Debbie Reed is a devoted wife, mother of four children, grandmother to seven grandchildren, daughter, aunt and beloved friend to so many.
She has been a great example of selflessness and love to all of her friends and family. She is a fighter and even now is more concerned about bringing comfort to others instead of herself.
This blog is dedicated to her fight and to give hope to other families in the same struggle.
Because Debbie does not have any insurance, we are reaching out for help to cover the costs of chemotherapy and cancer treatments for Debbie Reed. Friends and family all have pitched in to launch this site to let Debbie tell her story to the world and hopefully inspire others who are looking for hope.
100% of any left over donations will be given to fund breast cancer research.
This is pretty amazing. This research is going on right NOW at MD Anderson. If they are able to do what they are showing, this could cure almost any kind of cancer! The crazy thing is that the machine was invented by a guy who isn't even a doctor!
I had my first Chemo on Friday, Oct. 2nd. I had to be there at 11:30am, and they took me right into a room with a bed and TV. I get into bed and they give me some shots beforehand. Then going on 12:30 they put the IV in and start the first chemo medicine which is TRASTUZUMAB (Herceptin) they all have 2 names, this is the one I tested positive for the Her2 cancer cells, unfortunately this is a very expensive drug I take this every 3 weeks with Chemo and continue for a full year, this runs $4,439.00 a treatment, wow, it is suppose to be 100% effective in killing this cancer cell. I did fine with this drug.
The second chemo medicine was CARBOPLATIN (Paraplatin) one of the side effects was tingling, numbness and pain. I had a little tingling but the time I pushed the nurses button and she came it started to go away, so I had no problem with this one, they take 1 1/2 hrs. each.
The third chemo medicine is DOCETAXEL (Taxotere) this one after she gave me with in a very short time I felt my face just flushing and getting hot I told her right away and then I felt funny in my chest, but she had immediately stopped it, she said that is why I stayed in here longer up to 15 minutes she would have, because she said the majority of people have a reaction the first time. It was kind of scary she gave me a steroid and strong benedryl and redid it 30 minutes later and I had no problem then.
I had to go to the ladies room and you have to unplug this big circular stand with all your medicines and take a plug out from stand. So I am starting out in the hall and a nurse sees me and says "Oh are you looking for the bathrooms?" So I told her, "No, I am going home!" she laughed. Oh how I really would like to of gone home and would wake up from this dream still. But I think it will really become real when I have no hair, ha. Oh, my lunch was delicious. I had a Chicken salad sub on wheat bread and fresh fruit, it was impressive.
I got a shot 24 hours later PEGFILGRASTIM (Neulasta) to help in preventing or reducing the risk of infection while I am being treated with these cancer-fighting medicines. It stimulates the bone marrow to produce white blood cells (the cells responsible for fighting infection), boosting the body's immune system. So I will do this each time after Chemo.
I can not get sick at all, I can never have a temperature over 101 or I have to go to the emergency room or I can die. They were VERY specific about that. So I will miss a lot of functions this next 4 1/2 months as flu season and colds are all coming up, and I always get sore throats and colds so this is going to be very difficult and scary time for me, hopefully it will go by fast!
I do not have the energy I had before that is for sure, I can do things and then have to go rest, I tend to overdue still but I will learn fast. Nausea not to bad I have to eat when I am hungry. Your bones get a little sore, but I have medicine. I pray it doesn't get worse I want to start walking again, they say that is good. Before I know it I will be back there. Keep me in your prayers, oh how I FEEL them. THE FIGHT IS ON! And Debbie will WIN!!! Love you all!