Surprise Surprise Surprise

Yesterday was iv chemo day. The pre-medication discussion with my oncologist yielded some unexpected results. I explained to him that the side effects from the Oxaliplatin lasted for more than two weeks, to which he replied "Hmmm...they should only last for a couple of days." We talked about the treatment, and made plans for a ct scan after the next iv chemo. He gave me the option of cutting down the dosage of Oxaliplatin, explaining that cutting down on the sickness may also cut down on the efficacy of the drug. I mulled it over for a while. I was fearful that another iv treatment at the same dose, having an accumulative effect, would now have me ill for three weeks, bringing me right back to the next treatment without any respite, and that is a very unappealing concept. I had to face a similar dilemma the first time I went through chemo, and back them I opted for lowering the dosage, and this time I went the same route, and took a lower dose of the chemo.

Yesterday, right after the treatment, I felt relatively fine. No nausea, no gi problems, and just a bit tired. I did sleep a lot yesterday, last night, and this morning, but when I finally woke up I had an appetite!! The last couple of treatments left me without the urge to eat for at least 4 days. Again today, I have no nausea, but my stomach is sort of upset. I have a little more energy than expected. The tingling in my fingers and the pain in my jaw is still present, but I'm hoping this will only last a few days rather than two weeks.

I'm usually a positive person. I may bitch and moan about things, but overall I believe that things will work out. Situations won't simply improve on their own, but if we work towards the resolution we want, I believe the outcome will be positive. But, in the mean time, I will be the first one to ramble on about the absolute suckiness of the situation. To me, complaining is just part of the healing process. Better to get the negative thoughts out than to let them fester. So here I am, feeling not as absolutely horrible as my other tangles with this chemo drug, and of course I have to find something to worry about. I'm concerned that lowering the dose is also lowering the killing power of the drug. Sure, we talked about it, and I understood both sides of my decision. Cancer sucks!