Second Cycle

I started the second month of the Clinical Trial last Tuesday. It is referred to as the second cycle in the Trial Diary. I continue to take the maximum dosage each day, though I have changed the time I take the pills to just after dinner. It helps with managing the nausea.

My energy level today is pretty low. I have stayed up tonight to get my stomach more under control before going to bed. I think I'll hit the sack after I finish this post.

Vicki was very tired today. She cleaned the entire house this last week, plus we had  Zero Rez in to clean the carpet on Thursday. We're just getting ourselves  back together this weekend.

We moved most of the furniture from the living room and dining room. That took a while to put back when the carpet dried on Friday. The bad news is we're both beat, but the good news is the house is clean. If only we had the energy to start working on the RV. That would be great.

Speaking of the RV, I have ordered the first set of parts needed to make a battery shut off switch and solar battery recharge system. I still need to order the solar panel and solar controller for the system. There are a bunch of products out there and I am continuing research before ordering these items.

When everything comes in I will get my mobile RV tech to come and install the system. I may need a chassis battery as well. We'll just have to wait and see.

That's it from here.

Have a great weekend,

RT

First Month of Clinical Trial Review

Right now I'm in my off week.  Over the past 21 days I took 84 pills, four a day for 21 days. That's the maximum dosage for Stivarga. Some patients have had a harder time than me and I guess some not as hard a time.

I was hoping to feel better with more energy during this off week. So far it's been about fifty/fifty. I feel better more often than when I take the pills but I am still having trouble sleeping and I am getting headaches that so far have been hard to fix.

I have not a great deal more energy either. Today was the first day that I was able to go out. I needed to get some stuff to work on our bathroom sinks at Home Depot. Vicki needed some prescriptions picked up at Walgreens and we needed a loaf of bread. I wanted to go to the storage yard and check on the RV as well. 

I accomplished all my errands, came back to house and picked up Vicki to join me in looking after our RV. We found the front two Tire covers had blown away in a storm and spent some time looking around the Storage Lot to no avail. Worse than that though was the condition of the RVs batteries. They (all 3, the one under the hood and the two for the RV) were dead as doornails. Pretty discouraging. Now I have to get them recharged if they aren't ruined and set up some kind of solar battery minder for both the chassis battery and the house batteries. This is another project I may not be able to do.

I spent some time tonight researching RV solar battery minders and I still don't know which one to get. I think I will give my mobile RV tech a call on Monday and see what advice he can give me.

It's important that we maintain the RV while renovating it or things will get worse rather than better. During the past month I was unable to get up and go check on it and that's my fault. I should have made arrangements to have it checked at least once a week.

The only good news from all of this with the RV is that we didn't see evidence of any storm damage or water leakage.

I hope I can get my act together on this thing and as the Cable Guy says " Get Er Done."

Of course the biggest issue will be what effect the Stivarga is having on my Cancer. It will be another month before I will know that.

Have a great weekend,

RT

Second Scan in 2 Weeks and a little scare

So... I have been having some trouble with pains in my chest and stomach. During my appointment at Mayo on Monday I let my Hematology Nurse know that I was feeling more pressure in my chest. She scheduled an X-Ray for me that afternoon.

Vicki and I left Mayo a little after 4:00 and got home around 10 after 5. By the time we looked at our phones we both had messages from Kelly (the Hemo Nurse). Something had showed up at the edge of the X-Ray in my abdomen. A little after this a scheduler called and set me up for a CT Scan this morning.

By 2:30 today Kelly called and told me the scan was good. It seems that the X-Ray had showed what appeared to be an air pocket in my abdomen, which would indicate a perforated intestine or colon. Luckily that was not the case. I appreciate the thoroughness of the Mayo folks in spite of the scare. These people don't mess around. I feel like they are looking after me as best they can.

Another bit of good news came out of this as well. The fluid around my lungs has decreased.

I am still struggling with managing side effects, but I have just another week and then a week off. I am hopeful it will get better.

Hang in there,

RT

The Clinical Trial

I'm almost 2 weeks into the clinical trial. The side effects have been mostly manageable with a couple of exceptions. During the first week I had a couple of times when I vomited. The first instance was pretty tough, the second a little less. It had to do with my diet and eating times and the time I took the pills.

This week has gone better so far. I met with Trial Coordinator and the Hematology nurse on Monday at Mayo and went over my condition and side effects with both of them. They suggested some options for management. 

The biggest affect the drug has had on me is fatigue. Along with the fatigue comes headaches for which I don't take medication to alleviate. The drugs that work on a headache contain naproxen or aspirin, both of which suppress platelet replenishment. Not good. Oh and one of the symptoms of low platelets is headaches. Go figure. 

So, I am trying to work stuff out each day to get by. So far, so good I guess.

That's it from me,

RT