New Chemo (Taxol) and Guest Speaker Update

2/26/07

New Chemo and Guest Speaker Update

Hi Everyone,

Just a couple of updates on what’s going on lately. First, I have started my second chemo drug, Taxol, and I have had a pretty good reaction to the drug so far. This Thursday I will go for the second cycle of Taxol. It takes about 3 ½ hours to administer and that combined with blood tests and the anti nausea drip, we are there about six hours total. After Thursday I will only have two more chemo sessions left. Yeah!

I was told by a cancer survivor that Taxol is a dream come true in the chemo world and she was not kidding. Even though it takes forever to administer, I do not get the nose burning, chemical taste that I did with Cytoxan. I will not miss that one bit. I also did not get as nauseous as I did with the first chemo drugs. Normally I would take anti nausea meds for 7-9 days with the last drugs and this time I took them for only 2 days. So that made me happy.

What didn’t make me happy about Taxol is one of the major side effects, bone pain. I could definitely do without the bone pain. As one who has bone pain most of the time I thought I was pretty well prepared for it. Not so much. This bone pain was really in there. It started Saturday night and didn’t end until Wednesday. It was in my joints, ankles, knees, hips and low back, so much so that I was couch ridden for two days. As one who hates to take pain meds, I took them any way. It didn’t help much with the pain but it certainly made day time TV more interesting. In the grand scheme of things, I will take the bone pain over nausea any day of the week. I also had way more energy and felt like my regular self in a day or two.

On another note, as most of you know, Nicky, our oldest, is a 4th grade school teacher. She teaches many subjects, one of which is health. She has a health book that the kid’s use that literally says the sentence “if you get cancer you will die”, the book is 12 years old and clearly outdated. So she told the kids that the information wasn’t necessarily true and talked about me again. If you remember from an earlier e-mail, the kids sent me jokes as a get well present when I went in for my surgery, so they know that I have cancer.

On Friday I went to talk to both of her health classes about cancer and let them know that you don’t always die from cancer if you catch it early. It was really fun and the kids were great. I told them about my type of cancer and some of the things that I was going through with my battle. At the end and pretty much during the whole “presentation” the kids asked a ton of questions. Depending on the questions asked made each session go a little different.

Some of the questions the kids asked were:

• Did it hurt?
• How did you find it?
• How much does your chemo cost?
• How many shots do you have to get?
• Are you going to die?
• What color was your hair? What did it look like?
• Do you have to miss work?
• Were you scared when you found out?
• Can you get Neulasta even if you don’t have cancer?
• How did you get cancer?

There were bunches more but you can see they asked great questions. They really put a lot of thought into them. I showed them my bald head and my scar on the back of my head from the 5th grade swing set incident. I think they liked that part the best. A few of the kids knew people who had cancer, some who lived and some who died. It’s unfortunate that cancer affects so many people regardless of who gets it.

Afterwards I passed out hot pink breast cancer bracelets to each of the kids. I had a great time with them and I hope they did too. Nicky, or should I say Miss Anderson, is a wonderful teacher and we are very proud of the work she does.

Well thanks for listening, again. I hope you are all doing well and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and support. Have a great day!

Love to you all,

Jen

Halfway Done with Chemo!

2/8/07

Hi Everyone,

It’s been a while since I have updated you with what’s been going on so I thought I’d send out a quick note. Good news, the first part of my chemo is finished. I have completed 4 cycles of Adriamycin and Cytoxan treatment. I have to say I am not going to miss either of these drugs but am thankful that they are available to help me become cancer free. The side effects have been pretty brutal and the treatments themselves have been no picnic. All in all though, I think I’m doing pretty well. We celebrated with our friends the Wrights, Hudoba's and Edberg's at our favorite restaurant; Forepaugh's in St. Paul.

The first chemo session was the worst by far. The second cycle was much better because the Dr. changed my anti nausea drugs, and then I wasn’t as sick. The not so fun part about cycle #2 was that I was still trying to figure out how to manage the anti nausea drugs and got my self addicted to Compazine. That was fun. It took about 3 days, 47 walks and 29 games of Scrabble to get through. I was a little hyper active. Chemo #3 and #4 were not as bad. Since I was more familiar with the anti nausea drugs I bypassed the addiction part and I was also able to handle the fatigue better. The fatigue is a killer; it just comes out of no where. All of a sudden I just want to sleep and sometimes the floor looks like a pretty good spot to crash.

I also have what they call “chemo brain”. Chemo brain is a lot like Alzheimer’s mixed with brain damage. If we didn’t know any better J.R. would have sent me for a couple of CAT scans by now. There are a lot of started sentences, not so many finished ones. Also decision making is a challenge. Want to make a lunch plan? I’ll change my mind 13 times and go into low blood sugar shock before I can decide what I’m hungry for. Mostly because I can’t taste anything. Chemo has wrecked my taste buds. I can’t taste anything salty, sugar yes, salt no. I guess I should be lucky it’s not bitter I can taste. I am basically killing myself with hot and spicy food. The only reason I know that is because I have to blow my nose 64 times during a meal. And my sense of smell is incredible now, weird I know. I can smell things 3 floors away. Flowery stuff really gets on my nerves and I’m about ready to take out Abercrombie & Fitch. Every time I walk past that store the perfume wafting out the door makes me sick. The TSA should hire me to replace the bomb sniffing dogs at the airport, Fido would be jealous if he had my nose right now.

So far I have managed to keep my eyebrows and eyelashes so I still look fairly normal, bald, but normal. With my luck they will fall out at the last chemo cycle. Also, my nails have been replaced with titanium. Honestly, the bionic woman has nothing on my nails; I could open a tin can with these things. I don’t dare try the nail clippers a belt sander would be the better option. Another fun side effect is the chemo is drying my skin from the inside out. I’m starting to look like Keith Richards or one of those 1970’s dried apple people. There is not enough moisturizer on the planet right now. There are other side effects I could talk about but I don’t think any one would still be my friend if I did. Trust me; you really don’t want to know.

My next round of chemo is called Taxol. I will have four cycles of that drug and it will be taken every two weeks via IV. This chemo drug takes 3 ½ - 4 hours to administer so my time spent at the Dr.’s office will be about 6 hours each time. Can you believe that? Sitting still for that long will be hell on me. I have heard this next drug is not as brutal as the last two. I will not be as nauseous but I will have bone pain. Fabulous. Also, I guess this chemo drug makes you really hyper active so our house will be really clean and organized. As a matter of fact, I will probably be looking for things to organize so if anyone has pictures, closets or attics that need help, let me know. I will be done with our house after the first cycle. The anti nausea drugs will change too. Get this, I get to take three drugs 12 hours before, 6 hours before and 6 hours after. That’s a lot of drugs. I won’t miss the drugs when this is over.

In addition to chemo, I have been to what seems like a bazillion Dr. apts. I am going through physical therapy, to get range of motion back in my right arm, lymphedemia physical therapy, reconstruction “fill ups” and weekly labs. I swear they should just give us a complimentary parking pass and name a wing after me.

For those who do not know what lymphedemia is, it is a swelling of a body part due to the removal of lymph nodes. Since I had the nodes under my right arm removed, I am susceptible to swelling in my “upper right quadrant”. There are lymph nodes throughout your whole body that moves fluid and cell waste from point A to point B. Once the nodes are removed you have to manually move built up fluid to other parts of your body where lymph nodes are present. It’s actually pretty cool how it all works. The lymph nodes are just under your skin and light touching moves the fluid to another area. JR is being trained by the therapist so he can help me when there is a build up. If nothing is done with the fluid, it can become a permanent swelling. I think it’s safe to say I don’t want a big arm or puffy arm pit. The swelling feels really weird, imagine having a doubled up tube sock stuck under your arm and down your side but underneath your skin, it feels a lot like that.

As you can see, even though there has not been much in the way of updates to you all, I have been really busy with treatment. For those of you who do not know, I have taken some short term disability to get through the rest of chemo. With the chemo brain, fatigue and a bazillion Dr. apts. I just can’t do my job effectively. So I have taken some time off. I’m 8 days into it and I’m already bored to tears. God help me I’m starting to get on my own nerves.

Thank you again for all of your support, I appreciate it and am so lucky to have you all in my life. Luckiest girl in the world. Thanks for listening, again, and I hope this e-mail finds you all well. Have a great day!

Love to you all,

Jen

KARE 11 Interview - Join the Debate over Breast Cancer Ad Campaign

Hello:

Today I was at the oncologist for some blood work, and was asked to review and comment on a new advertising campaign sponsored by the Susan G. Komen For The Cure Foundation. The ad features a woman wearing a shirt with some very strong language on it depicting how some women feel about fighting breast cancer. The campaign has spurred some controversy.

One side feels it is too aggressive and violent, and others feel it represents the attitude one needs to fight breast cancer.

KARE 11 News was at the Breast Center getting comments from Health Care Providers and some patients, including me, on the topic. J.R. and I actually saw the ad in a magazine on Tuesday and thought the ad was very good.

You may review the story and watch the interview at: www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=148833

Check it out.....decide for yourself......and share your comments in the comment section below.

Love to you all,

Jen

Head Shaving Party!

Hi Everyone,

Saturday night was a total blast! Our good friend Tom Mitchell decided to shave his head and be bald with me to support my battle with breast cancer. In addition, Mitch recruited another five people to do the same and we had a head shaving party at our house. About 20 of our friends joined the fun, food, fire, head-shaving and fireworks on Saturday evening. There were a lot of laughs along the way I can assure you.

Since I was the original baldy, I had the dubious honor of being the head clipper gal, and if I should say so myself I did a pretty good job of it. First person in my chair was Kelly, she wanted a Mohawk, and a Mohawk she got. We did have some adjustments to the Mohawk later because it was too long in the front at first but she looks fantastic!

Second up was Mitch, and let me just say, Uncle Fester has nothing on Mitch! JR did shave the remaining stubble after the initial clipping, and Mitch looks fabulous! Next was Eric and again, not to toot my own horn, I did a fabulous job of clipping E’s head. My husband however, hacked the living daylights out of E’s head with the razor. I think I must have put 20 pieces of t.p. on the spots where he was bleeding. Poor Eric, he was a good sport about it.

The next brave soul was Jim Mitchel and he was a piece of cake, he has a great shaped head and there were no shaving mishaps on either Anderson watch. Next in my chair was Bo Mitchell. The future Mrs. Bo Mitchell wanted me to shave his hair into a “Bo Hawk” and that is what I did. Apparently she is going to take care of the rest today or tomorrow. Go Kari!

And the last of the Mohicans in the chair was none other than Jeffrey Bartels! I was sad to see the flat top go but it was his choice. We had a couple of do’s along the way, first we shaved the Mohawk, which looked great, then we did the Charlie Brown chunk in the front and then we took him down to bald and shaved off half the beard. No one in the room, including his wife Vickie, has ever seen Bart without a full beard! I have to say, Bart is a styling man and is looking rather hot with the goatee and bald head. Oh sure he’s 6’ 5” so that may have something to do with it too. You’re a lucky girl Vickie!

In any case, I want to thank everyone who participated by bringing food and drink and helping with clean up duty, I appreciate it very much. I also want to thank those who shaved their heads to support me in my battle, that was such a wonderful gesture of support and I really love you all for being here for me. I hope everyone enjoys the pictures, they are really fun. Thank you again for everyone’s love and support, you are all the best!

Love to you all,

Jen

Thanks KS95, Moon & Staci - Hat and Headgear Update

Hi Everyone,

First and foremost I would like to thank Moon and Staci at KS95 for posting my blog on their web site and for all of the KS95 listeners who have taken an interest in my story. Thank you for your support and messages, the kindness of total strangers never ceases to amaze me.

Well we’re in a period of treatment that not much new is happening. It’s chemo every two weeks and pretty much a waiting game. Here are some observations about some of the things that I have been dealing with during chemo.

Good Things:

I don’t have to shave my legs any more, I like that.
I don’t have to shave my underarms any more either, I like that too.
Those three pesky chin hairs are no longer a concern.
I don’t have to do my hair.
I’m saving money on shampoo and conditioner.
I can be showered and ready in about 15 minutes.
I found out that I look good in hats.
My head is not shaped funny.

Bad Things:

I get tired out pretty easily.
The anti nausea drugs are miserable to get off of after I don’t need them to do what they do any more. I’m a twitchy, high strung mess for about 3 days, and nights.
I drink a ton of water and have to get up in the middle of the night at least 4 times.
Constipation. I won’t elaborate any further.
My taste buds like sweet and starchy foods now. Especially honey. Not great for the waist line.
Nausea will come out of no where pretty quickly.

So you can see why no one really likes to talk about any of this stuff. They pretty much hit you with it moments before treatment begins so you won’t dwell on what you can’t change. It’s probably a good thing that they do, otherwise no one would show up for chemo. All in all I think I am doing quite well through this and am pretty confident that March 29th will be my last chemo day. Keep your fingers crossed.

In any case, I am completely bald now, oh sure I have some stubble but what is left looks a little like male patterned baldness. (J.R. Says: I don't see a problem with that!) I’d like to think it’s because I just haven’t rubbed that part of my head much yet. The top is almost all gone, (that’s what everyone likes to rub when they see my head) and the back is almost all gone (from sleeping). So I look pretty funny. And you can now see my scar from 5th grade on the back of my head. (I had 5 stitches from a swing set incident). I still have my eyebrows and eye lashes and am not sure what the status of those will be long run.

As I have mentioned so often before, I have the greatest family and friends on the planet. To help me through the baldness, I have received a plethora of head gear gifts. And I went wig shopping too. I got my wig at the American Cancer Society, they take donations and buy wigs and provide them for free to cancer patients. I’ve received a beautiful scarf from Tom and Mary, a whole slew of baseballs hats from the Reed family. A box of fun showed up from Mary in Pittsburgh, Mitch and Paula got me a great suede hat and warm hats showed up from Jill in Seattle.

By the way, my wig makes J.R. look like one of the band members from Spinal Tap, especially when he breaks out the line “And our amps go up to 11!” in a British accent. (J.R. Says: Trying on Jen's wig is not to be considered a lifestyle change....not that there is anything wrong with that.) Mary and John Carters son, one year old Ethan, however, looks like Tina Turner from “Thunderdome”. He’s so cute! The babushka looking thing is not mine, I only tried it on in the store but it was a total riot. I am pretty sure KJ has me on video doing some bad rendition of Russian dance steps with it on. I loved it because it was warm and funny but I was not about to spend $345 on something that just made me laugh.

So that’s it for now, thanks for listening and I hope this e-mail finds you all well today! Thank you once again for your love and support, you are all the best!

Love to you all,

Jen

Mohawk for a Day / Lambert for Strength During Chemo

1/8/07

Hi Everyone,

Well my hair is coming out faster than I’d imagined it would so I went to drastic measures on Sunday. Steph and I went to see Christine again and I finally got my Mohawk. (at least for a day) Sorry Mom. I think I look pretty cute though. : )

Also, I have received the greatest “Be Tough During Chemo” gift of all time. After I sent out my Chemo e-mail, our dear friend Jason Hudoba responded in such a generous way that I can not thank him enough. As you know I am a huge Vikings fan since moving to Minnesota in 1993, however as Coach Cowher said in his resignation speech; "You can take the girl out of Pittsburgh, but you can't take Pittsburgh out of the girl." Being born in Pittsburgh and growing up a Steelers fan, many of you know that #58, Jack Lambert, is my all time favorite player. Jason, however, did not. Call it divine intervention, call it just plain great taste. As Jason was looking for something to make me feel better and stronger for all the remaining chemo sessions, he presented me with the most fabulous picture of no other than #58 himself, Jack Lambert. I can't think of a better image to get strength then from the toughest linebacker ever to play in the NFL.

My new anti nausea drugs are working so much better than the last ones, I had a pretty good weekend all in all. I was fatigued, but not nauseated like the last time. We love when a plan finally comes together.

That’s it for now, I do not have anything all that interesting on the horizon outside of some physical therapy and lab follow ups. Thank you again for joining me on this journey, for your thoughts and prayers and love and friendship. I appreciate it all.

Love to you all!

Jen

Chemo #2 - Hair Update

Hi Everyone,

I promise to keep this short and sweet. Yesterday I had Chemo #2. As you know the first one really kicked my butt so the plan was to change the anti nausea meds this time around. The short version is they worked…...so far. I received a shot that holds off nausea for 5 days called Aloxi. I wish they had pulled that trick in the bag out a little sooner. They also switched my Kytril prescription with Emend, I take it while I receive chemo and for two days afterward. So far so good. And they added Decadron in a pill form for three days too, it helps the Emend to work better. This in addition to the Compazine and Atavan. If all this can’t keep the nausea under control then they have more drastic measures to help. I won’t mention what those are unless I have to go there. They do not sound pleasant.

Also on the radar is my hair situation. My friend Christine came over after work to cut my hair into a Mohawk as I requested. As she was cutting, she formed my hair into a pretty cute cut so I did not go as far as the Mohawk but trust me, this weekend I will have one. My hair is still falling out rapidly and mostly it’s just a pain in the neck to deal with. Literally. This morning when I woke up my back was all itchy from the hair falling down the shirt of my man jammies and sticking to my back. For a second I thought I looked like the furry guy in the hot tub on the Carnival Valor 2006 cruise trip. But at least he was pasty white too, so that was a good look.

A quick shower took care of that hair plus another bunch of hair. It’s more annoying than upsetting so don’t feel bad for me that it’s falling out. At this point I’m looking forward to being bald. Oh, and all of those who thought I was a light brown with blonde highlights kind of gal, not so much. My hair is as dark as you can imagine. Who knew? I’ve been coloring it so long even I had no idea!

I showed JR how much hair came out when I brushed it yesterday and he put it on top of his head like Donald Trump, it was a riot. We should have taken a picture of it. That was the defining moment for me to cut my hair short, plus when your hair falls out it is really itchy! OK, I think that is it for now. Thank you for listening and for your thoughts and prayers, I appreciate your love and support very much. Have a fabulous day!

All my love,

Jen