The Mister was in good spirits and felt good. So I ventured out on a little road trip for the day. I roamed small villages stopping in quaint shops and talking to the locals. It was a great reset day.
There are places in this country where hate doesn’t exist and one village is proud to let folks know. 💜
He’s past the critical 72 hour threshold and still without major side effects this round. He says some hours it feels as if he’s climbed a mountain with muscle tightness t but it doesn’t linger. He naps off and on but honestly, if this is the worst thing he has to contend with we take as a win.
A period of waiting for the 22nd of the month when the 3rd and last infusion takes place.
Onward! 💜
Five days out from his second infusion and he woke with nausea and very achy joints and muscles. I gave him one of the nausea pills the doc prescribed for it. First time taking it. He had toast and applesauce, sipped on lemon water. Feel asleep twice more in his chair since waking up.
It’s been seven hours since he took the pill and he’s now feeling so much better. Said he was hungry and he’s eating a BLT lol. No more nausea 💜😀
The Mister has done fairly well 10 days out from his second infusion. Symptoms continue on the mild side w/one new one. A mouth sore developed but has been kept at bay w/the recommended rinse. Otherwise, fatigue, muscle/joint pain seem most prevalent but manageable.
Next week a follow up w/his heart doctor to monitor the abdominal aortic aneurysm is scheduled. He'll be brought up to date on his cancer & his heart will be monitored for as well. So much to watch for while undergoing chemo.
Today the Mister had a follow up w/his heart doctor. The EKG indicated a different blood flow pattern than last year, likely from the chemo.
He’s ordered a nuclear stress test and Echocardiogram for Thursday and will be reporting results to the cancer team of doctors.
Results will be discussed in a follow up visit in September four weeks out.
All these doctors-important and necessary-but the Mister is so ready to be done with them.
The tests are done but boy this time the nuclear stress test made him nauseous with vomiting. It didn’t have that affect a couple years ago. But he didn’t have cancer nor was he a walking chemical plant then either.
He’s taken one of the prescribed nausea pills, has eaten a little bland toast, drank several bottles of water and is now sleeping. It should be a good sleep as he didn’t rest well last night.
One noticeable and big difference between the Mister's first chemo infusion and the second is that his breathing has become so much better, and his incessant coughing has stopped.
I still think the steroids have improved both some but at this point after the first infusion it had picked up again.
It's the little, yet big things we celebrate.
It’s the last chemotherapy for the Mister in his treatment plan to beat his cancer. It may be his roughest yet as ongoing infusions tend to do.
But he’s up for it. Attitude is good and it’s a beautiful morning out here. Let’s get this done.
And……he’s done! Last infusion and this part of his treatment plan is in the books.
Next up, second consult with the surgeon on Tuesday, PET scan to determine tumor markers then surgery to remove tumor and partial right lung.
After that, Keytruda (immunotherapy) infusions for a year for best results of cancer not coming back.
It’s a long road but by golly we’re hopeful and will remain in that lane! 💜
And thank you thank you for all of your support. It truly means a lot. It’s a journey so many have been on before and many yet to travel. It’s your encouragement and support for us, whom you don’t even know, that keeps us going down this road. Words simply aren’t enough to express how that feels and what it means.
Thank you COSO 💜
PSA. When one mistakenly takes two Dexamethasone (steroid) tablets rather than one Dexa and one Olanzapine tablet, prescribed for after chemo.....one doesn't sleep for 36 hours straight, is excessively famished, has a foul attitude and experiences heartburn, gas and bloating beyond the normal side effects.
Chemo brain is real. Yes, he did. 🤨
On the positive side, he'll crash and sleep like a baby tonight or will run a marathon.
Looking for positives.
The Mister is five days out from his last chemo infusion. Other than the standard fatigue and muscle weakness in his legs and the misstep with the steroid on Saturday he’s tolerating things well. Notable chemo brain time to time but not drastic. Given that at this point it could have gone much worse, this is positive movement forward.
10 days out from his chemotherapy and he finally felt strong enough to take a motorcycle ride. I had concerns as the drugs affect the strength of muscles in his legs and the knee joints have ached a bit more.
But who am I to prevent him from doing the one thing he loves so much. He knows his body best and I’m not going to begrudge him a little pleasure during this damn cancer journey.
PET scan on Tuesday to see if the poison has done its job. Then surgeon appt the next week.
We’ve been on the go nearly six hours already including the Mister’s PET scan. This last step will determine if surgery is a go. Will find out at our appointment with the surgeon next week. Hoping the tumor has shrunk with good markers for a clean removal and nothing lights up from anything new.
I’ve taken some things off the plate today as it’s just too much. I need the reprieve. But a few small tasks left so must get going again. 💜
PET scan results are in. The tumor has shrunk to 3.7 x 3.0 cm, max SUV 6.7, was 4.5 x 3.8,
max SUV 18.1.
IMPRESSION:
1. Interval decrease in size and activity of the right middle lobe
adenocarcinoma consistent with positive response to therapy.
2. There are no foci of abnormal FDG activity to suggest metastatic disease.
The BEST news on a Friday!! Surgeon appointment on the 10th to discuss results of PET and Stress Test. Surgery date TBD but is on the horizon! 💜
Headed out for the appointment with his surgeon. 🤞🤞🤞 that he’s good to go, a date can be scheduled and that damn tumor can be taken out!
Surgery is a go. Surgeon looked at PET scan and has different opinion of tumor location. Upper lobe rather than middle. Because of proximity to his heart, he wants CAT scan w/contrast to define veins more clearly.
Plan is robotic unless once he gets in there it’s clear opening him up is better. Removing upper lobe is 20% of lung capacity. His pulmonary test indicates he will not need oxygen after lobe is removed.
Last week of Sept, first week of Oct for surgery unless CAT indicates a problem.
CAT scheduled for Friday. Next, surgery date pinned down. 💜
