Wednesday I was at the hospital at 8.30 am for my blood test. Then I went and picked up my CT scan and provided it to reception for Dr Lisa. Spent time in the café having coffee and reading my spy book. Then back to the waiting room and after 11.00 saw Dr Nick Coupe, the registrar. He was very happy with the CT scan results. The main lesions being monitored in the liver had not changed since last time, indicating the cancer has stabilised. So, overall I have had a 37% reduction and now it is a matter of the cancer remaining ‘dormant’. When Dr Lisa Horvath joined us, she thought ‘dormant’ was an appropriate description.
She decided that I should move to maintenance chemotherapy, which means only the Avastin at the hospital and Xeloda Capecitabine tablets – four each morning and each night for two weeks in each cycle of three weeks. So, I have one week of no chemo. When holidaying for longer periods, I will not have any chemo. Every three months will be a CT scan to see what the cancer is doing. If, or when, there is an increase it will be zapped with regular chemo treatment and then back to maintenance mode. This will continue until it is decided there is no further benefit. Nick was optimistic that my prognosis is good. I am with him! The tablets are a similar chemo to the Fluorouracil in the bottle. This chemo can result in side effects of peeling palms and soles, and diarrhoea, which I am hoping will not occur.
My main hassle has been increased intensity of one of the side effects. Back at the last chemo treatment my side effects were some queasiness, morning light nose bleeding (and again this morning, from the Avastin), bit of discomfort in the mouth and numbness in the fingers and toes. All but the numbness disappeared quickly. I have sensation of both numbness and feeling. As Dr Lisa warned, the numbness has increased. The numbness has moved further down the fingers and spread from my toes to the balls of my feet. She thinks it now is at its maximum and will reduce. The reduction is likely to take two months, even a year and might not completely disappear. Meanwhile, I dropped my camera on concrete in Penang but it is still working. A sandwich slipped through my fingers at high tea. I am struggling to do up my button on the left cuff of long sleeved shirts – often need to sit and look hard – all buttons are more awkward. Lisa said my depth perception has been affected. So, I cannot touch type so well – often hitting wrong keys, especially with my right hand. Please forgive any mistakes remaining in this and the previous blog update. Hopefully, next time I report, there will be improvement.
So, I am feeling a little sorry for myself, as the numbness is a nuisance. Yesterday, my brother reminded me of the suffering I have seen in others and how minimal my hassles have been. He is right. Yesterday, I sat next to a 16 year old young Asian woman having chemo. Her stoic mother accompanied her and you could see the love and sadness in her eyes as she encouraged her daughter by her presence.
Today, I am finalising the blog entries after having met with our new financial planner, while Barbara is volunteering at the Petersham opportunity shop. Tonight ESFNG are coming here for dinner. I am listening to Cher’s Greatest Hits. I am thinking of reducing the size and frequency of my blog entries. Feel free to let me know what you think.
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