OY VEY!

Well, the first week of the new chemo regimen is drawing to a close, thank goodness I am starting to feel normal! It was rough going at first, I was pretty much flat on my back over the weekend, but started feeling better yesterday and today. I just never realized what true fatigue is, the kind where you can't get out of bed to brush your teeth, at all. I started radiation yesterday which leads to more fatigue, but fortunately I just have 10 treatments and i will be done. On Friday the 8th I go in for an angiogram in preparation for sir spheres (Selective Internal Radiation Therapy), the little radioactive glass beads. So, radiation for the tumors in my spine, sir spheres for the ones in my liver, and chemo to give them all a big whack. suffice to say the next 8 weeks or so are not going to be pleasant, but it's all for a good cause, right?

Cancer is busy!

and you never get a day off! I have spent the morning arranging/rearranging appointments. I will be meeting with the radiologist today about radiation, then tomorrow morning to talk about theraspheres, then start chemotherapy tomorrow afternoon, then the support group for my son tomorrow evening, then my counselor on Thursday morning, phew! Naturally the side effect for all of these treatments is fatigue, heck, I'm fatigued just thinking about them!

The bright side

one of the bright spots about this whole experience is that old friends and relatives have been coming out of the woodwork to make contact and catch up, especially my Navy friends. I retired 10 years ago yet people are still able to track me down and call me. It's been a constant old home week, exchanging wonderful conversations, emails, letters and sometimes visits with people I haven't heard from in years. My relatives have been fantastic as well, keeping up through phone calls and letters. I enjoyed a visit from my two favorite aunts and uncle this weekend, no sadness just joy.

I hate that this is the reason for the reconnections but you know, I'll take them any way I can get them!

keeping my fingers and toes crossed

so, starting Wednesday I will be starting a new round of chemotherapy drugs, oxaliplatin and fluoruricil (5 FU). The oxaliplatin will be given IV every 21 days and the 5 fu is a pill I would take every day for 14 days on a 21 day cycle. I will also probably be getting radiation therapy for the tumors in my spine so I don't collapse my spine, that wouldn't be good ;-).

I also got a call from the interventional radiologist at UC, they want to see me after they look at my CT scan CD. There is a possibility that I would be a candidate for something called "Theraspheres". These are little glass beads filled with radiation that would be inserted in my groin then travel to my liver and directly to the tumors. This would be a good thing, so I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed and praying that they will accept me as a candidate for this procedure. So, we shall see.

two posts in one day!

well, heard from the liver specialist who wants to see me on Wednesday, I am hoping that this is a good sign. Meanwhile, had my MRI of my hip and back tonight, as a lovely parting gift they gave me a CD of the MRI, I could actually see the tumor in my back, the hip, well, all I can say is that it looked like a picture of a steak to me! Keep your fingers crossed and your eyes up to heaven for good news on Wednesday!

update

so, I may end up glowing in the dark. I have an MRI scheduled today of my back and hip to see how much involvement there is and where they would need to do radiation if it comes to that. The fear is collapsing my vertebrae, a very scary thought for sure. Then tomorrow another CT scan, this time of my lungs to see if the cancer has spread there. In the mean time no chemo until we talk to the liver specialist, who of course wasn't in the office today, just my luck. my spirits are good, just wait and see. surely a test of anyone's patience!

It's not always good news

I had a CT scan this past week and got the results back today, the news is not good. In a nutshell the cancer is spreading. I have four more tumors in my liver, more lymph node involvement and now it has spread to my spine and hip. Not the news I wanted to hear but I had a sneaking suspicion that the report was not going to be good. Fortunately I am feeling good, and at least I know why my back was hurting! Haven't talked to my oncologist yet, that comes Monday. My hope is that we can find more aggressive treatment and slow this sucker down! I feel fine and I am not licked yet! So, keep the prayers and good wishes coming!

Happy New Year!

Well, 2008 is starting off great! After a 30 lb weight loss I am finally getting my appetite back! Now mind you, I could have stood to lose that much weight and a bit more, but this isn't a diet I would recommend! After feeling like crap for weeks and weeks I decided that one of the drugs I was taking, Tarceva, just wasn't worth it. To paraphrase one of my favorite lines from Steel Magnolias, I would rather have 6 months of normal than 8 months of misery. My doctor also put me on a new drug to stimulate my appetite and for the first time in months I actually feel normal! I still have pain and get tired easily but I can manage.
I hope you all had a great new year, Luis and I were invited to a couple of parties, but after watching Shrek 2 he went to bed and I fell asleep on the couch. They call in amateur night for more than one reason! My days of partying until I drop are long over :-)
My hope for myself and everyone else is for a safe, HEALTHY and wonderful New Year!