On your Mark, Get set......Let's get this Party Started

Flash.....news report at 11:00, (typing sounds clicking in the background)....news update on Joan Judge.

I'm here to report the happenings with Joan Judge's cancer schmaser case.

I had another MRI and meeting with my oncologist today. The MRI was on my brain....and I'm please to report that my brain is okay. Although I'm sure some would say that's hard to believe, considering how whacked I really am. The MRI was interesting......yep, they squeezed me into that tube again. This time though they strapped a helmet onto my face. I swear I looked and felt like Hannibal Lector wearing his mask. The MRI wasn't so bad this time, before inserting my big body into that little rabbit hole they gave me a panic button. They said, press the button and we'll rip you out of the tube. Just holding on tightly to that little button game me the comfort to endure 45 minutes of jet engines roaring in my ears. And the plus side was....ta-da....no cancer on the brain.

The oncologist and I talked about the chemo treatments and drugs. Yep, let's get this party started. I will be undergoing a total of 6 chemo treatment, the treatments will be every three weeks. Even though the chemo is every three weeks, the blood testing will be every week. Sounds like I'm a baseball player being tested for steriods, Not!!!

My first chemo treatment will be this Thursday.....40 hours from now. I've been told to expect the first appointment to last between four to six hours. Doesn't that sound brutal. I was sort of having panic attacks when we started going through the "what to expects". But basically, I'm going to start throwing up for 4 days after the initial treatment - although they will prescribe anti-nausea medicine. I can expect my hair to fall out around day 10....and no, it's not going to fall out a little at a time.....it's just going to all fall out at once. Bzzzz......shaver time. Bleeding Bladder....it's a possible symtom....so I am to drink gallons, no oceans of liquid. Now, can you see why I was having the panic attacks. Let's not even talk about the heart failure problems.....I just don't want to go there tonight.

The oncologist and I also talked about the pain. Not many of you are aware of the extreme pain I've had lately. My sternum, rib cage has been just killing me.....no pun intended. From what I gather, the cancer tumors are pushing against the nerves in the sternum. It's sort of like if someone is punching you.....sooner or later, it's going to hurt. And it's been really hurting lately. I've been reluctant to take pain medication because of possible addiction, however the oncologist said....."take the meds", let's clear up the bone cancer, hopefully that will get rid of the pain. We'll deal with the addiction later. So, I've started to take meds.....so now I'm fuzzy every once in a while.

So it's time to get the party started......it's still scary.....