Malcolm-1 Cancer-0

It can be difficult writing something retrospectively because July 12th, chemo #3, was fairly pleasant.  We were all smiles, the port functioned well, and Dad and I enjoyed some Baskin & Robbins while I was still riding the wave from the IV anti-nausea meds (1 scoop's for the weak, get a second scoop for later ;-).  Cue Friday afternoon where the intractable nausea and vomiting commenced.  Lemme tell ya- my arsenal of meds, ginger tea, peppermint oil, lemon slices, and lemon water was no match for what chemo #3 had in store because nothing worked this time.  I started having symptoms of dizziness and more fatigue than previous chemo cycles.  I consulted my personal group of lady internists (you got it- the med school besties).  It's different when you're the patient dealing with your own maladies.  I would have advised a patient of mine to "get to the ER or clinic for some IV fluids!" Anyway- that was the overwhelming consensu...

Short post. Evening everyone, Happy 4th! Today I had the pleasure of visiting with my girl Constance and her husband Antwon.  Constance's dad makes some of the best ribs, and they're smack ya mama good 😋.  Can't believe July 1st marked the beginning of our third year of residency!  Cheers to a new year- lets make the best of it!

Medifee.com chemoport for chest For the first two chemo cycles I opted to have access through a peripheral IV vs a chemoport.  A chemoport is a device that allows accessible withdrawal of blood for labs and a site to inject medications and fluids.  It is surgically inserted into one of the larger veins close to the upper portion of your chest while a catheter extends close to the heart.  One of the most common post-surgical complications is infection around the site, and I wanted to lessen my chances of infection.  Well, after the Adriamycin left hives and bruising for the second time close to the area where the chemo was injected, I said "enough is enough.  I'll take a chemoport, please." Tuesday July 3rd I had a chemoport placed under general anesthesia.  The procedure itself took 20 minutes; however, Dad and I were there for approximately 7 hours total.  It was interesting being a patient in one of our own hospital rooms.  Before...

This past weekend I had the pleasure of hosting the Carloses.  Claudia and I go wayyy back to the days of kindergarten and have managed to continue cultivating a friendship throughout the years.  Cameron stepped onto the scene around the time we were all in high school.  It was quite clear that these two were meant to be!  Anyway Claud and Cam came to Jackson for a visit, and it's crazy how we stayed up late each night giggling and catching up.  Claudia's 3rd grade birthday party We dined at some staple Jacksonian restaurants such as the Manship and put our brain power to the test in the Prison Escape room (we were so close to solving the last riddle, but time wasn't on our side).  It was joy to see these two.  A few months after their marriage ceremony, Cameron became sick, and their world was forever changed.  Without divulging their business, I'm inspired by their continued faith in God and genuine devotion to one another.  Fri...

Evening, crew.  A lot of wonderful things have happened in the past week and a half, and I've felt like myself.  Lots of laughing and evening walks; always a great sign, right? 😉 June 22nd marked the one month anniversary of my new reality.  It's interesting how you notice even the subtlest changes like a fuller face from retaining more fluid than usual or how your taste buds are affected.  I'm very grateful that we've made so many advancements in medicine providing access to effective treatment, but when you truly think about it- this form of poison (chemo) is the lesser of two evils.  My disease is being contained and eradicated.  I cannot begin to fathom the amount of physical and emotional pain endured by those fighting metastatic disease.  We need to continue to further research and find a cure to this illness.  Far too many people have been touched by breast cancer, and we can't stop fighting now. The first steps toward this goal begin ...