I am delighted to be writing this from the therapy unit in my clinic!
Yes, my white cells are now behaving again - in fact they have gone OTT! This time last week they were "1.03", 0.5 below the treatment threshold. This week they are 9!! That's way out at the other end of the spectrum, well beyond the norm.
But no "complaints" - we're back on the Carousel, already feeling the benefits of the steroids!
Why do I say "back on the Carousel"? Because it's been an interesting week or so, something of a paradox that while my "numbers" have continued to be brilliant (neutrophils not withstanding), I've been a tad tired and listless. No immediate explanation, although we suspect a surfeit of iron; so we've agreed to cut the iron supplement down and see what happens. Such a juggling act!
But its not been a constant struggle - we had a brilliant "Burn's Night" last Saturday evening; with great food, super company and brilliant entertainment (Diana starred on her melodeon, and I even sang!). And now we're looking forward to a night away, tomorrow, having dinner with the couple who introduced us almost 36 years ago :-)
PS: today is a notable day: exactly a year since my first chemo session. Then I was so anxious, even frightened. Now I am among good friends - quite a few who I met that first day, and with whom I have a wonderful relationship.
Wednesday, 28 January 2015
Friday, 23 January 2015
Therapies: one postponed and another enjoyed.
Yesterday I should have been in therapy, but frustratingly my white blood cell count was down below a threshold :-( And that's a no-no for chemo.
Seems these things happen, and there's no way to predict what white cells might do. I wondered if it might be because of this cough (and intermittent sore throat) but it seems not. All the medics would say is chemo attacks white cells like everything else. I'm therefore on an out-of-cycle course of the "white cell stimulating" injections, with a hope that the number will be good on Monday, enabling therapy to restart next Thursday.
And, talking of good numbers, the blood test that highlighted the white cell challenge also showed my CEA marker is down... again!
We're now in uncharted territory, nudging the 100's. Maybe I need to look at the effect of this chemo regime on white cells as "just" collateral damage of its positive effect on the lesions? Who knows... So long as it continues to work, I'll take anything.
But, yesterday I did have therapy - of the Bowen and CST kinds! Once I heard the news about chemotherapy, we quickly decided to book a session with our physical therapist, and a great session it was too. Highly recommended!
Seems these things happen, and there's no way to predict what white cells might do. I wondered if it might be because of this cough (and intermittent sore throat) but it seems not. All the medics would say is chemo attacks white cells like everything else. I'm therefore on an out-of-cycle course of the "white cell stimulating" injections, with a hope that the number will be good on Monday, enabling therapy to restart next Thursday.
And, talking of good numbers, the blood test that highlighted the white cell challenge also showed my CEA marker is down... again!
We're now in uncharted territory, nudging the 100's. Maybe I need to look at the effect of this chemo regime on white cells as "just" collateral damage of its positive effect on the lesions? Who knows... So long as it continues to work, I'll take anything.
But, yesterday I did have therapy - of the Bowen and CST kinds! Once I heard the news about chemotherapy, we quickly decided to book a session with our physical therapist, and a great session it was too. Highly recommended!
Friday, 16 January 2015
It's smaller!
Yippee!
It's all worthwhile!
Just home after our consultation with the SIRT specialist... and learnt, for the first time since we began this journey over a year ago, that my liver's lesions have shrunk!
The MRI and CT scans have shown that the combination of SIRT and avastin/folfox has in the last few months reduced the tumors in my liver "to some degree", although it is not possible to say which has done what. But given the way my CEA number has been steadily dropping I'm inclined to believe the MAB/chemo has been more significant, and that the SIRT's impact has turned out to be less than we hoped/prayed for.
But, actually, that's not a bad thing per se, since SIRT was a one-off treatment with a wide variety of possible outcomes, whereas Chemo is an ongoing therapy and will hopefully continue to make a difference over the coming months. ("no reason why not")
And, to add to our joys, the scans showed no developments anywhere else - all our attention can be focused on my liver without worrying about lesions elsewhere.
So GOOD NEWS all round!
In "other news"; Monday was a great day (more brilliant CST), but the days that followed have been tough, being the most difficult in the 2 week cycle - I've learnt to go with the flow, take it easy and stick to light duties. Returning strength today has been well timed!! And I continue to put on weight... and cough.
The Carousel spins...
It's all worthwhile!
Just home after our consultation with the SIRT specialist... and learnt, for the first time since we began this journey over a year ago, that my liver's lesions have shrunk!
The MRI and CT scans have shown that the combination of SIRT and avastin/folfox has in the last few months reduced the tumors in my liver "to some degree", although it is not possible to say which has done what. But given the way my CEA number has been steadily dropping I'm inclined to believe the MAB/chemo has been more significant, and that the SIRT's impact has turned out to be less than we hoped/prayed for.
But, actually, that's not a bad thing per se, since SIRT was a one-off treatment with a wide variety of possible outcomes, whereas Chemo is an ongoing therapy and will hopefully continue to make a difference over the coming months. ("no reason why not")
And, to add to our joys, the scans showed no developments anywhere else - all our attention can be focused on my liver without worrying about lesions elsewhere.
So GOOD NEWS all round!
In "other news"; Monday was a great day (more brilliant CST), but the days that followed have been tough, being the most difficult in the 2 week cycle - I've learnt to go with the flow, take it easy and stick to light duties. Returning strength today has been well timed!! And I continue to put on weight... and cough.
The Carousel spins...
Saturday, 10 January 2015
Sunshine and Showers
Whatever the weather outside (and it's vile), the last week has been "sunshine and showers" for us. The lurgy remained with us for a few more days, being particularly nasty to Diana, and its after effects are only slowly diminishing (such a frustrating cough!) - but the rain storm over the Carousel is clearing...
...to sunny spells. I was delighted my blood test late last week declared me "clear"of virus and bugs, or at least well enough for treatment this week. Sadly, there was no available chairs on Tuesday (as originally planned) so I have had to slip a full week, being infused on the "regular Thursday", albeit three weeks (not two) after the last treatment. But, as per my last posting, those extra days off did prove useful, and I am still feeling really well (if it wasn't for this blasted cough!) - and quite active too, enjoying walking again - particularly to a close friend's for tea!
And just 6 days now to the review of my SIRT scans...
PS:
Several of you (mostly overseas!) had not heard of the lurgy or lurgi (more exactly "the dreaded lurgy") - a mythical deadly illness, first discovered in the 1950's during a radio comedy show called "The Goons" - and said not to have killed a single trombonist (the only cure is to play a brass instrument). It is still a common phrase, refering to anything "nasty" like a bad cold or man-flu.
And "fillip" was new to some too - "a boost or stimulus"
...to sunny spells. I was delighted my blood test late last week declared me "clear"of virus and bugs, or at least well enough for treatment this week. Sadly, there was no available chairs on Tuesday (as originally planned) so I have had to slip a full week, being infused on the "regular Thursday", albeit three weeks (not two) after the last treatment. But, as per my last posting, those extra days off did prove useful, and I am still feeling really well (if it wasn't for this blasted cough!) - and quite active too, enjoying walking again - particularly to a close friend's for tea!
And just 6 days now to the review of my SIRT scans...
PS:
Several of you (mostly overseas!) had not heard of the lurgy or lurgi (more exactly "the dreaded lurgy") - a mythical deadly illness, first discovered in the 1950's during a radio comedy show called "The Goons" - and said not to have killed a single trombonist (the only cure is to play a brass instrument). It is still a common phrase, refering to anything "nasty" like a bad cold or man-flu.
And "fillip" was new to some too - "a boost or stimulus"
Friday, 2 January 2015
Paying the piper. But good news too
I guess it was almost inevitable... The moment everyone left us on Sunday, Diana and I came down with the lurgy. It's laid Diana pretty low , me less so; but it's definitely not nice! Both now on antibiotics, and my treatment day's been postponed to early next week - the first time ever in 12 months, which I guess is quite remarkable.
But I am delighted to say one of our children has come back to help, both practically (shopping!) and emotionally: because I can't afford to get too physically close to Diana (our symptoms are not the same) means it's hard helping her - and not being able to touch her has been really tough to take. Needless to say, his presence has been a real filip, and we both seem to be on the mend at last.
While the last few days has been a challenge, before falling properly ill I did manage to get myself to hospital for my post-SERT scans (MRI and CT), so am still on track for the results in 2 weeks time.
And does every cloud have a silver lining? This one may - I now have 4 "extra" days before more chemo. Assuming we continue to improve, I'm going to enjoy them! Particularly given the GREAT NEWS I had on Monday: almost all my "vital signs" are as good as they have been in 6 months! Red cells - a shade below your normal range! White cells - in the normal range! And best of all, my CEA number lower than it's been since May, and the third lowest ever!!
So maybe, just maybe, after a shaky start, 2015 will turn out to be a good year after all! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
But I am delighted to say one of our children has come back to help, both practically (shopping!) and emotionally: because I can't afford to get too physically close to Diana (our symptoms are not the same) means it's hard helping her - and not being able to touch her has been really tough to take. Needless to say, his presence has been a real filip, and we both seem to be on the mend at last.
While the last few days has been a challenge, before falling properly ill I did manage to get myself to hospital for my post-SERT scans (MRI and CT), so am still on track for the results in 2 weeks time.
And does every cloud have a silver lining? This one may - I now have 4 "extra" days before more chemo. Assuming we continue to improve, I'm going to enjoy them! Particularly given the GREAT NEWS I had on Monday: almost all my "vital signs" are as good as they have been in 6 months! Red cells - a shade below your normal range! White cells - in the normal range! And best of all, my CEA number lower than it's been since May, and the third lowest ever!!
So maybe, just maybe, after a shaky start, 2015 will turn out to be a good year after all! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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