Mama has joined the chemo club...

Well, the jury is in. Mama met with the oncologist on Wednesday and she will be beginning chemo within the next 3 weeks or so.
As she is "Triple Negative", her best defense is a good shot of chemo to help fight recurrence.
Triple Negative cancer is a darned aggressive cancer. As many womens' cancers feed off of estrogen, progesterone, or the HER2NU gene, triple negative feeds off of none of these. Thus, none of the new systemic treatments would work for these women. Where I am able to take Lupron and Femara to negate any estrogen in my body, Mama can't do this because her cancer doesn't feed off of estrogen. Where I am able to take Herceptin to negate the actions of the HER2 gene, Mama cannot because her cancer isn't HER2NU positive. Her cancer isn't effected by the mutation of this gene.
So, it's a slippery slope. One that oncologists deal with VERY aggressively.
Thus, chemo. Triple negative cancer DOES respond to chemo. Quite well, actually.
So, she'll be doing chemo every 3 weeks, as she still wants to try to work. The doctor has set up a regiment that she feels will better Mama's chances of doing so.
I imagine that Mama will do the exact same chemo cocktail that I did ... only not as intensely. This means that the first half of treatment will be a combo of Adriamycin and Cytoxin ... the second half being Taxol. The first half will cause her to lose her hair and deal with major bouts of nausea and/or vomiting. The good thing about modern medicine is that there are so many wonderful anti-emetic drugs (anti-nausea). They are costly, but worth it. I didn't puke ONCE during chemo. I imagine she'll be the same. The second half typically doesn't cause nausea. However, Taxol is a Taxane and it affects the nervous system. So, she will have to deal with peripheral neuropothy and other issues that cause pain in the extremities. Again, there are meds out there that can keep her pain to a minimum.
It's so, so bizarre for me to be dealing with chemo all over again. It's so hard for me to know that my Mama is the one having to go through this. I'd do it in a heartbeat for her, as I KNOW what to expect. She, on the other hand, doesn't. The unknown is the scariest thing. But, chemo is absolutely bearable. Not anything that I'd choose to do for shits and giggles. But, if it's gonna save ones life ...
I, also, so want to be there with her during chemo. And the reality is that I cannot. I've wracked my brains trying to figure out how it would be possible for me to, at least, be there for a few weeks during her treatment to help relieve my brother and sister. Financially, this is not an option for me. I'm the sole bread-winner here right now. And, we're not making it as it is.
Josh and Allison will take wonderful care of her, I know.
Just want to be there, as someone who has "been there", so she has someone that absolutely understands what she's going through. Oh, and to help shave her pretty head.
She's gonna rock it. She's so game for it and ready to just get it over with.
Here's to you, Mama. My fellow warrior and sister.
I'm so, so proud of your strength and courage.
I lover you tho much, tho much, tho much...
xoxo
Anna