cancer – day 13

Oh boy. My cardiologist is NOT happy, at all. Because of the adria myacin, a cardio toxin they use in chemotherapy drugs, a person’s heart can be weakened by chemotherapy treatment, and I have to come off my heart medicine during chemo. We have to do an echocardiogram before the chemo starts, and again when the chemo is done, and if the echo after the chemo is good, then they will put me back on my heart medicine. He was not especially pleased about the idea of me going back to South Dakota to do chemo, either, though did he soften on that a little when I told him Lin Soe is my medical oncologist here (they know each other) and Soe will be in charge, and the medical oncologist out there will just be executing the chemo under Soe’s direction. But Wolff (my cardiologist) also seemed unhappy about me being away for chemo in case anything comes up with my heart when I’m not on my medication. He doesn’t want me so far away from where he knows I can get the best care, since he of course doesn’t know any electrocardiologists in his specialty out in South Dakota that he can trust with my care. Oh boy. Mom’s not going to like hearing about this.