May 31

I made it through my last (for now) chemo drip in the infusion room. This time around the effects are more intensive, but that is what they told me to expect.

The TV chair was already taken so there were no fights over the Fox news channel. I met the most amazing woman, one of the volunteers who keeps coming by and telling you to drink water. She over heard me talk about Aaron's pole vaulting. Turns out she was an Olympic pentathlete in the early 60's. I really enjoyed speaking with her about sportsmanship and the earlier Olympics. The bad part of the story is that I think she thought I was from that generation as well.

Cynthia came in for the last part of my treatment and took a picture of me in the barcalounger.

I have this last week of the regular Chemo and then radiation until next Tuesday. Most of my energy in gone but I am still eating and reasonably coherent (although my kids would disagree with the last statement)

The more I ponder this setback the more fortunate I feel about how early it was dectected. Unfortunately, I am like a broken record to anyone on my generation (not a 1960 olympic athlete) to get checked early. Every time I talk with someone new about it, I hear a story about someone in their 40's who found out about their colon Cancer and they were already at stage 3 or 4.

I am really looking forward to finishing up and feeling better. In the meantime every one's support, thoughts and prayers are helping me get through this last stretch.

May 28

Just a quick update before my last drip infusion tomorrow. I am ready to get on with it but the last session really hit me. I met with my radiologist Tuesday and found they are going to give me 3 additional boost sessions, so I will not be finished until June 10. Hopefully this will give me enough time to recover prior to Jason and Aaron's graduations.



I am well equiped with all kinds of reading material for tomorrow and headphones just in case. My energy level has really been off although I did manage to go into work for a couple of hours today and I walked the dogs this evening, small victories.



I will try to post later this weekend, hopefully my humor will return along with my appetite and taste.

May 23

Today was a 2 nap day and it's not over yet. Back on the chemo and yesterday took it out of me. One the plus side I was feeling a lot better earlier in the week.

I went to a different yoga class (restorative yoga), they don't laugh at you as much and when you look like you are in pain with a particular pose they come by with blankets to help. It did feel good to stretch out. I also went for a run on Wednesday realizing it was my last one for a while before starting up on the chemo again. I had to walk the last half mile so I think the radiation is taking its toll, at least that's the story I told the dogs when they looked at me in disbelief.

I met with my oncologist on Thursday after the drip and that was the best part of my day. My blood counts are great. He was very pleased that they have not dropped at all and my bone marrow looked good as well. Apparently all those years of healthy living (only eating hamburgers and chorizo burritos when Cynthia was not looking) have paid off.

They did start me on a couple of other medications the counter some of the radiation and chemo effects including Flow Max and Prilosec, I think I am one pill away from complete geriatrics.

I have about 2 more weeks to go, they are not sure if they are going to do a radiation boost of another 3-5 treatments. I will then get more invasive exams and they will set a tentative surgery schedule. They may do a round of chemo after surgery just so I have something to look forward to, but I should be completely wrapped up in 3-4 months.

The older English Lady in the chemo room (lung cancer patient fro smoking) actually gave me a Bill Bryson book because she said she enjoyed my laugh. She then proceeded to point out to me in the room who she thought was a "goner." I was a little shocked so she explained to me that is what they say in England "a goner." Obviously I am not in that category or she would not have invested in the book for me.

I do appreciate her support but even more so all the other support from friends and family. I know it has been hard on Cynthia and the boys, but they are all doing well. With all the good news about my condition I know the prayers and good thoughts are coming through. I have been warned by both doctors that the effects are cumulative and I will be more and more exhausted the next three weeks but I will continue to update as I go.

May 20

The weekend off of radiation and Chemo was a nice relief. Saturday I went to Aaron's track meet. CIF final might sound exciting, but in reality I sat in 100 degree heat for 2 hours after driving for 1 hour up there to watch probably a total of 20 seconds of his vaulting. I was pretty exhausted after. On Sunday I felt the best since starting treatment. I tried Yoga with Cynthia, they lost me when I was suppose to go from lizard to falling angel (at first I though she said fallen angel, and I thought "hey I got this one"). After class the instruction directed me to other more appropriate classes for someone with the flexibility of a kiln dried hickory stick.

I felt good enough Monday morning to go for a run with the dogs. It was not pretty but it felt good to get out. I started back with the radiation yesterday and today. The doctor has continued to encourage me to keep exercising saying the radiation will only continue to drain my energy. He also told me that the nurses were having a laugh at my expense when I told them in my check up that I get tired in the afternoon and need to take naps. ("what did he expect and why is he still running if he is so tired") I am very glad I could be the source of amusement for not only the other yoga participants who could contort their body and balance in completely unnatural positions, but also to the nursing staff at St. Joseph's radiology department.

I am dreading and looking forward to getting back on the Chemo on Thursday, although I have been warned that the next two weeks will be very draining. Iam meeting with my oncologist on Thursday and I am trying to get with the surgeon to get and update on my surgery schedule. I will try to post later this week.

Thanks again for all the support.

May 17

Today I started to feel a little better. On Thursday I started a week break from the Chemo. I magically thought I would immediately feel better; unfortunately, I think the radiation is having more of a cumulative effect.



I did manage to watch Aaron's last track meet this morning at Mt. Sac and I am hoping to go to Yoga tomorrow. Since I think I am the most unlimber person in the world I am thinking this is a good time to start, no one will dare make fun of the the bald guy who looks like he is going through Chemo. I have not felt like running lately at all, I have tried to do some crunches and push ups so my muscles, or lack there of, do not completely atrophy. I am still loosing weight but nothing to be alarmed about. I think my appetite will come back during this respit. My blood levels are also holding right where they want them.



I go back to the heavily democratic chemo room on Thursday for the 4 hour drip. It is amazing to me that inside this room the norm of not speaking about politics or religion do not apply. I am also surprised to find that most of them are democrats, I fact I found out when I changed the TV to Fox news and was assaulted with what a bias news source it was. I thought better of engaging on which TV news station was not biased and went back to my Dave Barry. All this time, I thought Cynthia was the only democrat in Orange County.



I think my mid point of treatment is mid next week which is good news. I have been warned that the last weeks are very draining. I will keep trying to post. I also tried to update my profile to include a reply section and my e mail if you have any questions.



Bruce

May 12

Back to radiation today. They were running late so I received all kinds of advice in the men's dressing room. According to one elderly (75) gentleman, I should be smoking weed. He proceed to tell me it helps with the appetite and it is just a great high. I asked if he had a prescription, wrong question. Apparently his doctors do not agree with his views on medicine. He has also been smoking 2-3 packs of cigarettes a day for 60 years., and go figure,the doctors do not agree with that. I did not ask if he had a prescription for the cigarettes.

I was pretty exhausted this weekend and continuing into today. I am looking forward to my week off of chemo starting this Thursday. I did not run on Sunday, I did go for a walk with Cynthia for Mother's Day.

As the Oxilplatin wears off I hope to be feeling better and perhaps another run. thanks again for all the support, good wishes and positive thoughts.

May 9

I managed through yesterday. I have a hard time sitting down for an hour let alone 4 hours with an iv hooked up. Fortunately I was able to finish my first Dave Barry book. I started to feel a little guilty laughing in the Chemo room, but I got over it quickly. I was quizzed by a few other patients on what I was reading. I really wanted to say Jame Joyce or "War and Piece" rather than the equivalent of Garfield books for adults.

The good news is that is my second Oxilplatin drip with to more to go after a week off. I had a long radiation session today since they wanted to take pictures. I really hope these do not show up sometime later when I am running for public office.

The dogs did get to me on Wednesday and I went for a run, well at least for now we will call it a run. I did not do the hills, it was probably only 2.5 miles and the pace was at 10 minute miles. I of course can blame this on the dogs needing to stop to remark eveytree they have missed for the last week. Today and tomorrow I will be pretty wiped out, but I may try a jog on Sunday again, if the dogs are up to it.

Once again I would like to thank everyone for their support through this. Cynthia says I can not milk this so let's just try to do it with out her finding out.

May 7

Back to radiation this morning. I was actually hoping to try to do a short run this morning but it really did not work out. I am feeling like I really need to exercise; more importantly the dogs are really missing their runs through the wilderness park. They give such judgemental looks when I bring out the walking leashes.

Cynthia says my conditions of feeling nauseated and tired sounds like pregnancy. If that is the case, I really do not understand large families.

To answer a few questions, yes I am loosing weight but I am trying to monitor it. The funny thing is that the dietitian and the doctors do not want me eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. I had no idea how much I would miss all the healthy stuff, especially when they give me a green light on fattening stuff. 2nd question, I have not lost my remaining hair yet but it does seem to be turning grey. I have not read anywhere that grey hair is a side effect, but I am lost for another explanation.

Tomorrow I go in for my second Oxaliplatin drip and start my second week of 5 fu and radiation.
I will try to post Friday between naps.

Finally, I am sure a lot you are wanting to edit and return this, but please resist the temptation as I am constantly reminded by my loving family members of my lack of writing talent.

Bruce

May 5, update

First, thank you to Billy for setting this up. Hopefully I can keep it updated so if anyone wants to know where I am they can just log on to this page.

I have never really been sick so this is a new experience for me. I can not express how much the support of my wife, family and friends has helped me with the process. I have a great team of doctors but an even better support team.

This morning I received my 3rd of 25 radiation treatments. I am radiated 5 days a week with weekends and holidays off. Apparently Radiology does not view cinco de mayo as a holiday.

I am also taking 2000 mg of Xeloda orally every day. Xeloda is an oral dosage of 5-fu which has been a Chemo treatment forever. I will have 2 weeks of this treatment then 1 week off and then 2 more weeks. I am also receiving 4 doses of Oxaliplatin over 5 weeks. Oxaiplatin in a Chemo drug that is very effective against colorectol cancer. Unfortunately, the way it is administered is through a 3 hour inter venous drip session. (I do not like needles) I had my first session May 1.

From what I understand this is a very aggressive treatment course. We have selected this course to give me the best probability of survival and after going through the course the best quality of life. Right now I feel pretty overwhelmed, tired and on the edge of nausea.

Below is a brief history of how we got to where we are now:

I started having some bleeding and called my general doctor in February.

I was referred to a gastro intestinal specialist and he scheduled my colonoscopy.

I had the scope on April 10th and he found two polyps.

On April 11th one of the biopsies came back positive for cancer.

I met with a surgeon on April 14th and started all the testing. As it turned out both polyps were cancerous. The first one detected was poorly differentiated.

I have had an ultra sound, a CT-PET scan, and the slides have been reviewed by the surgeon, 2 pathologists. I was presented to the tumor board at St. Josephs Hospital in Orange. St. Josephs is a National Cancer Center.

The positive news is that the CT PET scan came back clear and only two lymph nodes were detected on the ultra sound and they are very small. This is all very good news. It is being classified as stage 1 cancer.

We have selected a very aggressive treatment because of the type of cancer and because of my age. If all goes well I will have 6 weeks of radiation and Chemo, then I will have 6 weeks off and then surgery. The surgery currently suggested is major, I will be in the hospital for 5-7 days and then 2-3 weeks of recovery.