I have not posted in over a week and need to give you an update on what has been going on. Last week I went to Houston to see my primary Oncologist (Dr. Hagemeister) for restaging tests (x-ray and CT Scan) to see the progress of my treatments and the status of the cancer. All checked out well as the tumor is continuing to be non-active and shrinking due to the chemo. However, due to the intensity of my chemo plan, they are concerned with my blood levels as they have not been rebounding as well as expected, therefore, he has rewritten my chemo plan to a less intense program (same drugs, less dosage). I can also take this chemo out-patient, which is great news to me (no more Harris Methodist medieval castle dungeon). The plan is called R-CHOP and is a more well known chemo plan for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma patients. It can be given in 1 day...long, long day. I will also have a chemo that I will need to take home for 48 hours. I will take this R-CHOP this week, then again in 2 weeks and that will be it for my chemo. I will also then have to take 4 weeks of radiation. This will be radiation every day (Monday - Friday) for 4 weeks. I was not expecting this, but the Dr. says it is very important and is necessary to keep the cancer from returning. This puts me through the middle of April for the final radiation treatment.
I am soooo ready for these treatments to be completed. I was just thinking over the past several weeks all the activities that I cannot do now, that I am looking forward to doing again...Here are just a few....
- Throw a baseball with my son. (my Pic line makes this hard to do)
- Play golf. (I have not played in 6 months).
- Swim (although it has been too cold).
- Take a shower without wrapping my PIC line.
- Jogging.
- Standing in line at the airport (traveling again for my job).
- Washing my hair.....actually having hair.
- Eating fresh fruit and veggies without worrying if I will get sick.
- Not taking 10-12 pills a day.
- Going to church every Sunday....(only once a month during chemo).
- Going places without a box of Kleenex (my nose runs constantly due to the chemo).
Well...there are many more on my list, but I will stop here. I will say that I am fortunate to almost be done with chemo as I have corresponded with several people who's chemo treatments are much longer and more intense. I continue to pray for them for courage and staying positive. I know that it takes a lot of both to get through this. I have also learned to only focus on each day alone. When I think about all the weeks left, I get discouraged. When I just think of today and what I have to do to get through today, I can handle that. I think others have said the same. Marsha and Cindi...hang in there.
2 comments:
Wow, what great news!! Hey, your family photos are great. Cancer treatments have come so far in the last 20yrs---LIFE!
You are doing great, Jeff. It is hard, hard, hard to endure so much poison. But of course you know the end result is worth it.
I did R-CHOP every three weeks for 18 weeks. I did it all outpatient - 4 to 6 hour infusions. I would get pretty nauseated and sick-feeling on Chemo Night, but by the next morning I felt better, just left with the lethargy, terrible taste in my mouth and sometimes mouth sores. I think this program may go easier on you than the inpatient treatment. At least you now get to sleep in your own bed.
Hang in there and best wishes to you and your beautiful family.
Post a Comment