Sunday, September 28, 2014

When Monkeys flew out my butt

OK, so no actual monkeys flew out of my butt, though on a couple of days this last week it did feel that way.  

The chemo and radiation is intense, aggressive, and cumulative. This last week I received some new side effects. The bottoms of my feet hurt, like someone had beaten them. I awoke Saturday morning feeling like I'd been in a fight in which I was repeatedly hit in the family jewels and the area directly north of my family jewels was a nice rosy red from the radiation. The nausea continues unabated. All in all just another regular week for a cancer patient. 

I am not complaining as much as reporting. My oncologists tell me some of their patients have it much worse. I believe them. I remain is survival mode, taking it hour by hour. 

The good news in all of this is that I am in the single digits for the number of remaining treatments. That number is 7. 

I am hanging in.

RT

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Past Midway

This last week marked the halfway point in my treatments. Wednesday was day 14 of my 28 day treatment regimen. I didn't go in to work this week. The side effects have finally taken over.
 
Now, my main objective is to make the best of each day. 

Small things count. I view feeding myself, bathing, and occasionally shaving as major achievements.

Twelve treatment days to go. That's 2 &1/2 calendar weeks left. 

I continue to hang in.

RT

Sunday, September 14, 2014

My first full week of cancer treatments


So, I completed my first full week of chemo and radiation this Friday, five days of afternoon radiation treatments and chemo pills morning and evening. By the end of the week I was pretty wasted, but not in a good 60s kind of way, more in an old man with no energy kind of way.

Work was tough this week as well. I  only managed to go for 3 days of the five. Some mornings there just isn't any energy to get ready, or worse, I'm having issues related to the treatments that make me hover around the bathroom. 

This weekend is going to be a total rest event. If I do good, then maybe Monday morning will find me on the commute to work. I've just been reading, fixing something to eat and watching the tube. We don't have cable, however we get a bunch of HD channels. One of the movie channels is sponsored by the Ironwood Cancer Research and Treatment Center where I am being treated. It feels a little creepy hearing their commercials over and over again. In the end I started changing the channel rather than be reminded that I have cancer time and again during the movie.

There is good news here though. I have now completed 11 of the 28 treatments I will be receiving. That leaves just 17 to go.

A website I read frequently had this video posted. It struck home. Here it is for your viewing pleasure. 

RT

Sunday, September 7, 2014

My current Existence

OK, I completed treatment number 6 this last Friday. My world currently revolves around my butt and not to put to fine a point on it, it's a pain in the ass, literally. 

For the first time since starting the daily chemo and radiation treatments I felt the results of the radiation. It was not a comfortable or pleasant sensation, but I was reassured to know it was definitely doing something to the tumor.

The mornings are the hardest part of the day for me. I struggle to get ready, eat breakfast and make it to work. Lack of energy and nausea are my problems these days. I am getting as much sleep as possible and taking medication for the nausea, but both problems are getting worse as the treatments continue. 

The weekends are a break from the chemo and radiation. On Saturday and Sunday I get as much rest as possible and prepare for the coming week.

It's not clear to me how long I can keep working. I am taking it one day at a time now.
Hopefully the treatments are killing the cancer. That is the most important thing.

22 treatments to go.



RT