\\PCHIU//

#1 Chemo / 第一次化療 (中文翻譯在下面)

7/25/2013 is my first chemo treatment. My parent flew in last night from Taiwan to be with me. And my co-workers and friends also came to the hospital to support me. 

First the nurse gave me some pre-meds before the chemo drugs. Pre-Med is to lower any possible side effects that I may have for chemo therapy.Then, it's time for the chemo meds: Taxotere, Pertuzumab, and Herceptin. 
More info for these drugs can be found - Echo Test & Chemo Class / 心臟超音波檢查跟化療課程

Because this is my first time receiving the chemo therapy, the dosage has to be given out slowly and a break time between each medicine.

7/24/2013 - Power Port (中文翻譯在下面)

Today I am scheduled to do a small surgery procedure.  Power Port is a small device that will be put underneath my skin.  It will be used for chemo medications, blood drawing, various scans, and etc. Since chemo may possibly make the vein disappear, having a power port is a good way to keep one of the big veins connected throughout the treatment.  Dr. said because my breast cancer is on my left breast, the port will be put on my upper right chest area right below the collarbone.

Dr. Bradley Jackson, a radiologist, put in the new toy for me. I wonder how old he is becuase he looks so young.   The surgery only took about a hour and was done with local anesthetic only. I was able to hear the doctor and the X-Ray tech but couldn't see how the surgery was performed.  After the surgery, I was sent to the recovery room to rest.  The port area needs to be kept dry for a week.  I guess I will be doing a dry shower for a week. LOL! 
This port was put in just in time for my first chemo treatment tomorrow.

  Power Port - 人工血管            

7/23/2013 - Echo Test & Chemo Class (中文翻譯在下面)

Dr. Sharma ordered the Echo Test for me to check if my heart is strong enough to take the chemo medications that he ordered. Dr. Sharma said that since I am young and healthy (other than the cancer), he is going to be aggressive in treating my cancer by giving me strong medications. Anyways, to make sure my heart can take it, an Echo Test is required.  I met with Echo technician, Sandra Lu, in the early afternoon.  We had a good chat and Sandra even gave me her direct line if I have any questions or just want to talk. She is so nice. :-)

Right after Echo Test, Simon and I rushed to the cancer center for the weekly chemo class. I learned what I need to know for the chemo therapy including the side effects and all that good stuff. There are three medications I will use: Taxotere (chemo med), Pertuzumab (targeted med for HER 2+++), and Herceptin (targeted med for HER 2+++). 

I will have these three mediciations for 6 times and continue with only Pertuzumab and Herception for a year. Taxotere is the chemo med and killing all good and bad cells. Pertuzumab and Herceptin are targed meds and will only targe the Her 2 +++ cells to either kill the bad cells or block them from growing.

7/22/2013 - Day of Genetic Testing (中文翻譯在下面）

Thanks to Angelina Jolie, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are very well known. What are BRCA1 and BRCA2? If you google it, you will find a lot of information on that. [c1] Basically, a woman's risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer is greatly increased if she inherits a deleterious (harmful) mutation in the BRCA1 gene or BRCA2 gene. 

While I was undergoing lots of exams and biopsies the past two weeks, my parents told me that NONE of our family members passed away from cancer. Because of that, I was never considered  a breast cancer candidate.  Anyways, since my lump was already confirmed as a cancer on 7/15/2013, today is to check if I have BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene and to evaluate the possibility for me to develop breast cancer on my right breast or ovarian cancer. 

Part II story continues..... (中文翻譯在下面)

7/16/2013- PET Scan and MRI day.  Another first experience-- PET scan for my whole body and MRI for my brain only. Everything went fast & smoothly. I went back to work for the rest of the afternoon. After I finished PET scan and was waiting for the MRI, I bumped into Dr. Forouzannia who performed my breast biopsy. I told Dr. Forouzannia that I may be allergic to the surgical tape or was possibly burnt because I had a growing blister on my left breast. I showed Dr. Forouzannia my picture and he gave me some medical supplies and showed me how to take care of it. LOL! 

7/17/2013- No doctor appointment. Just another regular work day. 

7/18/2013- PET Scan and MRI Result Day.  Dr. Sharma came into the room with the opening line like this: "The MRI of your brain is fine. You have a good accounting brain." (Then I know that my PET Scan is not fine because Dr. Sharma only mentioned 1 good test result not 2.) Dr. Sharma said from my PET Scan films, the radiologist saw 3 small nodules in my lung, 2 nodules inside my right lower lung lobe and 1 spot inside my left lung. Then again, without a lung biopsy, we can't determine if these are cancer cells or not. In order to find out the results as soon as possible, I decide to do lung biopsy as soon as possible. Luckily, I didn't eat anything after 7:30AM this morning and Dr. Sharma was able to squeeze me in for a CT guided biopsy in the afternoon.

Families and friends have been asking me how I find out my lump in my breats. Here is the story. (中文翻譯在下面)

6/15/2013 - Normal period starts as usual while I was in Michigan (with Ivy) visiting old friends from Findlay, OH, Wen, Kai-Kai, Leo, Katie, and Eric. Everything seems to be very normal as usual.

(Kai-Kai, Wen & I - Kai-Kai is sooo cute!!! 凱凱,倩雯跟我，凱凱真的好可愛喔！)