and now it's January 25th and I'm still in the hospital. Things keep going up and down. I was going to write about some other difficulties dealing with cancer, but I'm tired so I'm just going to leave this little update. I'm still not sure when I'm getting out of here.
blah
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Friday, January 19, 2007
Clinically speaking...
Well all, it's been a busy busy month for me. Just to get you caught up, I'll forgo any of my usual charm and wit, and will go with a more straight forward approach.
Dec 27th, 2006 - (threw up) I visited my doctor for my first treatment of the chemotherapy Irinotican
Dec 28th, 2006 - (threw up) Any substance that might have once been food has now turned into pure liquid and is heading at full speed towards the nearest exit.
Dec 31st, 2006 - (threw up) A fearless band of British explorers brave outrageous winter weather and the Garden State Parkway in order to chime in the new year by watching me sink into my couch in between volatile visits to the bathroom.
Jan 3rd, 2007 - (threw up) I return for my second round of chemo. My doctor said "If you were so sick, why didn't you call me?" to which I replied "I thought this was just how the chemo was going to be." My doctor looked down, shook his head, and mumbled "idiot". Later that day the doctor admitted me to the hospital for dehydration.
Jan 6th, 2007 - (threw up) I'm re hydrated and keeping down most of my food, so they let me out of the hospital. I head to my dad's house to chill until my next chemo.
Jan 10th, 2007 - (threw up) I went back for round three of the chemo. My body, even after having spent that time in the hospital, was still not ready for chemo. I had not stopped throwing up since I left the hospital and my bowels have been flowing like the Hudson. My doctor said he wouldn't give me chemo because my body couldn't handle it just then. He also felt that there had to be another reason the vomiting and diarrhea. He said I needed to rehydrate again and also have a ct scan. I could do them on and out patient basis, or he could admit me. I decided to try the outpatient route.
Jan 11th, 2007 - (threw up) I wake up to go have my ct scan but my body is just exhausted and I don't have enough energy to walk to the front door. I decided to go with my other option; get admitted back into the hospital. Later that evening I'm admitted and had a ct scan which revealed a blockage in my colon.
Jan 13th, 2007 A colonoscopy shows that the blockage is in part because there is a lot of swelling in my colon, most likely from the chemo. The doctor also finds 2 ulcers, again probably from the chemo.
Over the next few days I've gotten a little better, then a little worse, then a little better. I also got another round of chemo on the 17th. It looks as though things are leveling out. I'll probably be home tomorrow. With a few medicinal adjuncts, I should be able to return to a chemo schedule where I'm only sick for a few days and then I have good days in which to live. We shall see.
Dec 27th, 2006 - (threw up) I visited my doctor for my first treatment of the chemotherapy Irinotican
Dec 28th, 2006 - (threw up) Any substance that might have once been food has now turned into pure liquid and is heading at full speed towards the nearest exit.
Dec 31st, 2006 - (threw up) A fearless band of British explorers brave outrageous winter weather and the Garden State Parkway in order to chime in the new year by watching me sink into my couch in between volatile visits to the bathroom.
Jan 3rd, 2007 - (threw up) I return for my second round of chemo. My doctor said "If you were so sick, why didn't you call me?" to which I replied "I thought this was just how the chemo was going to be." My doctor looked down, shook his head, and mumbled "idiot". Later that day the doctor admitted me to the hospital for dehydration.
Jan 6th, 2007 - (threw up) I'm re hydrated and keeping down most of my food, so they let me out of the hospital. I head to my dad's house to chill until my next chemo.
Jan 10th, 2007 - (threw up) I went back for round three of the chemo. My body, even after having spent that time in the hospital, was still not ready for chemo. I had not stopped throwing up since I left the hospital and my bowels have been flowing like the Hudson. My doctor said he wouldn't give me chemo because my body couldn't handle it just then. He also felt that there had to be another reason the vomiting and diarrhea. He said I needed to rehydrate again and also have a ct scan. I could do them on and out patient basis, or he could admit me. I decided to try the outpatient route.
Jan 11th, 2007 - (threw up) I wake up to go have my ct scan but my body is just exhausted and I don't have enough energy to walk to the front door. I decided to go with my other option; get admitted back into the hospital. Later that evening I'm admitted and had a ct scan which revealed a blockage in my colon.
Jan 13th, 2007 A colonoscopy shows that the blockage is in part because there is a lot of swelling in my colon, most likely from the chemo. The doctor also finds 2 ulcers, again probably from the chemo.
Over the next few days I've gotten a little better, then a little worse, then a little better. I also got another round of chemo on the 17th. It looks as though things are leveling out. I'll probably be home tomorrow. With a few medicinal adjuncts, I should be able to return to a chemo schedule where I'm only sick for a few days and then I have good days in which to live. We shall see.
Friday, January 05, 2007
You put the "lida" in "holidays"
When I was a child, holidays bore the full and epic importance of the events they commemorate. Valentine's Day was a celebration of love. Easter was the essence of my religion, remembering the resurrection of Jesus. In adolescence and young adulthood, the year was clearly divided in terms of school. Holidays became bold lines of demarcation. The summer began with Memorial Day, summer camp was in full swing by Independence Day, and Labor Day brought us back to academics. As I got older, holidays afforded an opportunity to revisit youth. Halloween was a time dress up in silly costumes, Thanksgiving a chance to revisit my Alma mater for the traditional football game. In adulthood Christmas had taken on it's more secular face and become a time for my family to gather together. New Year's Eve, some time ago, had become my first grown up holiday as I was able to invite my friends into my home to celebrate.
If you want to see the true meaning of holidays, take a walk down to the corner shop, pick yourself up some cancer, and view the world through tumor colored glasses. Holidays loose the holi and are just days.
This Christmas was wonderful because I got to spend some time with my family, including the newest member, my cousin's son Jonah. I love my family very much. Sitting the whole clan around the kitchen table, laughing and talking, snacking, while Aunt Frannie finishes cooking the day's meal is a comforting event that I look forward to every time we gather. The meal was delicious, as always. It was absolutely wonderful. But, even as we passed out our gifts to each other, my mind was two days away, the first day of my new chemo.
For the third December in a row, the end of the year brought with it not promises of new and exciting opportunities wit a fresh year, but instead the spectre of cancer and a new round of chemo. This year I began on December 28th. My doctor felt confident that this chemo would not make me too sick. Perhaps there would be a little nausea and some diarrhea, but nothing too debilitating. I also spoke with several people who had taken this drug, and they suggested the same outcome. It was not to be. By the next day, even with plenty of drugs to help me, I was vomiting on a daily basis.
New Year's Eve was a quiet event. Dougie and Naomi took pity on my ridiculously sick body, and spent the evening perched in my living room, watching me sleep, bitch and moan, and try to put some food down my gullet only to toss it all up at some point. I was passed out as 2006 gave way to 2007, curled up on my couch beneath layers of blankets as Doug and Naomi blew noise makers, wore silly hats, popped corks, danced around my living room, and cheered in the new year. Alright, that might have just been my delusion, I was passed out! The truth is that Doug was playing a video game on his laptop and I think Naomi was flipping through tv channels. Who has better friends?
Things haven't been much better this week. I'm actually writing this from a hospital bed. More on that later.
If you want to see the true meaning of holidays, take a walk down to the corner shop, pick yourself up some cancer, and view the world through tumor colored glasses. Holidays loose the holi and are just days.
This Christmas was wonderful because I got to spend some time with my family, including the newest member, my cousin's son Jonah. I love my family very much. Sitting the whole clan around the kitchen table, laughing and talking, snacking, while Aunt Frannie finishes cooking the day's meal is a comforting event that I look forward to every time we gather. The meal was delicious, as always. It was absolutely wonderful. But, even as we passed out our gifts to each other, my mind was two days away, the first day of my new chemo.
For the third December in a row, the end of the year brought with it not promises of new and exciting opportunities wit a fresh year, but instead the spectre of cancer and a new round of chemo. This year I began on December 28th. My doctor felt confident that this chemo would not make me too sick. Perhaps there would be a little nausea and some diarrhea, but nothing too debilitating. I also spoke with several people who had taken this drug, and they suggested the same outcome. It was not to be. By the next day, even with plenty of drugs to help me, I was vomiting on a daily basis.
New Year's Eve was a quiet event. Dougie and Naomi took pity on my ridiculously sick body, and spent the evening perched in my living room, watching me sleep, bitch and moan, and try to put some food down my gullet only to toss it all up at some point. I was passed out as 2006 gave way to 2007, curled up on my couch beneath layers of blankets as Doug and Naomi blew noise makers, wore silly hats, popped corks, danced around my living room, and cheered in the new year. Alright, that might have just been my delusion, I was passed out! The truth is that Doug was playing a video game on his laptop and I think Naomi was flipping through tv channels. Who has better friends?
Things haven't been much better this week. I'm actually writing this from a hospital bed. More on that later.
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