Ready for #2

Had a great camping, hiking weekend in the San Juans. I feel great here at the end of week three (Friday). My hair did start falling out on Wednesday evening... progressively more with each morning shower. I'm gonna have a tanned face and a white top next week !

Chemo number two will be on Monday in Albuquerque.....really looking forward to the steroid buzz again next week!

Mid Second Week

Into second week after first chemo.

I'm not yet perfect again ! After a great weekend of hosting a brunch with friends, going into Monday, I still felt kinda queasy in the stomach. A good walk and rest got me back on an even keel. Since Monday, my symptoms are, queasy stomach, up and down energy, and slight numbness in fingertips. As week has progressed, I keep up a simple schedule, resting, doing some paperwork, mild remodeling tasks, preparing for weekend camping trip.

Going to Durango tomorrow, Thursday, for white bloodcount blood test.

Since getting off steriods, I am sleeping MUCH better.

End of first week

The weird thing about chemo the first time is having no idea what's coming next, hour by hour! I'm not puking.....will I start puking in an hour !!??

I had my first R-CHOP on Monday. This is Friday. I have only experienced some fatigue and a couple of sleepless nights. My energy level goes up and down between 65% and 85%. I try to walk 1-2 miles a day, rest, and stay as active as I can.

I expected symptoms to get progressively worse. But, I had a good nights sleep last night and feel good today. Yesterday morning a felt a mildly tight congestion in my chest, which seemed to be cured by a good walk. My appetetite is still good. I eat many small meals whenever I want. I dread the thought of developing mouth sores in subsequent weeks. I clean my teeth and rinse with Biotene several times a day.

Roberta and I are hosting a great brunch here tomorrow !! I'll cook some omlettes.

Sha La La La La ... Live for today....and don't worry bout tomorrow.... heh heh!!!

Next week I go get white blood cell count. My chemo is every third Monday.

Adapting

When I was told that I may have cancer back in March, I spent 2-3 days in shock ! I remember thinking about the future with my family and enjoying the seasons and hiking. Doing a lot of internet research, I discovered that there was long term hope for Stage II. For 4 months I have suppressed a lot of my emotions. I have a wonderful wife who takes care of me, wonderful daughters, a great sister, and some crazy close and related friends, and a dear cat, who all surround me with lots of love and concern. I live in beautiful, natural Pagosa Springs, Co in the heart of the San Juan Mountains. I have a very happy life. I have a remarkable brother who passed away in 2005, who was my mentor. www.dyt108.com. I spenda lot of time getting his art work (music, painting, photography on the web.

I sustain myself through all of this by pushing myself to stay positive and enjoying all of my very simple life.

It has really helped to read other peoples cancer blogs to get a feel for what everyone is going through.

Reviewing Lessons Learned

I assume that this blog may be visited by folks diagnosed with lymphoma cancer who want the low down and some hope! I've documented my trip through diagnosis. Key lessons:

1) Early diagnosis...... push for everyone you know to get early early testing for cancer. Stage II means that you will feel no symptoms, probably because of no other organs are involved. Early treatment before stage III might mean living forever rather than 5-9 years!

2) Learn everything you can about your treatment and get involved with your treatment. Keep the diagnostic schedule moving..... push, push, push!

3) If you EVER have a doctor or surgeon tell you that "we might wait and see what happens" or "maybe we should wait until something exciting happens" RUN, RUN, RUN to the next doctor!

4) Some SEASONED doctors still believe that life expectancy for cancer is 4-9 years REGARDLESS of what treatment is administered! They are wrong and VERY outdated. DUMP them.

Managing well

Thurday, day 4. The only symptoms I've had are slight punies. The steroid is keeping me up digitizing family photos from 2:00-4:00 Am. I've developed a minor tightness in my lungs...walking helps relieve that. I'm drinking lot of fluids, walking 1-2 miles per day, and eating as often as possible. I rinse my mouth with Biotene 3 times a day. I nap a couple of times a day. I'm keeping up my routine.... bookkeeping, honey-dos, small remodel projects. We're going on a good day hike this weekend and planning a pop-up camp trip next weekend.

First chemo

Had my first chemo yesterday, Aug 3rd. The plan is for 6-8 infusions, 3 weeks apart.

I am having the R-CHOP chemo regimen:

Rituximab - A monoclonal antibody that attaches itself to cancer cell

Cyclophosphamide - nasty stuff
Hydoxydaunorubicin (actually Doxorubicin) - more nasty stuff
Oncovin (actually Vincristine) - more nasty stuff (hair loss club for men)
Prednisolone (actually Dexomethasone) - 4 pills per daythis week - a steroid, I'll be hittin em outta the park!

Thinking it might be my last dinner, Roberta and I splurged at Red Lobster the night before. Reported in at 8:00 Am. Big infusion room with about 20 big recliner chairs and 5 nurses. The nurse "pushed in" two of the drugs and then started a slow 4 hour drip of the Rituximab to see how I would react. Just mild drowsiness, very mild sore throat for 1/2 hour. Then finally one more drug for half and hour. Next time it will all take about 2-3 hours. They gave me an assortment of about 12 pill to counter IV side effects (stuff like benedryl). Drove back to Pagosa in the PM. Stropped for a nice Mexican small meal. All I felt was "mellow" probably from the Benedyrl. Good night's sleep.

The nurses were great, the whole team, including my oncologist have been there for about 15 years!

They aparrently computre your body mass index from your height and weight to adjust your volume of drugs.