Saturday 3 August 2013

I'm still standing...

Sorry to all my faithful readers for being so lazy, I know it's been a long time since I updated. So, I'm now past the sixth chemo dose, and it is definitely getting harder. My blood counts are down quite substantially, and I only just scraped past the check-up before the infusion; my platelets are 98 whatevers when the lowest they should be for chemo is 100 whatevers. Still, I can tentatively say that I feel less bad this cycle than last, the last one really did me in for a few days and while I did feel really bad on the day, this time I seem not to be crashing into a really yucky state like last time.Maybe I was dehydrated, or maybe the chemo was a really strong batch, no way of knowing but I truly felt awful for a while.
 I have learned that it isn't a good idea to try and force my body to do anything it doesn't really want to do; I'm just worried it will get spoiled and want an easy life after chemo too. On the other hand I am quite determined to do the Annapurna Circuit next October, so I guess I will have to lick it into shape by then, whatever it thinks about it!
The timetable for the next few months looks like this; September 11th last chemo dose, early October CT which my oncologist is quite optimistic about, in fact he said that he is confident that there will be no pathology visible, to which I answered,  so why do I need a scan? Of course I had to ask, and the answer is that this is the baseline scan, so that if there is recurrence later they know it is new. Then back to Professor Shpitz to set a date for the ileostomy reversal, hopefully some time in November, and some time in December ESCAPE, back to paradise!!!!
Chasamba is waiting for us, the season will be perfect to sail to the Gulf of Thailand, it is all I am thinking about and it keeps me going. Just two more doses of poison, one scan and one little operation and we're out of here!

5 comments:

  1. You know you should really consider writing a book about Chasamba and your cancer - it's an amazing story. My nomination for the title: The Big Sea.

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  2. Part of me is holding my breath, digging in my heals and another part wants to jump in fast.

    I am scared to face surgery and chemo.

    I thought you were doing xeloda? I guess I am losing my mind even before chemo brain kicks in.

    My surgery is the 10th, and your last chemo is the 11th. I'm going to be holding on to you for strength. you are my hero!

    and I agree with Cosmo7 - what a glorious book that would be!!!

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    1. Hi Green Monkey! Don't be scared, it's really not as bad as it sounds. Just keep plugging through, step by step, you will get there. (That's what I tell myself too.)
      I am doing Xelox, that's Oxaliplatin by infusion once every three weeks and two weeks of Xeloda, then one week off and start again. The Oxaliplatin is the nasty bit, the Xeloda doesn't bother me.
      Good luck with the surgery, anyway I expect we will talk again before that.

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    2. I sure hope so! You are my leader! I'm just following along .... your wellness feeds me! xoxo

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