Community: Longtime columnist goes through fight of her life
It’s been eight months since I underwent surgery after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
My spleen was removed in October, but the pancreas was left intact when the surgeon found the tumor had wrapped itself around the aorta artery.
So after a monthlong recuperation period, I started a round of chemotherapy in November. The plan was to shrink the tumor and then have a second surgery to remove it and a portion of the pancreas.
I was provided a list of side effects, but my body decided to come up with its own. Like most chemo patients, I lost my hair. This was definitely the most devastating because my hair has been to my waist for most of my life.
My longtime friend and cancer survivor, JP O’Connor Thompson, recommended I visit the wig salon at the American Cancer Society office on Victory Boulevard in Burbank.
There, I met Peachy Gamez, a petite and spunky lady, who is also a cancer survivor. She showed me several colors and styles.
For fun, I started with a flirty, short blond wig. I texted a picture to a friend, but he said I didn’t look like myself. So I chose a longer style in brunette that had auburn highlights.
My friend said that was more like it. Then I tried on a wedge cut, similar to the one made famous by Olympic skater Dorothy Hamill. It was closer to my more recent hair color — red. That was the one.
I cannot tell you how ecstatic I was when I left the wig salon. I had my hair back! I was walking on a cloud. When one is dealing with a chronic disease, a little lift, like improving one’s appearance, has a huge effect on a person’s outlook.
Recently, my eyebrows and eye lashes disappeared. So without the wig, I look about 90 years old with my inch-long, curly white hair and nothing to frame my eyes, which always look sleepy.
After a break in January, I resumed chemotherapy in February.
On Fridays, I receive two infusions through a port that was surgically inserted just below my left shoulder a few days after the spleen was removed in October.
The chemotherapy process takes about three hours. A blood test is taken to check if my white blood cell count is at a level that the infusions won’t impede my immune system.
I cannot tell you how ecstatic I was when I left the wig salon. I had my hair back! I was walking on a cloud.
The first medicine, Abraxane, only takes 20 minutes, and the second, Gemzar, lasts 30 minutes. Immediately after, I become nauseated and, after going home, I sleep the rest of the day. Sometimes, I tolerate a baked potato for dinner.
Then the fevers start. They fluctuate from 99.4 to 101 degrees throughout the night. Sometimes, I experience sweating while I sleep and have to change my pajama tops twice a night.
Mostly, I have chills and my body shakes until the fever reducer kicks in. I feel better on Saturday mornings, although I cough a lot and suffer from fatigue.
By Thursday, I am full of energy and then on Friday, the whole process starts again.
The most devastating side effect is my left foot and ankle swell to twice their size and turn bright red — a condition called cellulitis. I have been on several oral antibiotics over the past four months.
But over Mother’s Day weekend, both legs turned a bright red all the way up to my knees. I went to the emergency room at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center and was hospitalized for four days, receiving intravenous antibiotics.
Two weeks ago, I had a PetScan that detects the evidence of cancer in the body. I was shocked and amazed when my oncologist, Dr. Maurice Berkowitz, went over the results. There is no longer a tumor in my pancreas. I am in remission.
I will be going to two oncologists to get their opinions on how to proceed. Dr Berkowitz said I might need to have the pancreas removed. Other alternatives are to have radiation or be placed on an oral chemotherapy to prevent the tumor from returning.
Until a decision is made, I am enjoying life to the fullest and so grateful to my family, friends, doctors, nurses and caregivers for getting me through the most challenging fight of my life.
JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.