Here I am eight days into the next round of chemo. Eight days since my first treatment.
It is interesting that my reactions are different this time round. What is different?
I. I am not as sensitive to cold
2. For the first 5 days, I felt a little nauseous in the morning, not wanting to eat and even spending a few minutes over the sink a few times. I did not feel this as much last time.
3. My neuropathy has not gotten worse, notwithstanding the fact that the doctor said that it would.
What have I done differently? Even though I have been very busy, I have tried to get a little rest whenever I can. And, I feel as if I am even more positive than before and I thought that I was positive then. The research manager credits diet. In general, I think that I am taking more ownership for my care than I did previously. I even got permission to drive myself most of the time.
Bottom line: I have been comfortable wearing a red shirt each day. Everyone says that I look good with a hint of surprise, Even the bank teller said that I look good in red. I shared my story with her and she seemed touched.
When I talk about being positive, it depends on what we are talking about. I was invited to a talk on the benefits of magnetic therapy. (I was driven there in a new Mercedes) The theory is that if you hold a magnet(s) to your body with the north pole facing your body (The north pole is the negative pole), it helps to alkalize your body and the more alkaline your body is, the tougher it is for cancer to survive. The second half of the presentation is this coming Monday and I intend to attend. It has raised some interesting things to explore. And so, I am positive about being negative. By the way, the liph that I take also adds to alkalinity.
The nice thing is that the people that invited me also went to the lecture and stayed to drive me home.
This is in sharp contrast to my experience with the driver. On our way to return Bob last Thursday, I realized that I had miscalculated the time that Bob would finish. As a result, we were in the range of two hours early. We stopped for breakfast, but still had too much time to justify the driver staying and so I told her to head home and that I would get home somehow. She willingly did so because Roger Federer was going to be playing on the TV that afternoon.
When I got into the center, I found out that there was not that much time left and so I called the driver who was not far away and asked her to return. I cried, cajoled, begged, offered to throw her a tennis game, moaned, agonized, sobbed, shrieked and threatened a baseless lawsuit and finally persuaded her to return. What is more, she does not drive a Mercedes!
One final note: Our local Publix will likely be sending us food baskets in the future. When I was prescribed nausea pills in the spring, I perceived that they were expensive and not feeling I would need them, I only took eight rather than the prescribed thirty. When it became obvious this past week that I was in need of more pills, the research manager called and indicated that we had only taken eight pills originally because of the cost and asked what the full prescription of thirty would cost. After some checking, the clerk told her that the thirty pills would cost $22. I went to pick up the pills with old shabby clothes as would befit someone that would have difficulty spending $22 for pills. The clerk gave me a sympathetic look. I suspect that she is hoping the tax cut will make my life easier in the future.
I am looking forward to a restful weekend and then back to chemo on Tuesday. Always something to look forward to!
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Back to the chemo again.
Yesterday was the first day back at chemo. One of the nice things is that you start off getting steroids. That set me up for the day.
I spent most of the five hours there diverting my attention using my wireless headphones and the IHeart radio app on my IPhone listening to music and selecting favorites. It was fun. I was the last person to leave the cancer center, the last man standing as it were.
Not that everyone thinks like that. When the driver picked me up, knowing that she has been looking for a new car, I suggested that she should get a black sedan (I had in mind a town car) and she said "Oh, a hearse?" Not what I had in mind. I told the research manager my idea re the black sedan when I got home. Her reaction? "You mean for a hearse?" I may need more support staff!
One downside to yesterday was that I forgot to shave around my port. As a result, Sherry, the most experienced nurse had trouble getting the tape that holds the connection to the pump (Bob) in place to stick. I suggested that she should perhaps get someone better to do it. She laughed. I think that I will pay for this on Thursday when I take Bob back.
As I was leaving I noticed a flyer about Drum Therapy for cancer patients. Now I want to tell you, at night, I used to fall asleep to drum meditation music. The research manager who finds music too stimulating to fall asleep called it "Bingo Bongo" music. It disappeared. I told her that was likely the cause of the cancer. She thinks it has more to do with my earlier diet.
As I was waiting for the elevator, a woman was waiting talking on the phone. She asked if her mother wanted to go to the "nail place." I told her that there was an Ace Hardware store just down the street. She smirked like younger people do at all of us old jokers.
The interesting news is that my CEA cancer marker has dropped further to 1.8. The research manager says that this is a good sign and should mean it will be easier to control this thing. Bob Wright may be right! At present, I am at the stage of taking liph (which not only tastes terrible, but also makes my body more alkaline.) We were pronouncing it "Life" until I got up a few days ago and said I was going to take my liph. We have decided to pronounce it Lif!
Where am I today? I had a great sleep last night and a decent day today, although I am tired and cold this evening. I find my appetite waning. The hiccups immediately after ingesting anything have reappeared as the first real side effect. Oh, and watching two people get engaged on The Amazing Race brought me to tears. My sensitivity is increasing as it did last time.
I looking forward to taking Bob back tomorrow. I will have to decide what color shirt is appropriate for the next few days. Yellow is second best. Blue is the worst.
Thanks to all for their concern, prayers, positive energy and help. I can soak up all the energy you can provide.
I spent most of the five hours there diverting my attention using my wireless headphones and the IHeart radio app on my IPhone listening to music and selecting favorites. It was fun. I was the last person to leave the cancer center, the last man standing as it were.
Not that everyone thinks like that. When the driver picked me up, knowing that she has been looking for a new car, I suggested that she should get a black sedan (I had in mind a town car) and she said "Oh, a hearse?" Not what I had in mind. I told the research manager my idea re the black sedan when I got home. Her reaction? "You mean for a hearse?" I may need more support staff!
One downside to yesterday was that I forgot to shave around my port. As a result, Sherry, the most experienced nurse had trouble getting the tape that holds the connection to the pump (Bob) in place to stick. I suggested that she should perhaps get someone better to do it. She laughed. I think that I will pay for this on Thursday when I take Bob back.
As I was leaving I noticed a flyer about Drum Therapy for cancer patients. Now I want to tell you, at night, I used to fall asleep to drum meditation music. The research manager who finds music too stimulating to fall asleep called it "Bingo Bongo" music. It disappeared. I told her that was likely the cause of the cancer. She thinks it has more to do with my earlier diet.
As I was waiting for the elevator, a woman was waiting talking on the phone. She asked if her mother wanted to go to the "nail place." I told her that there was an Ace Hardware store just down the street. She smirked like younger people do at all of us old jokers.
The interesting news is that my CEA cancer marker has dropped further to 1.8. The research manager says that this is a good sign and should mean it will be easier to control this thing. Bob Wright may be right! At present, I am at the stage of taking liph (which not only tastes terrible, but also makes my body more alkaline.) We were pronouncing it "Life" until I got up a few days ago and said I was going to take my liph. We have decided to pronounce it Lif!
Where am I today? I had a great sleep last night and a decent day today, although I am tired and cold this evening. I find my appetite waning. The hiccups immediately after ingesting anything have reappeared as the first real side effect. Oh, and watching two people get engaged on The Amazing Race brought me to tears. My sensitivity is increasing as it did last time.
I looking forward to taking Bob back tomorrow. I will have to decide what color shirt is appropriate for the next few days. Yellow is second best. Blue is the worst.
Thanks to all for their concern, prayers, positive energy and help. I can soak up all the energy you can provide.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Spare Time
Well, This has been a week!
I have had major events to run for six of the seven days. A busy time.
This got me to thinking.........what could I possibly do with the other day?
Thankfully, Dr. Patel, the oncologist, has come up with a solution. I can have chemo. Whew. I was worried about too much spare time.
We met with Dr. Patel last Thursday. The good news is that he was not concerned about my lymph nodes, but he was concerned about the liver. He made it clear that chemo is in order, not the maintenance kind, but rather the full event with Bob for two days every other week. We are looking at 4 sessions, followed by another petscan and then we will go on to maintenance for as long as appropriate and then perhaps other treatments. We start back next Tuesday.
The reality is that I will be doing something about cancer for the rest of my life. I intend to take advantage of the medicare/health system for many years to come.
Meanwhile, we are not giving up on alternate therapies. We have begun the first phase of the Bob Wright protocol. Some wonderful tasting sulphur crystals twice a day. I have experienced many things that have questionable taste, but this may take the cake. The research manager says that if you can't smell it, you can't taste it. I am not sure. I have developed an ability to just chug it down quickly, like I do with some other supplemental things. Just think what I could do if I drank!
This will be followed up in the next day or so with something called liph, which is an alkaline concentrate. Apparently cancer cells do not like alkaline. I have gradually moved my alkaline reading up to 7.5 or better from a starting point of about 6. I will also be continuing to drink alkaline water of 9.5 ph. We'll teach those cancer cells!
I don't drink often, but when I do, I chug sulphur crystals in distilled water. I aim to be the healthiest, if not the most interesting, colon cancer patient in the world.
So, I am looking at more trips to Morton Plant. I am hoping to work out how to minimize the stress on the research manager. She has begun to do more cooking of creative things that are good for me. You should try "Crustless Quiche." I love it. It beats my cheese omelets hands down. Obviously, a woman's place is in the kitchen! :) Oh and on the computer.
Thanks to the research manager for all she does. And thanks to so many of you that send me encouraging notes. My son reminded me in an email this morning that "Where there's a Gill there's a way!"
I have had major events to run for six of the seven days. A busy time.
This got me to thinking.........what could I possibly do with the other day?
Thankfully, Dr. Patel, the oncologist, has come up with a solution. I can have chemo. Whew. I was worried about too much spare time.
We met with Dr. Patel last Thursday. The good news is that he was not concerned about my lymph nodes, but he was concerned about the liver. He made it clear that chemo is in order, not the maintenance kind, but rather the full event with Bob for two days every other week. We are looking at 4 sessions, followed by another petscan and then we will go on to maintenance for as long as appropriate and then perhaps other treatments. We start back next Tuesday.
The reality is that I will be doing something about cancer for the rest of my life. I intend to take advantage of the medicare/health system for many years to come.
Meanwhile, we are not giving up on alternate therapies. We have begun the first phase of the Bob Wright protocol. Some wonderful tasting sulphur crystals twice a day. I have experienced many things that have questionable taste, but this may take the cake. The research manager says that if you can't smell it, you can't taste it. I am not sure. I have developed an ability to just chug it down quickly, like I do with some other supplemental things. Just think what I could do if I drank!
This will be followed up in the next day or so with something called liph, which is an alkaline concentrate. Apparently cancer cells do not like alkaline. I have gradually moved my alkaline reading up to 7.5 or better from a starting point of about 6. I will also be continuing to drink alkaline water of 9.5 ph. We'll teach those cancer cells!
I don't drink often, but when I do, I chug sulphur crystals in distilled water. I aim to be the healthiest, if not the most interesting, colon cancer patient in the world.
So, I am looking at more trips to Morton Plant. I am hoping to work out how to minimize the stress on the research manager. She has begun to do more cooking of creative things that are good for me. You should try "Crustless Quiche." I love it. It beats my cheese omelets hands down. Obviously, a woman's place is in the kitchen! :) Oh and on the computer.
Thanks to the research manager for all she does. And thanks to so many of you that send me encouraging notes. My son reminded me in an email this morning that "Where there's a Gill there's a way!"
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Jewish Prayers and more
I have had two days now to figure what to write in my blog this evening.
I was getting ready to wind down my blog and then on Monday, I learned that a new set of blogs is called for.
I had my blood work and the petscan done on Monday morning and was finished by about 1:00. The normal procedure is that I ask for a CD of the scan and then take it home for the research manager's analysis. I then go back to the radiology center on Tuesday morning to get a report on the findings. I had to wait for the CD because the "CD" person was at lunch. When she finally came back and produced the CD, I was surprised to learn that the report was done also.
The good news is that my blood work was very good, in some respects the best ever. (The CEA would not be ready till Tuesday afternoon though.)
The more challenging news is that the scan found "numerous" mestastases on the liver and also significant mestastinal activity in the lymph nodes.
What does this mean?
It means that I will get to write more blog entries than anticipated.
It means that in the last three months, the dormant cancer cells have resurfaced and are having a party in parts of my body.
It means that the oncologist will most certainly want to recommence chemo in some form.
It means that we will investigate alternatives to chemo and simultaneous treatments to go with the chemo to maximize the positive potential going forward.
Meanwhile, the CEA marker results came back with a reading of 2.2 ( 0 to 2.5 is normal), my second lowest reading. For what it is worth.
We meet with the oncologist tomorrow to discuss his thoughts and observations. We are viewing the meeting as exploratory, not decision making, and will continue with our own research and possibly a second opinion re alternative strategies. Then, in a week or so, we will make a decision.
One of the strategies from www.cancertutor.com is called the Bob Wright protocol. Apparently, it is superior to the Bob Left protocol, which makes sense if you have ever seen a left handed person attempting to bid while playing bridge.
Today, I was offered "Jewish" prayers without the prayer warrior knowing the outcome. I chose to keep this news quiet until tonight. And now that the cancerous cat is out of the bag, I welcome all prayers and positive thoughts for insight and wisdom as to how to proceed and for healing by whatever method is made obvious to us.
Thank you for your support and interest. I love you all for the energy that you give me.
I was getting ready to wind down my blog and then on Monday, I learned that a new set of blogs is called for.
I had my blood work and the petscan done on Monday morning and was finished by about 1:00. The normal procedure is that I ask for a CD of the scan and then take it home for the research manager's analysis. I then go back to the radiology center on Tuesday morning to get a report on the findings. I had to wait for the CD because the "CD" person was at lunch. When she finally came back and produced the CD, I was surprised to learn that the report was done also.
The good news is that my blood work was very good, in some respects the best ever. (The CEA would not be ready till Tuesday afternoon though.)
The more challenging news is that the scan found "numerous" mestastases on the liver and also significant mestastinal activity in the lymph nodes.
What does this mean?
It means that I will get to write more blog entries than anticipated.
It means that in the last three months, the dormant cancer cells have resurfaced and are having a party in parts of my body.
It means that the oncologist will most certainly want to recommence chemo in some form.
It means that we will investigate alternatives to chemo and simultaneous treatments to go with the chemo to maximize the positive potential going forward.
Meanwhile, the CEA marker results came back with a reading of 2.2 ( 0 to 2.5 is normal), my second lowest reading. For what it is worth.
We meet with the oncologist tomorrow to discuss his thoughts and observations. We are viewing the meeting as exploratory, not decision making, and will continue with our own research and possibly a second opinion re alternative strategies. Then, in a week or so, we will make a decision.
One of the strategies from www.cancertutor.com is called the Bob Wright protocol. Apparently, it is superior to the Bob Left protocol, which makes sense if you have ever seen a left handed person attempting to bid while playing bridge.
Today, I was offered "Jewish" prayers without the prayer warrior knowing the outcome. I chose to keep this news quiet until tonight. And now that the cancerous cat is out of the bag, I welcome all prayers and positive thoughts for insight and wisdom as to how to proceed and for healing by whatever method is made obvious to us.
Thank you for your support and interest. I love you all for the energy that you give me.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
COLD
I want to begin this note with an apology. Apparently almost none of you knew what an "eavestrough" is. The research manager did not know either, but predictably, she quickly did some research and exclaimed "Oh, you mean a gutter!" I guess eavestrough is a Canadian word. I think it sounds more sophisticated than "gutter."
I know that some of you will scoff, but it is COLD here in Florida. It is almost freezing where I live and it is actually freezing further north.
For the first two days of this COLD spell, the research manager decided that we did not need to put the heat on and I was COLD. While I was out of the house, I heard that the city was opening places for people that could not get heat at home. I was delighted to hear that and headed for home to get my bag packed and head off to a shelter I was relieved to get home and find out that the heat had been turned on. It is still cold though.
There are some good aspects to the cold weather.
I have not lost a tennis game all week.
The pain of being COLD makes my shingles pain seem like nothing. Update: I think that the shingles are not recurring, just that the pain is continuing (sometimes better, sometimes worse.)
Everyone around me is now sensitive to cold and so I do not feel alone. Though, my fingers may be slightly more sensitive than others' fingers.
However, we are still dealing with bowel issues, although things are largely under control.
As we approach the petscan and CEA test on Monday, we are focused on maintaining the regimen. I commented to the research manager that my morning routine is almost more than my stomach can deal with. There are so many items that get consumed between wake up and 11 am. I expect it is worth it, though.
I still am anxiously/eagerly looking forward to next week's tests.
Thanks for your encouragement, support and prayers.
I know that some of you will scoff, but it is COLD here in Florida. It is almost freezing where I live and it is actually freezing further north.
For the first two days of this COLD spell, the research manager decided that we did not need to put the heat on and I was COLD. While I was out of the house, I heard that the city was opening places for people that could not get heat at home. I was delighted to hear that and headed for home to get my bag packed and head off to a shelter I was relieved to get home and find out that the heat had been turned on. It is still cold though.
There are some good aspects to the cold weather.
I have not lost a tennis game all week.
The pain of being COLD makes my shingles pain seem like nothing. Update: I think that the shingles are not recurring, just that the pain is continuing (sometimes better, sometimes worse.)
Everyone around me is now sensitive to cold and so I do not feel alone. Though, my fingers may be slightly more sensitive than others' fingers.
However, we are still dealing with bowel issues, although things are largely under control.
As we approach the petscan and CEA test on Monday, we are focused on maintaining the regimen. I commented to the research manager that my morning routine is almost more than my stomach can deal with. There are so many items that get consumed between wake up and 11 am. I expect it is worth it, though.
I still am anxiously/eagerly looking forward to next week's tests.
Thanks for your encouragement, support and prayers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)