PAMELA FIGHTS IN PINK!: Taxol Treatment (Video Blogs) and Finishing a 5K Afterwards!

Walking a 5K after my last round of chemo, so HAPPY in this moment.

It didn't occur to me until I was halfway through treatment to actually video myself. I got the idea from doing some google searches myself and seeing a video blog of a brave woman fighting breast cancer. In retrospect, I wish recording video blogs was a part of my documentation because it really shows the emotions and pains in a way that I cannot put into words.

Until now I haven't really watched these videos (hard to believe it's even me.... it makes me emotional!). Those 4 months seem to be a blur and I am proud of myself for making it through. It truly is a fight like no other. Watching these videos made me see what it put my body through physically and emotionally. I want to share them so that others going through this will see that it is OK to feel down and beat up because eventually you will be done with treatment. My BC sisters always reminded me that "it's temporary" and that helped me get through the hard times.

Keep in mind that prior to doing 4 biweekly dose dense rounds of Taxol (Paclitaxel) that I also did 4 biweekly dose dense rounds of AC treatment. A is also referred to as adriamycin (red devil) andC was cyclophosphamide. I also had the Neulasta shot after each round except on one of my Taxol rounds, I was able to do without. None of this is out of the ordinary and many many many BC patients go through this same regimen if their bodies allow them to. There is nothing pretty about cancer so here I am in raw form for the world to see me at my absolute worst!

Below are two videos after my 1st round of Taxol. I was very nervous prior to taking Taxol because of the possible side effects during infusion. My PA recognized this on my first round and would prescribe me to take Ativan with my treatment to keep the anxiety at ease and I am glad she did that. I found it interesting how in a future video I talk about round 1 not being so bad but now I watched round 1 and see that it was rough as well. Strange how soon we forget how the pain felt, but that's a good thing.

Next is a video of after my 2nd round of Taxol. Here you will see one my Dogo Aregentinos, Moxy, being extra loving and sweet. All my dogs helped me get through the days with their unconditional love and snuggling. Looking back at these I see how treatment seemed to make me bedridden for many reasons. Laying around in bed is not in my normal daily routine but chemo gives you no choice sometimes.

These two videos below were both after my 3rd round of Taxol. I say it's Tuesday in the first video but it was actually Thursday! Duh! Goes to show my brain was a bit foggy at the time. The second video for this round was on Friday (infusion was on Tues.). Generally I would feel the worst between days 2-6 after infusion. The gorgeous black lab is my Hunter and I literally take him everywhere with me whenever possible!

Finally below is after my 4th round of Taxol. After this round I was looking forward to doing a 5K with 40+ of my team members/supporters for Miles for Moffitt. I felt like crap after fighting through 8 rounds of dose dense chemo, but just knowing that I was done made it so much more tolerable!

On day 11 after that last round of Taxol I did a 5K Miles for Moffitt run and had SO MUCH FUN! I walked just over 2 miles of it and let one of my fabulous employees help wheelchair me a mile. A couple days after this I was VERY sore but I think that was coming regardless of doing the walk. Taxol is mean to your joints and bones and today I am still struggling with aches, pains, restlessness, weakness, etc. BUT my cancer is G O N E and this is the price I have to pay to be healthy again.