tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89978268453243961542024-02-07T19:34:46.320-08:00Cancer but positiveMy intention of this blog is to be able to express my thoughts and feeelings as I go through a journey not knowing where I will end up. It was the biggest shock of my life when I was diagnosed with cancer and the start of a long hard road to beat this terrible disease.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-12807249464799535142013-07-29T22:23:00.002-07:002013-07-29T22:23:54.782-07:00Back for another round of ChemoHow the time just gets away from you. It just seems like a few days ago I had my last round of chemo. I went and seen the Chinese Doctor and he gave me a mixture for the nausea, and it actually worked so I will continue to use it. At this stage I still do not have results but will know more once I have my CT scan in 2 days time. I am still holding a lot of fluid in my legs and stomach area which is a side effect of the chemo. It is very uncomfortable and have been to my local GP and he as given me some more pills to take to get rid of it. I also organized a referral to a specialist oncology doctor. He is actually the doctor I seen 3 years ago when first diagnosed. I really am not happy with the treatment I am getting at the Nambour Hospital. Every visit there is always a hold up and takes so long to have the chemo. Dr H seems to be a good Doctor but is always in a hurry. In a nutshell I just feel like a number and not a person, and at this stage of my cancer progression I would like some personalized treatment. I think I will get this from the specialist once I get in to see him.
Hopefully the next blog will have some good results and the new protocol is doing some good.
Happy Birthday to my Beautiful Wife for today. Meghan is my rock and I appreciate everything she does for me and some of the irratic things I do on my chemo week.
Bye for nowAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-78213552253318914462013-07-09T16:57:00.000-07:002013-07-09T16:57:07.032-07:00Tuff WeekHi All, just a quick update before I go back in for my next round of Chemo which will be cycle 4 of this protocol.
This last cycle left me with a bad case of nausea which has not helped with my weight as I have not been able to eat very much and when I do it is only small amount. It is now 8 days since chemo and I have now just got my appetite back. Looking in the mirror these days is not a pretty site. I have lost a lot of weight in my chest area and have what looks like a blotted stomach. My arms are really skinny. Due to the lack of muscle and fat on my body I find it very hard to keep warm but managing so far.
With all this in mind, you might think well just go with it accept this is what will be. Wrong! I am going to See a Chinese acupuncture doctor who claims he could be able to quell the nausea, if this is the case I will be able to break the cycle which seems to be happening at present. If I can get to the stage where a can eat during the first week after chemo I will be able to put on some weight and obviously make me feel better with a wieght increase. I am also going to See a fitness trainer who specializes in cancer rehabilitation to build up my upper body weight and strength. So if I can get this all happening together I am sure it will be a great help to my wellbeing. As you can tell by the tone of this blog I am not giving up and this is all fitting in with the reason for our move to the Sunshine Coast. Wish me luck and thank you to everyone who has been in contact, as without this I do not think I could be positive as I am.
Goodbye, and will post another blog once I have had my appointment with Dr H on the 18th of July.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-43237252539018723072013-06-27T16:37:00.001-07:002013-06-27T16:37:49.089-07:00Stressful round of Chemo this time around.It has been nearly a month since my last blog. I have met with my new Oncology Doctor, who I will call Dr H. He seems to know what he is talking about and is very down to earth, which is what I am looking for in a Doctor. No need to sugar coat anything with me and I made this very clear to him. I had my first round of chemo here on the Sunny Coast a fortnight ago and have really struggled through this round.I have found I am very tierd and having bad stomach pains. I am hoping it is just a case of Gastro but need to keep a close eye on it. I have not received my latest blood results but expect to do so on Monday when I go in for my next round of Chemo. Meghan has noticed a change in me and I have felt it. I have lost a lot of weight from my chest area and am slightly blotted in the stomach area. Not a good look I tell you. So is this the start of chemo not having the effect it should or is it just a readjustment to the new protocol which I have only had two rounds.I am sure the next blood tests and scans will give us more information. My next Dr's appointment is on the 18th of July so still a bit of a wait until then. At least I will have 3 rounds of the new protocol completed and be able to give us some reasonably accurate results.
Until next time, I hope you all keep well and Meghan Sam and I will be well and truly settled into our new house in Buderim. So far so good. Meghan is really enjoying her new role and the house is great and I have been able to spend a lot of time with Sam whilst he is on holidays which is until the 15th of July.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-15084311281022914712013-05-29T18:40:00.001-07:002013-05-29T18:40:45.224-07:00My last round of Chemo in Darwin now completed.Hi All,
As per my last blog I said I would update you on my tests taken on Monday.
Firstly the blood tests came back OK so I was able to have chemo on Wednesday. I spoke with Dr K at Monday's meeting which was my last meeting with him as my next Chemo will be on the Sunshine Coast. I found it a bit hard to say goodbye as he has been looking after me since day one and realy understood where I was coming from and tried to help in any way he could. Back to the tests. The CT scan was not so good. Although we did not have the Doctors report Dr K could see on his screen thet the tumor sizes in both my lungs and liver had increased, to what extent we are not sure until we recieve the report. Knowing this Dr K decided we change protocol to a drug called FOLFIRI. I had this same protocol approx 12 months ago and it worked reasonably well back then but we stopped when I had the SIRTSPHERE trail drug. We are hoping the change of drug will have some effect to at least reduce the tumors slightly or even to stop further growth, but time wil tell and will take a number of treatments before we will know this. Some good news. My CEA blood results showed a drop from 19000 down to 13900. In the big scheme of things it is not a big drop but better than seeing them rising as I have been doing over the past 6 months. So one more blood test the day before I fly out and give the results to the Doctor at the Nambour Hospital where I will be having my next treatment.
So a new chapter in my ongoing presuit of try to keep the cancer under control and stay alive for as long as possible. It is hard work both emotionally and fisicaly, but will continue and hopefully see some good results with the current changes.
Thanks to everyone with thier well wishes and I will update once on the Sunshine Coast.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-21230337851790902712013-05-25T05:14:00.001-07:002013-05-25T05:14:49.353-07:00Back from Over Seas and ready for a big weekWe have just arrived back in Australia from our Disney Cruise through the Caribbean and four days with Meghans Dad in San Fransisco. We had a great time and now time to get back into treatment. Having chemo just before flying out was OK but I was a little out of it for the first few days. On Monday I have blood tests, a scan, a Doctors appointment with Dr K and hopefully chemo if my bloods come back OK. I am not expecting any good news news this time round and will not until I get back into a routine with chemo. We are still moving to the Sunshine Coast in the next few weeks and organizing treatment at the Nambour Hospital. I will leave it at that for now as I will update my blog after Mondays results.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-3975432276130495602013-04-29T17:01:00.000-07:002013-04-29T17:01:12.086-07:00Much better cycle this time aroundIt has been about 10 days since my last round of Chemo, and overall it has been quite bearable. No real bad side effects and have managed to keep my weight on which is always a good sign. I am feeling a lot more relaxed now and starting to clear my head and concentrate on my health. We are going overseas in about a weeks time and will have chemo just before we leave and then again as soon as we get back so I do not miss a cycle, expect a couple of days out which Dr K is not overly happy about but it should not make that much difference a couple of days either way.I have an appointment with Dr K this Friday were we will organize a referral to the Nambour Hospital on the Sunny Coast which will be my new Chemo Clinic. So next round of Chemo is 7 days away and am hoping it goes as well as this cycle as I do not want to be feeling too sick for the start of our holiday especially since the first day is spent on a plane for 15 hours to the USA. I am now going to start researching trial drugs again and see if we cannot find some current trials which will suit my condition and hopefully be based out of the Brisbane Hospital which the Nambour clinic is attached to.
So bye for now and most probally will not hear from me again until we get back from overseas.I am so looking forward to spending quality time with Meghan and Sam and just enjoying every minute of the holiday.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-43640778632543991592013-04-20T00:18:00.000-07:002013-04-20T00:22:27.165-07:00Latest results are not looking so good. Time for a change????Hi to everyone who has been reading my blog and I hope for the people outside of my Friends and Family you are able to take some information more on the thoughts of a person with terminal cancer as I suspect this is the reason you are reading my blog. Either for yourself or a family member.
I am a little late on posting this blog as when I went to write something I just could not put words on paper. I had a Doctor’s appointment 3 weeks ago and the results were not so good. The good news is my tumor sizes had not grown much since the last scan. The bad news is my cancer cell count in my blood has gone through the roof. It is currently sitting at 13,600 and back in February it was 6,000. So not good news. We have decided to continue with the same treatment as I have really only had one cycle of full strength Chemo. The next scan will be on May the 27th, which should give me another two cycles and hopefully at full strength. We are now moving to the Sunshine Coast in June. As most of you now know I have finished up work to concentrate on my health. Meghan has accepted a job with Mantra Group. Yes the company I have just finished with. Meghan will be the Regional HR Manager for Queensland. For me a change in Doctors may be a good thing now as I have had the same Doctor since I was diagnosed, and a fresh set of eyes and procedures could be just what I need. I have Chemo tomorrow hopefully; all depending on my blood test first up in the morning. Wish me luck and i will update again in the near future.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-8674258840562556362013-04-04T05:10:00.000-07:002013-04-04T05:12:50.357-07:00Treatment is back onHi to All,
It's been a week or so and have just got back from our holiday. The holiday was fantastic and we all had the best time and I even felt normal for a change instead of feeling like I had a full-time hangover.The day after getting back I had blood tests, a CT scan and yes the bloods came back positive which meant I had a full dose of chemo today. So far feeling reasonably good but early days as of yet. I have plenty of nausea medication so will keep these up for the next 5 days. I have a Doctors appointment next Monday which will give us the results of today's CT Scan and last blood tests. Not expecting too much as I have only had one full treatment before the scan and bloods. If all goes well and I can keep up the routine I expect the next results will be much better.I will update after my next Doctors appointment.
Bye for nowAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-70985196349822383842013-03-28T20:43:00.000-07:002013-03-28T20:43:05.067-07:00Second Full strength treatment delayedAs per my last post I handled the first full strength treatment without too many issues and obviously was looking forward to having my second and getting into a routine to help combat the bad results I have recently received. I had a routine blood test on the day prior to chemo to check all my levels and just my luck my platelet count was very low. Chemo does have an effect on platelets but they were far too low to have another round of treatment so I have been put on hold for a week. This is really disappointing as I was ready to hit the tumors hard and get back on top of them. The only good to come out of it is we are going away for 5 days to Cairns as of today so I will be feeling good over this period and will be able to enjoy the break with my wonderful family. We get back next Wednesday and straight back into chemo on the Thursday if the blood test is OK. I have now finished up work and are officially retired, but am sure I will find plenty to do to keep me busy.It will obviously be a big shock to my routine and will take time to adjust. So we fly out later today and as mentioned previously really looking forward to just chilling out and relaxing. I will update you next week on whether I was able to have chemo or not but keep your fingers crossed as I really need to get on top of this Cancer at the moment.
Bye for now and thanks to everyone who has rang and wished me well in my change of life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-11527895421087954012013-03-23T01:08:00.000-07:002013-03-23T01:08:55.548-07:00Update from last postI thought I would post another blog as the reaction from my last post was quite overwhelming. I had many calls and emails which I am very appreciative. It was not my intention to worry or scare anyone as the whole idea of this blog site is for me to express myself and hopefully help everyone understand how this terrible disease has change my life and perception on life in general. If the truth is hard to swallow I am sorry but that is the way it is. I had my first full strength treatment 10 days ago. Overall I have handled it well considering. All I thought about when I was sitting in the big chair in the Chemo Suite was feel the drugs going through my body attacking every cancer cell it comes into contact with and killing them. The only problem it does destroy the health cells as well.As long as more cancer cells are destroyed than good cells I will be happy. As I have said many times before I need to keep a positive attitude and for me to feel like the drugs are doing their job helps me to continue with a positive attitude. I have another round of full strength chemo next Tuesday so hopefully I am able to continue to handle the side effects. I have four days of work to go before I retire and we are also flying out for a five day holiday in Cairns next Friday which we are all looking forward to immensely. The closer I get to finishing work the more I realize it is time for me to take it easy and get the rest needed to cope with the chemo. I am sure I will find plenty to do and Meghan will make sure I am busy enough not to be bothering her at work every half hour! I have a CT scan booked in for the day after we get back from Cairns and the a doctors review the following week just before round three of my full strength chemo. This will be a telling appointment in it will show whether the change to full strength chemo is working or not. If it is that will be fantastic and we will continue, if it is not working, well I really do not know where we go from here. I am hoping Dr K has a rabbit he can pull out of his hat. I am still researching any clinical trials which are available in Australia and at this stage there is not much out there but will keep looking. Thanks to everyone who has contacted me over the past few weeks, it really does help to keep me positive and fighting as hard as I can.
Thank you All and will post again once I have the result from the next appointment with Dr K.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-75320505449714772772013-03-12T17:57:00.000-07:002013-03-12T17:57:53.764-07:00The Doctor's appointment I have been dreadingFollowing on from my last blog, I said I would let you all know how my Doc's appointment went with Dr K. I joked in the last blog about when Meghan comes along there is usually some important news. Well that is an understatement this time. We went into the appointment with Dr K and I knew straight away the news was not good. He was procrastinating so I just asked him what the results of the scan and blood test are. His reply was "Not Good this time". My tumors have doubled in size since the last scan in December and my cancer cell count has never been higher and is over 7,000. As you could imagine the atmosphere in the room was very somber. Meghan handled it quite well considering the bad news. Of course the big question needed to be asked and Meghan came straight out and asked, "How long do you think left"? Dr K answered with the usually statement of "based on research" I have a few months left. Dr K himself was not willing to give his personal opinion which I understand he really cannot. So a few months!!!! What does that mean? I was told 30 months ago when first diagnosed I had between 6 to 12 months and I am still here. So where to from here? We decided to up the dosage back to 100% and hopefully I will be able to handle the side effects. I think the bad results were due to skipping a couple of cycles over the past few months and the lower dose, so now I am back on full strength and must have the treatment regularly every 2 weeks. Dr K wants to have CT scans once a month now to keep a close eye on whether the treatment is working or not. We are starting to get to the stage we are running out of protocols, so once this one stops working or the side effects get too bad we really do not know what options are left, but will cross that bridge once we get there. I will be finishing up work at the end of the month and will have the time to really look after myself and hopefully extend my life span. To what extent who knows!!!! So the battle continues, and I am determined to kick these bad results and get them down to an expectable level which will allow me to keep enjoying every day as it comes along.
To everyone who reads my blog I thank you for all your support as this is what keeps me going. Thank you All.
Bye for now
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-57088183939363250022013-03-08T05:04:00.000-08:002013-03-08T05:04:52.896-08:00Major test results due next weekI have had another 2 cycles of chemo since my last blog which were still at the 75 percent of my normal dosage. All went well and no major side effects. I have had CT scans and blood tests this week in preparation for another Drs appointment next Monday. These results should tell us approximately how long I have to live,which is all based on historical research, which I have proven wrong before. It will also tell us if the lower dose is actually having any effect on the tumors. If it isn't it is no use continuing on the lower dose and we will just have to bump it backup and try to handle the side effects best we can. If this be the case the timing is not too bad, as of the end of March I will no longer be working. Yes I have handed in my resignation. After the last couple of scares and the fact I can only concerntrate till about 1pm, I feel it is time to back off and get the rest I need to keep fighting this terrible disease. I knew it would happen eventually, but is hard to except once it does happen. I know in my heart it is the best move and will give me more time with my family and that will be fantastic. We have a couple of trips organized in the first few months, so will keep me occupied and once we are back home I will find something to keep the mind stimulated and also do some light excersise just to keep myself health as possible. So mixed emotions at present and am noticing the chemo drugs do make me emotional, but have been prescribed some type of happy pills to take on a regular basis. So for now I will sign off and post again next week with the results from Monday's appointment. Oh I didn't mention before but Meghan is coming along and we have a standing joke she only comes when there is some big news to be told. I hope everyone who reads my blog is well and by now would have been in and tested for cancer?
Bye for now to AllAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-90178630789220611032013-02-08T17:22:00.000-08:002013-02-11T04:38:58.322-08:00A nausa free round of chemo but not without some dramasContinuing on from my last blog, I decided to continue treatment. Dr K reduced my chemo to 75% of the original dose to see if this would help the side effects. I had chemo treatment a couple of days after my last blog and everything went very well and was able to have a normal week after the treatment which was so good after what I went through on the previous round. So nine days after the chemo which was a Friday I got up and started getting ready for work when I was overcome with dizziness and hot flushes to the point I had to go back to bed. Luckily I had an appointment with Dr K. already organized for this day. So I stayed at home until it was time to go to the appointment. I was feeling a bit better before I went but went downhill once I got to the doctors clinic. We discussed my latest results which have seen an increase in my cancer cell counts, which I thought this would be the case as I had a extra two week break when this blood test was done. From here on I think Meghan and I have come to the realization my life expectancy may be not as long as we had hoped. Don't get me wrong I have been very lucky to make it this far. I look back at when I was first diagnosed and disbelief I would die from this and thought from day one I would beat it. As time has gone on and researched no end I have to come to the conclusion this terrible disease will take my life. If I just put my head in the sand and not prepare for it when the time comes I would be so disappointed in myself. So reality has kicked in and Meghan and I have done everything we can to ensure both her and Sam will be looked after as best we can. This makes me feel so much more comfortable and now we can concentrate on just spending quality time together. I am actually writing this from Hospital due to a strange dizzy spell on Friday, yesterday. They have done all the tests and cannot really find out what caused it but am feeling much better today so I think they will let me out today. I have another round of Chemo next Tuesday so hopefully my blood test taken on Monday will be OK and I am able to have the treatment. It seems now with the amount of chemo I have had over the past 28 months it is starting to affect my body and little episodes like this will become more frequent, so really need to start to take it easy and look after my health to ensure I can continue with regular treatment which in turn help keep my cancer cell counts down. So life goes on and I just need to manage as best i can and not let it affect my positive attitude. Who knows I could be still writing these blogs in another 28 months. Cross your fingers!!!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-48667556776766402502013-01-29T19:40:00.003-08:002013-01-29T19:40:26.604-08:00Results still positive but its a Hell of a RideSince my last post, which was reasonably positive I have had my 5th cycle of Chemo. Firstly I met with Dr K and my last results showed a reduction in my cancer cell count but not to the extent of the previous, but anything heading down is a good result for me.
After the Chemo I was fine for a couple of days then it hit me, I could not keep anything down, food or water. I put up with it for a couple of days hoping I would come good but a seemed to only get worse. In the end I was admitted to hospital with a push from Meghan, but I was so weak I knew I had to go. They kept me in for 4 days on a drip and all sorts of wonder drugs to get me to a stage I could hold down some food. So 4 days later and about 8 kilos lighter out I came.
I had another appointment with Dr K and Meghan came along. I think I mentioned in a past blog, when Meghan comes along we have some serious discussions to be had with Dr K. After the last week I had in my mind to give up Chemo altogether. We spoke to Dr K about this and he said to take an extra week off Chemo and come back and see him before my next cycle was due. His diagnosis was, if I was to go off Chemo would have approx 3 months left and with chemo approx 6 months. The last time I was told 6 months was when I was first diagnosed 2 years ago, and Dr K's timeline was purely based on research, and he thinks I will do better than this. When I went back to see him I was in a much better state of mind and really have no choice but to continue, as the treatment is still producing good results, and until it doesn't I am better to keep going. Dr K has lowered the dose to see if this helps. Well I will know in the next few days as I am writing this from the Chemo chair. So looking forward to having a nice weekend with very little nausea and keeping out of hospital.
Wish me luck.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-66703018721465599202013-01-04T15:36:00.000-08:002013-01-04T15:42:10.001-08:00Looking stable and positive resultsI can't believe how quick time flys and especially considering it has been Xmas and New Year. We had a really good festive season which was quiet as we only had Megs sister up here for Xmas. Nice and relaxing enjoying each others company. I have had some more blood tests come back since my last post and they are positive. My cancer cell count has come down again from 5150 to 3910. I have also put on another kilo and a half. This is good to see and hopefully will continue until we get down to an acceptable level to stablise off at. If we can then maintain this level without the side effects taking over we should be able to continue on this protocol for awhile. Dr K is happy with the results and said he does not see such good results from second time around on any protocol, so happy to be the high achiever. In all I feel OK in myself but the Chemo does knock me around for the first few days, but happy to put up with it as long as we are seeing results. At this stage I am not looking at any further research tests and just want to see how well we go on the standard Chemo for now.My lung infection has cleared up with the last round of antibiotics and the ulsers seem to have nearly healed which means my eating has improved hence some gain in weight. I still have the lump in my groin which is a concern but will bring up with Dr K on my next visit on the 14th of January. So until then I hope everyone is recovering from the Xmas period and back into daily life again. Goodbye for now and as always thank all of you who pray for me on a regular basis I do really appreciate everyone's thoughts and well wishes.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-74229489002202816862012-12-11T19:07:00.000-08:002012-12-11T19:07:14.386-08:00Glimmer of Hope from recent tests, BUT!!!!This week has been a busy week with CT scans, blood tests and a visit to my normal GP. This is all in readiness for next week’s appointment with Dr. K. I have had a temperature for the past week or so and under normal circumstances this would not be a problem, but in my case it could actually be fatal if I do not do something about it. So off to my normal GP for some antibiotics for an infection in my left lung which by coincidently is where the latest tumors have popped up. I also have a lump in my groin which I had the Doctor check. Not good news as she thinks it is my Lymph nodes which could be cancerous. I had a CT scan in the morning so hopefully this will give us more information and pick up what is the problem. Later in the afternoon Dr K rang me as he had the results from my CT scans. My heart dropped to my toes as he normally does not call me and we wait until our next meeting. I said, "So give me the bad news"? Dr K replied with the opposite and just rang to say he had had a brief look at my scans and has seen a reduction in the size of the tumors compared to the last scan. Also my Tumor markers have come down slightly, still over 5,000 but at least this with a reduction in the size of the tumors is great news. I told him about the lump in my groin and what my GP said and he looked at the scans again but they did not cover that particular area. He seemed to think it would not be cancerous given the good results we have just got back and will give me a full check over next Monday when we meet. This has relaxed me to a degree but still in the back of my mind it might be bad news, if it is I don't know what I will do. Once it’s in my Lymph nodes it is like the main highway through my body and can spread very fast, so everyone cross your fingers and hopefully I am stressing over nothing!!!!! As I write this I am sitting in the big blue chair in the Chemo Suite having cycle 4. How quickly time goes, it just seemed like yesterday I started back on chemo again. The nurses are very impressed that the side effects after 4 cycles are minimal at this stage. This means I can continue on this protocol which is great, because once I cannot handle this protocol I only have about two types left to try. I have even put on a kilo in weight and am now 65 kilos, still a long way to go. So in normal fashion I seem to get some good news but get a kick in the guts with some bad news. As long as the good news keeps outweighing the bad I will be happy. I most probably won't post another blog now before Christmas, so I wish everyone and Merry Xmas and a great New Year, I know I will enjoy every minute of mine with my fantastic family and am just over the moon that I will be here. So please remember don't take these special times for granted as you never know if it will be your last. This may seem dramatic, but as you all know by now I have an entirely different outlook on life now.
Enjoy this special time over the next few weeks and I will post again in the New Year.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-29046903732553913472012-11-13T17:35:00.001-08:002012-11-13T17:35:35.620-08:00Highest Tumor marker results since diagnosedI have just been back to see Dr K to go over the results of my blood tests and CT scans which were taken prior to my first cycle of Chemo two weeks ago. It takes this long to get all the results through. The main reason for the tests is it gives us a benchmark to work off now I have started chemo again. I knew they would not be good as the last set of results were high obviously due to having no treatment for a long period of time. Not good is an understatement and I could see in Dr K's demeanor he was surprised at the results as well. My cancer cell count is at just over 5800, which compared to when I was first diagnosed at 5500. Remembering it should be between 0 and 5! So back to square one from two years ago. Should I have had the SIRT Sphere treatment in June??? I still believe it was the right decision at the time so no regrets. I got the markers down to a low of 20 over the past two years, and I will be focusing on doing the same again. Dr K is more conservative than this. As he explained in our meeting I am now a lot weaker and my internal organs have been through hell and back with all the treatment and drugs over the last two years, so he told me not to expect the same results again. They gave me 6 to 12 months when my markers were at 5500 so what is the prognosis now??? Of course I asked the question. Dr K sat back in his chair and had a sly grin on his face and said, "David you are not going to catch me out again, you have proven me wrong to date and I now have no idea on your time frame". He did say he could give me the spiel on the average length of life for my current state etc, but I was not interested in this info as it has proven to be all wrong so far. At least the results confirm why i have been so tired with this much action rushing around in my body and what white blood cells I have left trying to combat the dreaded cancer cells, it is no wonder I run out of energy by 2 o'clock every day. Cycle 2 of chemo today, and we will have all the tests again in another 4 weeks so will have at least 3 cycles under my belt and hopefully we will see some positive results. With all this happening I again sit back and reflect on what has happened and what may happen and when in the future. All i can do is keep fighting and making sure I enjoy every minute of every day. Chemo does definitely affect my lifestyle as the first week after the treatment is hell and then I come good and the rollercoaster keeps going. I think this is a timely reminder to everyone who reads my blog; think about the last time you stressed or got upset over something and tell me was it really that bad!!!!! Forget it and move on and remember each day is precious and you will never get it back again. Keep well everyone and thank you all for your continued support, I really appreciate it. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-49966997571245645452012-10-28T18:34:00.000-07:002012-10-28T18:34:34.146-07:00Back on the Chemo RollercoasterToday is Monday the 29th of October and it is 8.30am. I walk into the Chemo Suite at the Alan Walker Cancer Clinic. This is the first time back in the Chemo Suite since April this year. The nurses are always very friendly and welcome me back. Obviously they all still remember me as I have been coming here for two years now. I jump into the big recliner seat and get myself comfortable. They check my vitals and go over the blood test from last Friday. Now ready to go. They plug the needle into my port and start administering the lethal mix of drugs. I have been hooked up for an hour now and am feeling OK. I think this has been the only hesitation I have a present is how the drugs will affect me this time around. As you know I am very positive but have a feeling they will hit me hard this time around. Mainly due to the fact I a weaker now than I have since I was first diagnosed. I am happy to be back on the Chemo believe it or not. My results have been terrible lately and just want to get them back under control as soon as possible. Let’s hope the concoction they are pumping into me will have a good result and maybe even reduce my markers rather than just hold them. Time will tell. The ulcer has still not totally healed and causes me trouble/pain from time to time. As long as I keep the pain killers up I do not have too many issues. My weight is still a problem down to 63 kilos and having issues putting on any weight back on. Mainly due to the ulcer in my stomach. Fatigue is still knocking me around and struggle through the day from 3pm onwards. i just hope the Chemo does not make this any worse!!!
Wish me luck this time around and hopefully the treatment will work before the side effects kick in.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-54569040409450521112012-10-16T02:49:00.000-07:002012-10-16T02:49:27.802-07:00An updateIt has been awhile since my last post. There has been a lot going on and wanted to wait until I had a clear picture of what I was doing. Dr K spoke with the Specialist in Adelaide and they have another trial drug which they thought might work for me. Sorry I cannot remember the name of it but is very similar to most of the regular chemo cycles but obviously using a different drug. It is approved in the US, but not here. I had to fly down to Adelaide for a rushed appointment with the Specialists to see if I would qualify. To cut a long story short, no I do not qualify as I have been off regular chemo for too long whilst my results have been increasing. Not to worry I still have the fall back to regular chemo treatments, which the Doctors agree will most probably have a better outcome than the trial drug. Meghan, Sam and I are currently away in Bali having a well deserved break for a week. Once I get back I have an appointment with Dr K and straight back onto regulat chemo treatment. I have about three more different treatments to go before I am out of options. Depending on how well I do on each one will give us an indication of how long I have left. So what will happen is I go on one treatment until the side effects get too bad or it stops working and my markers start to increase rapidly. This will be the same for each treatment and once I have tried them all and there is nothing new to try it will be off the chemo until the end.all these treatments can only slow the cancer down and there is nothing out there which will cure my case, so crossed fingers they come up with a miricle drug in the near future which will save me! I am still battling this ulcer and am down to 63 kilos and Meg has nicknamed me "Skelie" obviously short for skeleton. Yes very funny. The increase in drugs has been great and am now pain free most of the time, but when I am in pain it is so bad I cannot describe it, to the point I throw up, so not so nice. Apart from the pain the only issue I have is my stamina, I have trouble concentrating past 3pm in the afternoon and just feel like having a sleep. Not a good look at work I think!! Everything else is great and Meg and Sam are doing well and we are really enjoying this break. Until I have any more news Bye for now. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-82023087826527671892012-09-14T15:59:00.000-07:002012-09-14T15:59:25.806-07:00Is the clock ticking!!!It has been a big week. I had a scope on Monday to take a look and biopsy of the ulsers in my stomach. The pain is still really bad. I also had other CT scan and blood tests. This all culminated in an appointment with Dr. K. Meghan decided to come along this time, which is never a goos sign. It seems when Meg wants to come she is obviously concerned. So with all the info Dr K had he was well informed to bring us up to speed with how I am going. Not good! My cancer cell counts have gone through the roof increasing by 1000 points, this is the biggest increase I have had in along time. The scan showed an increase in all my tumors and larger increase than normal. The spots on my lungs have also increased in size confirming it is definitely tumors. Obviously the SIRT treatment only worked short term. The rush is now on to get me back onto chemo without effecting the ulers too much as we do not want them to bleed. We spoke about the pain I am in and Dr K has decided to hand me over to palliative care to put together concoction to rid me of the pain. I presume this means stronger drugs, but at the moment I don't really care I just want to be pain free. Where to from here? Dr K is going to consult the Doctors in Adelaide who have been following my case and together they will come up with a plan to get me back onto Chemo as soon as possible. This should slow down the spread and growth of the tumors. How ironic is that! I am actually looking forward to going back onto Chemo even knowing how much it mucks up my life. It seems this is the only way to improve my life expectancy. Wish me luck over the next few weeks and I will update once I have a clear direction of what they want to do with me as far as chemo cycles go.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-70099784736446368942012-08-24T16:24:00.000-07:002012-08-24T16:24:05.118-07:00Scan results are back ??????I met with Dr K and he had my scan results back and also latest blood test results. My cancer cell count has come down again to approx 350, which is about half of the levels prior to the treatment. Dr K said it must as a result of the treatment as I am still off Chemo. Originally the specialist said best result would see a reduction by half so all going according to plan. The size of the tumors are still about the same but has been put down to the scan showing the dead cells as well, so will take that as a positive. But as usual two steps forward and one back. The scan also shows two active nodules in my right lung. These were identified on a previous scan but at that time they were too small to know what they were. Dr K is 90% sure it is cancerous so not good news. Nothing we can do at the moment and hopefully when I start Chemo again it may keep it under control or even kill it off if I am lucky. So not good news. I am still having trouble with the ulcers and am going back in for another scope to see what is going on. The fear is the ulcers have turned malignant (cancerous)which would mean the only way the get rid of would be to operate. Dr K has concerns about an operation due to my current state of health, but will cross that bridge when we get to it. To be honest I am over the continual pain and feeling like the walking dead by mid afternoon everyday. It is just not fair on my Family, Meghan and Sam. By the time I get home from work everyday I am not in the best frame of mind and have no energy to really enjoy their company or visa versa. I try my best but I just wish I felt normal. I have another appointment with Dr K on Monday so will discuss in detail, but not really interested in increasing the pain killers as I am on a very high dose now. I am still overwhelmed by the support I receive from everyone. It is the one thing that keeps me getting up each morning and getting through each day, so thank you to All for your phone calls and emails, it means so much to me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-82971572710654148392012-08-10T16:29:00.000-07:002012-08-10T16:37:34.271-07:00Currently in LimboIt's been awhile since my last blog, and mainly because I am in limbo at present. I went into hospital for day surgery and they found ulcers in my stomach caused through the SIRT treatment. There is no quick way to get rid of these so now on medication to reduce the pain and wait for the ulcers to heal. Dr K will not let me start back on chemo until they are all cleared up. I have had CT scans and they will compare the results from these scans against the last scans I had prior to the treatment. Hopefully we will see some reduction in the tumor sizes. I should have the results in the next week. So wish me good luck. It will be disappointing to go through so much pain and not see some improvement. I have not been so well within myself lately. Considering I have been off chemo since April now, I thought I would be starting to feel normal again, but not the case. I get to about 2pm each day and I just hit a brick wall. I just don't have the energy I used to have. Also my concentration levels have reduced dramatically which frustrates me no end. Given I had very radical treatment 2 months ago may be it is understandable. I think I just expect to much from myself, and need to start slowing down with my workload. Once I go back onto regular chemo treatment I have a feeling the fatigue will only get worse, so yes I am now starting to think about how I am going to handle my job or even if I can continue. Meghan is very supportive of me whatever decision I make, but for those who know me, it would be a huge step for me to stop working. I need to ensure the company is not suffering through me not being able to cope day to day, so the decision needs to be made while I am still on top of my game. Big call but not going to rush into it. So looking forward to getting my results although a little nervous and getting rid of these ulcers. Overall life is great and love living in Darwin, and made better by the weather at the moment as it is dry season and 30 degrees everyday. I will update everyone on my results as soon as I have them. Bye for now.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-53374051701807110852012-07-13T16:26:00.000-07:002012-07-13T16:26:43.093-07:00A month later and some concernsIt's now been just over a month since my SIRT treatment. The good news is my last blood test showed a drop in my cancer cell counts by about 200 points which is great but the levels are still high over 500. As I have not started my normal chemo it can only be attibuted to treatment. I have scans arranged for the end of July where they will compare before and after, so hopefully we will see some good results, fingers crossed. I am still in quite a lot of pain mainly in my stomach, and it does not seem to be subsiding. I am continually pushing pain killers down my throat it give me some relief, but to be honest I am getting very frustrated as I am not improving. I had scans this week and am booked in with a specialist for day surgery to go in and check for any ulcers in my stomach which can be a side effect of the treatment. Once we get this sorted I will be starting back on my regular fortnightly chemo treatment. It just never ends, but I have to accept this as my life now, and as long as I feel it is helping to extend my life expectancy I will continue to do whatever it takes. I have lost a lot of weight about 8 kilos as I just have no appetite and can not hold down any substantial size meal. Just need to get to the bottom of this constant pain issue and I should be back on track and be able to focus on keeping my cancer cell counts down and start enjoying my life again. I feel for Meghan and Sam as they are the ones putting up with my mood swings and I admit I am not easy to live with at the moment, so thanks guys and I promise I will be back to normal soon. Well maybe not normal as I am far from a normal person these days. I will update once I have results near the end of the month. Thank you for all your support and well wishes it means a lot to me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-70924623939926335502012-06-14T04:19:00.002-07:002012-06-14T04:19:35.021-07:00A Big Risk has been taken and I have walked out the other side AliveWell here I am "ALIVE". I did have my doubts at stages after the treatment, I kept thinking no one can be in this much pain and survive, yes I know but I cannot begin to compare to anything expect having some drive a serrated knife into your stomac and twist it. Not that I have but heel it must be close to the feel.once they sort the pain killers out by day 3 I was much happier. Going into the theatre it was good to see Dr Mattreghan again as I was really comfortable with him aver the last treatment which he preformed. He even had a bit of a joke with me which I responded with all ok for him he was standing up and I was the one on the table with no clothes on and surgical antiseptic swaps all over me. Dr Choo was the Dr implanting the sir spheres and was very happy with his research of all the other angiograms and exactly what needed to be done. So confidence level prior to going under was up high. After about two hours they had me out and coherent again which I obvious was fairly happy about. Not long back on wards and they had me back in for scans to ensure all the implanted soldiers went in to the correct battle zones for ultimate impact. The two nights I spent in the hospital were terrible the fact I was still finding my pain levels and nausea meant I was only getting about two hours sleep so the rest of the time was spent throwing up and in pain. Nice. Today is one week from the day of the treatment and I must admit I am 100% better than last week at the same time, that is a good sign, the only concern I currently have is the amount of morphine I need to take to get through. I am now recording how many and times and stretch out as long as possible and as the pain subsides so will the need for drugs. I have my next Docs appointment on Monday so will know more but in reality will not have quantifiable results for 3 months. In the mean time some reduction in tumor marker would be great. Thank you to all who sent messages and phone calls over the last week it has meant a lot to both Meghan, Sam and myself. I will post in a few weeks when I have some results and hopefully feeling better. thank you All once moreAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997826845324396154.post-35403723536814206362012-06-06T23:52:00.003-07:002012-06-06T23:52:43.471-07:00SIRT Procedure Complete - Status UpdateHi Everyone,
It's Meghan, just submitting a short post to let you all know how David went with this SIRT procedure today.
In total the procedure took approximately two hours, he was also in recovering a couple of hours afterwards, by the time I got to see David, he was experiencing a significant amount of pain and nausea, the nausea has since abated as he has been provided with anti nausea medication however he states the pain is still significant.
The doctor reported that the procedure went well, as they were able to get a majority of the drug into his body. He is currently having an MRI and CT scan to establish where the spheres actually ended up.
The doctor has indicated that David will be discharged tomorrow and can fly home to Darwin soon after. We will assess how he is feeling on Saturday morning and determine when he will be comfortable to fly.
I would just like to take this opportunity to say how proud both Sam and I are of David and how much we love him.
Thank you for reading this blog post and for all the support that everyone has shown to David, Sam and I.
Meghan xoAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912468347550068990noreply@blogger.com3