Life is a learning experience and I have learned at least three things this past week.
The first is a new word "Stroppy." As in, sometimes, I get a little stroppy when the research manager gives me too many things to do or eat. Look it up for yourself.
The second thing is the word "Onychoschizia." This relates to brittle fingernails. This has developed as a new ailment. Somehow, the neuropathy in my fingers and a different feeling on my fingernails makes for an annoying feeling and fingernails catching on things. This could just be a sign of aging, or some kind of a vitamin deficiency or one more chemo related event, but who knows.
The third new thing is very sensitive. It relates to chemo brain.
Four days ago, as we returned home from an afternoon out, we found a set of keys in the door to the building. We investigated, found a phone number and called to advise the owner of the keys that we had found them. It turned out to be Ida, an interesting lady, significantly older than me, but the owner of a really sporty, red, relatively new convertible car. She gratefully came down to the lobby to retrieve her keys.
Two days later, I announced to the research manager that I was going to have to leave her for Ida because Ida and I had so much in common. You see, the previous evening, I had left my keys in the mailbox because I was so tired, have chemo brain and forgot them when I picked up the mail.
Ida forgot her keys. I forgot my keys. Ida is an interesting person. I am, well, sort of interesting. Ida has a sporty red relatively new convertible. I drive a 2000 Town and Country van. Hmmm. maybe not as much in common as I thought. I think that I will stick with the research manager.
Meanwhile, life goes on. We are getting even more committed to Essiac tea. I think it is the key to keeping cancer in check. Obviously, other items, curcumin in particular are also helpful.
Status report: Finger neuropathy, slightly better shingles pain, fatigue and mouth dryness persist. Nothing that persuades me to change my red shirt regimen.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Getting Stronger
I am here to tell you that it takes a long time to recover from chemo, the last of which was seven weeks ago.
The major impact that I feel constantly is neuropathy in my fingers. At times it drives we crazy. Feelings are magnified. This has gotten me thinking. If the neuropathy never goes away (which is possible) and I were to go blind ( a remote possibility with my macular edema). reading braille with my ultra sensitive fingers would be like someone shouting at me!
I still have chemo brain. I forget things like taking my phone with me when I go out. Two weeks ago, I received a gift of a red head band and red wristband and forgot to say thank you for them. When I was asked if I had received them or was there a chance that they had been lost by the post office, I took action immediately. I took them to the post office and asked the clerk if I could take her picture wearing the head band. She was reluctant, but finally agreed. I then wrote the gift giver a note indicating that I had discovered the clerk in possession of the head band and that I had bought it from her for $10. She also threw in the wrist band for $5. Ultimately, I did confess to chemo brain, however.
The other day, I went to the grocery store to pick up a few dozen eggs. I decided that I did not need a cart. Then I saw a nice poinsettia and picked that up. This was followed by two avocadoes, two coffee Chobani yoghurts and the two dozen eggs. I suddenly remembered that I had two prescriptions to pick up and so I struggled toward the pharmacy, precariously balancing the items, looking like Steve Martin in "The Jerk" when he kept picking up things as he was leaving Bernadette Peters. (Who would ever want to leave her?) To my dismay, the Driver found me in this hapless situation. I did feel like a jerk!,
There is a lot of interest in me and my condition, which I appreciate. The other day, I was standing with my left arm behind my back. Someone asked me if I had had my left arm amputated. I told her "yes" because that way my right hand did not have to worry about what my left hand was doing.
I still have some shingles pain, but it is getting better. I had a mouth sore this week, but it is getting better also. And many nights, including this one, I get really tired early.
And so, I will not likely make it to Cash Cab tonight.
Notwithstanding all of this, red shirts are still the order of the day. I feel I am getting stronger each day and every once in a while I can actually hit the tennis ball over the net. I do play two sets each morning.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all the support and interest that I have received and for the results to date. Of course, I am most grateful for the research manager who has helped me achieve such great results.
The major impact that I feel constantly is neuropathy in my fingers. At times it drives we crazy. Feelings are magnified. This has gotten me thinking. If the neuropathy never goes away (which is possible) and I were to go blind ( a remote possibility with my macular edema). reading braille with my ultra sensitive fingers would be like someone shouting at me!
I still have chemo brain. I forget things like taking my phone with me when I go out. Two weeks ago, I received a gift of a red head band and red wristband and forgot to say thank you for them. When I was asked if I had received them or was there a chance that they had been lost by the post office, I took action immediately. I took them to the post office and asked the clerk if I could take her picture wearing the head band. She was reluctant, but finally agreed. I then wrote the gift giver a note indicating that I had discovered the clerk in possession of the head band and that I had bought it from her for $10. She also threw in the wrist band for $5. Ultimately, I did confess to chemo brain, however.
The other day, I went to the grocery store to pick up a few dozen eggs. I decided that I did not need a cart. Then I saw a nice poinsettia and picked that up. This was followed by two avocadoes, two coffee Chobani yoghurts and the two dozen eggs. I suddenly remembered that I had two prescriptions to pick up and so I struggled toward the pharmacy, precariously balancing the items, looking like Steve Martin in "The Jerk" when he kept picking up things as he was leaving Bernadette Peters. (Who would ever want to leave her?) To my dismay, the Driver found me in this hapless situation. I did feel like a jerk!,
There is a lot of interest in me and my condition, which I appreciate. The other day, I was standing with my left arm behind my back. Someone asked me if I had had my left arm amputated. I told her "yes" because that way my right hand did not have to worry about what my left hand was doing.
I still have some shingles pain, but it is getting better. I had a mouth sore this week, but it is getting better also. And many nights, including this one, I get really tired early.
And so, I will not likely make it to Cash Cab tonight.
Notwithstanding all of this, red shirts are still the order of the day. I feel I am getting stronger each day and every once in a while I can actually hit the tennis ball over the net. I do play two sets each morning.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all the support and interest that I have received and for the results to date. Of course, I am most grateful for the research manager who has helped me achieve such great results.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
A slight improvement
It helps my energy to be only blogging once a week. When I was doing the nightly ones, I would often get home late and then stay up later to blog and also to do my soak. I continue to get tired and often need an hour or so to nap each day. Sometimes, my schedule does not allow this and then I am really tired at night.
The big news of this past week just came in this afternoon. It has been 6 weeks since I have had chemo and I learned this afternoon that my CEA marker is down a tad (2.4 now, 2.5 then). That is an encouraging sign and an inspiration to keep up the routines.
The research manager continues to do her thing and learned this past week that Curcumin is as effective, if not more effective, in fighting cancer stem cells as the 5FU that I have been taking with chemo and would also be taking if I did the maintenance program. So, we continue to be committed to our program.
Last Thursday, I got my hair cut and that revealed a small scratch on my forehead. I thought that I remembered a super hero that had a mark on his forehead and decided I would look it up and claim that I was that hero. However I discovered that my memory was faulty and that the mark on the forehead was a sign that God is protecting you. I will gladly claim that also. I heard of two more churches praying for me. How fortunate can I be?
The only downside of the week was with the Driver. The research manager and I had to go to Jupiter Florida this past Saturday ( 8 hours of driving there and back). I suggested to the Driver that since it was so enjoyable driving me, she might want to drive us. Someone listening in said that they would be busy watching their paint dry and the Driver said that she had to pack for a trip that was two weeks away. Talk about rejection!
Never mind. I still have my 4 rubber duckies. At least they care.
One final note: The bile salts are proving to be effective. The shingles pain continues. I have not yet stopped wearing red shirts.
The big news of this past week just came in this afternoon. It has been 6 weeks since I have had chemo and I learned this afternoon that my CEA marker is down a tad (2.4 now, 2.5 then). That is an encouraging sign and an inspiration to keep up the routines.
The research manager continues to do her thing and learned this past week that Curcumin is as effective, if not more effective, in fighting cancer stem cells as the 5FU that I have been taking with chemo and would also be taking if I did the maintenance program. So, we continue to be committed to our program.
Last Thursday, I got my hair cut and that revealed a small scratch on my forehead. I thought that I remembered a super hero that had a mark on his forehead and decided I would look it up and claim that I was that hero. However I discovered that my memory was faulty and that the mark on the forehead was a sign that God is protecting you. I will gladly claim that also. I heard of two more churches praying for me. How fortunate can I be?
The only downside of the week was with the Driver. The research manager and I had to go to Jupiter Florida this past Saturday ( 8 hours of driving there and back). I suggested to the Driver that since it was so enjoyable driving me, she might want to drive us. Someone listening in said that they would be busy watching their paint dry and the Driver said that she had to pack for a trip that was two weeks away. Talk about rejection!
Never mind. I still have my 4 rubber duckies. At least they care.
One final note: The bile salts are proving to be effective. The shingles pain continues. I have not yet stopped wearing red shirts.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
I am seeing red.
This has been an interesting week. The bile medicine that I began to take a week ago has proven to be quite effective at getting control of the diarrhea. Thank goodness. You may recall that I was to report the results after a week to Dr. Weston. I did so this morning and the instructions were to keep taking it.
It is challenge to take all the mandated (well....research manager dated) supplements each morning. It takes me over an hour. I seem to be taking everything. So many things, in fact, that I even swallowed the kitchen sink one morning.
The research manager has been listening to a series of talks on the "Secret Plant." It turns out that the secret plant is marijuana. I wonder if I had taken a puff when it was passed to me (and my minister, I might add!) while I was at the Bob Dylan concert back in 1975, would I have gotten cancer?
It turns out that there is some significance to red shirts. I learned the other day that red heads (my sister Cindy is one) has less chance of getting some cancers. So.....I am considering dying my hair red.
In the last week, we have added carrot juice on a regular basis to the daily routine and continued with the recent additions of hydrogen water and Essiac tea, and dropped nothing. Colloidal silver and some detox products are waiting in the wings.
At this time, I am still feeling neuropathy in my fingers and toes and when I am tired, all of me feels cold.
Heck, when I am tired, a lot of things are wrong. In addition to the cold, my shingles pain is greater, my voice gets weak and I just want to go to bed where I am likely to experience dry mouth.
But we soldier on Onward Chemo Soldiers! Our uniform is a red shirt. But I am thinking of ditching my red Tampa Bay Buccaneers shirt.
It is challenge to take all the mandated (well....research manager dated) supplements each morning. It takes me over an hour. I seem to be taking everything. So many things, in fact, that I even swallowed the kitchen sink one morning.
The research manager has been listening to a series of talks on the "Secret Plant." It turns out that the secret plant is marijuana. I wonder if I had taken a puff when it was passed to me (and my minister, I might add!) while I was at the Bob Dylan concert back in 1975, would I have gotten cancer?
It turns out that there is some significance to red shirts. I learned the other day that red heads (my sister Cindy is one) has less chance of getting some cancers. So.....I am considering dying my hair red.
In the last week, we have added carrot juice on a regular basis to the daily routine and continued with the recent additions of hydrogen water and Essiac tea, and dropped nothing. Colloidal silver and some detox products are waiting in the wings.
At this time, I am still feeling neuropathy in my fingers and toes and when I am tired, all of me feels cold.
Heck, when I am tired, a lot of things are wrong. In addition to the cold, my shingles pain is greater, my voice gets weak and I just want to go to bed where I am likely to experience dry mouth.
But we soldier on Onward Chemo Soldiers! Our uniform is a red shirt. But I am thinking of ditching my red Tampa Bay Buccaneers shirt.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
A life worthy of red shirts.
There is a lot to report tonight.
It all started in 1975.
That was the year that I had my gall bladder removed. I remember the occasion well.
The doctor told me that there was 1 chance in 1000 that I would die from the procedure. That was still the era where you had to be a man for the procedure. I was in hospital for a week ( I fell in love with the night nurse - a common occurrence, I am told) and have a man size scar for the trouble.
I employed the same strategy that I used to pass my Chartered Accountant's exams. They say that 50% of the students pass and so I made sure to sit next to someone that I knew was not as smart as me. It worked, despite the fact that I had spent much of my study time watching John Dean and the Watergate hearings.
So, I used the same strategy to survive the operation and shared a room with a 94 year old.
BUT.....that may not be the end of the story. It turns out that when you lose your gall bladder, the bile from your liver does not break down toxins and they are stored in the fat in your body. In turn, they cause inflammation, infection and...........CANCER!
I found all this out just today when I visited Dr. Weston, my gastrointestinal doctor. I am now taking a third powdery mixture with water each day to deal with the bile issue. I need to take it for a week, report on the results and may end up taking it for months. If it does not work, we will move on to deal with expected inflammation.
In the past week, I have added hydrogen water and Essiac tea to my routine. Both are relatively simple, although the Essiac tea does not taste so great. I think Essiac tea will be a winner.
The research manager continues to work at a feverish pace and each day presents me with new information. I told her the other day that if I died from all the things that I am taking, then I would not have a recurrence of cancer for sure. She replied that if she hit me on the head and I died, the same would be true.
I have been studying the floating and stopping points of my 4 rubber duckies each night during and after my nightly soak. Aflac, the blue one, seems to be the most independent. The three yellow ones often congregate together.
So, where are things now? My shingle pain is not improving and at times shoots up to a seven. My finger neuropathy is, if anything, worse ( I have trouble turning pages of magazines). I have an intolerance for cold in general. (try visiting the frozen food section of a grocery store!) Finally, I still have dry mouth often, I get tired. and, of course, we have this bowel issue.
But compared to chemo weeks, life is good and worthy of red shirts. I have worn nothing but for the past two weeks.
It all started in 1975.
That was the year that I had my gall bladder removed. I remember the occasion well.
The doctor told me that there was 1 chance in 1000 that I would die from the procedure. That was still the era where you had to be a man for the procedure. I was in hospital for a week ( I fell in love with the night nurse - a common occurrence, I am told) and have a man size scar for the trouble.
I employed the same strategy that I used to pass my Chartered Accountant's exams. They say that 50% of the students pass and so I made sure to sit next to someone that I knew was not as smart as me. It worked, despite the fact that I had spent much of my study time watching John Dean and the Watergate hearings.
So, I used the same strategy to survive the operation and shared a room with a 94 year old.
BUT.....that may not be the end of the story. It turns out that when you lose your gall bladder, the bile from your liver does not break down toxins and they are stored in the fat in your body. In turn, they cause inflammation, infection and...........CANCER!
I found all this out just today when I visited Dr. Weston, my gastrointestinal doctor. I am now taking a third powdery mixture with water each day to deal with the bile issue. I need to take it for a week, report on the results and may end up taking it for months. If it does not work, we will move on to deal with expected inflammation.
In the past week, I have added hydrogen water and Essiac tea to my routine. Both are relatively simple, although the Essiac tea does not taste so great. I think Essiac tea will be a winner.
The research manager continues to work at a feverish pace and each day presents me with new information. I told her the other day that if I died from all the things that I am taking, then I would not have a recurrence of cancer for sure. She replied that if she hit me on the head and I died, the same would be true.
I have been studying the floating and stopping points of my 4 rubber duckies each night during and after my nightly soak. Aflac, the blue one, seems to be the most independent. The three yellow ones often congregate together.
So, where are things now? My shingle pain is not improving and at times shoots up to a seven. My finger neuropathy is, if anything, worse ( I have trouble turning pages of magazines). I have an intolerance for cold in general. (try visiting the frozen food section of a grocery store!) Finally, I still have dry mouth often, I get tired. and, of course, we have this bowel issue.
But compared to chemo weeks, life is good and worthy of red shirts. I have worn nothing but for the past two weeks.
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