Fourteen down, four to go

Lots of you have asked since the blog on juicing: "Are you still juicing?"

The short answer is: Yes.

The longer answer is: This is the 8th day of a major change in the way we eat, and I'm not going back! (And we thought we were doing good having salad-bar-at-home for a complete YEAR while I was doing Weight Watchers and until I lost my appetite for salad when the digestive problems kicked in.)

My digestive system is much happier these days, all the way: from heartburn, to bloating, to constipation and flatulence. My energy is better, too -- though some of that may be the increase in Prozac and a better attitude due to lack of digestive problems.

Nonetheless, we had our little bumps last week.

My right ear has a ball of hard wax that's making me crazy. I went to have it flushed out, but that failed. I've been using warm oil and peroxide at-home treatments -- alternating -- and it has improved only somewhat in the past 10 days. If home remedies fail, I will eventually try to get a referral to an ENT. (Now I know what's it like to be a Koerber and NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR.)

I had an echocardiogram a week ago to see if treatment was harming my heart. Thursday I got a call that another heart test had been set up for me at 8 a.m. the following day, Friday. I asked if this had to do with the yet-unknown results from the echocardiogram, and the appointment clerk said "yes, I believe so." She didn't know anything more.

There was a little resentment on my part, being told to show up at the nuclear medicine diagnostic lab Friday (when Friday was supposed to be a fun day off with my hub) and not even knowing what the test was going to be. But being juiced up as I was (i.e. relatively happy), Greg went along and we turned it into a fun adventure, learning a lot about MUGA scans. Our technician, John, was droll, whimsical, and really pumped about his work. Of course it made his day that we wanted to know everything about the science behind his procedure, so he had the time of his life telling us about his work and his own health adventures (kidney cancer that spread to the bone; it’s been several years and he’s loving life again. Always good to hear).

The MUGA (Multiple-Gated Acquisition) scan is a non-invasive nuclear test that uses a radioactive isotope, technetium, to evaluate functioning of the heart ventricles. When we reached Nuclear Medicine, I had already had my port accessed (ready tube hanging out to deliver blood), so this made John's work easier. A couple vials of blood were drawn to be with mixed with the imaging agent, technetium. After 20 minutes, my technetium-laced blood was injected back into my blood stream.

I was then ready to go on EKG camera, starring in two 8-minute videos of the blood flowing through my heart in two different poses. No nudity required. With this, a nuclear physician could then evaluate how hard my heart was beating and how much blood was being pumped. The measure is called the "ejection fraction.”

The most amazing part of the diagnostic test was learning about the half-life of the element technetium -- which I believe is 6+ hours. I began to understand the urgency of my getting to the diagnostics lab Friday morning at 8 without further ado when the distribution of technetium was explained to us. It's rapid deterioration means that the day before a MUGA scan is scheduled, this stuff has to be ordered specifically for YOU. Sixteen times what is actually needed must arrive from Canada on time in order that there is enough left (that has not deteriorated in transit) when you show up for your 8 o'clock test. If you're an hour late, so sad, your test isn’t going to happen that day.

So we wondered all weekend if I'd be continuing chemo on Monday as we awaited news of the ejection fraction. I feared the worst on our walk-abouts when I found I could sometimes hardly talk and walk at the same time -- so short of breath. Turns out the shortness of breath is the anemia (slipping, but still not requiring injections).* My heart, on the other hand, is doing better now than it was before I had chemo 4 years ago! So off we went yesterday for number 14 at The Martha. Four more Abraxane treatments, the likelihood of increasing numbness in fingers and toes, and then we're down to every three weeks of herceptin (only) until next June. As of today, I feel I can complete the course -- with decisions still to be made (by me) about radiation treatments and hormone therapy.

More on Juicing/Blending

I've learned a lot about nutrients, the difference between "greens" and "vegetables," and the theories behind both juicing and blending this week. Thanks to all who helped with literature, ideas, and diet-supportive gifts. One of my blog readers alerted me to a program on making juices and smoothies coming up soon at Mosquito Hill. I decided to do both blending and juicing, supplementing with the muffins made with the juicer pulp. I love the muffins SO much (they're like heavy carrot cake with the occasional green chunk, walnut, or raisin). No way I'd give those up -- and since they're made to be as healthy as they can get, I don't have to.

We've been excited about the various colors coming from the spout of our juicer in the morning. Taking a lot of pictures, etc. But today Greg has the camera and the photos (he's taking a motorcycle journey to Lake Superior to celebrate his last full day of vaca) so this photo was taken today with my inferior camera. Today's blender concoction is made of an apple, half a lemon, an orange, watermelon, a banana and twelve large mint leaves from my garden. It's wonderful.





*Thanks to all who gave wise dietary suggestions on improving anemia. I checked with Oncology, and they confirm that pills or diet will likely have no effect on anemia until chemo's over. They suggest I walk slower and take naps. I can do that!