I have had a week off of chemo due to Hand and Foot Syndrome and Dr. Cody changed my medication to Abraxane. Evidently it is a synthetic version of Taxol, but is made with an albumin protein. Also, he informed me that I can still have the same side effect of peeling from Abraxane, but it's a wait and see kind of thing. Doctors don't know if the Hand and Foot Syndrome is specifically from the drug (in which case, I would likely react the same way) or if it is from a detergent used in the Taxol (in which case, I would likely NOT react the same.) I am hoping and praying that this will not cause more peeling for several reasons. I don't have any layers left to lose on my feet before it could be painful and if it continues, it will definitely start on my hands. Dr. Cody said that even getting dressed becomes challenging if that happens. But also, and mostly because the next drug of choice they would try after Abraxane is one called Taxotere. This drug will have similar side effects as the first round of Adriamycin and Cytoxan which was awful and disgusting and I really, REALLY don't want to go through that again. It also is given in a dose dense amount every three weeks, which would probably change the timing of when I thought I would be done. Ugh...
Because my feet are better but still not totally healed and I still have some peeling, Dr. Cody decided it was best to give me the Abraxane but at a lesser dose. He wants to keep my body treated to continue fighting the cancer and is hoping that a smaller amount might be easier to take.
If anyone wants to know how I would like them to pray...please pray that the Abraxane would work like a charm and I'd have no peeling issues from it.
Katie Powers deserves kudos today. This young lady works as a nurse and this weekend she worked 12 hours shifts, then today, her day off, she drove an hour to pick me up, just to drive half way home again to escort me to my appointment, and then back to Springboro and hauled it an hour home to Cincinnati again! That's 3 hours of driving for a 3 hour appointment! That's sacrifice, and a heart of service, and friendship, and I am very grateful! I am still in awe of how God works in so many people's hearts as they pray for me and give of their time and resources to express that they care about me. Thank each and every one.
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