My oncologist is pleased with my progress. The tumor is neither visible nor palpable. He hopes that by the time I have surgery, the tumor will be in pathological remission, meaning that no sign of the tumor can be detected in the surgical tissue sample. However, I need surgery because tumor stem cells (the cells from which the tumor grew) may still be present in the area.
My side effects, while annoying, are manageable. My weight is stable. Because Herceptin has the potential to cause serious heart damage (including death) I’m scheduled for an Echo Cardiogram every three months. My next appointment is in June.
Les wants to know when my hair will grow back. I tell him, “Before yours, Dude.” “Dude” is my code word for “Stop asking, already.”
I visit an allergy specialist on Friday to see if the Allergies From Hell, courtesy of chemo, can be mitigated.
Seven more days until the halfway point of this chemo protocol.