The mighty K

This treatment is really been a continuous learning... Hahaha... Now I find out K... Aka potassium... Hehehe...

With this business of taking mega doses of dexamethasone to deflate the brain I have some "undesirable" reactions as swelling (it deflates the brain and swells the rest of body... Hahaha... It is because of salt retention inside the body... Hummm... I became a giant snack... Hahaha...), reduced muscle strength, tingling, insomnia, constipation, fatigue, abdominal distension (biiiig belly... kkkk...) and acne... There must other things... But it's enough for me right... I do not want to experience all the symptoms do not J

I was never a big fan of banana... Hahaha... Now I eat it every day... I'm getting used to it... Hahaha... Of course I do not try to restore the potassium only by eating banana... No one deserves it... But it is interesting to note that the body requires just what he needs!

Occasionally I have a crazy desire to eat something and when I research I realize that such food is exactly what my body is missing... Cool huh? But hey… Pay attention... Being desiring is different from having the lust to eat that with hamburger and fries... Hahaha... I will not deny that sometimes I really want that… From the bottom of my greediness... Hahaha....

I've been eating well... Thankfully, that sick feeling is gone... And I'm feeling better... Now I have the strength to do physical therapy... Soon I will do further tests and consultations... In the next newsletter I'm sure I can say that from now there will be only attendance... No more treatment! See ya!

Ah... Information is important right? Where is the potassium after all... Look... That was a little of what I found...

Sources:

- Vegetables: broccoli, spinach, beets, cauliflower, green peppers, chicory, peas, carrots, onions, potatoes with skin.

- Fruits: oranges, raisins, avocado, banana, apricot, cherry, prune, peach with peel, dried figs, melons, blackberries, tomatoes, pear water, lemon juice, pineapple, mango sword, apple with peel.

- Cereals: chickpeas, beans, wheat germ, soybeans, lentils, peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, chestnuts and walnuts.

- Meat, poultry, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, shrimp fresh and seafood.

Radiotherapy turns off the brain

When they started to do radiation therapy they told me I would experience fatigue, nausea, hair fall, feel a certain weakness... So far so good because after all, they were bombarding my brain with radiation right? I imagine (I do this a lot.... kkkk...) that it something like this... Mini atomic bombs directly on the head... Hahaha ...

Anyway... I felt all the effects and more... Every time I did the sessions I came out almost blind, I could barely see... It was all scrambled... I felt a mega confusion... Hahaha... Okay... In my case more confusion... Thankfully, in the first sessions I was hospitalized... And the other sessions I had a private driver, who was hired for me wonderful friends... Thank God the driver is great... Quiet, off and made me very comfortable (http://fabio.arruda.blog.uol.com.br/)... What was essential to complete this heavy phase .

Well, I thought I was normal, slow, but normal... Hahahaha... But I wasn’t .... RADIATION THERAPY IN THE HEAD TURNS THE BRAIN OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!! (... Just the radio on head... Not the other radios... Hihihi…)

This week the end of sessions of radio terminated and I realized that the brain began to actually work again... It's weird realize that... I started to remember things... I started to remember processes I had to do... I remembered that birthdays... Body's temperature is coming back normal... Blood pressure is coming back to normal...

Do you know things that normally you would not fail to do or say? At that stage I just did not have the capacity to remember... I was aware of everything I did, but was on autopilot...

I am happy that now I'm coming back to normal.... Hahahaha... BRAIN LEAVING STANDBY!

JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ

Opening my heart

Let me tell you something... I'm working well with the physical therapist who comes here at home, Chris... But you know... I'm quite concerned about my sleepy hand that so far not decided to move! Hahaha...

The leg came back very fast (about 15 days after surgery, the little fingers... okay... lol)... The arm is coming back... But no hand... Next week it's been 3 months of surgery, so I wonder how long it might take.

On my last visit to Dr. José Eduardo (neuro), he said he thinks my hand will move again...He only it could not predict when. He also thought that my recovery was good, after all, the tumor was quite large and if I understood a bit of neurology I would understand how complicated the surgery was... That I could not return from the surgery!

Commenting on this with Clau, she remembered a phrase I honestly can not remember... I think the brain erased... He was traumatized! Hahaha... She remembered that the doctor said I was lucky because if the tumor happened 2 years ago, I would not have treatment anywhere in the world! SCAAAAAAAAARING! LOL

Well... Unfortunately... I think my recovery meeeeeeeeega slow... Hehehe... My patience is coming to an end... Can anyone lend me some? Hahaha... If you have a good right hand spare, I buy it... lol

Oh, I'm saying a lot of trash... But it was to relieve the tension... Goodbye! J

A few lazy days... After the surgery

The surgery took place on March 1st... It worked because I spent less than 24 hours in ICU... Now here I am recovering in hospital... As expected the right side of the body is a little damaged... I'm like the Sloth from the movie Goonies, remember? Hahahaha... I just withdraw my age right?

To tell the truth I'm tired of being here... I'm here since 02/18? The food is not bad you know... But the fun is the trafficking of goodies... hahaha... Friends are great... LOL
Despite everything, this period has made ​​me very well... I am "forced" to work hard to humility... I think it was something that was always missing to me... To become a better human being sometimes life puts you in situations you do not run away... I hope to do well this time so I don’t have to repeat the lesson... hehehe…
I'll try to update the blog more... But these days I was a bit lazy... And also because I’m typing with one hand right? Gimme chance… LOL
I thank all the messages, prayers and positive vibes... All this makes me really well and helps me recover faster!

Surgery only on Tuesday - 03/01/11

Why?

Because people who are in the ICU are too lazy to breathe and move their feet ...So they do not leave the ICU… Hehehe... Bunch of bums! Kkkk...

Then, without the guarantee of free beds in intensive care for me, there's no way I operate... OK, there isn’t much brain to monitor, but it is important to preserve what I have right? Hehehe...

And why surgery can not be done tomorrow?

Because I still would not be the first in line (today I was the 15th) and then I would stand in complete fasting (not even water is permitted... lol) and there is the risk I don’t do the surgery again.

So it is delayed for Tuesday... Because on Monday Dr. José Eduardo - neuro - operates at another hospital... Then I would go as a priority 1 on Tuesday... At 7 o'clock in the morning...

I hope he awake at that time and operated me... So could go home... In the oooooooooooooother weekend... hihihi  

I think someone here in this hospital is desiring my plump little body... kkk... But I'm not thinking this a romantic approach... LOL

Anyway... At least the food is good... TV with cable TV... Air conditioning... Jane and Ju (physio) are mega cool - they put me to roll the body down the hall, so my lard will not only stay still in bed... kkk...

Well the deal is waiting... Meditate... Exercising patience, tolerance... kkkk...

Jaguar

I thought they would scribble me once... kkkk... I was wrong!

This week I did a new simulation because in the last 5 sessions of radiotherapy, the area to be radiated will be reduced... Or rather, it will be more accurate... Right upon where the tumor was.

So.... They scribbled me again... I think the guy liked me... This time he used a pen that doesn’t erase... hahahaha... He scribbled me on Wednesday and the ink has not vanished completely yet... hahahaha... I'm taking showers, guys! Hahaha....

 And he also made two more dots (tattoo) to mark the key points... I'm becoming a jaguar... kkkkk..... Will I get into the program to protect endangered animals? Hahahhahaha....

Beef!

There is one funny thing that I forgot to tell in the last post!
One day before starting to do radiotherapy, it is necessary to simulate the process and the do appropriate markings.... Well, on this occasion they measure all proportions, take x-ray spots, determinate the best device to be used and everything... Everything is measured thorougly and SCRAWLED!!!!!
Yeah! Scrwaled... They delineate the site to be irradiated with a pen and mark reference points with tattoo (they are only two dots)... kkkk.... Now I'm all drawn... Like a beef! Hahahahaha... Nothing more is missing in life... lol

I became a broadcaster!

HAPPY 2011!
Hey kids! How were the holidays? I spent them well! Only in binge... hahaha... Because eating  is good and eating well is even better... kkkk...
The novelty is that I became a broadcaster... kkk... I’m doing radiotherapy since December 29th...
Seriously (as if it were possible to me... lol), radiotherapy started on 29th... Just over a month after surgery.
The cicatrization from surgery is going very well... ah, I also started doing physiotherapy (which by the way is a very important thing!) that is helping me to recover much movement, because I couldn’t move my shoulder!
Radiotherapy is doing great... It is super fast and I feel nothing... But now that I did the 5th session I started feeling that the place is warm, but it is not unbearable... The nurse told me to use compress of chamomile tea and some aloe vera gel on the local.Soon I'll have baked boobs available... Anyone? Kkkkkkk....

Like a mummy

Yesterday I went to the hospital and Doc Wesley required the drain to be removed... Despite the drain was still plenty of fluids, my little body was already expelling the tube and it was hurting and aching...

I’m free of the drain! When I was taking off the drain I was impressed because there was at least 20 cm of tube inside the skin! But it doesn’t hurt to take off the tube!

After I removed the drain they bandaged me... Take a look, that’s funny....

I'm a little mummy right? hahahahaha....

Details: I can not dampen these bandages in 3 days.... In other words.... I'm looking like a mummy and in a few days I'll be smelling like a mummy....... kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Postsurgical

Today has been a week since I had the surgery!

I went up to the surgery center at 6:30 pm and went down again to my room at 1:30 am… I went back wearing sexy 7/8 socks..... Look how beautiful.... hahahahaha.... It is elastic socks against thrombosis... lol

The shoulder blades and back hurt a lot because of the position on the operating table... Yeah, I was like Jesus Christ on the cross... But my luck is that He was there by my side and I came into this life... hahaha... You're not rid of me guys! hehehe....

I'm still with the drain, which is what really bothers me.... but all right, because the surgery was a success: only one quadrant and the lymph nodes were removed... The prosthesis was maintained... The operated breast that was is a little higher and bended to the side.... kkkkkkkkkkkkk.... I am cockeyed.... kkkkk.... I’m kidding it is not so noticeable.... But this will be fixed in plastic surgery... hahahahaha....

On Monday I went to the hospital to check the bandages and everything is fine too!

The orientation is that I move my arms (not above the shoulder line and wide open with arm) so I do not get the a swollen arm.... kkkkkkk ... Think! Visualize me with A sailor Popeye arm... kkkkkk..... I don’t accept!

Surgery TODAY!

Hummmm.... So... hehehe.... Yesterday Doc. Wesley informed me that I would be operated at 7 pm today.... hehehe ....

The nodule in the liver was nothing serious.... It was not fat, but it was not anything malicious... As he said, nothing in medicine is 100%, but it was discussed at lot... And the node will be monitored.

Well... Today I had breakfast and went down to the needling and markings for surgery.

I returned to my room just now... And in two hours will go to the operating room!

Needling section is not a cool thing... hahahaha.... Do you happen to know that a steel wire is placed in me? Hahahaha... Does the titties are so fallen that can only be raised with steel wire? kkkkkkk.....

And not only that! hahaha.... As a toast you win injection of t things into the tumor.... Injection of things around the tumor... And you also get a painting on the skin where it is the sentinel lymph node! hahahahaha....

The surgery should take about 3 hours... So.... Once I get back and I’m able to hit the keys on the notebook, I promise I update the blog again!

Surgery postponed

Today’s post is brand new! hehehe

The surgery would be today. Correct? Correct!

But... My doctor called me yesterday morning and asked me to intern at night as it appeared a sort of lump on liver... However, there was a chance of this node, in fact, be an accumulation of fat in the liver as a side effect of chemo.

Hahahaha.... If it's to be a fat woman, I have to be a full fat one... Fat nside and outside.... hahaha...

Can you imagine that fat accumulation in the liver can cause cirrhosis... kkkkkkk.... Are you aware that I could have cirrhosis without even drink alcohol? hahahaha.... This is the end? I should have drunk a looooooooooooooooooooot... At least I would have had moments of pleasure..... hahhahaha.....

Well.... I interned last night and today very very very early in the morning I did an MRI.... The result: It is a nodule.... It is not fat! hehehe

Because of this diagnosis (the node that had never appeared before in any other test) surgery is suspended.... My doctor is reviewing the case with the abdominal surgery team, which is more specialized in that part of the body, to resolve what will be done of MY little body... hehehe...

Probably a biopsy or other test will be done... But that I'll only know later.

As soon as I know, I tell you!

Last chemo

Yesterday I did the last session of chemotherapy... hehehe... It last a looooooooooong time! I left home 6am in the morning and only came back at 4.30pm!

But okay.... At least this phase of treatment is over... today I already have one of the effects of treatment... hahaha.... That are the red and hot cheeks.... hahahaha ... But I deal with that with moisturizing... It refreshes and hydrates!

As you can see in the pictures below... I did not lie when he said that I'm huge fat.... kkkkkk... But both the doctor and the nurses said that the swelling will decrease a lot when the strongest effects of Decadron pass... yesssssssss! hehehehe....

In the pictures you can also see that I'm quite comfortable during the applications... I won a VIP bracelet to to enter the room of application.... kkkk.... And the tube through which enters the chemo.

It is also important to drink plenty of water for body recover well.

Anyway... Let’s keeping on walking that it is almost in the end! hehehe...

The 5th element

When chemotherapy arrived at the 5th session, the chemical used has changed...

From this chemo on I stopped feeling so sick and vomiting... but in return, the risk of allergy increased a lot... So much that I had to take Decadron the day before applicarion, in the day of application and the day after the application.

The application was a little different.... hahaha .... It hurts a little... And I have a funny reaction to the anti-allergic that is applied at the same time as chemo.... I feel unbearable sleepy, but at the same time I feel like stirring... kkkkk..... So I looked like a mad person… Almost sleeping but could not relax enough to sleep.... And I kept walking backwards and forwards in the room... hahahha... Feeling an almost uncontrollable desire to pull needle from my hand.... kkkkk .... it sounds insane… hahahahaha .....

Besides the allergy risk, this chemo also caused a lot of muscle pain.... It is not unbearable, but it hurts each and every one of the muscles of my (now) fat little body..... hahahaha... Now I know where each of the muscles is located and what each one pushes or pulls.... hahaha ...

The good thing is that the hairs are already growing at this stage... still a bit weak... but I’m no longer bald and gleaming white headed.... hahahahaha .....

Another reaction I had with this chemo was that my taste has changed for about a week... Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeverything.... absolutely everything I ate tasted like candy... Even water.... Even salty meat.... hahahhaaha... Can you imagine eating Cheetos, smell the cheese and taste like candy? hahahaha.... ARGH!!! But I think it might one of the best reactions.... Because I've been researching and there are people who feel bitter or metallic taste in the mouth.... so I guess that feeling like candy isn’t that bad, is it? hehehe....

Ornamental Diving... Hairs

When I started treatment my biggest concern was the hairs... I was pretty mad at myself because I thought it was a great demonstration of weakness... And I never agreed to be weak! But as Karel said (he is my therapist.... I do therapy for some time.... That’s why I am such a happy crazy person... lol) I am a woman... And starting from this principle... It's a normal and expected thing tht I care about my hair... So I accepted that I am a human and female... and normal... hehehe ... or almost normal... lol

As expected, two weeks after the first application of chemotherapy hair began to fall!

The hair fell on flocks.... Enormous wisps! It is unbelievable that a human being has so much hair on the head.... kkkkkk.... It took about 4 days until the thing stopped! The hairs were diving in groups... kkkk... You know, that's show of unity... hehehe ....

When everything has stabilized, there were still remaining a few heroes of the resistance... I asked to cut the longer wires... I was the face (or head) of my grandmother..... kkkkk....

I will not say that this has not impacted... Looking in the mirror and see myself practically bald (I had long hairs, long to the waist... looooong) was very different from anything I had imagined, but was less traumatic than I expected.

Since I knew it would happen, a few weeks before I went with Priscilla to March 25 street (popular shopping street here in SP) and bought several scarves, necklaces and pins to put on the two hats that I had bought from Jacque. It's worth going there! It's a huge variety at very attractive price (about a third part from the mall price).

I started using the accessories on the next week... And can diversify a lot! It is super cool and elegant.... There are times I feel like that Fiat's advertisement baby (the one that says "I am a cat!".... he thinks everyone's looking at him, but are looking at the car).... Because I walk down the street and eeeeeeeeeeeeeeverybody look at me.... hahahahaha.... That’s a shining dream: I am the center of attention wherever I walk.... hahahahahahahha .....

Bellerophon vs Chimera

On 05/17/10 I went to the first session of chemotherapy... I was anxious because I did not know how it was done exactly!

First, a nurse measures blood pressure, temperature and asks how you have been feeling.... If you had any reaction from the last chemo.... She also analyzes the blood test (previously released by the doctor).

Yeah, every time I do chemo, blood tests are required to check if I am not anemic or something, if you are anemic you can’t do the chemo.... That's why I feed well when Sushi (the cat that lives in my stomach) is not shaking.

After that, we go into the application cubicle... it is a nice little room with a comfortable chair (those reclining one) for me.... and one chair for my companion (poor companion because the chair is not one of the confortable ones!)... Tv, remote control, cable TV and nurses calling button.

Then the fight begins Bellerophon (chemo) vs Chimera (malignant nant nant tumor... lol ... A "butterfly" is put in a vein in the hand... The sequence of this phase is: a remedy against sickness... Chemotherapy (2 bags - one red and one white)... and serum.

It sounds easy right? But it takes a looooooooooooooooong time.... the whole process takes about 3 hours... I came out really well from the session, I was not feeling anything.

Only in the late afternoon the stomach began to get a little sick... So I decided to take a walk with Thiby (my dog)... They warned me that the skin would be sensitive and I would have to wear sunscreen, but I didn’t know the effect was so fast!!!!! The next day I was looking like a baboon.... Red faced.... kkkkkk..... And I was feeling such a bad sickness that I could barely drink water.... Toast smell made me sick too.... And so it was until the end of the week.

I confess it was a hard week.... Because I could not eat anything... The only thing that I could eat was lemon popsicle.... OW..... After 3 days feeling sick, I was also very weak because I could not eat, but everything ended!

And the fight against Chimera was only in the beginning.... and there were seven sessions ahead!

The 11 labors of Hercules

Hehehe.... Easy! I know it is the 12 labors of Hercules.... But there were 11 exams that had to do! Almost got there.... lol  But, if the appointment with the anesthetist count, I did 12 labors! I’m so close to this guy named Hercules, but I'm a little less muscular! kkkk ...

To do all these tests (and they had a definite order to be made), I went to the hospital every week (sometimes more than once a week) between 04/06/10 and 05/21/10.

In the meantime I had appointments  withDoc Wesley and it was decided that I would follow a protocol that instead of doing surgery first and then chemotherapy, I would do the opposite (is it because I am japa? Hahaha ....).

This was decided because the tumor grew very fast and for this reason, the possibility reduction was also larger. Antonio told me that in a very didactic way: if the tumor is aggressive it is because it absorbs many nutrients from the body so it will also absorb a lot of chemotherapy. Absorbing more chemotherapy, it dies.

That's right!! As Paulão said.... Let's kill this Son of…..!! kkkkk ....

April 1st

April Fools Day? hahaha.... No, it was the day of my first visit to the Cancer Hospital.

I arrived in the afternoon... I was very curious and a little apprehensive because I didn’t want to be insensitive to people that I would find (fear of staring with that jerk face at people).

To my surprise not all people (to say the truth, almost none) was bald guys or sick faced... But almost all were accompanied and I was there alone... Because, as always, I am proud and independent…  So I dind’t ask someone to accompany me... hahaha.... That time I confess that I felt kind of ET because I was alone.... lol

Anyway, I waited veeeeeeeeeeeeeeery very much! It got really late... lol  But I was there enjoying to think about life and what could change with the possible diagnosis of cancer.

When I came into office 16, Doc Wesley received me very friendly. He is a young doctor and very competent. He explained me everything... he answered my questions.... He said we would do a series of examinations for the surgery and the surgery would occur by the end of the month!

That made me nervous.... I wasn’t  prepared psychotically... ops.... psychologically for a surgery.... hahaha... Although I don’t fear surgeries.... He gave me a mountain of medical exam requests.

And so I tried to book aaaaaaaaaaaall the exams... ahahahaha ....

First impact

When the result of FNA came out, like all good (and normal) patient I had given a peek on it... But of course I did not understand everything. Then what I did? The usual... Ask Google! Hehehe.... I could conclude that there might be something wrong, yet the words were quite complicated.

I tried my friend and doctor Antonio... I asked him if it some words could be a sign of cancer or something. I asked him what was the meaning of some words and as always, he explained very cautious and didactic. Still, I could not come to a conclusion .

I had to handle the curiosity and anxiety to the day of appontiment! That wasn’t  easy for a woman to do so... hahaha

On the day of appointment, Doc Maurizio looked... Then he asked me if there was a history of "that" in the family .... I was a little confused and said: "History oh “that”? Cancer ?"...

:-O

I said my father had died of lung cancer, but he said no... He wanted to know if there was a history of breast cancer and I said no. He explained that there could be many factors that could determine the development of it.

But I had no family history.... There were environmental factors that could influence (the largest radiation to which I am exposed to is the computer screen... kkkkkkk .... I do not think it is worth... lol) ... I exercise almost every day... I eat normally, without exaggeration..... I do not smoke... I do not drink much (prosecco and wine are too good! Give me at least that pleasure!)

Anyway.... That was the first impact...  And Doc Maurizio sent me to the Cancer Hospital (AC Camargo in Sao Paulo/Brazil) to have an appointment with a breast cancer specialist. My confidence in Doc Maurizio is great because he is an excellent doctor and always hits! It's amazing!

My friends got a little angry because they felt that he could not say this kind of thing without being an expert.... But I am very confident in my doctor! And for a change... He hit! hehehe .....

FNA ... What could this be?

In January I went to see the doctor. He requested an ultrasonography to check what was the lump. When it was ready, I returned to the clinic, but Doc. Maurizio didn’t like what he had seen, then he asked for a FNA (Fine needle aspiration), which he explained that was to know what was inside of this nodule.

I'll tell you the truth.... It is not really nice to do this exam ... hehehe .... But there's nothing traumatizing.... The entire procedure is done with local anesthesia and is super fast. What impresses the most is the little machine... hahaha ... It seems like one of those little machines to stick child's ear, remember? kkkkkkk ....

Ah... yes... it is done with a needle... The biggest concern was not to stick my French investment... hahaha.... but the doctor explained that there wasn’t any possibility of harm to the investment! :)

So I did the procedure, with no major problems or concerns. So far, everything was just testing me.