Thanks for the prayers and an update on treatment
First let me say thank you to all those who reached out with well wishes and especially prayers. I appreciate them and I believe they help.
I hope my sharing this situation isn't discomforting to anyone obviously you can choose not to read but I think sharing is helpful to me if nothing else so thanks for the forum and opportunity. Humbling is my new world.
My first round of Chemo did not go well, I had a reaction to one of the drugs called "taxol" apparently it comes from the bark of the pacific yew tree. Evidence that every thing we need is already here.
Anyway they brought out the crash cart and O2 but as soon as they stopped the drip I recovered.
Needless to say I was absolutely terrified of the fact they decided they would try the same drug again in a week. Everyone kept telling me that "I had this" but honestly I didn't.
I'm what's known in the medical field as a Hard Stick and even with the Vein finder ultrasound device they tend to have to jab around searching for a vein that will stand still long enough for them to get a needle in it.
Makes for a miserable experience. Weekly blood draws to make sure they are not killing off too much and weekly IV infusions is more than I ever imagined.
Thanks to God and modern medicine the plan to increase the infusion time to 2 hours from 1 and adding a huge dose of Dexamethasone (I think the same steroid that helps with COVID) I tolerated the 2nd round of Chemo much better. They had "rescue" drugs on stand by and were watching me very closely. Nerve racking to say the least. I pray that continues to work going forward.
Radiation has been tolerable, in and out in 20 minutes and according to the Docs the effects will be cumulative rather than instantaneous so I've been advised that while I'm still eating whole foods that will change to eventually only being able to swallow a liquid diet. Kind of funny because they sort of chastise you for losing weight but clearly maintaining weight will be a challenge LOL.
Anyway I'm almost at the end of week 2 of what will be a long six week journey. I believe their plan is too finish this up and allow a little healing time, then rescan to see if Surgery is an option. I've read the surgery is difficult and life changing but the only real option for longevity.
Side note most of my clients all said when I get better they want me to come back to work, I will never go back to work, I intend to spend the rest of my days cherishing life.
Stay Healthy, love your family and enjoy life, I hope to get through this and bore you all with waterfall trip pictures well into the future!
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Fight hard. You have many more waterfalls to visit. 3 -
God bless you man
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Some advice from the caregiver side. Not sure if they can or will install it, but a porta cath was a Godsend for my late husband. Its placed under the skin on the upper chest. Nothing exposed to snag or tear loose. His veins were hard to find and this eliminated multiple sticks for blood draws and chemo.
Also, he found that eating pickles helped kill the metallic taste in his mouth which helped his appetite. Chewing ice during the infusion slows the blood flow through the mouth so it helps keep the chemo from overloading your tastebuds.
Ginger root for nausea. Also, Marinol is legal in all 50 states. Get a prescription and use it.
Prayers continue for you and yours
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As said above Bill.
I will also say that anytime I am going to get an IV, I request that it be placed in the back of my hand, for the same reason. I seem to tolerate them better there as well.
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Prayers continue. I feel for you. My wife has one treatment left on her radiation. She has experienced some side effects with one being loss of balance with some resulting in three falls in a week's time. Again, prayers and good luck to you. 3 -
+10!!!jimdeere said:Fight hard. You have many more waterfalls to visit.3 -
Prayers continue for successful treatments! 3 -
Bill,
I'm so sorry to hear about all of this. You've been sending prayers our way and I didn't even know of all the troubles that you're having. I've been so busy at the hospital with June that I haven't kept up with anything. I'll include you and your family in the my prayers while I continue to pray for June. Sounds like we're having the worst of times at the same time.3 -
First of all i would like to say prayers for you and yours. I went through stage 4 cancer in 2010. If i remember right i had chemo every 2 weeks 3 times and radiation every day for 6 weeks. I had to have 3 times the radiation in my head to fix things.
In my opinion there is nothing harder than being a caregiver. If you do nothing else thank the people taking care of you. The hardest thing about me being sick was waking up in the middle of the night and my wife not being beside me. I would start looking for her and find her somewhere in the house crying because what i was going through. What i was going through was NOTHING compared to what i was doing to her. I was 45 had 4 grown kids doing good so if i passed everything was ok to me.
However everyone else but me thought different. I have not been on GB in about 6 months or more, so i dont have any idea of your cancer. Prayers asked for you and yours. I will look on this thread in a day or two and if you want to talk i will put my number up here for you.
Prayers again for you and yours.9 -
Hoping for the best outcome. If you need something give me a PM. 3 -
Prayers continue 3 -
Bill, my prayers go out for you. Keep your chin up and try to find that happy place beside a great waterfall while all the medical commotion is going on.
All the best to you good sir!3 -
Will be looking forward to seeing those pictures for a LONG...LONG time. 0
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