a brief reprieve
I went in Friday to meet with Dr. Iqbal and begin my third round. She decided to hold off for another week in order to reevaluate my treatment plan. Turns out the severe side effects I've experienced over the last month--the itching, the swelling, the pain in the hands and feet, the balding--go well beyond the expected reactions to these particular medications. I'll have a blood test on Tuesday and a CT-scan on Wednesday and return next Friday to figure out where to go from here. The likeliest scenario is that she will continue to treat me with Gemzar and Xeloda, but reduce the doses.
This, of course, is mixed news. On the one hand, it would be comforting to have a single plan from the start and stick with it. But for me, that consideration pales beside the discovery that my experiences during the recent round of treatments are not considered the normal price for extending my life. If we can adjust the dosages so that, in the course of a 21-day cycle, I'm incapacitated for one or two days instead of seven or eight, this is very good news to me.
It also means that as of today I've gone more than two weeks without ingesting any cancer medications. And any day I'm not on chemotherapy is a good day.
posted by scott becker @ 7:40 AM
5 Comments:
Dear Scott, mom spoke with you and your dad last night, hoping you do have better days after changing dosages, I heard at Christmas time you made a great pot of coffee! Love, Cousin Janet
I am just so thankful that Dr. Igbar is receptive to your needs. And that you have the use of your hands and feet, relatively pain free as compared to your recent experience. I do pray that will continue for you. Any day that you are pain free is a good day for me. Love, Mom
Jackie Norris in Carnation told me about you, and my church in Electric City will be praying for you. I am sending on information about your blog to a friend who has been battling cancer for over two years, having lost a breast and half of her liver so far. I think the things you discuss in your blog may be helpful to her. Thanks for your ministry. I am reminded that no matter what happens in life God is still good.
Dear Scott.
Nice to read that you have a doctor willing to experiment with new ways when things aren't going right (Dub should take notes). Too bad you had to be tortured like that, but, atleast you can now have more days of feeling better knowing that you survived possibly the worst of what chemo can throw at you. Today, I looked into getting health insurance incase my cells want to do the rebel thing. Any suggestions? One of your rooting fans,
Bruce Rams.
Amen! Did you find out about the M & S group? I'm missing everyone. Hmmm... BTW, I managed to get letters to the editor written about me on something besides air conditioning. It was sad though! I never meant to fuel controversy and everyone was mean to each other in their "debate." I wish I knew how to build community between the groups. At the same time, it was a tiny bit funny to see so many people react to me;) It's what I get for writing too much for the Semi:-) Hahaha.
It sounds like good news that the chemo pain will be lessened! (Oh, and no, I'm not up early--I'm up late!)
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