The tingling!

The tingling sensation in my fingers is much more noticeable after this latest round of chemo. I'm supposed to have a heightened sensitivity to cold for 3 to 5 days after the treatment and then it goes away. When you touch something cold or your hands get could it feels like a really bad case of pins and needles. Very weird.


I'm feeling a bit more tired than usual but not unexpected. Besides, the extra rest is really cool. I had my shots yesterday and today for the white blood cell count elevation. I need these shots because the chemo knocks the crap out of my white blood cell count. So far I have not noticed any side effects from these shots. Muscle ache is a possibility as these shots get your bone marrow working overtime. This all sounds so bloody technical.


Also, for the last couple of days , my voice has been a little hoarse. It doesn't hurt but just sounds strange. Dunno where that's from!



We just finished watching Man U beat Fulham 3-0. What a fantastic game. We are now 5 points clear in the Premiership table.


Carpe Diem.

Letters from Zimbabwe

From Dennis:

Dear Adrian
Hylton just was to return yesterday from South Africa. Meant to see him today but one of my orphans died. Brian was 10. He was the one I took to the doctors with ringworm about six weeks ago and later diagnosed with TB and HIV. Had managed to get him on TB treatment and ARV's. He was looking and feeling better. I saw him two days ago and brought him his favorite foods - butternut, potatoes and a chicken. Yesterday he was polishing his shoes anxious to go to school (even though there is none at the moment) He was excited and not convinced school was not opened. This morning he woke up at 3 am complaining about his stomach and he died at 4 am. Today I spent with the family and am driving him and the family to their rural area for burial in my pick-up.

Tomorrow I have to deal with the greedy funeral parlor who wants 4,100 rand which is like asking an average American family to pay $40,000 for a funeral. Prices doubled in six weeks. It's just outrageous, I don't know which to feel first, the grief at the loss of this child or the rage at the greed of these funeral parlors.

Another one of my kids age 16 had a stroke. Left side affected. Also HIV+. Fortunately am getting her into seeing the best (and most expensive) doctor left in town.

On Friday I was in Pumula South and someone came to me to ask if I would take a child to the doctors. Adrian, if you could have seen this poor child. 4 years old. Her eyes were virtually out of their sockets, one supporating. Absolutely horrible. Not a whimper out of her. Took her to Dr. Sashka Maksimovic. She had retinal blastoma. Both eyes have to be removed but Mpilo hospital will not "because she will die anyway."

What a week.

Won't see Hylton till after the burial. And will write more fully about all later.
Best to you and yours
D
ps feel free to share this email

Carpe Diem.

My turn to play nurse

Today I, for once, am playing care giver. Diana is having a routine colonoscopy (her first) so I am driver, care giver and food sympathizer. I'm a little out of practice but I'll try my best. I'm looking for food as I type. Where did I put that food bag? See, I can get away with eating and not feeling bad as Diana is away being prepped for the procedure. Mmm, I think I will do the apple.

I am not feeling too bad for the day after chemo. I do feel the cold sensitivity a bit more than last time. It's cumulative but only lasts 3 - 5 days after chemo. Whew.

Chemo 2 (Round 4)

Monday morning with Mary was chemo 2 of round 4. If it doesn't make sense to you it somehow means something to me! I met Dr. Kumar, who for now, will be taking over my oncology care. She seems like a very pleasant and knowledgeable doctor who comes highly recommended. For the next 3 bi-weekly sessions we will be continuing with the protocols that Dr. Erlich set up. After me next scheduled scan, towards the end of March, we will make a determination as to continue the treatments at Sinai under Dr Kumar or to seek out and continue the future treatments with Dr. Erlich.

As far as today's treatment went, for some reason I was really tired . The treatments seem to take about 4 to 5 hours. Nothing unusual. Just normal for the blood work, pre-meds and then the 3 chemo drugs. Dr. Skaryak came towards the end of the treatment to remove the chest tube stitches. It was quick and painless and she was pleased with how everything looked. She was cautiously optimistic about what she saw visually of the right lung and how it should respond to the chemo. Time will tell!

Carpe Diem.

Weekend update

Well, it was a pretty tame weekend. I got lots of rest so that I would be physically and mentally ready for the next chemo round on Monday. Rob was home for the weekend so of course we watched a Man U game. They beat Derby 4-1 in a FA cup clash.

Carpe Diem.

Snore war

Hey, not only did I win but the words rhyme. Last night, I guess I was sufficiently loud enough in my snoring, that I drove Diana off to another bedroom. Earplugs and all. Maybe I'm onto something here! The good thing is I was either drugged up or quite relaxed. I think it was a combination of the two. I'm still in a bit of pain and discomfort from the lung tap procedure so I'm taking some pretty good pain relief meds. Ah, the good old cause and effect. Pain relief and able to relax (sleep) equals pretty darn good constipation. I'll take the pain relief.

Monday is my next chemo session and I guess I will be getting some more info on Dr. Erlich and his departure. In the mean time, one of the other oncologists in the same practice will be taking care of me through this current chemo regimen. Nothing changes for at least the next 6 weeks (3 sessions). I will also see Dr. Skaryak on Monday after chemo. We have lots of questions for her!!!

I haven't been feeling the greatest over the past couple of days. I need to get physically and mentally strong for Monday. The fact that Rob is coming home today and will be here over the weekend, will be a huge tonic for me.

Carpe Diem.

Those body blows just keeping coming

This is like an ugly boxing match. Just as soon as one blow is absorbed another comes along. Last night one of the RN's that works with Dr. Erlich called to inform us that Dr. Erlich had just resigned from his Sinai Hospital practice. This was really not what we wanted to hear at this moment in time. There isn't much more information available right now, suffice to say, wherever Dr. Erlich ends up practicing, we will follow him there. I will elaborate more on this situation at the appropriate time. It's just not now.

I had my blood work done with Mary at the infusion center yesterday. The only recent good news was that all is ok with the blood counts. So for this week no more Neupogen shots. My next chemo treatment is scheduled for Monday February 16th.

Carpe Diem.

Weekend update and what a weekend!

There is nothing like anticipating one thing and having something else done.

Diana and I went into Sinai hospital around Friday lunch time expecting to get another fairly straight forward lung tap, maybe some talc powder and a temporary chest tube drain done. We essentially did get all the previously mentioned procedures but our timeline was slightly off. Only by 2 days. What should have given things away was during the pre-op questions and answers was the fact they at I was going to get a general anesthetic. The fact that Dr. Skaryak told us they would probably be removing the chest tube drain on Sunday, was the other dead giveaway. Boy, there is no pulling the wool over our eyes. I guess, ultimately, we heard what we wanted to hear and no, we don't make these mistakes often.

So fast forward 48 hours. The constant waking up for various tests etc. was unbelievably fatiguing. Toss in the lack of good food and the ever constipating medications and you can see this is a disaster waiting to happen. Now combine that with the cosmic pain relief medication and I may have almost come unglued!!! It was bloody awful.

I guess the good thing was that the intended procedures went well. The lung tap drained another 1.1 litres of fluid from the lung and the talc was able to seal the pleura to the lung lining. For the 2 days, the chest tube drain did it's job. So all in all, things went well except for our little timetable misunderstanding. Now it's recovery time - at home. Phew.

Carpe Diem.

Bit of a stuff up!

I will update the blog as soon as I can. I was in hospital for the last 3 days!!!

Carpe Diem.

Comments, emails and phone calls

Let me say, once again, how very much I appreciate all those comments, emails and phone calls. This blog has been a real G_dsend for me and my family. The ability to keep you all informed globally has been hugely helpful and therapeutic for me. The fact that so many of you care and keep up with the blog is incredible. Rest assured that even though I may not answer all the comments posted or am somewhat tardy in replying to the emails and phone calls, I nonetheless take it all in. Like I said on a number of occasions, the kind words and the love and support are incredibly important to me and my family. I am forever in your debt.

Carpe Diem.