What I have come to vividly understand through this ordeal is how important a good diet is. Having said that, the chemo treatments do wonders to your appetite and taste buds and so the good diet seems to fade away. I don't mean good diet in the sense of ultra healthy etc etc. Of course you should eat well but the main thing is to eat. Everyone around me has been incredible trying to help me through this. Must be a Jewish food thing!!! I have been told on a number of occassions that slight weight loss during treatment is normal. Phew.
The face rash has improved considerably. Maybe I will post a before and after shot. I don't want to be too premature because the Doctors did mention it could flair up again. There goes my hopes of Prom night.
I seem to have had a few pretty decent days even after the heavy chemo Monday. They did lower the dosages slightly but assured me the effectiveness was not compromised. The tiredness and fatigue are still with me. Sleep is my friend, sleep is my friend, sleep is my friend............................................
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Wednesday's vet visit
No, not for me! It's for Max. Gotta take him in for his yearly Lyme vaccine shot. Otherwise, he is doing quite well for an 11 year old Wheaten Terrier. Still enjoys his walks in our forest with me but I can't keep up. He keeps looking back thinking "what the hell's wrong with him?".
Got an appointment with Dr. Ward today. Still trying to sort out the sleep deal. Rather crappy as of late. It reminds me of my flying days, or should I say nights? My flying Buds will relate to this quite well.
Got an appointment with Dr. Ward today. Still trying to sort out the sleep deal. Rather crappy as of late. It reminds me of my flying days, or should I say nights? My flying Buds will relate to this quite well.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Tuesday bowling?
Yes, we actually went bowling. Phil, Rob, Mike and I. Rob and Mike teamed up against Phil and me. It was not pretty. In fact at times it was down right ugly. Rob was the only one who had a fairly decent game and the rest of us were pathetic. There, I said it. We were even using the small balls. But all in all, it was a lot of fun.
I'm not feeling too bad today. A bit of a guts ache but that usually happens right after the chemo. Nothing new. The nausea seems to be controlled by the meds for now but my appetite is still not great. I now have a very good idea what it must be like to be a duck. Getting food stuffed down your gullet constantly. I swear I'm gonna turn anorexic and bulimic (whatever the hell that means). It just is really difficult right now because I really do understand the value and advantages of eating well but am laboring with this.
The sleeping is still not great and even the afternoon naps are getting tougher to do. The tiredness and fatigue are still a big issue. Maybe a good afternoon swim!
I'm not feeling too bad today. A bit of a guts ache but that usually happens right after the chemo. Nothing new. The nausea seems to be controlled by the meds for now but my appetite is still not great. I now have a very good idea what it must be like to be a duck. Getting food stuffed down your gullet constantly. I swear I'm gonna turn anorexic and bulimic (whatever the hell that means). It just is really difficult right now because I really do understand the value and advantages of eating well but am laboring with this.
The sleeping is still not great and even the afternoon naps are getting tougher to do. The tiredness and fatigue are still a big issue. Maybe a good afternoon swim!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Chemo 4 (Round 2)
I arrived at the infusion center with quite an entourage. Diana, Phil and Lil were with me. Mary took us back to our usual "big" room so things were looking up. This was to be my long day as I was getting all three drugs. My blood work came back fine and so the process started. A little over 5 hours later and we were on our way home. Phew.
I am generally feeling OK. The face deal has cleared up quite nicely but no pain associated with it anymore. The fatigue and tiredness are another matter. I know that I have to start doing a very light work out to help this process. Oh well, gotta start somewhere! There is also mild swallowing pain that I attribute to gulping (wolfing) my food down. My appetite is not great now so when I eat I notice this. My weight for the most part is relatively stable. Loosly translated - too thin. 130 lbs or 59 kgs or 9.3 stone.
Had a swim. Wonderful.
I am generally feeling OK. The face deal has cleared up quite nicely but no pain associated with it anymore. The fatigue and tiredness are another matter. I know that I have to start doing a very light work out to help this process. Oh well, gotta start somewhere! There is also mild swallowing pain that I attribute to gulping (wolfing) my food down. My appetite is not great now so when I eat I notice this. My weight for the most part is relatively stable. Loosly translated - too thin. 130 lbs or 59 kgs or 9.3 stone.
Had a swim. Wonderful.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Weekend Update
We have had a somewhat busy couple of days. On Thursday we went to see Dr. Ward. We discussed the sleep meds and other things. Hope fully the meds will start taking effect. It seems that way. Sleeping is getting a little better.
Friday we drove out to Gaithersburg to see Dr. Rick levy. Another very interesting session. We did some Hypno-regression where we went back to my childhood growing up in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). The crux of the session was to take me back to a time where my body and mind where in excellent health. Well mostly so other than the usual sports related injuries!!! We then essentially used the images and energies to help augment healing me now. It was quite interesting. He then did some energy healing on me. I really need this as my energy level is quite low right now. Go figure! We will see him again next Friday.
With my energy level being so low and my lack of sleep, we stayed around the house for the weekend. It has been disgustingly hot here in Baltimore for the last couple of days which makes for going outside a little tough. I do still manage to go for walks with Max in our Forest, which is mostly shaded. Late afternoon, when parts of the pool are shaded, it's swimming time. (I need to avoid the sun because of the meds).I'll be honest, it was my first swim of the season. The water temp was 88 degrees F or 31 degrees Celsius. Bloody nice. I will try and make this swim time a daily event.
Phil and Lil (Daughter-Niece) came in from New York on Sunday to spend some more time with us. It was really nice to see Lil. Haven't seen her in a while. As usual, it's always great to have their company. I also went for a massage Sunday lunch time. Quite relaxing.
Friday we drove out to Gaithersburg to see Dr. Rick levy. Another very interesting session. We did some Hypno-regression where we went back to my childhood growing up in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). The crux of the session was to take me back to a time where my body and mind where in excellent health. Well mostly so other than the usual sports related injuries!!! We then essentially used the images and energies to help augment healing me now. It was quite interesting. He then did some energy healing on me. I really need this as my energy level is quite low right now. Go figure! We will see him again next Friday.
With my energy level being so low and my lack of sleep, we stayed around the house for the weekend. It has been disgustingly hot here in Baltimore for the last couple of days which makes for going outside a little tough. I do still manage to go for walks with Max in our Forest, which is mostly shaded. Late afternoon, when parts of the pool are shaded, it's swimming time. (I need to avoid the sun because of the meds).I'll be honest, it was my first swim of the season. The water temp was 88 degrees F or 31 degrees Celsius. Bloody nice. I will try and make this swim time a daily event.
Phil and Lil (Daughter-Niece) came in from New York on Sunday to spend some more time with us. It was really nice to see Lil. Haven't seen her in a while. As usual, it's always great to have their company. I also went for a massage Sunday lunch time. Quite relaxing.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Chemo 3 (Round 2)
Finally back with Mary for the chemo infusions. It was good to see her again as she was away on vacation. We met with Dr. Erlich prior to the treatment to discuss a number of concerns and issues. All our questions and concerns were answered. Today I am only getting Erbetux so the week ahead should be somewhat easier (I hope). Physically I feel a bit better but my weight is still way down. My appetite is not what it was but hopefully it will come back. This may be due to the new meds. I am continuing to get the emotional support I need and hopefully will start to see improvement in the not too distant future.
Diana and the kids are wonderful and supportive as usual and Max never leaves me alone. It's a bit of a pain as when I am trying to get an afternoon nap he needs to lie next to me. When he decides to scratch himself it feels like a minor 2.0 earthquake! Yea, I know, kick him off the bed. My Mom and Sisters continue to be amazingly supportive. I have never seen so much of them as over the past few months. I love it.
Diana and the kids are wonderful and supportive as usual and Max never leaves me alone. It's a bit of a pain as when I am trying to get an afternoon nap he needs to lie next to me. When he decides to scratch himself it feels like a minor 2.0 earthquake! Yea, I know, kick him off the bed. My Mom and Sisters continue to be amazingly supportive. I have never seen so much of them as over the past few months. I love it.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Our Gaithersberg visit
Today we met with a Psychologist by the name of Dr. Rick Levy (no, not my cousin). His practice is in Gaithersberg, Maryland. About an hour from us towards Washington. You can Google him. He is quite famous. It was quite an amazing meeting. I am looking forward to a number of meetings with him to help me help myself heal. I now understand that a big part of any recovery is of course conventional medicine but combine that with mind body healing and you have the whole package! We are quite excited about all this.
The conventional treatments plug along. Tomorrow is week 3 of the 6 week chemo course. But I am hoping for an easy day as I am only getting Erbetux tomorrow. When we started the Erbetux over 2 weeks ago we were told that I would more than likely develop a rash on my back, chest and face. The worse the rash the better the response to the drug. Well, nothing on the back or chest but a definite outbreak on the face. It's bloody ugly and looks like I'm back at Milton School in Bulawayo dealing once again with teenage acne. Please look at the picture below on an empty stomach. I accept no responsibility for any one's reaction. Hey, I still have my hair (for now)!
What did you expect, George Clooney! Let the comments fly. I have thick "SKIN".
The conventional treatments plug along. Tomorrow is week 3 of the 6 week chemo course. But I am hoping for an easy day as I am only getting Erbetux tomorrow. When we started the Erbetux over 2 weeks ago we were told that I would more than likely develop a rash on my back, chest and face. The worse the rash the better the response to the drug. Well, nothing on the back or chest but a definite outbreak on the face. It's bloody ugly and looks like I'm back at Milton School in Bulawayo dealing once again with teenage acne. Please look at the picture below on an empty stomach. I accept no responsibility for any one's reaction. Hey, I still have my hair (for now)!
What did you expect, George Clooney! Let the comments fly. I have thick "SKIN".
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Weekend Update
Greetings all,
The cartoon above was sent to me by my good friend Sandy (a fellow pilot from Toronto). It seems quite appropriate. Thanks Yoda.
Next, you will notice the latest in the Zimbabwe currency fiasco. Ilan (another very close and dear friend) sent this to me. As of yesterday it was worth a little over US$1. It is now called the "Special agro cheque". The notes are simply too big to call currency
Let me catch you up on weekend events! To say the least, it was a tough couple of days. The shot that I received on Wednesday for my white blood cell count gave me flu-like symptoms for three days, so that didn't help much. We really didn't do much the whole weekend, but what was great was Phil and Howard (her husband) drove down from New York. They spent Saturday and Sunday with us. It was great to see them again, as usual, particularly Howard, who I hadn't seen in a while. We have a busy week ahead; lots going on. Chemo, doctors, and more doctors. Oh, and a haircut on Wednesday.Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Chemo 2 (Round 2)
Hi all. I had my chemo round 2 treatment today. Only 2 of the 3 drugs, so the time spent there was a little shorter today. It was only just over 4 hours today. These drugs are really knocking me on my butt. My white blood count was pretty low today, but it was enough to get the chemo. I just need to be really careful about infections now. Tomorrow, I am having a shot (injection) to help improve the white blood cell count. I am also seeing someone tomorrow that will hopefully help me with my mental state. As you can tell, I have not been feeling to great these past few days.
Mike drove me to chemo today and he stayed for about an hour and a half. Then, Phil arrived from New York to be with me for a couple of days. To say that I owe my family the debt of gratitude would be the understatement of a lifetime. Please bear with me. I will endeavor to speak to as many of you as I can or at least be in touch by email. I just don't have the energy to speak.
Today is Max's (our dog's) birthday. He is 11 years young and still very handsome and in great shape (I wish the same could be said for me). He got a special birthday dinner with some droewors (South African dried sausage). I think he enjoyed it. Happy birthday to our little gentleman (a reference to Anchorman with Will Ferrell).
(Dictated but not written. Written by Robyn.)
Mike drove me to chemo today and he stayed for about an hour and a half. Then, Phil arrived from New York to be with me for a couple of days. To say that I owe my family the debt of gratitude would be the understatement of a lifetime. Please bear with me. I will endeavor to speak to as many of you as I can or at least be in touch by email. I just don't have the energy to speak.
Today is Max's (our dog's) birthday. He is 11 years young and still very handsome and in great shape (I wish the same could be said for me). He got a special birthday dinner with some droewors (South African dried sausage). I think he enjoyed it. Happy birthday to our little gentleman (a reference to Anchorman with Will Ferrell).
(Dictated but not written. Written by Robyn.)
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Weekend Update
Hi everyone. Sorry I have been so lax in keeping up with the blog but I have had a lousy couple of days. Wednesday and Thursday were particularly low days for me mentally and physically, I seem to have a lot of fatigue and different aches and pains. We are not sure if this is all a result of the chemotherapy but we are looking into it more at my next session.
Friday, Phil arrived from Boca Raton. She was there with her family visiting our mom and decided to come and spend a couple of days with us. It was really good to have her here. I'll be brutally honest with you, I'm not sure what I would do if it wasn't for Diana, Phil and Russ. It seems like one of the important things is for me to try and keep busy, even with the fatigue I am experiencing. So Friday afternoon, we all went to see WALL-E (the movie). It's another one of those Pixar animated movies and it was really cute. Since it was July 4th. we had a special Friday night dinner, complete with food from Chicken Out, Mike's former place of employment. Then later, we watched Rush Hour 3 on HBO, followed by the Macy's July 4th Fireworks display on TV, which took place in New York City. It was raining outside so we didn't get to see any of our own. Happy July 4th to all you "Mericans."
Saturday, we had another outing. This time, we went downtown to the aquarium. If you don't know this, the Baltimore aquarium is quite famous and really nice. Once again, Phil's generosity came through. We weren't able to get regular tickets, so she bought our family membership and we were able to walk right in. Little did we know that July 4th weekend, the Harbor would be completely insane. Should have known. At the infusion center, they have a really nice fish tank and it reminds me of the aquarium. We will visit the aquarium many times when it's not so buys. We will have lots of pictures to take (and dolphin shows to see). Saturday evening, the kids had lots of friends over and they went swimming. I had a really nice bath with lots and lots of nice bath salts and candles. This really seems to help relax me because the aches and fatigue are really shit!
Sunday morning, we watched the Wimbledon men's final. It's truly amazing. we don't the result yet, but its some amazing tennis. I would like to see Roger Federer win. At lunch time, Phil left back to New York on the train. I think she is coming back Tuesday for the next chemo session.
We have lots to discuss with the doctor on Tuesday, as the fatigue and aches and my mental state are really taking a toll. I'm sorry if I haven't talked to some of you on the phone. I promise when I'm able, we will talk. In the mean time, thanks for reading the blog. Love you all.
(Dictate but not written. Written by Robyn.)
Friday, Phil arrived from Boca Raton. She was there with her family visiting our mom and decided to come and spend a couple of days with us. It was really good to have her here. I'll be brutally honest with you, I'm not sure what I would do if it wasn't for Diana, Phil and Russ. It seems like one of the important things is for me to try and keep busy, even with the fatigue I am experiencing. So Friday afternoon, we all went to see WALL-E (the movie). It's another one of those Pixar animated movies and it was really cute. Since it was July 4th. we had a special Friday night dinner, complete with food from Chicken Out, Mike's former place of employment. Then later, we watched Rush Hour 3 on HBO, followed by the Macy's July 4th Fireworks display on TV, which took place in New York City. It was raining outside so we didn't get to see any of our own. Happy July 4th to all you "Mericans."
Saturday, we had another outing. This time, we went downtown to the aquarium. If you don't know this, the Baltimore aquarium is quite famous and really nice. Once again, Phil's generosity came through. We weren't able to get regular tickets, so she bought our family membership and we were able to walk right in. Little did we know that July 4th weekend, the Harbor would be completely insane. Should have known. At the infusion center, they have a really nice fish tank and it reminds me of the aquarium. We will visit the aquarium many times when it's not so buys. We will have lots of pictures to take (and dolphin shows to see). Saturday evening, the kids had lots of friends over and they went swimming. I had a really nice bath with lots and lots of nice bath salts and candles. This really seems to help relax me because the aches and fatigue are really shit!
Sunday morning, we watched the Wimbledon men's final. It's truly amazing. we don't the result yet, but its some amazing tennis. I would like to see Roger Federer win. At lunch time, Phil left back to New York on the train. I think she is coming back Tuesday for the next chemo session.
We have lots to discuss with the doctor on Tuesday, as the fatigue and aches and my mental state are really taking a toll. I'm sorry if I haven't talked to some of you on the phone. I promise when I'm able, we will talk. In the mean time, thanks for reading the blog. Love you all.
(Dictate but not written. Written by Robyn.)
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