Healing and Hustling with Zandra

We did it! Round 12 is officially in the books, marking the completion of phase one. This journey started with a mixture of determination, uncertainty, and faith—and while there’s still more road ahead, this is a milestone worth celebrating.

The morning kicked off early, with Melissa bubbling over with holiday joy, evidenced by her Christmas playlist on our drive to Mayo. As always, the day began with labs. This time, there were some extra tests added by one of my doctors to check my vitamin levels. When the results came back, I was a little stunned. My White Blood Cell (WBC) count showed 1.2, which is dangerously low, but thankfully, I had taken the proactive step of doing three injections instead of the usual two last weekend. If I hadn’t, treatment might have been postponed. Nurse Marti gave me a gold star for being aware of my numbers and making the adjustment.

Now, let’s clear the air: my prescription has always said three injections, but for weeks, Nurse Marti and I agreed that two were enough. She had recently mentioned increasing to three near the end of this phase, so I simply beat her to the punch. Crisis averted; treatment day saved!

On the flip side, my hemoglobin levels were also down, leading to more noticeable shortness of breath. Nurse Marti casually mentioned the possibility of a blood transfusion, to which I very uncasually shouted, “No, absolutely not!” (If the rest of the office didn’t hear me, they might need their hearing checked.) Bring on the iron-rich foods instead! Liver, here I come—though it’s too bad I won’t taste it. I’ll also be adding spinach, beans, and fortified cereals to my menu. Anything to avoid a transfusion.

Side Effects Check-In

During my nurse visit, we reviewed my ongoing side effects. Spoiler alert: not much has changed.

• Diarrhea: Mastered. At the first sign, I pop my “candy” (Imodium AD).
• Neuropathy: The numbness and tingling in my hands have intensified. I’m still able to function—like buttoning clothes—but typing and texting feel weird.
• Shortness of breath: This has been my constant reminder to take it easy. Even small movements leave me needing to pause and catch my breath.
• Taste buds: Still on strike. Here’s hoping the end of Taxol and Carbo will bring them back.

Treatment Time

After our chat, it was time for the main event. Round 12 was fairly routine, but it was bittersweet knowing this was my last time enduring the icy mittens and socks. No more Carbo also means I might start tasting food again soon. Fingers crossed! Melissa, the trooper that she is, swapped her usual couch for a hospital bed and got some well-deserved rest while I rode the Benadryl wave.

My treatment cocktail today included Keytruda, Taxol, and Carbo. With Taxol and Carbo now behind me, the next phase looms ahead: 9 rounds of Keytruda (immunotherapy) and 4 rounds of Adriamycin and Cytoxin. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about what new side effects these meds might bring. Chemotherapy is no joke—it tests every part of you, physically and emotionally.

Final Thoughts

There’s a saying, “I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy,” and it couldn’t be more true for chemotherapy. The changes it’s brought to my body, my routine, and even my perspective on life are profound. I’m considering dedicating a future entry to cataloging all the ways chemo has altered me, inside and out.

For now, I’ll take a moment to breathe, reflect, and appreciate how far I’ve come. One phase down, another to go—but I’m still here, still fighting, and still surrounded by love and support. Phase 2, let’s do this!