousin in Knoxville got married to the sweetest, nicest girl. It was a Tennessee Volunteer themed wedding, and I wasn't sure how they were going to do it, but it was beautiful and classy too!  The reception was at the Sunsphere and offered a 360 view of the city as the sun set. I also got to see some of my relatives on my father's side too. I loved seeing my family, and it was really important to me to be there for my cousin and his new wife's special day! It was harder than I thought to keep my own head above water. I thought I could just forget about the diagnosis, but it was almost all I could think about. I researched things the entire car ride down and back. My mom helped me a lot getting things organized.

Today, 3 appointments.  Oncology, fertility, and sleep study results.  The oncologist and her entire office were great.  I get the sense there were some things today that made them want to get a move on.  Per the oncologist's request, fertility is getting accelerated. Starting tomorrow instead of the end of the month. That means an extra injection, but at least we get to try.  One cycle only. The oncologist won't allow two.

Chemo will last a year. TCHP before surgery. 3 hours once every 3 weeks for 6 cycles or 18 weeks total. After that, H continues every 3 weeks for 1 year total. I will lose my hair probably before the start of the second TCHP session.  I think I will probably buzz my head and donate pre chemo hair to make a wig for someone else. Wig shopping could be fun. I'll feel like the cancer equivalent of Jennifer Garner from  Alias. I want to affirmatively choose when and how to lose my hair. I don't want to wait and let it be something that happens/cancer does to me. I need a port surgically installed and an ECG. First treatment should be right around July 4, right after fertility stuff ends. That puts surgery right around my birthday November 2 ish to Veterans Day.  Radiation starts about 4 weeks after,  so probably by the end of the year, maybe done by Valentines Day. H or herceptin chemo through July 2015. Then hormonal therapy for 5 to 10 years.

The sleep study was to address a lifetime of general fatigue, not cancer.   Idiopathic hypersomnia. There are drugs I can take to feel like a normal human being. No big deal. Probably helpful to know now to set the baseline.  That way when I get chemo fatigue doctors will know it began underlying before all the drugs. 

Tomorrow I have a really big day with the geneticist. I had no idea but there was a lot more family history than I anticipated.  Knowing will really help me finalize surgical options.

Right back at it y'all!