Now that the Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide (AC) treatments are over, it’s time for chemo drug number 3, Taxol. Where AC was administered every two weeks for 8 weeks, Taxol is given weekly over 12 weeks. Taxol is supposed to be easier on the system – less nausea, less hair falling out, less fatigue – but it’s not without its own set of new side effects. Among those are issues with my nails, the skin on my hands and neuropathy in my hands and feet. Neuropathy is defined as “weakness, numbness and pain from nerve damage, usually in the hands and feet.” To combat this, in addition to my cold cap for hair loss, I’ll also be donning cold mittens and booties during treatment. I am a meat popsicle.
Before starting Taxol, they gave me 3 glorious weeks off from treatment to recover AND get my eyebrows micro bladed (true story). This meant my first Taxol session would be on Monday, September 18th. Rory and I arrived at the hospital that morning for my blood draw and then met with my oncologist to review my lab results, per usual. Unfortunately, my lab results flagged my Neutrophil levels as dangerously low and I wouldn’t be receiving treatment that day. Neutrophils are the most common type of white blood cell – normal levels are between 2,500 and 7,000 neutrophils per microliter of blood. They require a minimum of 1,000 to receive treatment. I had 600 – which meant I had Neutropenia, putting me at extreme risk of infection. My doctor decided to give me another week hiatus from treatment in the hopes that time off would bring my levels back up. Luckily for me it worked. Unluckily for me, my youngest son would bring home COVID from daycare that Friday.
When the ABP announcing a COVID case in Declan’s daycare class went out Friday morning, I knew we were hosed. This was a kid who contracted every rhinovirus that came through daycare the previous winter and was sick so often he was tested 4 times for RSV over a 12 week period (he ended up being positive the 4th and final time, poor guy). I knew we didn’t stand a snowballs chance in hell of not bringing this thing home. So when we brought him home that evening and tested him, I wasn’t the least big shocked when it came up positive. The panic for us was not only that I could not get COVID because it would delay my chemo session again, but it could actually kill me if left to my puny 600 Neutrophil militia. So we decided to have my older son, Lochlan, and I stay with Rory’s parents, who live 30 minutes south of us, while Rory quarantined with Declan. It really does take a village and boy are we lucky to have the one we do.
That next Monday Rory’s mother went with me to Taxol attempt #2. Levels were back up (1,700 Neutrophils!) so I was able to finally receive my first treatment. All went well and I’m feeling good this week – just a touch of nausea and fatigue, but nothing like after the AC treatments. I’ve been napping pretty consistently while we’ve been staying at Rory’s parents, where we’ve been for the past week. After Declan tested negative for COVID on Tuesday Rory tested positive, so we’ve had to delay going home until tomorrow (Saturday). Let’s hope after this we can all stay healthy for a while, but I have a feeling with winter sickness season approaching, that’s wishful thinking.
Meghan Has Breast Cancer 
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