Long story short - I finished round 9 of Oxaliplatin this past Monday without any major probs. It was a longggg day, left around 10am & returned home around 9:30ish. I had the treatment at Roper Hospital in downtown Charleston this time. The folks there were real good about things - I just felt uncomfortable for some of the dealio. Having the chemo treatment is hard and *anything* that makes you feel more at ease (familiar faces, same comfy chairs etc...) makes a big difference. But the Ladies in Oncology @ Roper were great...they usually close up shop at 8pm (at least that's what the hours are; 8am - 8pm), but they were very attentive and professional and friendly until I was totally done w/ my treatment which was pushing 9.
Starting back up w/ Xeloda (the oral chemo drug I also take) tonight, take this twice a day for the next 2 weeks. I might have 1 one week round left and that'll be all for Xeloda.
and drum roll please, just one more round of Ox left - I am guessing it will be Monday the 11th but I will find out next week. Many many thoughts about this realization - but will post on that soon. I'm real whipped from work - more later.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Heat
This is Sunday's weather report for Green Bay, WI:
Mostly sunny during the morning...then becoming partly cloudy. Highs around 5 above zero. West wind 10 to 15 mph.
---
For anyone going thru treatment in Wisconsin... or Minnesota or Vermont, I offer my utmost support. Here, near Charleston, South Carolina
the temp has been in the low 50's / upper 40's.
Yesterday when I walked Kaipo it was 46, grey, overcast and a little breezy. Halfway thru the walk, my fingers went numb, they were tingling and hurting. Same for my feet. Wasn't expecting my feet to have such a problem. I was bundled up fairly well. I used a scarf to breath through, but it was hard to do that for the entire walk. My lungs were hurting when we got home. As soon as I got home, I turned on the hot water in the sink and waited ...waited...and then let my hands get drenched w/ the hot water.
I'm looking forward to the playoff games this weekend. But I couldn't even imagine what it would be like to be out in that cold weather for more than 10 minutes. I know, it's the Ox that makes it this way for me, but still...
full pic here.
Mostly sunny during the morning...then becoming partly cloudy. Highs around 5 above zero. West wind 10 to 15 mph.
---
For anyone going thru treatment in Wisconsin... or Minnesota or Vermont, I offer my utmost support. Here, near Charleston, South Carolina
the temp has been in the low 50's / upper 40's.
Yesterday when I walked Kaipo it was 46, grey, overcast and a little breezy. Halfway thru the walk, my fingers went numb, they were tingling and hurting. Same for my feet. Wasn't expecting my feet to have such a problem. I was bundled up fairly well. I used a scarf to breath through, but it was hard to do that for the entire walk. My lungs were hurting when we got home. As soon as I got home, I turned on the hot water in the sink and waited ...waited...and then let my hands get drenched w/ the hot water.
I'm looking forward to the playoff games this weekend. But I couldn't even imagine what it would be like to be out in that cold weather for more than 10 minutes. I know, it's the Ox that makes it this way for me, but still...
full pic here.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Round 8 is in the books
Glad to say I was able to not only complete round 8, but got through it pretty dang well. It was a long day; was at the hospital for the out patient procedure of the picc line @ 9am but i didn't get it until 11:30 or so.
They then take an xray to make sure the line is where it's supposed to be. Fine with me. The line goes in your arm around your bicep and is threaded to the large vein just above your heart. The nurse who did the procedure was great. Smooth & calm. I hope I have her for the next two procedures (as i had the picc line removed after i finished chemo and will need to have the procedure for the last 2 rounds).
Once upstairs, did the dance. Weight checked, blood pressure, temperature etc... CBC (complete blood count - red & white blood cell and platelet count) was good. Dr. Wall popped in while I was having my blood taken, I asked him about my CEA level (Carcinoembryonic antigen: CEA measurement is used as a tumor marker to identify recurrences after surgical resection) from the blood work I had last Thursday - cea was .8, looking good!
Ok, cocktail time. Though it wasn't a party getting getting the picc line inserted, I have to say it made the IV infusion of my cocktail go so much smoother. All the nurse had to do was inject the Decadron & Aloxi via the hanging port of the picc line. No searching for a juicy vein to stick me. After those drugs were pumped in, hang a big ol' bag of Ox, plug into the picc and on with the main event.
Now I might not look like a happy camper in this picture (really who would be) but this round of infusion was a hundred x better than the last one. My arms felt fine, no burning feeling in my veins, no funky feeling in my chest, no nausea. Just a weird body buzz - understandable considering the chemical nature of oxaliplatin. Got outa of the chemo room around 4ish, home by four-thirty, and was actually pretty hungry. Good sign! Was able to eat a bit, take 1000mg of Xeloda and climb into bed w/ the dogs.
They then take an xray to make sure the line is where it's supposed to be. Fine with me. The line goes in your arm around your bicep and is threaded to the large vein just above your heart. The nurse who did the procedure was great. Smooth & calm. I hope I have her for the next two procedures (as i had the picc line removed after i finished chemo and will need to have the procedure for the last 2 rounds).
Once upstairs, did the dance. Weight checked, blood pressure, temperature etc... CBC (complete blood count - red & white blood cell and platelet count) was good. Dr. Wall popped in while I was having my blood taken, I asked him about my CEA level (Carcinoembryonic antigen: CEA measurement is used as a tumor marker to identify recurrences after surgical resection) from the blood work I had last Thursday - cea was .8, looking good!
Ok, cocktail time. Though it wasn't a party getting getting the picc line inserted, I have to say it made the IV infusion of my cocktail go so much smoother. All the nurse had to do was inject the Decadron & Aloxi via the hanging port of the picc line. No searching for a juicy vein to stick me. After those drugs were pumped in, hang a big ol' bag of Ox, plug into the picc and on with the main event.
Now I might not look like a happy camper in this picture (really who would be) but this round of infusion was a hundred x better than the last one. My arms felt fine, no burning feeling in my veins, no funky feeling in my chest, no nausea. Just a weird body buzz - understandable considering the chemical nature of oxaliplatin. Got outa of the chemo room around 4ish, home by four-thirty, and was actually pretty hungry. Good sign! Was able to eat a bit, take 1000mg of Xeloda and climb into bed w/ the dogs.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Some Good News
Kaipo went for his 1 year post-adoption check up yesterday and the low grade heartworm infection is now gone! I would have hated to put him through the injections. Seems the HeartGuard medication did the trick.
Good boy Kaipo!!
Round 8
Dr. Wall has given the green light for round 8 of the Ox (Oxaliplatin). I'm scheduled to have the PICC line threaded, snaked??? errrrr put in - that's it, Monday morn @ 9. Then it's upstairs for that delicious drip. It will have been just over a month since the last IV infusion. The swelling is gone, however on the underside of my arm, approx. 3 inches below and above the elbow, the hardness remains. It feels like (when you touch the area) I am clinching the muscles. Still can't straighten my arm out 100% and the area is pretty painful when touched - but I have found the best exercise (at least what feels the best) is using the back scrubber while in the shower to help get rid of the rash on my back. Hey, necessity is the mother of invention.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Just the Facts, Part II
The good folks @ The Colon Club put this very concise page together regarding Facts and Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer. I highly suggest visiting their site if you or someone you know has any questions, concerns, whatever... regarding this horrible disease.
In the United States, one person is diagnosed with colorectal cancer every 4 minutes and someone dies every 9 minutes of this disease.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in this country. Approximately 147,000 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, and almost 57,000 will die from the disease.
Colorectal cancer is a highly preventable and treatable cancer. Tens of thousands of lives could be saved every year through proper screening. Almost all colorectal cancers begin as polyps in the colon that can be removed during a colonoscopy. When polyps are removed, colorectal cancer can be stopped before it even starts.
When caught early, colorectal cancer has about a 90% survival rate - but when caught in later stages, there is only about a 9% survival rate. Currently, only about 37% of colorectal cancers are caught at the earliest stage, when it is most treatable.
A personal or family history of colorectal cancer, certain other cancers, colon polyps, or other bowel diseases increase your risk of developing colorectal cancer. Anyone can help prevent colorectal cancer by exercising regularly, eating a low-fat high-fiber diet (whole grains, fruits & veggies), maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking.
SYMPTOMS OF COLORECTAL CANCER
ABOUT COLORECTAL CANCER
In the United States, one person is diagnosed with colorectal cancer every 4 minutes and someone dies every 9 minutes of this disease.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in this country. Approximately 147,000 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, and almost 57,000 will die from the disease.
Colorectal cancer is a highly preventable and treatable cancer. Tens of thousands of lives could be saved every year through proper screening. Almost all colorectal cancers begin as polyps in the colon that can be removed during a colonoscopy. When polyps are removed, colorectal cancer can be stopped before it even starts.
When caught early, colorectal cancer has about a 90% survival rate - but when caught in later stages, there is only about a 9% survival rate. Currently, only about 37% of colorectal cancers are caught at the earliest stage, when it is most treatable.
A personal or family history of colorectal cancer, certain other cancers, colon polyps, or other bowel diseases increase your risk of developing colorectal cancer. Anyone can help prevent colorectal cancer by exercising regularly, eating a low-fat high-fiber diet (whole grains, fruits & veggies), maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking.
SYMPTOMS OF COLORECTAL CANCER
The most common symptom of colorectal cancer is no symptom at all - that is why it is critical that everyone get screened even if they don't think anything is wrong. If you are having symptoms, you must get tested!
- the most common symptom is no symptom at all
- change in bowel habits (diarrhea and/or constipation, narrow stools)
- unexplained weight loss, vomiting
- anemia, lack of energy
- blood (often not visible) in stool or from rectum
- abdominal pain/discomfort (gas, bloating, cramps, feeling that bowel does not empty)
IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OR A FAMILY HISTORY,
SEE A DOCTOR.
BE PERSISTENT UNTIL YOU GET AN EXPLANATION.
SEE A DOCTOR.
BE PERSISTENT UNTIL YOU GET AN EXPLANATION.
Aloha 2008
Happy
New
Year
to
Everyone
Myself, I am very happy to say Aloha to 2008.
Here's to having it be a year full of health and happiness.
Fantastic picture of the coast of Maui, full size pic here. If you ever have the chance to go, then Go. It's been over 5 yrs. since we have visited. Perhaps if things work out, we'll be back soon.
Had a follow up appt. with my Onc today. Have I mentioned that I think the world of him? Well, I do. Today I felt like a bit of a complainer as I went over what's been bothering me since the last appt. But I figured he's heard it all before so when he asked, I told him about the rash that has broken out all over my back and the mouth sores and the difficulty I had breathing the other morning while outside (the temp was in the upper 20's) and the continuing issue w/ my right arm. Yeah, I felt like a whiner. I told him so. He smiled and said I wasn't. I almost went into Joe Piscopo "Doug Whiner" mode, but I didn't...
It's been over 3 weeks since the last IV treatment. He wants to wait another week and see me next Wed for a follow up. I finished the latest cycle of Xeloda yesterday, so I have to say I'm looking forward to a week off from both of the chemo drugs.
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