So I had my third chemo treatment on Friday. Things went well except for a little reaction I developed soon after the carboplatin was started. There was a slight irritation developing in my right lung and my breaths started to get short and shallow. The nurse stopped the IV and hit me with a little more benadryl to reduce any allergic reactions. That did the trick and the carboplatin was resumed. Besides that, its 3:30 AM on Saturday morning so the insomnia is back. As I layed in bed thinking what to do, I began thinking about adding a new blog entry to pass the time.
I had that appointment with Dr. Sodhi earlier this week and things went well. I got to his office a half hour early to walk the park behind the building. The walk was effortless and I spent most of the time on the phone too. Dr. Sodhi did his exam and said that my pulse was stronger then ever before and he felt my body is now responding to all the work I have been doing, the chemo and is fighting back. My exam with Dr. Chen during the chemo treatment had similar results. He said he could feel the lymph nodes in my neck shrinking and felt some of the drop in pain in my neck and left shoulder is a result of the chemo getting after those cancer cells. At least this is the optimist point of view! It certainly is my point of view. Dr. Chen did ask if I have noticed any hair loss. I said I haven't, but the question itself told me I better start preparing for it in the short term. I better get that buzz cut this weekend! As I say this, I am running my fingers through my hair and looking! Nope, still no hair loss. I did wake up this morning with a tingling in my left two fingers on my left hand. I felt this before, its the effects of the Taxol and I take a supplement, L-Glutamine, to reduce this effect. It feels like my fingers are going to sleep on me, but I can also feel irritation along the nueropathways up past my elbow but stopping short of my shoulder. I wiggle my fingers and it goes away, but I have to wake up to wiggle them.
On another note, I gained 3 pounds since the last chemo treatment. I had dropped to 198 lbs and felt it was time to slow the weight loss down. I had been losing 3-5 lbs a week for 3-4 weeks and where I still will drop so more weight, I wanted it to slow down. So I began adding a few more calories each day and it resulted in some weight gain. This inspired me to ask the clinic naturalpath, Dr. Gignac, if I might be able to fast to help detoxify the nasty buildup of chemo, maybe reduce the toxifying effects. He advised not too at this point because detoxing by fasting stresses the organs. He told me not to do anything more than a one day fresh juice fast. I will double check with Dr. Sodhi on Monday, but I expect either the same response or defering to Dr. Gignac's recommendation.
So I have been armed with all the medicine I should need to deal with side effects and pain. I have an assortment of pain pills from tylenol to vicodin. I have also been given a medical marijuana recommendation by Dr. Chen. Before you start thinking that now that I got the medical marijuana, its party time, I view all of these as an "as needed basis" only. I have gotten to be very protective of all my organs and simply don't want to add anything that drags them down. I especially lay off the tylenol and vicodin. The type of disease I have is very aggressive in invading the liver, kidneys and brain. Since pharmaceuticals constipate me and bog down the liver and kidney functions, I avoid them unless the pain is just too much, which so far, hasn't. I need to detox daily and that requires my liver, intestines, and colon to do their job effeciently and smoothly. Obviously my lungs need extra protection so I won't inhale marijuana unless I am in real need. The wonderful core group with the Seattle Hempfest pooled their money and purchased a vaporizor for me. A vaporizor doesn't burn the marijuana, it super heats it and vaporizes the THC into a bag and you inhale it from there. There is only THC laced air going into your lungs, no particulets, resin, or any other crap. The other option is to eat the marijuana in baked goods, butter, or olive oil. It has a different effect this way, instead of getting "high" in the head, you get a bit sedated in the body. This is the safest way to consume marijuana, but again, it's an as needed basis. I again don't want to bog down my essential body functions and I don't want to start a resistance so early in the game. Besides that, I still have to be concerned about the politics of marijuana with my job. My life comes first, but my job is important to me and I don't want to put ERI in a difficult situation. Its interesting, all the ERI offices are in states with medical marijuana laws, Washington, California, and Arizona. But that doesn't mean its a free pass regarding the contracts with our clients. Safety is a huge priority with these clients and there is the stigma still with marijuana use, medically and recreationally. As a safety guy in our office, maybe I can make the case that marijuana use blocks my pain and actually helps to keep me focused on safety. However, I am sure the response is if I am in pain, go home and get better so that I will always perform at my safest abilities. Yeah, where is the fairness for a guy in my condition, but then again, who said life was fair, I am not a smoker and yet I have lung cancer.
So my cousin Vanessa got into town and went to my chemo treatment with me. Vanessa and I are close so it's nice to share the experience with her. My step mom Share also joined us. She went last week as well. As the chemo drips into me, we are reviewing books and dietary guidelines and developing plans and ideas. Share has taken a keen interest in working with my diet. She has always been a vegan and a top notch cook so it's second nature for her. Glad to have her. Beth has been doing a tremendous job for me on that end as well. Both Beth and Share cook great foods sprinkled with the season of love. I can't forget Becky, she knows my dietary needs as well and is always coming up with ideas and has a can or two of that love season in her cupboards, actually, I am sure she has a 100-lb sack!
My mom and step dad from California get into town later today. They will be here for a week. I am looking forward to spending time with them and sharing in the treatments. I have a busy week ahead of me but having them around will allow it to go more smoothly. I have to get a permanent I.V. port installed on Thursday morning at 7 AM. It will be installed into my chest. It is an outpatient surgical procedure and having them assist me will take a little off Beth's shoulders. Beth is not a good morning person and I want her to have as many good days as possible. My parents, on the other hand, are early risers and will be glad to assist. Later in the day, I will have to go over to the clinic for a vitamin infusion and then come back the next day for the 4th chemo treatment. I also have another Monday appointment with Dr. Sodhi and will need to go into the office on Tuesday morning to help conduct a safety training course with some new employees. We have new trainers in the office, but this is their first time and I am an old pro. They will be struggling with their delivery with the training presentation, I don't even need to look at notes or the presentation itself anymore, I just conduct it by head, it's not rocket science!
This past week has been a good week, more to come...
I had that appointment with Dr. Sodhi earlier this week and things went well. I got to his office a half hour early to walk the park behind the building. The walk was effortless and I spent most of the time on the phone too. Dr. Sodhi did his exam and said that my pulse was stronger then ever before and he felt my body is now responding to all the work I have been doing, the chemo and is fighting back. My exam with Dr. Chen during the chemo treatment had similar results. He said he could feel the lymph nodes in my neck shrinking and felt some of the drop in pain in my neck and left shoulder is a result of the chemo getting after those cancer cells. At least this is the optimist point of view! It certainly is my point of view. Dr. Chen did ask if I have noticed any hair loss. I said I haven't, but the question itself told me I better start preparing for it in the short term. I better get that buzz cut this weekend! As I say this, I am running my fingers through my hair and looking! Nope, still no hair loss. I did wake up this morning with a tingling in my left two fingers on my left hand. I felt this before, its the effects of the Taxol and I take a supplement, L-Glutamine, to reduce this effect. It feels like my fingers are going to sleep on me, but I can also feel irritation along the nueropathways up past my elbow but stopping short of my shoulder. I wiggle my fingers and it goes away, but I have to wake up to wiggle them.
On another note, I gained 3 pounds since the last chemo treatment. I had dropped to 198 lbs and felt it was time to slow the weight loss down. I had been losing 3-5 lbs a week for 3-4 weeks and where I still will drop so more weight, I wanted it to slow down. So I began adding a few more calories each day and it resulted in some weight gain. This inspired me to ask the clinic naturalpath, Dr. Gignac, if I might be able to fast to help detoxify the nasty buildup of chemo, maybe reduce the toxifying effects. He advised not too at this point because detoxing by fasting stresses the organs. He told me not to do anything more than a one day fresh juice fast. I will double check with Dr. Sodhi on Monday, but I expect either the same response or defering to Dr. Gignac's recommendation.
So I have been armed with all the medicine I should need to deal with side effects and pain. I have an assortment of pain pills from tylenol to vicodin. I have also been given a medical marijuana recommendation by Dr. Chen. Before you start thinking that now that I got the medical marijuana, its party time, I view all of these as an "as needed basis" only. I have gotten to be very protective of all my organs and simply don't want to add anything that drags them down. I especially lay off the tylenol and vicodin. The type of disease I have is very aggressive in invading the liver, kidneys and brain. Since pharmaceuticals constipate me and bog down the liver and kidney functions, I avoid them unless the pain is just too much, which so far, hasn't. I need to detox daily and that requires my liver, intestines, and colon to do their job effeciently and smoothly. Obviously my lungs need extra protection so I won't inhale marijuana unless I am in real need. The wonderful core group with the Seattle Hempfest pooled their money and purchased a vaporizor for me. A vaporizor doesn't burn the marijuana, it super heats it and vaporizes the THC into a bag and you inhale it from there. There is only THC laced air going into your lungs, no particulets, resin, or any other crap. The other option is to eat the marijuana in baked goods, butter, or olive oil. It has a different effect this way, instead of getting "high" in the head, you get a bit sedated in the body. This is the safest way to consume marijuana, but again, it's an as needed basis. I again don't want to bog down my essential body functions and I don't want to start a resistance so early in the game. Besides that, I still have to be concerned about the politics of marijuana with my job. My life comes first, but my job is important to me and I don't want to put ERI in a difficult situation. Its interesting, all the ERI offices are in states with medical marijuana laws, Washington, California, and Arizona. But that doesn't mean its a free pass regarding the contracts with our clients. Safety is a huge priority with these clients and there is the stigma still with marijuana use, medically and recreationally. As a safety guy in our office, maybe I can make the case that marijuana use blocks my pain and actually helps to keep me focused on safety. However, I am sure the response is if I am in pain, go home and get better so that I will always perform at my safest abilities. Yeah, where is the fairness for a guy in my condition, but then again, who said life was fair, I am not a smoker and yet I have lung cancer.
So my cousin Vanessa got into town and went to my chemo treatment with me. Vanessa and I are close so it's nice to share the experience with her. My step mom Share also joined us. She went last week as well. As the chemo drips into me, we are reviewing books and dietary guidelines and developing plans and ideas. Share has taken a keen interest in working with my diet. She has always been a vegan and a top notch cook so it's second nature for her. Glad to have her. Beth has been doing a tremendous job for me on that end as well. Both Beth and Share cook great foods sprinkled with the season of love. I can't forget Becky, she knows my dietary needs as well and is always coming up with ideas and has a can or two of that love season in her cupboards, actually, I am sure she has a 100-lb sack!
My mom and step dad from California get into town later today. They will be here for a week. I am looking forward to spending time with them and sharing in the treatments. I have a busy week ahead of me but having them around will allow it to go more smoothly. I have to get a permanent I.V. port installed on Thursday morning at 7 AM. It will be installed into my chest. It is an outpatient surgical procedure and having them assist me will take a little off Beth's shoulders. Beth is not a good morning person and I want her to have as many good days as possible. My parents, on the other hand, are early risers and will be glad to assist. Later in the day, I will have to go over to the clinic for a vitamin infusion and then come back the next day for the 4th chemo treatment. I also have another Monday appointment with Dr. Sodhi and will need to go into the office on Tuesday morning to help conduct a safety training course with some new employees. We have new trainers in the office, but this is their first time and I am an old pro. They will be struggling with their delivery with the training presentation, I don't even need to look at notes or the presentation itself anymore, I just conduct it by head, it's not rocket science!
This past week has been a good week, more to come...
posted by Beth @ 11/12/2005 03:26:00 AM
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