YES!!

Sorry to take so long in letting you all know how it went. Was pretty tired when we finally got home yesterday. Several have emailed so you already know the news...NO ALLERGIC REACTIONS to this new chemo. Not on the first treatment anyway. Another very long day. 4.5 hours at the Cancer Center. Thanks so much to my patient husband for keeping me company all that time.

Here is how it works. First they spend an hour prepping you with drugs. You get Benadryl, anti-nausea medication, MORE steroids and something to protect your stomach. This all takes an hour and it basically put me to sleep. Then they started the Herceptin. They gave that very slowly the first time. It will be a much shorter process after this. Finally, they finish you off with the Taxol, which is the one they were concerned about with the allergic reactions.

Can't tell you how elated I was to watch the time tick by and realize I was feeling fine. The apprehension slowly dissipated and now I have one of twelve of these behind me. The nurse indicated that she felt I would notice a tremendous improvement in how I felt with these treatments compared to the last. Can I hold her to that? :)

Did find out I have developed anemia but not bad enough to need blood at this point.

Now, it's been just over 24 hours since we got home and so far so good. I was still on a steroid high when I got up this morning so woke up early with lots of energy. Must say that energy thing is not so much right now though, but that's OK. So far, no nausea.

Suddenly I am beginning to get a sense of possibly returning to at least a partially normal life and I am so excited. I realize I have to give this a couple more days to see how it goes and I also am painfully aware of that "cumulative effect" factor that starts to play into it all as well.  But something tells me it is going to be better than the last couple of months and I am psyched!

I have counted this up and if nothing gets messed up I will complete this second round the week before Brett is awarded his PhD in Denver. My goal is to be able to be there. I WANT to be there so am just praying that everything goes smoothly over the next 11 weeks. No delays. No bends in the tunnel. Just smooth sailing.

That's about all I know.

Later.