XXVIII

Today is my 28th treatment. I receive Herceptin and Perjeta every three weeks via infusion. These drugs are specifically designed to target tumors that produce more HER2 protein. Every twelve weeks I receive an infusion of Zometa to target my bone mets. (Mets = metastasis = where my breast cancer has spread in other parts of my body)

I receive my treatment from Barnes Hospital/Washington University, in St Louis. It is a 3 hour 45 min drive from home. It might seem odd, but I absolutely love treatment days. It is a day of actively treating the cancer, while the other days I am left to wonder if it is working. In 19 months of coming to Barnes, every single staff member had been extremely considerate and competent.

I adore my oncologist. She never rushes through my appointments and personally calls me with information rather than delegating that to her nurse coordinator. Since this is a research hospital I have a team of doctors who are reviewing my chart and recommending treatment. I am confident that they are doing the best they can for me. And that is good for my mental and physical health!

Today I am Chemo Pod 2. There are five pods here. One of the pods is reserved for people in clinical trials. That is because the nurses have to be specially trained in administering the medication for the trials. I am participating in 3 clinical trials at the moment, but none involves medication. Here at Siteman South County we have tons of windows. There are 2 nurses assigned to my pod, with several others who float around. Until Covid, my husband could sit with me during treatment. Now he waits in the car and we text frequently.