"UPDATE" After Chemo # 13

Labs were drawn prior to my appointment with the oncologist this past Thursday, again---all labs were great. The tumor markers are still coming down, thus the tumors and cancer is being reduced. If you have been following, the first set at the start of treatment were very high--understandably, the second set mid treatment had come considerably down indicating a reduction in tumor size/no further growth. What I am still dealing with is sluggish lymph drainage. The doctor says that it is from scar tissue around the lymphs. He had nothing to offer me in relief from the facial, right arm, and right breast swelling. I have been seeing a therapist who does lymphatic massage, and has taught me to do this on myself as well. It does offer minimal relief for short periods, so I do the technique often. The sleeve that I try to wear on the swollen right arm, caused me to break out in a rash, it also displaces the swelling to my hand and mid arm. As soon as I take the sleeve off, the swelling is back to being evenly distributed from fingers to armpit, but still very much present. I will need to be refitted with a material that doesn't cause skin reactions, and that fits better. I have started to use my rebounder again, but not as religiously as I should be. ( a rebounder is a mini trampoline, it helps with lymphtic drainage). Here is the real kick in the butt; I am getting Decadron 10 mg in IV form prior to the chemo treatment, then I am to take it in pill form for the next 5 days---tapering down from 8 mg/day to 4 mg/day, to start all over again with the next weekly chemo. As a critical care nurse, I gave it to patients to relieve intercranial pressure from head injuries, but it is given prior to chemo to help prevent nausea. I am already getting Zofran IV and pill form for nausea, so the Decadron is over-kill. Decadron is a type of steroid, which helps to pull off excess fluids----but one of the side effects is fluid retention!!! Needless to say---I told the doc what he can do with the Decadron! That's conventional medicine for you, they are chasing their tails---and we pay the price. It's hard for the patient to be on top of everything when they are busy with the job of recovery, but the only one you can trust is yourself---to become informed and be in charge of your treatment. It is difficult to be positive all the time when you are dealing with the constant reminder of what is going on with your body and health, but it is essential to get yourself back on track as soon as possible, time is too precious to be wasted in self pity.