Fever, Appts, and Schedule Changes

On Monday I started running a temperature, it started at 99.4°... then went to 100.1°, then 100.6°. The mass under my armpit is huge and it grew so fast. Very short of breath today. Also swollen, took some water pills.

Tuesday my temp went from 100.3° to 100.7° to 101.2°. Considered calling the on-call doc but figured they'd just tell me to come down to the emergency room and I really didn't feel like getting jacked around there all night. Decided I would just wait to see if it got worse.

It was also my last radiation session... to which I disagreed with the doctor on. I feel we should continue with a few more sessions. The lump is considerably smaller, but you can still feel it really well. He keeps insisting that it's scar tissue from the biopsy incision. Excuse me, but scar tissue doesn't shrink with radiation, which this was doing. Also, he didn't examine or feel it before I had the surgery to know what was there before hand... what we are feeling IS the mass. It's the same mass that has been there, just a smaller version now. Another thing... I have several scars from other surgeries I have had recently and none of them feel like this. But I let it go... I told him I disagreed and let it go, I was done fighting with him about it. Figured I would wait to see if the chemo had any effect on it, if not or if it does at first and then returns, then I will just have to have more radiation... with someone else. You know, I went through this once already back in 2008. I had radiation at the beginning of the year, they evidently did not give me enough and it came back. So I had to go back and get more radiation at the end of the year. This time I got enough and it has not come back in that spot since. One spot of my arm that has been cancer free since the end of 2008! So I kind of know what I'm talking about. I wish that other doctor was still practicing. He was older and got hit by a bus while I was at the end of my treatments. He pulled through but ended up retiring. He got hit pretty bad and it was going to be a long recovery, I guess. I had to meet with someone else my last session.

Wednesday my temp went down... it started at 98.8°, went to 99°, then 99.3° and down to 98.3°. Went to my Chemo Education class, pretty much knew everything she had to tell me. I had already researched the drug and the company. I went to the drug company site, Seattle Genetics (SeaGen) @ http://www.seagen.com/. I went to the FDA site, http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/CDER/ucm268969.htm. I also reviewed a few news articles where the doctors had been interviewed. Oh, and I also read the study information.

Saw the Vascular Radiologist for the consult... he said I would leave there with one port or another. He's going to have both kinds on hand so if he gets in there but ends up not being able to do the arm port for whatever reason... he'll switch right over and do the chest port. I was very grateful, that way I won't have to reschedule for the second attempt and get behind schedule. I have to have a port or PICC line to take the chemo drug. Praying it all goes well and is able to get one or the other.

Thursday my temp crept up to 98.8° then up to 100°.

My chemo was supposed to start on Oct. 20th, but we've bumped it up to Monday, Oct. 17th.  Got to get some sleep, have to be up early for the port surgery.