The Chemo Club is so excited to get to know you!!! Please introduce yourself (Name, where you’re from) - What was your life like before undergoing chemotherapy?
Hi, my name is Leah Schrader. I am from Killaly, SK. My life before diagnosis was everything I always wanted. I had an amazing job as Office Administrator for a non-profit organization. I made good money and had the best coworkers who were my family and we had so much fun at work. I had an incredible group of friends and we were always texting and snapchatting and organizing pandemic friendly meetings. The best part, however, was I had just married the love of my life just one year before my diagnosis. I worked so hard to get where I was and we had so many big dreams for our lives together but even before our one year anniversary I started losing my voice and just knew it wasn’t good.
Bring us along your journey – when were you diagnosed with cancer? What was your initial reaction?
This is actually my second time being diagnosed with cancer. I was diagnosed with stage 3 localized aggressive breast cancer in 2012. It was right before my 29th birthday and it was hard. I had 8 rounds of chemo; 3 different kinds. Followed by a radical left side mastectomy and then 25 round of radiation. I was given the all clear a year later the day after my 30th birthday. I felt great for 6 years and then developed a mild cough which was diagnosed as a severe hay fever allergy to timothy grass or cat tails. My cough slowly got worse and then I moved to my now hubby’s house in the country and it got severe but I thought it was just my allergies. I did everything from Benadryl, inhalers, air purifiers, nasal sprays, and prescription antihistamines. I take it as a God given blessing that I lost my voice because that’s what forced me to dig deeper and probably saved my life. I was diagnosed this time on my birthday October 2020. It took close to 6 months to be diagnosed because of COVID; it took that long to have a specialist take a look inside my throat with a camera. I had a paralyzed left vocal cord and was sent for a CT. the results showed multiple extensive tumors in my lungs, one of which was resting on my vocal nerve causing the paralysis. I had a biopsy done and it was confirmed to be the same cancer as before. I was actually relieved because I knew that it would respond to treatment. It was Metastatic breast cancer in my lungs. I was in complete shock at first and then completely fell apart realizing my worst fear is actually happening. But I chose not to stay there, I picked myself up and prepared for the battle ahead.
What was your first chemotherapy treatment like? What treatment/treatments did you or are currently undergoing?
My first treatment this time was way different than my first treatment the last time. I actually had no nerves or apprehension. I was just excited to start putting something in my body that would fight for me. It was the middle of the pandemic but I was allowed to have my husband with just for the first round. It went really smooth, I was given a dose of IV Benadryl to prevent a reaction so I was kind of drowsy by not bad. This particular chemo has a high risk of allergic reaction (Pacletaxol). My third round I actually did have an allergic reaction. My heart raced out of control and my breathing started to become difficult and I was severely flushed. They had to give me steroids and more Benadryl and then start the treatment again but run it much slower. And now I take 4 different reaction drugs and they continue to run my treatment slower. There is no cure for metastatic breast cancer so I am a treatment lifer. I will be on this chemo every week with periods of every two weeks for as long as it works. (so hopefully forever, my doc says it could be) I’ll take it. My doctor is so happy with this treatment and how it is working that right now I am on an every 2 weeks schedule to keep side effects in check so I can stay on it.
Who did you turn to as your support system?
Above all I turned to God. Faith and prayer have helped me stay calm and centered because I know I am not fighting alone; God’s got my back and through him all things are possible. My family and my husband have been the next greatest comfort and support. My mom is my best friend and we share everything. Unfortunately we also share the cancer experience. 2 years after I got the all clear my Mom was diagnosed with Lymphoma, two different types actually. One is very aggressive and curable the other is not aggressive and not curable. She was by my side through chemo the first time and I was by her side. I would never have wanted us to share that experience but it is amazing to have someone who really knows to talk to and share with and she is my amazing fellow warrior and biggest cheerleader and supporter. She is always just a phone call away. Also, My husband is my everything in every way and I could not do this without him. He drives to every treatment and sits in the parking lot for 3 hours because he is not allowed in. He picks up prescriptions and groceries and anything I need. He keeps me from letting my mind spiral. When I am down about my appearance and no hair he calls me his Demi Moore or G.I. Jane because I am a fighter.
What is something you wished you knew before starting your chemo treatment?
I actually couldn’t think of anything for this question at first so I called my mom and asked her if there was anything she could think of. After we talked we both kind of agreed, this may sound strange, but we wish we knew that it was not going to be as bad as my imagination made it. There are bad days but there are always good days to and even the bad days can be good if you keep the right mind set. The hair loss is also not as bad as I thought either, it can be traumatic if you don’t prepare yourself for it. I just let it happen and when my scalp got sore my husband shaved my head for me and I actually felt more relief than anything else.
Have there been certain side effects that have been worse than others?
Definitely my neuropathy. I have neuropathy in my hands and feet, which is a common side effect, especially for long term chemo patients. My hands aren’t bad but my feet get a bit bad after 3 cycles. My fingers and toes start to feel almost numb and sometimes it spreads to the whole bottom of my feet. It’s a very odd feeling, numb but at the same time I can still feel everything so I get breaks so it doesn’t get worse because once it sets in there is no cure. I also flush really bad the day after treatment. My cheeks get really red and hot for most of the day. That is part of lingering allergic reaction every time so I have a drug I have to take for three days after every treatment.
What are tips/tricks you have learned along the way to help with chemo side effects?
I have so much and I am so excited to share. Vitamin water and Boost pudding are amazing products. They have helped me keep my system balanced for over a year now, they really help me get the right nutrition and help me feel better. My body just does not seem to crave fruits and veggies so these help. I tend to battle constipation at times and I find snacking on popcorn or mini wheats keeps my guts moving so my body can get rid of all the toxic leftover of chemo. On that note, drinking lots of nice cold clear water (at least 2.5 liters) does amazing things for side effects and bloating. Giving in to the nap is also a must, your body needs the rest. Remember, you are in a constant state of repair. Keep it as a nap though, no matter how fatigued you are, try to do something everyday even if you have to do things in spurts. Being active, even a little helps nausea and fatigue (it sounds like a joke but it really is true). Being even a little active during the day also helps to sleep better at night. With the hair loss, I found shaving my head as soon as it started saved me some pain. The scalp really starts to hurt when the follicles die and shaving the head feel quite amazing actually. I actually cut my hair a bit shorter and put it in a ponytail really helped; it was like the loose pony kept the pressure off my follicles for a bit. Lastly, I find that doing things like coloring, painting and diamond dotting helps keep the neuropathy in my hand in check.
Do you recommend any chemo friendly products?
Amazon.com has been my best friend, but maybe not my bank account’s 😊 With no eye brows it gets hard to pencil them in and make them look natural so I found eyebrow stencils (Teuvo). There are several shapes so you can pick which one matches you better and they are super easy to use. I also found Burts Bees makeup, it’s all natural and praben free. Eyeliners, brow pencils, foundation everything. Love them. I also found some fantastic magnetic eyelashes from Arishine, they are great and have different levels of fullness. They are cheap, reusable and water proof. There is an amazing place in the city I go to for chemo (Regina, SK, Canada), they have a website too. The Pink Tree; it is amazing. They have wigs, compression sleeves, mastectomy bras and swimwear and the staff is amazing. Wigs can get super expensive and money is a big thing when you are on chemo. I found some amazing, beautiful and cheep wigs on amazon, and because they can be easily and cheaply replaced I can have fun and I don’s have to worry about wrecking them. Live Clean has amazing shampoos, body washes and lotions that are paraben free and good for the skin.
Any advice for other chemo patients?
Allow yourself to feel everything you need to feel. Let yourself grieve your life as it was and the future as you thought it was going to be. Remind yourself that what your doing and going through now is so you can have a future. Whether you are going for the short term all out beat it treatment plan or your are a long haul lifer like me, you have a future. It may not look like the one you had planned but it is there and that’s all that matters. Take this time to rest and find new hobbies and passions, reconnect with yourself. If you are a lifer like me and maybe you can return to work or not the work you had, find a new passion and a new way to pass your time. Take this as an opportunity to reinvent yourself. Find ways to keep your mind busy. Depression and anxiety and fear can creep in really fast if you sit idle and dwell on your current circumstances. I found Adult coloring books, diamond dotting and painting really calmed me and became my happy place. Also, find anything that makes you laugh; favorite movies, TV shows, books anything to keep the smile and find joy.
