Chemotherapy 6

Friday, November 17, was Anne-Marie's sixth chemotherapy treatment.

Margaret Garcia took Anne-Marie this time. She also took Anne-Marie to her fourth treatment.

I left work at ten minutes to nine in the morning to meet Mom and Anne-Marie at Dr. Burgess's office, which is a short drive from my work. We scheduled Anne-Marie's final plastic surgery appointment while we were there. The day is February 7, 2007. I headed, though reluctantly, back to work while the two ladies drove north toward Providence, stopping for breakfast at Miller's Homestead restaurant in Lake Oswego.

The hematology clinic was running a little late when they got there. Blood test came back reasonable, but an injection of Aranesp was administered to correct slight anemia.

The consult with Dr. Smith was mostly uneventful, except for the prescription of a medication to ease the myalgia pain caused by the chemo during the first week after treatment.

The pre-meds and treatments used this time were the same as the last appointment.

Mom and Anne-Marie spent some time talking to one of the "chemo friends" named Brenda. She has three young children. The doctors say she has stage four cancer with little hope of survival. The treatment they are administering at this point is experimental; They've already tried everything else. They seem to be having some success. Her outlook is positive.

Mom got snacks for Anne-Marie from the complimentary snack counter between chatting and reading magazines. Anne-Marie, drowsy from the Benadryl and Ativan, napped for the next hour.

The treatment was finished around 5:00 in the afternoon and they headed for home.

The last chemo appointment has been finalized for December 29.