I met with my oncologist last week and complained about the neuropathy which seems to be getting worse. Basically, people who go through the folfox treatment end up with much worse neuropathy than I am experiencing according to my oncologist. He also told me part of my problems, including the exhastion, was that I was exercising too much. So I have backed off to one activity a day, alternating between bowflex, walking and yoga with every 3rd day for rest. I have also been on the Colon Club web site, which also makes me realize how lucky I have been.
The good news is that I am starting to put back on some weight. For the record, I stared at 162 and went down to 139; today I am back up to 146, which is where I think I was in High School. Also, for the record, I have lost more hair (as hard as that is to believe) from all over my body. I am told it will grow back, but either way, no great loss.
I am still anxious to get on with the final surgery and move on with life. I have returned to work going into the office until early afternoon when I need to come home and nap, now a speciality of mine.
I meet with the surgeon again on February 11th and if all goes well I will get an "x ray" to determine if I am ready for the surgery, in the meantime I keep eating, exercising, making others aware of this increasing health risk, and being thankful of all my blessings including all the support, prayers and thoughts.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Happy New Year
Happy New Year to everyone. I was really ready to get past 2008 and move on. After Christmas the family ventured to Portland. The truth is that I think everyone needed a break from me, including myself. The trip was much harder than I expected. The air travel wore me out and I was cold the entire time and really could not get warm. The plus side was that Cynthia and the boys had a great trip and it was really good for me to get away.
The neuropathy has seemed to get much worse after the last chemo treatment. I have now learned, after going to a support group, that this is very common. I thought it would be a cake walk once after the last treatment, but life has many surprises.
This week I had a CT scan and a visit with my surgeon. The good news was that the scan was clear, no cancer to be seen. The bad news was that I am still not completely healed from the surgery and damage from the Chemo and Radiation and there is a lot of inflammation. The surgeon was pleased with my progress and still thinks I will completely heal with out additional surgeries. I have to wait a month and get an x ray. If I have healed up and the inflammation is gone he will do the final surgery and I can put this episode of my life in the history file.
I mentioned the support group. St. Josephs has a specific Colo-Rectal cancer support group. They meet once a month but due to my chemo schedule, I could not make any of the previous meetings. I went on Tuesday night. I learned a lot. The more I know the more I realize how lucky I am and how critical the early detection was to my positive outcome. I am planning on making this one of my ongoing campaigns to get guys under 50 to get tested. There were too many examples of people ignoring early warning signs and having disastrous results. I also learned how being in good health prior to this really saved me a lot of problems and basically, although brutal, I did not have near the problems as many who wne through the same treatment course. Many still have the neuropathy significantly worse than I am experiencing and they are 1-3 years post chemo. Many had significant problems because they were not completely healed when the did the reversal and ended up with really bad problems.
I was really not pleased with not being able to finalize this this week. Today I decided to move on, so I am back on the bow flex and I walked a couple of miles through the hills, hoping to start running again next week.
I meet with my oncologist on Thursday, hopefully he gives me the all clear and all my blood work matched the CT scan. For now I am thankful for the news I have and I am moving on. The other thing the support group showed me is how important outside support is to the recovery. So again I want to thank everyone for their prayers, good wishes, help and concern over the last 8 long months.
Bruce
The neuropathy has seemed to get much worse after the last chemo treatment. I have now learned, after going to a support group, that this is very common. I thought it would be a cake walk once after the last treatment, but life has many surprises.
This week I had a CT scan and a visit with my surgeon. The good news was that the scan was clear, no cancer to be seen. The bad news was that I am still not completely healed from the surgery and damage from the Chemo and Radiation and there is a lot of inflammation. The surgeon was pleased with my progress and still thinks I will completely heal with out additional surgeries. I have to wait a month and get an x ray. If I have healed up and the inflammation is gone he will do the final surgery and I can put this episode of my life in the history file.
I mentioned the support group. St. Josephs has a specific Colo-Rectal cancer support group. They meet once a month but due to my chemo schedule, I could not make any of the previous meetings. I went on Tuesday night. I learned a lot. The more I know the more I realize how lucky I am and how critical the early detection was to my positive outcome. I am planning on making this one of my ongoing campaigns to get guys under 50 to get tested. There were too many examples of people ignoring early warning signs and having disastrous results. I also learned how being in good health prior to this really saved me a lot of problems and basically, although brutal, I did not have near the problems as many who wne through the same treatment course. Many still have the neuropathy significantly worse than I am experiencing and they are 1-3 years post chemo. Many had significant problems because they were not completely healed when the did the reversal and ended up with really bad problems.
I was really not pleased with not being able to finalize this this week. Today I decided to move on, so I am back on the bow flex and I walked a couple of miles through the hills, hoping to start running again next week.
I meet with my oncologist on Thursday, hopefully he gives me the all clear and all my blood work matched the CT scan. For now I am thankful for the news I have and I am moving on. The other thing the support group showed me is how important outside support is to the recovery. So again I want to thank everyone for their prayers, good wishes, help and concern over the last 8 long months.
Bruce
Friday, December 26, 2008
Merry Christmas, December 26
I had a great Christmas, it is good to be on the road to recovery. The surgery last week went well. The surgeon did only half the anticipated repair work because my body had already healed part way on the second part of the surgery; so in mid surgery he decided not to stitch me but see if I could heal on my own as the chemo moves out of my system. If it works great, if not I will have another minor surgery before the big one.
I have started acupuncture and pranic healing to help my body recover and heal. It is quite an experience but it seems to be working as far as I can tell. I am reading more on the combination of the eastern medicine with the current treatments; it is very interesting especially while I am going through it. There is so much to learn.
The last treatment has stayed with me quite a while, or so it seems. I still have good and bad days but the good days seem a little better each time and the bad days seem easier to get through. I know some of the side effects can/will stay with me for 6-18 months, but it is a small price to pay for the anticipated results.
I will have a CT scan on the 13th and another visit/exam with the surgeon and oncologist on the 22nd of January. If all shows well, they will schedule the "final" surgery at the end of January. that will be 2-3 days in the hospital and then I will start the final road to recovery. I am really looking forward to my 50th birthday in April anticipating that almost every part of this journey will be behind me.
I hope everyone has a great holiday and a Happy New Year, for me it will be a great New Year.
Bruce
I have started acupuncture and pranic healing to help my body recover and heal. It is quite an experience but it seems to be working as far as I can tell. I am reading more on the combination of the eastern medicine with the current treatments; it is very interesting especially while I am going through it. There is so much to learn.
The last treatment has stayed with me quite a while, or so it seems. I still have good and bad days but the good days seem a little better each time and the bad days seem easier to get through. I know some of the side effects can/will stay with me for 6-18 months, but it is a small price to pay for the anticipated results.
I will have a CT scan on the 13th and another visit/exam with the surgeon and oncologist on the 22nd of January. If all shows well, they will schedule the "final" surgery at the end of January. that will be 2-3 days in the hospital and then I will start the final road to recovery. I am really looking forward to my 50th birthday in April anticipating that almost every part of this journey will be behind me.
I hope everyone has a great holiday and a Happy New Year, for me it will be a great New Year.
Bruce
Monday, December 15, 2008
Through the Last Storm
I had may last chemo session last Wednesday. I am getting through with the knowledge that everyday I will be feeling better and getting rid of all the drugs in my system.
These last sessions have been harder on my body. To help get through it I have take 2 sessions of acupuncture and 1 session of pranic healing at the yoga studio. I definitely feel the difference with the acupuncture. The pranic healing should help with the post surgeries recoveries.
Cynthia still thinks I am rushing everything, especially with the surgery this Wednesday, but I am so anxious to put this behind me and moving forward. The oncology staff was amazed that I stayed on schedule, but do to the good care from Cynthia and all the prayers and good wished, I was the 1 in 500 according to the receptionist.
I will update the blog after the results of the surgery, I am anticipating a smooth procedure and a quick recovery for a Merry Christmas.
Bruce
These last sessions have been harder on my body. To help get through it I have take 2 sessions of acupuncture and 1 session of pranic healing at the yoga studio. I definitely feel the difference with the acupuncture. The pranic healing should help with the post surgeries recoveries.
Cynthia still thinks I am rushing everything, especially with the surgery this Wednesday, but I am so anxious to put this behind me and moving forward. The oncology staff was amazed that I stayed on schedule, but do to the good care from Cynthia and all the prayers and good wished, I was the 1 in 500 according to the receptionist.
I will update the blog after the results of the surgery, I am anticipating a smooth procedure and a quick recovery for a Merry Christmas.
Bruce
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thanksgiving
I never though feeling so bad would feel good. I made it through my 7th session and it has really taken it out of me. The encouragement is that I have only one left.
I met with my oncologist on Wednesday as I was finishing up the infusion. I tried to talk my way out of part of the final treatment, but he feels I am doing very well and wants to finish the full course. I guess I have come this far...
The other good news is so far my blood counts have remained up and they see no reason to delay the final treatment. The medicines are doing a great job of countering most of the side effects but the exhaustion continues to increase. Lost of naps and rest periods.
We had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving dinner with our neighbors although I was only able to last for a few hours.
In spite of how I feel currently, I am really looking forward to my final chemo session and finally giving my body a chance to get rid of all this poisen and start the road to recovery.
I was going to post yesterday to thank everyone again and wish everyone a happy thanksgiving, but atlast, I just ran out of energy, so Happy Thanksgiving and thank you again for all the love, support, prayers and good wishes.
Bruce
I met with my oncologist on Wednesday as I was finishing up the infusion. I tried to talk my way out of part of the final treatment, but he feels I am doing very well and wants to finish the full course. I guess I have come this far...
The other good news is so far my blood counts have remained up and they see no reason to delay the final treatment. The medicines are doing a great job of countering most of the side effects but the exhaustion continues to increase. Lost of naps and rest periods.
We had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving dinner with our neighbors although I was only able to last for a few hours.
In spite of how I feel currently, I am really looking forward to my final chemo session and finally giving my body a chance to get rid of all this poisen and start the road to recovery.
I was going to post yesterday to thank everyone again and wish everyone a happy thanksgiving, but atlast, I just ran out of energy, so Happy Thanksgiving and thank you again for all the love, support, prayers and good wishes.
Bruce
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
November 18, running on empty
I am sorry for not updating so long. When I started receiving calls to see if I was still alive, I knew it was time to update.
I finished my 6th treatment last Wednesday and it really took it out of me. For 4 days following removing the pump I was pretty out of it. In addition (piling on use to be a penalty) I met with my surgeon last week who told me that everything had not healed according to plan. He feels confident that the final results will be the same in the end, I just have to have another repair surgery (Scheduled for December 17) prior to the final surgery (probably end of January). It is a long road but hopefully there is a happy ending.
The good news is that my blood counts remain high enough that I do not need shots or transfusions and I can keep on the Chemo schedule. The sooner I get done with Chemo the better. I am on a myriad of drugs to manage most of the side effects. The biggest problem continues to be exhaustion. It is hard to go for more that 4-5 hours with out needing a nap and my mind is definitely more clear in the mornings which when I have been working. I do feel good about being able to continue to work through this although my coworkers might not feel the same given my mood on some days.
All in all, I still feel incredibly fortunate for the medicine, the team of doctors, and all the support from friends and family. I am convinced this will all be a bad dream by the time my 50th birthday rolls around in April.
Thanks again for all the love, prayers and good wishes.
Bruce
I finished my 6th treatment last Wednesday and it really took it out of me. For 4 days following removing the pump I was pretty out of it. In addition (piling on use to be a penalty) I met with my surgeon last week who told me that everything had not healed according to plan. He feels confident that the final results will be the same in the end, I just have to have another repair surgery (Scheduled for December 17) prior to the final surgery (probably end of January). It is a long road but hopefully there is a happy ending.
The good news is that my blood counts remain high enough that I do not need shots or transfusions and I can keep on the Chemo schedule. The sooner I get done with Chemo the better. I am on a myriad of drugs to manage most of the side effects. The biggest problem continues to be exhaustion. It is hard to go for more that 4-5 hours with out needing a nap and my mind is definitely more clear in the mornings which when I have been working. I do feel good about being able to continue to work through this although my coworkers might not feel the same given my mood on some days.
All in all, I still feel incredibly fortunate for the medicine, the team of doctors, and all the support from friends and family. I am convinced this will all be a bad dream by the time my 50th birthday rolls around in April.
Thanks again for all the love, prayers and good wishes.
Bruce
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
