Monday, November 3, 2008

Starting New Chemo Medication on Thursday

The good news is that I finished one of the three chemo medications. I start the second one, Taxol, on Thursday. There are some side effects that are a concern and I have been struggling emotionally the past couple of days as the time to begin this drug approaches. I thought the best thing I could do is to let you know and ask you to please be praying as I begin this medication.

[To add to the mix, I will also be starting Herceptin (the drug they will give me because the tumor was HER/2 positive and very aggressive) the following week. More on that drug next week.]

Here are the side effects:
--The infusion will take 3-4 hours (on Herceptin weeks 4-5 hours)
--Fatigue (can be debilitating) 5-7 days
--Muscle and bone pain (can be severe) 5-7 days
--Numbness and tingling in hands and feet that can lead to permanent nerve damage
--Hair loss (whatever is left usually falls out)
--Allergic reaction (apparently, this drug causes reactions so frequently that they spend the first 45 minutes of the infusion time giving anti-histamines to reduce the effects of the reaction they expect will happen)
--Decreased white blood cells
--Nausea
--Vomiting
--Diarrhea
--Stomach inflamation

So, you can see that these side effects are daunting. Please pray that God would remove or minimize them. I have had a sense that this section of chemo was going to be tough, so please also pray that I would have the strength to walk through it and to continue to keep my eyes on the Lord and His joy in my heart. Thank you, again, so much for standing with me. with a grateful heart for you, Leslyn

2 comments:

Prudy said...

Leslyn, Will continue to stand with you, as I know many others are also. We will continue to agree with you for your specific requests and will not stop interceeding on your behalf. May the love of God and the love of all who are praying for you strengthen you and embrace you in His rest and peace. You are so dearly missed and loved! Love, Prudy

marelind said...

Deut. 34:25 Leslyn's sandals shall be iron and bronze; as her days, so shall her strength be.

Job 17:9 Yet the righteous will hold to her way, and she who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.

Ps. 84:5-7 Blessed is Leslyn whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As she passes through the Valley of Baca, she makes it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools. She goes from strength to strength; she appears before God in Zion.

Zech. 10:12 "So I will strengthen Leslyn in the Lord, and she shall walk up and down in His name," says the Lord.