Morning after Reaction

As I said earlier, I was advised to go to the ER after having chest tightness and unusual sleepiness while driving home from chemo.

So I did. To the ER pictured above.

I got seen right away. The nursing team and the doctor were awesome. They ran an EKG right away, monitored me in myriad ways, gave me nitroglycerin (which worked!), aspirin, and GI cocktail, did a chest X-ray, and a chest CT Scan, took blood and ran various blood tests, and it all came back looking fine, except that my Magnesium levels were low, so they administered Mg via IV for an hour, took one more cardiac enzyme blood test, and decided the risk of heart attack was low enough to allow me to go home. But they wanted me to be sure and follow up with a cardiologist. So I have an appointment for today at 2:00.

My PCP’s office also called to check on me this morning, which felt like above and beyond the call of duty.

We are planning to go ahead with our road trip, although it will be a bit delayed and we are needing to reschedule with folks.

One thing the woman from my PCP’s office said is that even on the trip many hospitals in the U.S. use the same medical record keeping database so if necessary my records might be available in full if I need them anywhere along the road. Hopefully that won’t be necessary.

I’m feeling fine this morning, with the exception of the normal queasiness that comes with chemo. I hurt my back about a week ago, and the steroids they prescribe to help with nausea during and after chemo should also help the back.

That being said, I am now seriously contemplating not doing the 6th round, which my gyn-onc and possibly my primary naturopathic onc wants me to do. Frustratingly my CA-125 only came down 3 points from the last time it was measured, from 30 – 27. So I may need to settle for “at least it is in the normal range” and work it from another, less toxic angle. Dr. G, my gyn-onc is still favoring PARP inhibitors for me. He just returned from a gyn-onc conference in India about “the latest and greatest and it’s all PARPS!” He is willing to give me some time between chemo and starting the PARPS to get my blood cell counts back to normal.

I’m also contemplating altering my balance of power with the various support/adjunct/naturopathic docs to one that feels like it might be a better fit, even personality-wise. Still thinking. Need to find out some details about logistics first.

So that’s the gist for now. Thanks for your support!