Wednesday, January 21, 2009

A plan...

So we met with the oncologist today, it was a long day and I'm very tired. I didn't realize that it wasn't just a meeting with the doctor, but paperwork first, meeting with the P.A., meeting with the oncologist, the off for bloodwork, then x-rays, then a CT scan. They were backed up in CT and it looked like I might not get in till 8 pm so I bailed out and will go back tomorrow for that. Ah, the luxury of living 2 miles away. Given my exhaustion, I'll just give the highlights and maybe elaborate tomorrow.

They're scheduling me to have a port put in, probably in about 2 weeks. In the meantime, I'll be having a scope done on the remaining portion of my colon to see if there are any other polyps or tumors (they couldn't scope past the tumor before). The CT will give them more info about the lesions on my liver and make certain there isn't any metastasis to my lungs or other organs. Assuming the liver, lungs, etc. are clear, I stay classified as Stage IIIC and start my chemo, probably in early February.

I'll be doing chemo every two weeks for 6 months, so twelve cycles total (I know my mathematically challenged friends appreciate that kind of help, right?). I'll go into MD Anderson for the first day of the infusion, then come home with a pump that will continue chemo for another 46 hours at home. Then I bring the pump back in and I'm done till the next cycle. Except for the side effects, which can fill your days with all kinds of fun between cycles. The chemo regimen I'm doing is called FOLFOX. I'll elaborate more on the actual drugs and side effects tomorrow. For today, I've become quite aware that although I'm feeling much less pain these days, I'm so prone to exhaustion from the smallest exertion. Of course, it didn't help that I stayed up till 3 am last night reading a trashy Twilight novel that Kathryn gave me. But regardless of who's to blame (either cancer or Kathryn, definitely not me), sleep is calling.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

So...get in bed, girl! Your pillow is calling you :)
Love & hugs, Carrie

Anonymous said...

I know you...how many books are in the Twilight series...you won't be able to just stop with the first one. Sweet dreams. Michele

Anna said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anna said...

The Twilight series is evil. I ignored the whole family for days while I read them all....

Go get some sleep.
Love,
Anna

Mama T said...

i agree with anna, not only evil, but kind of dumb too. however, i read them all, couldn't put them down etc. and seems that a bit of silly fantastical indulgence right now could be just what the doctor ordered.
what does stage 3C mean? What's the C?

Anonymous said...

Oh...got to love those trashy novels- I intended it to be a welcomed, mindless distraction. ;) HOWEVER, if it keeps you from getting your much needed sleep, I might have to come over there and get it back! Lots of love,
Kathryn

iCarGuy said...

Hang in there. Get your rest. Don't push it. Eat what feels right to you. Remember the Joanna Budwig diet, unrefined flaxseed oil and cottage cheese (you can use lite cottage cheese if don't want to the heavy stuff).

When my chemo ordeal started I kept saying, "I'm a fighter." A wise man told me not to be a fighter, fighter's can lose, be a survivor. So I pass these words on to you.