Well it has taken me a while to get a new post done. Since my last post things have changed, life has been hectic and I feel as if I have just been holding on for dear life! The last chemo protocol (the second study drug) went pretty well as far as how I felt and side effects. I felt tired but could still function during the week of chemo. I had an exhausting weekend with fevers and aches and pains but come Tuesday I felt great. So I really had two full weeks of feeling well for a change.
In that two week period a lot happened. My wonderful family came out and installed the basement laminate flooring which looks amazing. Ed helped with the floor and cooked an amazing dinner to feed the workers, David and Matt and Kevin did the floor and the molding and fixed some other odds and ends as well. Uncle Ramon stopped in a for a bit on the way to work and offered his expertise. With Anita's hard work at prepping the room and painting and then the 'putting back together' the room is amazing. We now have a space that we all enjoy using and for once we can use our fireplace comfortably! Thanks to the people who gave up a Saturday to help us out, we really appreciated it!
Next came the news that my Father had died. He had been staying in California with my oldest sister Cat and was receiving chemotherapy and radiation for lung cancer. I don't think anyone was really expecting it, even though he had been sick. I wasn't close with my father but it still was quite the blow. My brother David really held things together and took care of all of the details and there was a funeral and wake here in Connecticut where my father wanted to buried. As hard as the situation was, it was a chance to see many people, both friends and family that I hadn't seen in 15 years or more. The wake was held on February 14th and the funeral was on the 15th, which was also my daughter's birthday. We made sure that we took the time to celebrate Hannah's birthday as well and took her to the movies Friday night.
The weekend brought the barrage of birthday parties for Hannah. We had a family and friends party on Saturday with 30 or so people and that was a blast. We are so blessed to have a wonderful family and a group of friends that meld effortlessly together and make for a great afternoon of laughter and fun. The night closed with the adults taking over the new karaoke machine and trying their skills... rather amusing for those of us who stayed on the sidelines.
Sunday's party was just school friends. Mass pandemonium. Craziness. Screaming children who lose all sense of right and wrong and which end is up. After what seemed like 10 hours, pizza, cake, snacks and present opening it was over. The parties completed and the house returned to some semblance of normalcy.
Thursday of the week of my Father’s funeral I also went to see my oncologist. In the two week time of feeling well I also started with a few new lumps and the ones I had before were getting bigger and more painful. We talked for a long time about my options and if we thought that the chemo protocol that I had just tried was working. When we decided that we were not going to continue with the second study drug I made the decision to leave that realm of study drugs and go to tradition chemotherapies. My two experiences with the study medications did not prove to be effective and emotionally as well as in many other ways I felt I needed to use a medication that was more ‘tried and true’.
My doctor felt that with as aggressive and my cancer has been that we need to be more aggressive in treating it and suggested a five day in-patient chemotherapy regimen. The protocol is called EPOCH. I get the medications as a constant 96 hour infusion given at a slow rate to minimize the side effects. So the plan on Thursday was that I would be admitted to the hospital on Monday morning to begin treatment.
This protocol is going to be much harder, in many ways. I have to be away from my family and stay at Yale for a minimum of 5 days every 21 days. The drugs will make me much more sick and I will lose my hair. The recovery time for each cycle will be much longer, leaving less time of feeling good between therapies. I will not be able to work as much and financially that will hurt as well. Anita will be the solo Mom at home and with work and school and all that is no easy feat.
So today is Tuesday. I was admitted yesterday late morning. (thanks for the ride Lyne) I had a CAT scan and bloodwork done and finally around 8pm I was started on the medications. So far so good. I didn’t sleep much but will try and remedy that today with some naps. I haven’t really felt nauseous until this morning and they added some drugs and that is better. I will do my best to keep my positive attitude and get through this week.
I miss Anita and Hannah and the critters already. So please keep up your positive thoughts and prayers for me and my family. And I will do all I can on my end to be the good patient and get better. I will also try and get back on track and keep you all updated on the BLOG. Hopefully we can get back to the shorter posts and be sure to get some humor flowing again.
In that two week period a lot happened. My wonderful family came out and installed the basement laminate flooring which looks amazing. Ed helped with the floor and cooked an amazing dinner to feed the workers, David and Matt and Kevin did the floor and the molding and fixed some other odds and ends as well. Uncle Ramon stopped in a for a bit on the way to work and offered his expertise. With Anita's hard work at prepping the room and painting and then the 'putting back together' the room is amazing. We now have a space that we all enjoy using and for once we can use our fireplace comfortably! Thanks to the people who gave up a Saturday to help us out, we really appreciated it!
Next came the news that my Father had died. He had been staying in California with my oldest sister Cat and was receiving chemotherapy and radiation for lung cancer. I don't think anyone was really expecting it, even though he had been sick. I wasn't close with my father but it still was quite the blow. My brother David really held things together and took care of all of the details and there was a funeral and wake here in Connecticut where my father wanted to buried. As hard as the situation was, it was a chance to see many people, both friends and family that I hadn't seen in 15 years or more. The wake was held on February 14th and the funeral was on the 15th, which was also my daughter's birthday. We made sure that we took the time to celebrate Hannah's birthday as well and took her to the movies Friday night.
The weekend brought the barrage of birthday parties for Hannah. We had a family and friends party on Saturday with 30 or so people and that was a blast. We are so blessed to have a wonderful family and a group of friends that meld effortlessly together and make for a great afternoon of laughter and fun. The night closed with the adults taking over the new karaoke machine and trying their skills... rather amusing for those of us who stayed on the sidelines.
Sunday's party was just school friends. Mass pandemonium. Craziness. Screaming children who lose all sense of right and wrong and which end is up. After what seemed like 10 hours, pizza, cake, snacks and present opening it was over. The parties completed and the house returned to some semblance of normalcy.
Thursday of the week of my Father’s funeral I also went to see my oncologist. In the two week time of feeling well I also started with a few new lumps and the ones I had before were getting bigger and more painful. We talked for a long time about my options and if we thought that the chemo protocol that I had just tried was working. When we decided that we were not going to continue with the second study drug I made the decision to leave that realm of study drugs and go to tradition chemotherapies. My two experiences with the study medications did not prove to be effective and emotionally as well as in many other ways I felt I needed to use a medication that was more ‘tried and true’.
My doctor felt that with as aggressive and my cancer has been that we need to be more aggressive in treating it and suggested a five day in-patient chemotherapy regimen. The protocol is called EPOCH. I get the medications as a constant 96 hour infusion given at a slow rate to minimize the side effects. So the plan on Thursday was that I would be admitted to the hospital on Monday morning to begin treatment.
This protocol is going to be much harder, in many ways. I have to be away from my family and stay at Yale for a minimum of 5 days every 21 days. The drugs will make me much more sick and I will lose my hair. The recovery time for each cycle will be much longer, leaving less time of feeling good between therapies. I will not be able to work as much and financially that will hurt as well. Anita will be the solo Mom at home and with work and school and all that is no easy feat.
So today is Tuesday. I was admitted yesterday late morning. (thanks for the ride Lyne) I had a CAT scan and bloodwork done and finally around 8pm I was started on the medications. So far so good. I didn’t sleep much but will try and remedy that today with some naps. I haven’t really felt nauseous until this morning and they added some drugs and that is better. I will do my best to keep my positive attitude and get through this week.
I miss Anita and Hannah and the critters already. So please keep up your positive thoughts and prayers for me and my family. And I will do all I can on my end to be the good patient and get better. I will also try and get back on track and keep you all updated on the BLOG. Hopefully we can get back to the shorter posts and be sure to get some humor flowing again.
Anita helped me get a picture of my new necklace last night. The picture at the top of the post is a gift from my lovely wife. Its a necklace that says "strength, faith, hope, survivior". I think that about covers it. I haven't taken it off and I look at it frequently. Thanks sweet pea. I love it.
7 comments:
My Dear Little Seeester,
Hang on tight and keep smiling! We are all cheering you on and thinking happy thoughts.
Love ya
Kiki
Hey Tisha,
That was a lot of updating to do. You did a good job.
Hannah and I miss you too. Clementine has been keeping your side of the bed warm. She misses having that valley between us on the bed to snuggle in.
I'm glad you like the necklace. Keep the faith, stay strong, don't give up hope and you will be a survivor. Hannah and I believe that and we are counting on it.
I love you,
Anita
HELLO TISHA, I am glad you were able to post again. Thanx for the update. I did not realize that this protocol was 5 days every 21 days. That really bites. I had heard that you will be needing a bone marrow transplant in the future, is that still the game plan? (EVERYONE GET OUT AND REGISTER TO BE A DONOR IT IS AN EASY PROCEDURE TO DO) Well, remember I have 3 days off a week, so I will come haunt you and tell raunchy inappropriate stories to make you giggle. I love the necklace, it is perfect. I also love the picture of you and Hannah. Maybe you need some webkins to keep you warm while you are at the hospital? Love, Heather
Thinking of you this week! Hoping that the side effects are not too horrid this time. Nice that they can give you the anti-nausea drugs right there! Keep good thoughts!
Thanks for the update. You sound really strong and that neckless will definitly give you the energy you need to beat this thing. We miss you at work everyone is asking about you . Some don't want to bug Anita so they come to me, I am more then happy to give people updates on you. I will try to hide this update from Gino cause we know he will just all emotional (that big giant guy with the huge heart for the ones he loves). But I do give him updates. Be strong and I will talk to you soon.
Love, Rose P.S. The word verification (when you look at it quick to me says) y sexy!!
Rose, there is no doubt in my mind your verification word was 'sexy' mine at this point is kzwlp. So I have no comment.
Thanks for helping Anita with the work updates, I know it can be overwhelming for her.
And you can tell the big guy that I'm going to be okay. I've got great family (anita and hannah and the huge extended parts) and friends to take care of me and help me through this.
Thanks for posting, I love seeing responses.
Tisha
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