Chemo 2 & 3

I have chemo 2 & 3 under my belt and am doing quite well if do say so my personal self. I am bald, my nose runs, shortness of breath besieges me, leg pain that I can handle with over the counter meds, some I better be quick to the bathroom and at times sleeplessness but after answering the list of questions I am asked when I go to chemo, it could be so much worse. I am looking at my lucky stars and most of them are on my side.

I celebrated my birthday last week and started it off on Saturday going to dinner at Donovans Steak House, my girlfriend Judy and her sister Debbie took me and gave me presents to boot, yes it was wonderful. Sunday my dear friend Pam gave me a Tea Party with all of the goodies and lovely people to spend my afternoon with, my daughter Allison, my friends Kathy, Traci and Isabell along with Pam's daughter-in-law Amy and her daughter Megan and presents to boot. Tuesday morning, I went to the movies and saw The Blind Side, good movie and then to lunch with my friends Sheryl and Mary. Tuesday evening my daughter and son-in-law took me to C Level for dinner, we sat outside and had a marvelous meal and admired our beautiful skyline. And to top it all off my work gave my some beautiful flowers. Thank you everyone who spent time with me, called, sent cards and birthday wishes, I cannot tell you how much it means to me as I march into the next year of my life and do plan to be celebrating being cancer free at my next birthday.

Thursday we had dinner at home. Christopher and Allison helped me do the whole thing and without them I do know we would not have had such a wonderful meal to put on the table. Christopher's family came and I now have a very pleasant memory of Thanksgiving 2009.

My family got my christmas stuff down and helped get the trees up and decorated one of them and I have done some work this morning and may be done, we shall see how I feel as Christmas gets closer. Not a lot of energy you know.

A moment in my time,

Kathryn Konrad

One of Twelve

Yesterday I started chemo round 2, which consists of 12 treatments in my battle with breast cancer. It took 6 hours to get all the meds into my personal self and I am told next week it will take half the time, as I tolerated both meds well. I am feeling good although sleep was rather elusive last night, shall see how that goes.

Thursday was Dr. and blood day. I am having quite the time with moving about and breathing and the Dr. said that is because my red blood cells are comprised and it is a side effect. Taxol and Herception which I am now on can produce the same side effect, so it is a double whammy. Both drugs have lists of what can happen, crossing my fingers that mine are few and that like the last round of chemo, I get thru this one with my Dr. saying you are doing great.

I will be receiving Herceptin thru next November and when I am finished with the Taxol I go back to an every 3 weeks schedule. Herception is a biologic drug and is considered to be a great weapon in the aresnal against breast cancer.

The reason I am having chemo first is because with inflamatory breast cancer it has been found to produce a better outcome and of course I like better outcomes. Surgery will be 4 to 8 weeks after I finish Taxol.

A moment in my time,

Kathryn Konrad