Chemotherapy and Integrative Medicine Services

Before I start chemo. Terry and I had to go through an introduction of what could happen to us and what services the Peninsula Cancer Institute provides to me and him.

We receive a big notebook about everything from what chemo is, what side effects to expect, what to eat, what not to eat and what services they provide . They provide a full length massage to each chemo patient for free. They provide training on imagery, they will provide a private room if needed, music therapy (personal IPOD), pet therapy, personal nurses and the best and most friendliest staff.

Our heads were swimming with this information. But we were ready.....ready to do the damn thing.

Now you may wonder what is Chemotherapy? What type am I taking and what are the side effects?

Chemotherapy : Chemotherapy is any treatment involving the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Cancer chemotherapy may consist of single drugs or combinations of drugs, and can be administered through a vein, injected into a body cavity, or delivered orally in the form of a pill. Chemotherapy is different from surgery or radiation therapy in that the cancer-fighting drugs circulate in the blood to parts of the body where the cancer may have spread and can kill or eliminate cancers cells at sites great distances from the original cancer. As a result, chemotherapy is considered a systemic treatment.

The type of chemotherapy I had was delivered through a port. This port was inserted in my chest over my left breast and it is called the Groshong Port: (it is a Skin-tunneled venous catheters).

I would recommend getting one of these ports, even though it was my 5th surgical procedure in 8 weeks (3/3/08-5/3/08) for the following reasons: with all these surgeries my veins were shot, I wanted to avoid a stick for any reason what so ever, it does not hurt, you are just hooked up and you are just chilling while you get chemo and last but not least , they can draw blood from there without any problems. My port has worked like charm.

I am taking a chemo cocktail called TAC: it is a combination of 3 powerful chemo drugs that previous clinical trials have proved to be a powerful breast cancer killer. This cocktail has very funky side effects, but it has proven to a be a great deterrent to the breast cancer coming back. Therefore I am willing to go to through the fire to get to the other side.

Good chemo site to check out:
http://www.chemotherapy.com/treating_with_chemo/treating_with_chemo.jsp