Results finally through

Well, finally got my full results through and all looks good.

Overall a 15% decrease in cancer cells in my liver, this puts me in the "stable" zone. You need to reduce by 30% to be in the effective zone. I am happy with this as after the first 3 treatments we seen an increase which the doc reassures us is normal, so the last 3 have done there job. Since my last blog I have been up and down. Chemo really starting to take effect. I am continually tired and struggle through each day and try to be as normal as I can. It’s like getting up each morning and running a marathon every day. You just push through and break through the barriers and get to the finish line (end of the day). Yes everyone tells me to slow down but this is my life and what keeps me motivated to keep going. The past few weeks has made me realize I now need to slow down. I caught bug most probably from my little boy Sam (2.5 years old). Normally I would just power through something as simple as a flu etc, but it actually put me in Hospital with temps over 40 degrees. I realized then how my life is changing and need to look after myself. Positivity is one thing; stupidity of not looking after myself is another.

Xmas has been great with Sammy now understanding what it all means. It made me so happy to see his beautiful blue eyes open so wide on Xmas morning. I intend to be around for many more moments like yesterday.

My Fantastic wife continues to look after me and shares in my emotional rollercoaster and is such a great support for me and is the unsung hero of my journey to date. 

Looking forward to a big year and hopefully surgery to remove my bowel cancer and get the liver under control. This time next year I hope to be at a stage where we have beaten this horrible

disease. To All who read my blog I thank you for your ongoing support and remember to enjoy every day as it happens as when you live day to day you appreciate how great it is to be able to enjoy what you have.

Maybe a change of Tact soon!!

As per my last bog, I was waiting for the scan results from my last scan. Met with the doctor after having my 6th Chemo treatment, but the radilogist hasn't come through with the full results still. Annoying? Yes. I am OK with it as I know within myself I am improving. The Doctor was a specailist from Adelaide who has been studying my case, so was good to get a second opinion. He was happy with the current progress what he could take from the current scan as he has seen my previous scans before. So all good on the liver side, just keep up the Chemo. He spoke in detail about starting radiation on the bowel tuma. Most probally not to the new year which is up to a 13 week process before surgery, so will be awhile. 5 weeks of ratiation and 6 to 8 weeks of recovery and then surgery all this time continuing Chemo. How will I handle it??? Definately with a positive approach but expect some heavy duty side effects over this time. but will be worth it to remove one problem child from my body and concerntrate on the big brother, the liver. Feeling good within myself and getting on with day today life and appreciate all the support from family and friends I have been fortunate to recieve. Without this support I am sure I would not be in this frame of mind. Thank you to everyone, it is hard to explain whata difference it makes.

good news but more to come

Well, I had the scan and all went well, until I realised I had given the incorrect original scan to compare results too. (I put it down to Chemo brain, appartently I have this right to do so!!) So could not get all the information I would have liked to. The good news is one of the largest lesion on my liver has reduced by 1.2 cm. This is fantastic, and expect other lesions would hopefully follow the same course. I have given the correct scans now and need to wait another fortnight to find out the overall results. So far so good.
Positive? You bet I am.

The truth will be in the Scan

The time is getting closer. Monday will be my first scan since starting Chemo almost 8 weeks ago. This will be the big test to see if the treatment is doing any good. Apprehensive??? anxious would be the word. The results will be with the Doctor for my appointment on Wednesday. We will be discussing the results and this will determine what treatment I have going forward. I am very confident that the treatment is working, but how quickly is the big question. This treatment to date has been targeted at bringing the liver cancer under control and also helping reduce the tumour in my bowel as an added bonus. This is the sucker we can get rid of. Radiation treatment in conjunction with the Chemo could be the way to go if the Doctors feel I can handle it. It would be as much as they would allow anyone to have at one time, but I am willing to take thechallenge if it means speeding up the process. I could be getting way ahead of myself here and my tratment may not need to change, so I will wait albeit impatiently till next Wednesday. Bring it on!!!!!

The Rollercoaster of Chemo treatment

This week is chemo week,which to people who have or had cancer will understand. Just the word chemo is enough to make me feel ill now. For those who read my blog and dont know I will give you a run down. Every Wednesday fortnight I have chemo treatment at the cancer clinic. The first couple were not so bad but as I have more treatments it seems to have more effect on me. I sit in a chair for close to 4 hours and have 3 very tovic drugs drip feed into my body. I know they are toxic as the nurse wears glasses, full apron and gloves. Not normal dress to give a headache tablet!! When these drugs have been fed into my system I have a bottle of the really good stuff attached for 2 days which I carry around in a hip bag constantly feeding into my system. This is taken off on Fridays. It takes me until Sunday to come back to any normality. Its hard to explain what I am feeling right now(Thursday night). Its like a really bad hangover might be the best way to put it. Crazy as I never had hangovers when I drank, and now I dont drink I have to put up with this. It is a fortnightly roller coaster, where I feel so bad for 4 days and then slowly come good only to go back to the clinic to go through it all again. If I wasnt sure it was doing me good it would be alot harder to except, but I am positive it is working so I am not complaining.Then theirs the side effects. I take strong painkillers twice a day which I have another drug to reduce the side effects, and I have drugs to stop the neussa. Emotions!! how the drugs play with my emotions. Over these four days I do cry, not much but I do. Its the drugs obviously as I dont have negative thoughts to bring it on. I cry when I think about how much my wife Meghan loves me, and what she now has to deal with, and my little boy Sam copies everything I do, he now has a constant sore spot on his body just like daddy's porta cath, were they hook up the drip.  I dont mind the emotional rollercoaster as it gives me a chance to think about things from the other side and just not when I feel good. So thats life for me now, one big rollercoaster. I have not written this to get any sympathy, but more to explain how so many people live there lives battling cancer. I had no idea 4 months ago. For the people who read this blog who have cancer, please remember to never give up and, yes there are people like you and me who live this life of the constant rollercoaster. Just think, Rollercoasters are at every "FUN" park you go to. So try and enjoy your ride and never forget the rollercoaster has to stop sooner or later and let you off to go and enjoy evrything life has to offer.

How quickly time goes by

I have now completed 3 treatments of Chemo now and due for number 4 next week. It is not getting any easier but this is to be expected. I had a recent scare, when one of my blood tests showed I may have had Hep B in the past and as my immune system lowers due to the Chemo it could come back and have serious results. After 3 more blood tests it seems the first result was incoorect and I am all clear. Thank god, this would be the last thing I need. The positive out of this stressful period is the doctors tell me my cancer blood cell count has reduced. Fantastic news as this is the first time it has reduced since starting the treatment. I am due for a full scan on the 15th of Nov, and am positive we should see encouraging results. Hopefully I might be able to have surgery on the cancer in my bowel either before Xmas or early next year. Really would like to get this dealt with so we can concertrate on my liver and hopefully control it. I will never get rid of it but am sure we will be able to control well enough so I will be sitting back when I am over 70 enjoying life.
To anyone who has disappointments in thier life and are having trouble coping with it, please put your positive hat on and think to yourself how bad is it really. Change your attitude turn your thoughts to be positive and it is amazing how well you will cope and move forward. I do this daily. I firstly acknowledge my negative thoughts, accept it and then work on turning it around. And you know what it is not so hard. i have a wonder wife who is also my best friend who supports me 24/7 and I can tell her my every thought. Without her and my little 2 1/2 year old boy Sam by my side each day I not sure if I could stay as poitive as I am. I also have a group of family & friends who contact me regularly. I am sure they do not realise exactly how much this means to me but without this support life would be much more difficult.

Where to start

In the past 3 months my life has changed in a way I never could have thought.
I accepted a transfer with the Company i work for and within 2 weeks of accepting I was diagnosed with firstly a tuma in the bowel and then after further tests the doctors found my liver was riddled with cancer. So in between moving to Darwin and starting a new job although with the same company I had to organise to start treatment straight away. I arrived in Darwin on a Sunday, started on the Monday and had my first chemo on the Wednesday. Nothing like settling in. I have no had 2 rounds of chemo and to date no success from my blood tests as yet. I am a positive person and wil continue to keep that way.
I hope anyone with similar challanges finds this blog interesting and would like to share their experiences.