Third Chemo Cycle

OK, so it turns out I am a terrible keeper of a blog! I do not update it often enough. Not promising anything but I will try to do it more often. Let me get you caught up on the last couple of weeks.

I had Chemo the week of January 6^th. The trial drug was also administered with this cycle. This was, by far, the worst cycle to date. I did not feel well for a good week and a half (nausea, at one point a drink of water almost made me sick!! Please laugh at that because it is funny). In addition to not feeling well from the chemo I also came down with a terrible stomach pain on the Monday evening and Wednesday morning the week after chemo. I have never felt any pain like this in my life! I ended up going to the emergency room both times. While there I was introduced to a great little drug called Dilaudid. Let me tell you, this takes the pain away immediately. It is so good I requested it on the second visit within the first 15 seconds of seeing the Doctor. I am not a healthcare provider but I am guessing that sent up some red flags!

They were unable to find anything wrong with me after running blood tests, a CAT scan, and an X-Ray. I saw my Oncologist the next day and he seems to think it was a reaction to a medication I was taking. It could be that it has something to do with the trial drug.

Speaking of the trial drug, it is possible that I am just getting a placebo rather than the drug. However, I have been having some odd symptoms since my last treatment that were not present with the previous two. I have developed a small rash in a couple of places (possible side effect), had flu like symptoms (possible side effect), and the stomach pain/ gastritis (possible side effect). We are not getting too excited but it seems that I am experiencing a few of the side effects of this drug. Hopefully I got it!

Today I went for my pre-chemo blood test to see if my white cell count is low. Miraculously, for the first time since I started chemo, I am fine. No Neupogen shot for me this week! We are very happy.

So I start the last round of chemo next week on Monday. I will get another scan in the couple of weeks after that to see what progress has been made.

Hope you are all well. Talk to you soon.