One of the things I'm most grateful for is that I never got a headache after any of the six lumbar punctures I had, 5 for methotrexate and 1 in an ER visit in January. I was always told it was a possibility, and they are very severe, so I thank God I never got one.
"Monday" isn't nearly as scary as "lymphoma," "cancer," "chemo," or a number of other scary words. Everything is a matter of perspective. It got to where things at work didn't upset me as much as they used to, especially if I was feeling okay physically.
Still waiting for all of my short-term disability days to get approved so my vacation days can be restored. I was going to have all this week off, but will only be off Monday and Tuesday as it looks now. At least that way I'll have the other days for later.
It's hard for me to watch commercials for Cancer Treatment Centers of America. As far as I know they do a great job, but I'm not to a point yet where I can see treatment facilities without it bringing back too many memories that brought about days of very uncomfortable recovery.
Last year's Christmas season (Advent in the liturgical calendar, then Christmas beginning Christmas Day) and this year's Lenten season haven't meant as much to me since it seemed like I was spending all my time either going to chemo, getting over the effects, or getting ready to go again. Hopefully I can enjoy and appreciate Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter more in the coming year.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Done with full chemo treatments
I'm finished with full chemo treatments, but found out I'm not totally finished with chemo. My oncologist said at the start that the lymphoma in my neck could be cured but the lymphoma in my sinuses could only be treated. The latest pet scan showed the lymphoma in my neck is gone, and the lymphoma in my sinuses is basically a speck instead of a mass. I have another pet scan in two months. The oncologist wants me to continue getting one kind of chemo every two months for two years to make sure the place in my sinuses doesn't come back. That's one kind of chemo every two months instead of six kinds every three weeks. I'm finished with the intrathecal (lumbar puncture) methotrexate treatments, though. I think that was the main part that has been making me sick for a few days after each treatment. At this point I can't think about it without starting to gag.
Post-round 6 has been as bad and maybe a little worse than post-round 5, and it had been the roughest one so far. My emotions are still on a roller coaster after finishing the full six rounds of chemo. I could just about cry, gag, or probably throw up on demand. But with all that, the doctors, nurses, and everybody at UAB and the Kirklin Clinic have been great through the whole ordeal.
There are a few foods and drinks I used to like that I now either don't care for, could take or leave, or can't take as often as I used to. Maybe that'll change over time. Not sure. I'm still planning on making chili next weekend though. Haven't lost my taste for that. I could really use some chicken quesidillas and rice from a good Mexican restaurant. Maybe a big plate of nachos.
I got my head shaved after round 5. My hair would normally start growing regularly in a few weeks, but I'm not sure how the bi-monthly chemo will affect it. It's really not a big deal to me either way.
A former pastor of mine used to say "There's been a lot of times I've been a sorry Christian, but I've never been sorry that I'm a Christian." Hopefully you understand what that means. I have many faults, but I'm grateful I was raised to trust the Lord. I don't do it perfectly, or even very well most days, but I know He's seen my through this. I've got friends more spiritual than I who have died of cancer during the last year. I can't explain why things happen like they do, but I know God is in control of all things. I've seen God answer prayers in times of need in unexpected ways several times in the middle of all of this.
I'd like to thank all who have kept my in their thoughts and prayers, whether we share common beliefs or not. Most who read this have the same core beliefs that I do, others don't. And that's okay. So I'd like to thank:
My present church family at Lamb of God Church in Helena, Alabama,
My friends I know from Fairview Baptist, Good News Baptist, and Christ the King in Selma,
Selma High School class of 79,
Others who have battled cancer or are still battling it now,
Friends from Stephen King facebooks groups I'm in,
The online fiction crit group at The Writing Well I'm in, though I haven't been able to contribute much since all this started,
My coworkers at Jack Henry and Associates who have had to take on a bigger workload for all the days I've had to miss,
Fellow clergy in the Charismatic Episcopal Church,
Family members who've helped in so many ways,
My wife, Audrey, who's helped keep her eyes on me and has reminded me to take my meds and has put up with my sometimes less than cheery disposition,
Coworkers from Publix and other places,
Anybody I left off of the list above.
I'll still post from time to time.
Grace and peace to all.
Post-round 6 has been as bad and maybe a little worse than post-round 5, and it had been the roughest one so far. My emotions are still on a roller coaster after finishing the full six rounds of chemo. I could just about cry, gag, or probably throw up on demand. But with all that, the doctors, nurses, and everybody at UAB and the Kirklin Clinic have been great through the whole ordeal.
There are a few foods and drinks I used to like that I now either don't care for, could take or leave, or can't take as often as I used to. Maybe that'll change over time. Not sure. I'm still planning on making chili next weekend though. Haven't lost my taste for that. I could really use some chicken quesidillas and rice from a good Mexican restaurant. Maybe a big plate of nachos.
I got my head shaved after round 5. My hair would normally start growing regularly in a few weeks, but I'm not sure how the bi-monthly chemo will affect it. It's really not a big deal to me either way.
A former pastor of mine used to say "There's been a lot of times I've been a sorry Christian, but I've never been sorry that I'm a Christian." Hopefully you understand what that means. I have many faults, but I'm grateful I was raised to trust the Lord. I don't do it perfectly, or even very well most days, but I know He's seen my through this. I've got friends more spiritual than I who have died of cancer during the last year. I can't explain why things happen like they do, but I know God is in control of all things. I've seen God answer prayers in times of need in unexpected ways several times in the middle of all of this.
I'd like to thank all who have kept my in their thoughts and prayers, whether we share common beliefs or not. Most who read this have the same core beliefs that I do, others don't. And that's okay. So I'd like to thank:
My present church family at Lamb of God Church in Helena, Alabama,
My friends I know from Fairview Baptist, Good News Baptist, and Christ the King in Selma,
Selma High School class of 79,
Others who have battled cancer or are still battling it now,
Friends from Stephen King facebooks groups I'm in,
The online fiction crit group at The Writing Well I'm in, though I haven't been able to contribute much since all this started,
My coworkers at Jack Henry and Associates who have had to take on a bigger workload for all the days I've had to miss,
Fellow clergy in the Charismatic Episcopal Church,
Family members who've helped in so many ways,
My wife, Audrey, who's helped keep her eyes on me and has reminded me to take my meds and has put up with my sometimes less than cheery disposition,
Coworkers from Publix and other places,
Anybody I left off of the list above.
I'll still post from time to time.
Grace and peace to all.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Chemo - round 5
The recovery for round 5 has been the roughest yet. I was feeling very apprehensive beforehand and don't know if that contributed to the next few days. The treatment was Wednesday and I got sick about 10 PM Wednesday night and off and on Thursday until 10 PM at night, which is about 12 hours beyond the usual sickness period. Still felt bad Friday, then felt on Saturday about like I've been feeling on Fridays.
As usual the Prednisone is knocking my sleep patterns for a loop. I'm supposed to take it the 5 days after chemo, but there was no way I drink milk or eat anything to take it with on Thursday, so I took my first dose about 2 PM Friday, and finally got to sleep about 2 AM Saturday. Yeah, wah, wah, wah. :)
I was going to get some writing or at least reading done, but that hasn't happened. The book I've been reading for a long time is over 1,000 pages and couldn't prop it on my stomach to read in bed. The first few post-chemo days I can't stand for any weight to be on my stomach. It's heavy enough as-is.
I'm thankfully off work again tomorrow (Monday). I can no longer stand to even think about drinking Carnation Breakfast Essentials or Boost. I did watch a few chili recipe videos on YouTube this evening. Sad.
One more round to go on March 20. I'll find out then what the plans for the future are as for as regular scans, tests, etc.
I haven't been able to go get my head shaved yet even though about 80 to 90% of my hair is gone. A good friend provided a great Auburn cap for my over-sized noggin, so that's my everyday hat now, even though I have others I wear from time to time.The hair or lack thereof doesn't concern me much. It'll grow back in a few months.
Thanks for everyone's continued thoughts and prayers.
As usual the Prednisone is knocking my sleep patterns for a loop. I'm supposed to take it the 5 days after chemo, but there was no way I drink milk or eat anything to take it with on Thursday, so I took my first dose about 2 PM Friday, and finally got to sleep about 2 AM Saturday. Yeah, wah, wah, wah. :)
I was going to get some writing or at least reading done, but that hasn't happened. The book I've been reading for a long time is over 1,000 pages and couldn't prop it on my stomach to read in bed. The first few post-chemo days I can't stand for any weight to be on my stomach. It's heavy enough as-is.
I'm thankfully off work again tomorrow (Monday). I can no longer stand to even think about drinking Carnation Breakfast Essentials or Boost. I did watch a few chili recipe videos on YouTube this evening. Sad.
One more round to go on March 20. I'll find out then what the plans for the future are as for as regular scans, tests, etc.
I haven't been able to go get my head shaved yet even though about 80 to 90% of my hair is gone. A good friend provided a great Auburn cap for my over-sized noggin, so that's my everyday hat now, even though I have others I wear from time to time.The hair or lack thereof doesn't concern me much. It'll grow back in a few months.
Thanks for everyone's continued thoughts and prayers.
Monday, February 11, 2013
My chemo regimen
A couple of people have asked about my chemo regimen or have said it seems intense. From what I understand, yes, it is a rather intense treatment.
My chemo days start with intrathecal Methotrexate, which is given through a lumbar puncture at UAB hospital in I believe Interventional Radiology. I know how to get there but don't read the signs.
Then I get wheeled over to the Kirklin Clinic (don't need to walk the quarter mile or so in the internal corridors by that point) to Infusion Therapy for Rituxan, Adriamycin, Cytoxan, Vincristine, and then Prednisone tablets at home for 5 days. This is known as "R-CHOP" chemo, plus the Methotrexate.
Four down, two to go.
My chemo days start with intrathecal Methotrexate, which is given through a lumbar puncture at UAB hospital in I believe Interventional Radiology. I know how to get there but don't read the signs.
Then I get wheeled over to the Kirklin Clinic (don't need to walk the quarter mile or so in the internal corridors by that point) to Infusion Therapy for Rituxan, Adriamycin, Cytoxan, Vincristine, and then Prednisone tablets at home for 5 days. This is known as "R-CHOP" chemo, plus the Methotrexate.
Four down, two to go.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Chemo, round 4
The worst part about chemo to this point has been the aftermath of the chemo, not the treatment themselves.
On Tuesday of this week I had a PET scan, which shows where the cancer is and if it's spread, gotten smaller, etc. My oncologist told me Wednesday afternoon that the large B cell lymphoma in my neck is gone, and the small B cell lymphoma in my sinuses is in remission. That was the best news possible from the situation. After the sixth chemo treatment I'm not sure if I'll regular PET scans or what exactly will happen since the oncologist said the small B cell couldn't be cured, but could be treated.
On Wednesday I started out again with the intrathecal chemo, where they do a lumbar puncture to draw out some spinal fluid then inject some chemo (methotrexate to be exact) into my spinal column so it can get to my brain. I wasn't feeling so hot by the time the intrathecal (on the 6th floor of UAB hospital) was over and I was waiting to be called back to the infusion room (at Kirklin Clinic) for the regular chemo. I slept most of the time, which was good.
Wednesday night wasn't as bad as the first two rounds had been. I've learned to eat very little on chemo day to lessen the likelihood of getting too sick that night. I was sick (again, throw-up sick) Thursday morning, and like cr*p most of the day Thursday and Thursday night, but not as bad as last time.
I feel a little better today and have eaten more ( a one egg omelet this morning and a blueberry pancake tonight) than on Fridays after rounds two and three, but not as much as I usually eat, which is too much. Hopefully by Monday I'll feel up to taking on a Moe's burrito.
My brother, Barry, was with me for the day on Wednesday and Audrey was with me after my middle stepdaughter had surgery at a different hospital the same day.
Thanks for the continued prayers. I'll still have the fifth and sixth chemo treatments to further make sure all the bad gunkie is gone.
Shout outs to all who have offered their prayers, good thoughts, and best wishes.
God is good. I got good results, but even if the doctor would've said the cancer had spread, God would still be good.
On Tuesday of this week I had a PET scan, which shows where the cancer is and if it's spread, gotten smaller, etc. My oncologist told me Wednesday afternoon that the large B cell lymphoma in my neck is gone, and the small B cell lymphoma in my sinuses is in remission. That was the best news possible from the situation. After the sixth chemo treatment I'm not sure if I'll regular PET scans or what exactly will happen since the oncologist said the small B cell couldn't be cured, but could be treated.
On Wednesday I started out again with the intrathecal chemo, where they do a lumbar puncture to draw out some spinal fluid then inject some chemo (methotrexate to be exact) into my spinal column so it can get to my brain. I wasn't feeling so hot by the time the intrathecal (on the 6th floor of UAB hospital) was over and I was waiting to be called back to the infusion room (at Kirklin Clinic) for the regular chemo. I slept most of the time, which was good.
Wednesday night wasn't as bad as the first two rounds had been. I've learned to eat very little on chemo day to lessen the likelihood of getting too sick that night. I was sick (again, throw-up sick) Thursday morning, and like cr*p most of the day Thursday and Thursday night, but not as bad as last time.
I feel a little better today and have eaten more ( a one egg omelet this morning and a blueberry pancake tonight) than on Fridays after rounds two and three, but not as much as I usually eat, which is too much. Hopefully by Monday I'll feel up to taking on a Moe's burrito.
My brother, Barry, was with me for the day on Wednesday and Audrey was with me after my middle stepdaughter had surgery at a different hospital the same day.
Thanks for the continued prayers. I'll still have the fifth and sixth chemo treatments to further make sure all the bad gunkie is gone.
Shout outs to all who have offered their prayers, good thoughts, and best wishes.
God is good. I got good results, but even if the doctor would've said the cancer had spread, God would still be good.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Lessons on the light side
Prednisone plus coffee equals crawl out of your skin. Chemo plus Zofran equals cork. Benadryl can be a sleep aid while on Prednisone. I want to gripe at gripers who gripe about little things, just like I usually did before all of this started.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Third round of chemo
The day of my third round of chemo, Wednesday, January 16, started by getting to the office at the UAB medical center and finding out they didn't have me scheduled for the intrathecal. It was corrected eventually, so no biggie, just put everything behind a couple of hours.
I didn't get sick (as in throw-up sick) on the night of the chemo this time, but did the next morning. Thursday was a bad day, but Friday was a little better. I'm off work until Tuesday, so should feel most of the way better by then.
I have another PET scan on February 5, the day before chemo round 4.
Haven't shaved my head yet, though about half to two thirds of my already thinning hair has fallen out. I'll probably shave it or get it shaved in the next couple of weeks. Whether or not I have hair is far down on my list of concerns, though.
I appreciate all of the continued prayers and good wishes. I especially want to thank my wife, Audrey, my church family at Lamb of God Church in Helena, Alabama, my high school class - Selma High class of 79 - still friends after all these years, other family members, friends, fellow writer and Facebook friends (whether we've met face to face or not, they're still friends) who've asked how I'm doing. If I left any group out, it wasn't intentional.
Had a great time tonight playing Stephen King Trivia on Facebook. Those folks have tremendous senses of humor and help keep me laughing.
The One who is on the throne sees all, knows all, and is over all.
I didn't get sick (as in throw-up sick) on the night of the chemo this time, but did the next morning. Thursday was a bad day, but Friday was a little better. I'm off work until Tuesday, so should feel most of the way better by then.
I have another PET scan on February 5, the day before chemo round 4.
Haven't shaved my head yet, though about half to two thirds of my already thinning hair has fallen out. I'll probably shave it or get it shaved in the next couple of weeks. Whether or not I have hair is far down on my list of concerns, though.
I appreciate all of the continued prayers and good wishes. I especially want to thank my wife, Audrey, my church family at Lamb of God Church in Helena, Alabama, my high school class - Selma High class of 79 - still friends after all these years, other family members, friends, fellow writer and Facebook friends (whether we've met face to face or not, they're still friends) who've asked how I'm doing. If I left any group out, it wasn't intentional.
Had a great time tonight playing Stephen King Trivia on Facebook. Those folks have tremendous senses of humor and help keep me laughing.
The One who is on the throne sees all, knows all, and is over all.
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