Great Scan Results

Arrived at MD Anderson to meet with my Dr today for the results of yesterday’s scan. Great news everyone. All of the lymph nodes have shrunk. Not completely, but they are going in the right direction. I don’t have the exact measurements but they are smaller. Hopefully, I can be done in 6 chemo treatments.

 

The Mental Stress Of Scan Day Is Tough

Yesterday was a tough day. I did not want to be here. I was anxious knowing what I was coming for. It’s easy to forget some of it when I’m not here but when I walked into the center I was quickly reminded.

 

Choosing My Attitude…Once Again

I started with blood work. I was a little teary and truly wanted to turn around. After looking around the waiting room I realized I had to choose my attitude. It was a “suck it up buttercup” moment. Turning around isn’t an option. It wasn’t easy.

Then it was off to the scans. In that waiting room, everyone looks a little sicker. As I was waiting I was wondering if there is a time that I would say “I can’t do this anymore”. I think looking at some of the sick looking people made me wonder how they are fighting and if I could. Exhausted and sick and still fighting a good fight.

I had an IV for the contrast and when you get in the scan room for the pelvic CT they give you barium in your rectum. Yep, just typed that and now you all know. It’s humiliating and unpleasant but manageable. I was anxious that my stomach wouldn’t be good after but they said to drink lots of water and I would be OK. I was.

 

Strangers Tend To Share More Than Necessary

Barb and I went to dinner at a nice, yet casual place. Interesting waiter. He was confident and efficient. Of course, he started to chat with us. We told him why we were in Houston and interestingly enough he felt the need to share with us that his best friend just died of cancer. Not sure why he thought that was a good idea. I don’t know about other cancer patients but hearing that information isn’t helpful to me. We all know someone who has been affected by cancer in a not favorable way. Sharing that with doesn’t seem productive. I’m aware of the seriousness of my situation.

 

Cisplatin

I am in the middle of treatment now. The Cisplatin is still dripping then I have the hydration. It seems to me that the Cisplatin is the one that is harder on your body, specifically your kidneys. Hence the directions to hydrate well and not take Advil. The hydration I get before and after has magnesium and potassium in it. Apparently the Cisplatin takes both of those things from your body. The hydration really hurt my veins today so they slowed it down to help. It’s 6 pm TX time and I still have 2.5 hours of treatment. So this is really a 9 hour day when I’m here for chemo. That’s a long time.

Brownies For Breakfast

I haven’t been hungry today. I ate 2 bites of an omelet for breakfast. However, the brownie I bought for later in the chemo room tasted yummy instead of the omelet. Barbara just brought me a delicious cup of chicken noodle soup. Yum. We have laughed, we have cried. It’s been wonderful. I brownie I had was from the cafeteria but my real favorites are Ghiradelli which can be found either online, in your local grocery store or if you’re serious, Costco has a six-pack.

 

Oncology Nurses

My nurse, Belen, is great today. Very sweet. We asked her if the nurses get together and talk about the best patients at the end of the day.  All of the pains in the butt are identified, but not the treats. I told her they should do a “best” list too. I told her the patients meet in the lobby and discuss the best nurses. She laughed. She is going to share that with her co-workers. Just had a lady in the room next to mine who is helping me win the best patient award for the day. She was comparable to an SNL skit. From Wisconsin, YA. I’m surprised all of you didn’t hear the conversation with the nurse from where you are sitting. I asked Belen if the woman helped my case. Yes!!!

 

Reasoning About The Port…Again

My veins hurt, and I have thought about getting a port. Belen told me that I wouldn’t have pain from the potassium if I do. The reason I don’t want to is because it’s a surgery, although minor, I would still lose a good day that I could have. After the news about the lymph nodes shrinking it could be realistic that I only need 6 treatments so after having 3, I may just try to tough it out. Not sure.

 

Bubba

Some of you are on FB and saw the post that Bubba was back today too. Fortunately, he did not stop by my room to chat. We saw him checking into chemo with his wife. Yes, the wife with testicular cancer. We met Bubba during a previous chemo.  Click here to “meet” Bubba.

 

I Believe I Can

Heading home tomorrow and then the not so great days start. Today’s shirt says “Wear your belief”. Not sure you can see it in the picture.  What’s your belief? I’m not sure I have one belief about this process but I am sure that everything happens for a reason. I can do this.