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| Smart-looking Laura (it's all about the glasses). Pre-total hair loss. |
There is a Taxol shortage - but have no fear!
No worries here. I am still receiving the same drug/same dosage - only in a different form (and therefore, under a different name: Abraxane). Guess the manufacturers/distributors of Taxol are in short supply; my oncologist's office is now being told that they "might" get more in at the end of 2011. There are two clear benefits to this:
1. The alternative - and more spendy - treatment I'm receiving takes 30 minutes to administer versus 4 hours. Bonus - I get to reclaim >12 hours of my life!
2. The alternative treatment may very likely not give me the drug rash I got the first time around. ~ Don't think I mentioned that before. It wasn't anything major, just a bumpy rash I could feel on my shoulders and upper chest/back - nothing you could see. I'm taking additional meds for now just in case I have a reaction to the new stuff, but might get off of those the next go-round if I don't experience any symptoms.
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| Pretty little pills. |
Yeah...medical terms. What's meant here is that, while my cancer's response to chemo thus far is good, we want better. Complete response = no living cancer (only scar tissue/dead cancer cells exist). Ultimately, for me to be in a way better statistical group of survivors, this needs to occur. This is where alternatives come in:
1. If my cancer does have a complete response: I will have my surgery with probable reconstruction (expanders put in place) at the same time. I will be expanded at a rapid pace (ouch) so I can get the radiation I need 6 weeks after surgery. Once radiation is complete and we see what we have to work with boob-wise, I'll get implants or resort to Plan B: another surgery if the expanders/implants option isn't going to work.
2. If my cancer does not have a complete response: I will have my surgery with reconstruction (expanders put in place). Then I will go through 4 more chemo treatments, this time three weeks apart, as part of a clinical trial. This isn't something I want, but if it helps bump me into a better statistical group, I'm all for it. There is no negative to doing the trial; I will either come out better because of it or stay the same - that depends on which group I'm randomly assigned to. The good news (?) about this option is that my skin would not have to be on a super-expando schedule. I'm sure my skin and pain receptors would appreciate that part. However, I still would prefer option #1 above. After the clinical trial, it would be onto radiation, and reconstruction happening after that.
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| What's a girl to do when early for a chemo session? Go to Ikea for 35 blissful minutes! That was fun! |
2 comments:
So glad you are still able to get some form of your meds. Sounds like it could be even better! Also so glad you are getting more info on the possible courses of action! It seems like the potential steps are much more clear now. New mantra: Knowledge is power! IKEA is fun! ;) XOXO Am
It does help to have steps become more clearly defined as I go on... I'm loving your mantra, Amber!
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