This week has taken an unpleasant, but not unexpected twist.  Cathy seems to be developing some peripheral neuropathy.  Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage that is the result of exposure to toxic chemicals.  There are other causes of PN, but Cathy's particular causal agent is taxotere, which is one of her chemotherapy drugs.  This is a common side effect that we'd hoped she would avoid, alas she has not!  

She feels a little tingling in her hands, especially her right hand, but her feet are the most affected.  Cathy says her feet feel like she's spent all day outside in the snow and then put her feet in warm water.  The sensation is a little numb, a little tingly, and a little burning.  The condition could get worse, stay the same, or get better.  It could go away when chemo stops or linger for a few more months to a year or more.  It's another one of those "everybody has a different experience" things.  If the pain becomes unbearable or it interferes greatly with her sleep they can prescribe some drugs for her.  Tricyclic antidepressants inhibit the nerve function that communicates PN sensations to the brain.  I think Cathy would like to avoid that if at all possible.  There are some other alternatives that may or may not be effective, like acupuncture.

Dr. Drosick said that the next chemo treatment will continue like normal, but if the PN gets really bad he can omit the taxotere in the last treatment.  It seems that these are the things that happen when poisons are placed directly into the circulatory system.

Cathy requests that if you are a praying person that you pray for the PN to improve.