03 September 2007

 

More chemo in October

Cancer Treatment: Day 57 - Bevacizumab (Photo by Air) at Flickr.comNow that Labour Day is here, it's time to refine the plans:

  1. Sometime this month, I'll have a portacath inserted in my upper chest to prepare for more chemotherapy in October.
  2. I have numerous appointments with oncologists, socials workers, pain management folks, and so on, to prepare for the next phase of treatment.
  3. I'll also try to gain more weight. I'm up above 160 pounds (72 kg), which was easy, but going further seems to be a bit of an effort—I need to eat more than I might want to put on weight consistently.
  4. Once I've regained some more strength around the end of the month, we'll start more chemotherapy.
  5. I'll be getting three different drugs through the portacath, in a sequence that has me one day at the Cancer Agency, two more days of treatment at home, then two weeks off—for six months or so.

We've dealt with the cancer in my bowels. As far as we know, it's gone. The chemo is to address the metastases in my lungs. I hope we can get rid of those as well.

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# 9:27 AM

Comments:

Well, I guess the "portacath" thing is not much of a problem, though of course it involves one more medical appointment, possibly waiting, and one more local anesthesis, and one more scar.

JH has been living with it for almost 6 months now, and in everyday life, it is no big deal, the most important inconvenience being that you cannot use your car's seatbelt safely. So he now seats in the back when we use a car. Which is not very often anyway.

I admire your good spirits, and we do hope you will kill the Crab. Forever.
# posted by Anonymous Laurence : 04 September, 2007 10:30
 
I wish you all the best, Derek, I am with you. I admire your efforts.

I know how chemo is : my wife is undergoing the fifth dose right now.
I am with you in my prayers.


Jay
# posted by Blogger Jay : 04 September, 2007 10:39
 
Keep up the fight. I'm heading in for my 5 year check in a month and I think about what you are going through often. A good humor is essential its good to see you still have it.

It seems like there are so many of us these days.

Good luck and god bless.

Kevin
# posted by Blogger dixeyk : 04 September, 2007 11:31
 
I wish you all the luck (and stamina) in the world, Derek. Hang in there!
# posted by Anonymous Tania : 04 September, 2007 16:36
 
Still praying for you and your family in Cincinnati, Ohio, Derek.
# posted by Blogger Daniel : 05 September, 2007 06:47
 
Hello Derek,
I've only recently started reading your blog.
About three months ago I had a surgery to remove a malignant tumor in my shinbone, and right now I'm in the process of post-surgery chemotherapy. Luckily, I don't have metastases and it's "just to be on the safe side".
I've had a portacath for about 7 months now, and it's been very comfortable, even though I can't sleep on one side properly… :)
I don't really know what your treatments are like, mine are all 3-5 days in the hospital, but none the less I hope you'll have it on the easy side, or at least, easier…
# posted by Blogger Zoie Braun : 14 September, 2007 09:22