Health Diaries » Colon Cancer » Llama Farming with Colon Cancer

May 9, 2008

My second treatment went well as expected. I told the nurse I had good news and bad news. The good news, I feel fine. The bad news, I feel fine. Still a little concerned the drugs are working. I was surprised yesterday. I was cutting frozen green peppers and they "bit" me. A good sign the cold sensitive drug is working. I had handled ice cubes with no "bite" so maybe just not as bad as before. I'm having some bad constipation cramps and that seems to be a drug reaction/side effect this time. I guess it could be worse than that, but it's pretty uncomfortable to say the least. I had an unexpected problem with the pump. It started beeping before I even got out of the clinic. We silenced it and I stopped to check a couple of work questions at the hospital and it went off again and indicated air in line. I made some calls and found out how to stop and re-start. The bad is, it kept going off every 10 minutes or so after pumping 2ml. At home I fed the animals, planted my tomatoes and cut grass with it still beeping every 10 minutes. I thought wrong that it would clear itself. Now, at 9:30 I start making calls again. One nurse(?) tried to talk me through purging it but I was too dumb to do it. So, they sent a nurse out at 11:00 and in 3 minutes she had it working. I was trying to re-install the cartridge upside down. Dumb me. Chalk it up to an educational experience. If it happens again I know what to do now. Made my 46 hour pump last 48 hours. I'm pretty sure I will not get sick and if I can find a remedy for the constipation problem I should look forward to normal times. I also found out that part of the anti-nausea medicine is steroids. Interesting. Not helping my weight. I lost another 2 pounds. Guess that's an update for now. Good health to all of you.

Posted by Robert at 7:54 PM | Comments (0)

April 30, 2008

I promised an update after one week of resuming my chemotherapy. First, I should mention that I neglected to include Avastin in the drug "recipe". Since it had stopped working, I thought we would substitute something else, but they said it had something to do with my blood and had to be in the mix. I am happy to say that I have had no, almost, side effects so far. I did have 3 days of constipation, but I'm not sure if the drugs were the cause since it's opposite of what should have happened. Being a "worry wart" of sorts, now I have to wonder if the drugs are really working. For one, it seems the cold sensitive drug is not making me cold sensitive. I made what could have been a mistake when I reached in the freezer and grabbed the ice cube tray not thinking, but I had no sensation. I was eating ice cream by Thursday night. Is that meaningful? I got along pretty good with the 46 hour bag. It wasn't until 10 minutes before getting it disconnected that I forgot it was on the floor and I got up and walked away. The sudden jerk on your chest is a quick reminder. I feel really good and will start working weekends again this week. I'll have questions next week for treatment #2, but not sure I'll get any answers. I did take an anti-nausea pill Thursday and Friday nights just in case, but don't believe they were ever needed. They do work great on clearing sinus problems. That's it. Nice to write something positive and I hope that trend will continue. Until next time, good health to all of you and don't bet too much on the Kentucky Derby.

Posted by Robert at 9:25 PM | Comments (1)

April 23, 2008

As the old Gene Autry song said, "I'm back in the saddle again", except my saddle is another round of chemo and with the same "recipe" of drugs, less the experimental drug. So we have oxaliplatin, the one that makes you cold sensitive; fluorouracil that has the 46 hour pump you have to carry with you; and promethazine for nausea, It will be interesting to see how I react to these the second time as far as getting sick and if they will be as effective as the first time. I am happy to say that after 24 hours I feel fine, but my first real test will be about Friday as the dose of anti-nausea IV wears off and I rely on pills. By then, I can drink my room temperature "ice" tea with ice. A couple of surprises, I did eat a normal supper last night and of all things as I think about getting sick I'm dealing with being constipated. Figure that out. I still try to remain positive about this, if that is possible, but with us starting this at a low dose that I could tolerate last time I can have some hope. I know I have to eat regularly and with it being summer this time, getting out of the house and getting some exercise. That's about all I can say right now and will give another report in a week to see how things all going. Until then, good health to everyone.

Posted by Robert at 1:38 PM | Comments (0)

April 10, 2008

We've been at this "adventure" now for some 33 months. I lost track of how many cat scans I've had, but this was either 13 or 14. I always get concerned when scan time comes. Think the worst and hope for the best. I was really worried with this scan. I haven't felt good for several weeks and lost weight which has held stable for now. I just had a bad feeling. Here's the story. Cindi, the NP, came in the room and asked if I had seen the scan. I said no and just answer one question, what was the measurement of the largest liver spot. She said 5.5x5.3. I'm very careful with my language, but my reaction was to say sh**. When we started this mess it was only 4.2 x 3.4. This spot has the diameter of a tennis ball!!!! Of course, when the doctor came in he was not smiling and said we need to start chemotherapy right away. Asked what, he again said we would try the same "recipe" of chemicals as before. Since I have been off of them for 2 1/2 years they should work again and after a scan in 2 or 3 months if they're not working he would try something else. I asked if I had to have the 5RU and carry the damn bag for 2 days. The answer was yes, you'll have the "damn" bag for 2 days. Don't think he liked my damn. I asked to start with a lower dose so I wouldn't get sick and he just smiled going out the door and said it was up to Cindi to keep me well. That's the bad news. We start in 2 weeks. I hate having to do this during the summer, so much that needs to be done. At least the cold sensitive drug shouldn't be problem, except my iced tea. I guess the death door has opened a bit further. Too bad my home support is zero. I wish you all continued good health.

Posted by Robert at 12:52 AM | Comments (1)

March 12, 2008

It's been awhile since I have added to this diary because everything has been so routine with the treatments. Yesterday was another dose of Avastin with wonder of if it is really working. I was a little upset because I continue to lose weight, another 3 lbs. Not much but I am down 9 lbs. from my original weight gain, 3 lbs. from 2 weeks ago. I'm not feeling good , but not sure if it is physical or mental. And, my next cat scan is a few weeks away and that always has me thinking what will it be? I try to remain positive, and make these posts positive, but let me share a bit of creative writing that sums up my negative feelings.
THE HALLWAY
My life is like a long hallway and I'm trapped and cannot get out.
At one end of the hallway is a door with a sign, DEATH.
At the other end is a sign, FREEDOM.
I cannot open the freedom door.
Forces keep pulling me toward the death door, which is open a crack.
I fight back to the freedom door, but I cannot get out.
The forces continue to pull me and each time the death door opens further.
I know that someday the vacuum of the death door will pull me in.
I don't know when that will be.
I keep asking, why can't I open the freedom door?

After writing this I was surprised at how accurate that it describes my feelings. I wonder how many other cancer people feel the same way?
Wish me luck on the cat scan and I wish all of you good health.

Posted by Robert at 1:07 PM | Comments (3)