To treat, or not to treat?

Friends, I'm feeling good. No, really. I have a little pain still near my sacrum. At this point, it just feels like I've bruised my tailbone, which, when compared with the pain I've grown accustomed to, really isn't all that bad.


My hair is just barely starting to grow back. I have small, blonde hairs on one leg and I feel like the fuzz on the back of my head is fuzzier. If I get treatment #6, it's likely I'll lose more hair, or at least the regrowth. Doug and I joked about the hair growing on my legs. I was so excited to see it. He's convinced I'll never shave my legs again. He may be right. =)


Over the weekend, I developed a rash on my head, which spread to my face. By Sunday night, I was convinced it was a staph infection. I went to the doctor this morning and was informed it's shingles. Dr. Kotz said if it was any higher up on my face, I would've had to go to the eye doctor for a shot in my eye. Thank GOD for little victories. Anyway, if you are pregnant, or if you haven't had chicken pox or the chicken pox vaccine, then you need to stay away from me. The shingles don't hurt much, yet. My hope is that I've started the meds for it early enough that they won't become too painful. Right now it just feels like little tiny stabs in and around my ear.


For now, all the scans I was scheduled for (CT of Abdomen & Bone Scan) are cancelled until further notice. I will see Dr. Kotz on Wednesday, but still no decision yet on whether or not I will get treatment #6. I can't take the steroids I usually take before and after chemo b/c of the shingles. Dr. Kotz said we still have options:

1. No 6th treatment, which means I would start radiation next week.
2. Treat without the Taxotere.
3. Regular treatment, worse side effects b/c I wouldn't have had the steroids.

We'll see....