Round Two: Day 1 (Thursday)

I made it into the Clinical Trial and I've got the drug instead of the placebo! I know I've got the drug because I had a pretty big reaction within 30 minutes of receiving the 60 minute infusion. The first thing I noticed was that my chest felt tight and then my breathing became rapid and shallow and my blood pressure went up to 139 / 96 and blood oxygen level dropped to 92. Within seconds I was surrounded by nurses and the PA, they placed me on oxygen and gave Benadryl and steroids. In the midst of this I was giving the thumbs up sign and trying to say, "I've got the drug!"

The oxygen helped and blood oxygen began to climb, breathing became easier but my chest stayed tight, then my blood pressure dropped and I became very cold. Randy says it dropped to 63 / 40 - that's when everything was fuzzy for me. I do remember hearing the nurse saying it was up to 70 / 40 but my vision was fuzzy and I could not see the nurse.

Eventually all the vitals returned to normal and I was given more steroids and then was able to finish the rest of the dose. Yahoo!

I was told that the trial drug is made up of 90 percent human DNA and 10 percent mice DNA and that the allergic reaction was likely to be to the mice DNA but that hereafter my body will know it and I should not have the reaction again. However, just to be sure I will be predosed with Benadryl and steroids. I also have a predose of Ativan to ward off any nausea.

Tomorrow I will receive the chemo drug and Herceptin, then the side effects of the chemo drug will set in. The drug is Docetaxel also known as Taxotere and it is very similar to Taxol one of the chemo drugs I had previously. The nausea should be less with Taxotere but it does cause flu like symptoms with deep bone and muscle aches. I found with Taxol that the first dose was the worst and the side effects decreased with each following dose.

Today was quite an experience but throughout it I felt peaceful and I was uncomfortable but I really was not afraid. I have found that if I stay focused on what my job is - to glorify God today it is so much more peaceful.

It is wonderful to feel peaceful and wonderful to have a drug in me tonight that is already beginning to work! I hope your day was a wonderful as mine was!