25 November, 2006 "FALLOUT"

I guess it's to be expected, but this morning as I was getting ready to take my shower, I was looking in the mirror at my mustache thinking I might trim it up a little bit since it was starting to hang down over my lip. I noticed a couple hairs just kind of sitting there as if they were an extra half inch longer than the rest. I pulled at them and started examining my mustache more closely and found out if I grab a finger full of hairs, I can pull them right out....I started tugging on my mustache and hairs pull out with ease. I then did the same with the hair on my head, and same thing.
To look at me now, you wouldn't be able to tell anything different than normal, but after experimenting a little, I can't pull not hunks yet, but can pull out numerous strands of hair out of my head and mustache with ease. Tried pulling some chest hairs and other hair on my body, but it that hasn't started yet. I noticed about 7 hairs on my deodorant stick after applying it.
So I guess the hair falling out thing is upon me.. I was hoping that I wouldn't be experiencing this aspect, but NOT! This is going to suck.
The picture was taken this morning just for documentation purposes..No noticeable change yet. More to follow.

22 November 2006

Today we had an appointment with Dr. Atienza during the middle of a powerful storm..check out some of these photos "Nor'easter" that moved through the area today. With 3.44" of rain today, it took Marjie and I 1.5 hours to drive the normal 20 minute drive to the doctors due to flooding. We got detoured 3 times...Boy oh boy does this place have some flooding problems when there's a lot of rain and the tides get high. Lost power for a few hours this morning, but things are getting back to normal this evening.
Now results of the appointment.
White blood cell counts are not high, but Dr. Atienza said that they were within normal ranges. We talked a lot about how I was feeling and what were some of the side effects of the chemotherapy that I had been experiencing. What it basically came down to was that I experienced a great deal of fatigue, but other than that, he's happy with the results so far.
There's a change to the plan however. This initial round of chemo, that we thought was going to be two doses, each followed by two weeks off, has now been increased to three doses. Dr. Atienza explained to us that after further reviewing his notes and the study on this new theory, that we are looking at three chemo sessions vice the original two before we start the radiation/chemo punch. The focus is to totally get rid of the cancer.
So here is the revised plan:
Got my first dose of chemo last Monday, carried the pump which injected more chemo slowly over the rest of the week, got the pump taken off on Friday, got the Nuelasta shot on Saturday, have two weeks off which I'm currently on the first of the two weeks off.
Next, I go back on the 4th of December for another fun filled day of getting the chemo, take the pump home and carry it for the rest of the week, go back Saturday for the Nuelasta shot, then two more weeks off.....
Go back the day after Christmas for the 3rd dose of chemo and so on.....after those two weeks off we will begin the 7 weeks of chemo/radiation therapy - the middle of January.
That's about it for now...I'm feeling ok today. Sense of taste is still all screwed up. Had a chicken sandwich for lunch today, that should have tasted awesome, but it was a great disappointment....
Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

21 November 2006

2-2 day.
First of all, a very special thanks to our friends the Reeves, who live here in Virginia. Marjie and I were stationed with them back in 1987 at NAVCAMS WESTPAC GUAM. Bob and Steph sent me a package that I received this morning in the mail with 5 Yellow bracelets from the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The Lance Armstrong Foundation believes unity is strength, knowledge is power and attitude is everything. They provide the practical information and tools to help people affected by cancer live life on their own terms. There was a note from Bob saying that they hope things are going ok for me and to Hang in there! You'll kick it's ass! They are each wearing one of bracelets as I, Marjie and David.
Thanks so much!
I checked out their website this morning and it's packed with lots of good information.
If anyone is interested, here is their link: LIVESTRONG SurvivorCare
In the last week I've received emails, posts to my blog and cards from friends and family that have been truly amazing. I should probably thank each and every one of you separately, but figure that I'll just take care of it in this blog. Your comments mean more to me than you will ever know. THANKS to all of you. You know who you are.
Back to what's going on. Things are so so today. The feeding tube they put in me doesn't look infected or anything, but hurts like crazy. The pain feels like it did a day or two after the surgery and I'm having a hard time walking around without being all hunched over. When Marjie changed the dressing this morning, she noted that there was less puss on the bandage than had been there the day before, so it should be healing up and not getting worse. I started taking antibiotics yesterday evening for this, so hopefully things will start to get back to normal. I still can't figure out why the tube is causing me so much pain, but I'll have to deal with it and see what happens over the next few days.
Nausea is still at bay and my taste buds remain screwed up. Other than that, things are the same.
Went to the commissary with Marie early this afternoon to pick up last minute stuff for Thanksgiving and by the time I was finished pushing the basket through the store,
my gut was in so much pain all I could think about was getting back home and relaxing on the couch.
So here I am, updating the blog and watching Saving Private Ryan on HBO. Stomach still hurts like hell, but tomorrow is a new day. I have an appointment with Dr. Atienza, the Oncologist tomorrow morning to get my white blood cells checked and to see how everything else looks as far as bloodwork goes.
More to follow.

20 November 2006

2-1 day. Just a reminder for anyone reading this blog. I'm doing this mainly as a living document for me as a way of tracking what's going on with me, to friends and family that want to keep up as to exactly what's going on with me IRT this cancer treatment and maybe even more importantly, to anyone who might find themselves in this situation and wants to know what to expect.
I sometimes wonder if I'm putting too much information down or not enough or if it's just senseless BS that nobody really cares to read or know about in the first place...
Who knows!
Anyway, like I mentioned it's 2-1 day. That would be 2nd week, 1st day.
Feel ten times better today than I did a few days ago. The nausea is gone and the extreme exhaustion is gone. I think some of the side effects that I've been reading about are starting to kick in though. I keep telling myself that it might be in my head, but after several days of experiencing them, Marjie and I feel that it is the side effects of the Chemo therapy.
Weird taste in my mouth!!! It seems like my taste buds aren't working as they should. Things don't taste as good as they normally do. For instance, during the football games yesterday, I had a craving for a chili cheese dog. We went to Walmart and bought the 33 cent can of chili for chili dogs, boiled hot dogs, warmed the buns, and put melted American cheese on top with some onions. To me, that's the perfect chili dog...It was good, but just didn't taste quite right. Burger for lunch today...still not right, gum isn't right, Coke isn't the same, everything seems like I need more salt added to it, but it still doesn't make it right.
My tongue feels funny and the inside of my cheeks feel coarse. No sores in my mouth though. I've been reading up on "dry mouth" which concerns me greatly and is one of the side effects of radiation, which I haven't done yet, but have bought a couple products that I've read about on the internet to see if they might help. The dentist recommended rinsing with ACT fluoride rinse...did that, but think that it might be an issue later on due to the alcohol in it. We bought a product today called "Biotene". Actually we picked up a bottle of the mouthwash and a bottle of Biotene oral balance dry mouth moisturizing liquid. Check the website out if your interested. Haven't tried it yet, but will report on it later. Anyway, the mouthwash is a mouthwash and the other stuff comes in a small bottle and says to squirt directly into mouth several times daily, whenever relief is needed.??????? Guess I'll find out.
Saw some other stuff there that I might try: Salivart
My mouth isn't grossed out or anything yet, but as of today, it feels different and my tastes have gone out the window. Something I'm hoping comes back when this is all said and done.
Picked up some lemon drops (sugarless)...Helps a little.
Had a doctors appointment with Dr. Hollis (The Doctor who put in the feeding tube) for a checkup. Marjie and I have been noticing a little puss on the bandage when she changes the dressing and we were both a little concerned. The doc looked at it and said not to worry and that it looked fine to him. He did prescribe some antibiotics (Cephalexin) for me to take for 10 days, especially since I was on the chemo medicine, he didn't' want to take any chances with an infection, but still assured us that we were taking care of the wound properly and that it looked good to him.
Left his office and headed to Portsmouth to fill the script....Dropped Marjie off in front of the hospital with instructions to get the ticket and wait for me while I parked the truck. It takes so long at the Naval Hospital that anything you can do to save some time is time well spent. By the time I got up there after parking, we were still over 50 numbers behind in the line...Screw that!!!! We left and went to the civilian pharmacy. Cost $3 and took ten minutes, plus I got to shop for the dry mouth stuff. Tricare Prime is awesome! Meds are free at the Naval Hospital and only costs $3 out in town for generics and $9 for the original....I think it costs me 3 bucks to warm my truck up. This should have been a no brainer. From now on, we're going to the civilian pharmacy. Oh and by way, if I understand things correctly, the Naval Hospital gives you generic drugs as their first choice anyway.
Finished up with all that around noon and Marjie wanted to get her nails done, so I went and got a burger while she pampered herself for a little while.
Got back home around 1300 and figured since it was a nice day and I was feeling good, that we ought to get all the leaves picked up in the backyard. Spent the rest of the day doing that and went for a walk afterwards.
Feeling good now...like I mentioned, side effects so far is the loss/lack of taste in my mouth, the fact that my tongue feels odd and my mouth feels different......and have been noticing a ringing in my ears periodically....hard to explain, but about 20 times today, my ears would start ringing for no reason at all.
That's all for now! Lasagna for dinner tonight.

19 November 2006

1-7 day. Feeling much better this morning. The nurse from Bon Secours Home Care stopped by yesterday to change the dressing on my PICC line and flush the two injection ports with saline solution and something else to keep it from getting clogged up. I was relieved to know that there was no infection starting and it was looking and doing ok. I had been worried because the doctors and nurses kept stressing that we need to keep the thing dry. It's a chore everyday taking a shower, as Marjie has to wrap the whole contraption up in a bread wrapper, and tape it really good against my arm before I can get in the shower. Then while in the shower, I try to keep my arm elevated so water won't get on it, but it seems like whatever we do, a little water does touch the bandage. Oh well, I guess we're doing it right.
Took Cohomojo on a walk yesterday by myself mainly because my back and muscle joints were starting to get all sore from just lying around on the couch for the last couple days. It felt good to walk around in the sunshine, but I must look like some old decrepit man to observers out there. I'm definitely walking slow these days.
We had an appointment to get my Neulasta shot at 1500, so Marjie and I took off around 1400 and got there in plenty of time. This was a quick semi-painless shot in the arm. The nurse explained that it would be normal for me to experience a fever of 100 degrees and some pain in my bones due to the effect of the drug trying to build back bone marrow.
After the shot, we headed to the base (NOB) Norfolk, so I could get a haircut and Marjie could pick up a couple things at the commissary. That went pretty good. I basically waited in a chair at the barber, while she did everything else.
Felt a little hungry when we were leaving, so got a burger and fries at Burger King for the ride home. That tasted like Sh*t.......For some reason, I had a craving for French Fries....
Got home around 1630 and hit the couch again and slept till dinner. Taco night!!! Had a taco and back to the couch.
Actually feeling a lot better now. David spent the night at one of his buddies and Marjie and I watched a couple movies. Not feeling nausea, but my muscle joints in my ankles, knees and legs were throbbing. Good ole Marj!!! Rubbed them for me and made me all better.
Ate some popcorn and that made me feel better?????
Went to bed and slept pretty good last night...
It's now 0810 and I'm feeling tons better than I have for the last few days....
Figured I'd update this blog, take a shower, eat some breakfast and then Marjie and I will take Mojo on a walk since it's such a nice day out there.
So where am I at with this you might ask?
Completed 1st week of chemo....
Have the next two weeks off...
One more week of chemo...
two weeks off..
Radiation/chemo for 7 weeks.
More to follow as I see the doc who put in the feeding tube on Monday, and my Oncologist on Wednesday.
Later!