Teh Shame

OK, I suck.  It's been weeks since my last chemo, and I haven't updated my blog.  Here goes...

My main complaint during Chemo 1, was that my intra-arterial line was kept in an extra 12-14 hours because it was done so late in the afternoon, that by the time I was done with the chemo (~8 PM), there was no one, in the entire MD Anderson facility, that would take it out.  Well, my IA was scheduled for 12:30 PM for Chemo 2.  Boy that sucked, because there is no way I am getting it out with such a late appointment.  I was ready to try bribery.  I was going to ask the physician assistant to come back in to work $250.  Instead, they surprised me by picking me up by 8:30 AM to go down for the IA.  By the time I was done with chemo (~4:30 PM), the PA was still there to take it out.  What an amazing blessing, and a true answer to prayers.  I swear this made a huge difference in my recovery for round 2.  My doctor doubts it, but I felt much better in the hospital and out.  (Another reason why I suck for not updating my blog more).

Even so, my blood work was such that I stayed in the hospital for 5 days (same as Round 1).  I have to stay in the hospital until my creatinine levels out and I am able to hold down water.  Given that I was on 250 mg/hr of fluids, I didn't feel much like drinking, but I tried.  My levels and fluid intake were still too low to get out in four days, but I squeaked by on day five.

Chemo 3 starts on February 11.  My IA is scheduled for 8:00 AM on the 12th, so hopefully that is firm enough that I get it done all in one day.  My goal is to start drinking earlier, so that maybe I can get out in four days.

The other big thing coming up is a PET scan on February 8.  This is a Friday, so I don't really expect to hear back until my appointments on the 11th.  This scan tells us whether the chemotherapy is working.  So please pray that the scan results are good, and that my tumor shows a strong response to the chemo.  If the response is good, I have two more of these chemo sessions (Feb 11 and around Mar 11) then surgery (Apr 11?).  If the response is bad, then they put me on a new chemo regime.

F Cancer - Week 4

My brother-in-law Aaron submitted this one.  I think it speaks for itself.

Reminder: I go into the hospital on Tuesday

Back to Hospital

My next round of chemo starts the night of January 15.  Midday on the 16th I get my intra-arterial and have 24 hours of leg-motion-free, morphine-induced vegetative state until midday the 17th.   By Friday, I should be feeling a bit better and wishing for more entertaining options on TV.  My Chemosabe for the week, Jason R., is coming down from Dallas on Friday to hang.  Thanks bud!

My trips to the cancer mecca have not been confined to chemo.  Until recently, I was there every other day for blood work and to have my CVC bandage examined.  Not until last Wednesday did they finally find a bandage and cleaning process that doesn't cause me to blister, under tape, that must be ripped up.  Can you say OW.

There was one other, slightly less dignified trip to Cancer Land.  After being at home for a few weeks, I started to feel much better.  There is a drain in my sink that is clogged.  When it does this, it needs a good plunge and the drainage improves.  Well with nothing else to do at home, I decided to conquer this troublesome nuisance.  Within a few minutes, I started to feel sharp, throbbing pain in my chest.  I called my wife, left the kids with my dad, and drove fast to the hospital.  They seemed most concerned initially with heart attack, which I was convinced I was not having.  After we spoke with a doctor about my CVC in my heart, he ordered a few different tests looking for clots, out of place catheter, etc.  Everything was normal.  They say I strained a muscle. The testing process took forever.  Summer's family can text like little girls though, and they kept us entertained during our 7 hour ordeal.  We heard all sorts of crazy things her brothers, uncles, cousins and father did.  Read a little about the crazy family I married into here.

Morphine!

You may have heard about my central line, but that was minor compared to my intra-arterial line the next day.  Within a few hours of the line placement, I had four hours of chemo aimed directly to my tumor (Cisplatin for those keeping score).  That is four hours without moving either leg (they go in the left, above the groin and down the right).  After chemo, the line can be pulled, and I have 6 more hours of no movement with a 10lb sandbag on the wound.  This ~10hrs would have been bad enough, except apparently the only people capable (or willing) to pull the line leave at 6 PM, and I wasn't done with chemo by then.  So I kept it all night, and had the line pulled first thing in the morning, which made for an additional 12 hours of lying flat.  Morphine and other anti-anxiety meds were my friends.

Apparently I said and did some very funny things during those hours:

1. Accused a former, and married, pastor of picking up a 24-year-old in the garage when he helped her change two flat tires. He is 40 years old, so the youngest pick up allowed is 40 / 2 + 7 = 27, a major faux pas on his part.
2. Morphine texted a friend with numerous nonsensical statements and spellings.
3. A rather eccentric Episcopal priest came by while I was nearly out.  I somehow noticed his wedding ring and thought it was a good idea to point out that some married Episcopal priests have decided to rejoin the Catholic church as priests and were allowed to keep their wives.
4. Made Summer go to the car to get our copy of Dominion only to declare myself too stoned to play once she got back.

I do remember my good friend Bryan Pate reading by my bed.  He is the winner of the Chemosabe award for phase one.  My dear CW never left my side (except to get Dominion and coffee).  Overall, not one of my favorite moments of the weekend, but possibly not the worst.  The morphine made the time pass faster than the days following, and I have some degree of amnesia from the period.

A couple of days later my coworker Javy swung by and dropped off a fun little game called Blokus.  Even in my stoned state, I still beat Summer!  (Nothing wrong with my competitive drive)