Back to the Urologist today to begin stage two of my treatment. The recommendation is for Chemotherapy as according to Japan or latest protocols radiotherapy is not as effective, it was in line with some reading I had done from the UK, so that’s now the course of action. Next step is to meet my oncologist this Friday, watch this space.
I’ve started reading the first parts of the Lance Armstrong book ‘Its Not About the Bike’, a friend recommended it to me and I was going to start it when I came out of hospital but found that even reading a couple of pages was just too upsetting. It’s still causing a few tears now, but more I think from understanding than from me feeling sorry for myself or scared.
Everything has gone really well so far and the outlook is really good, but you still can’t help thinking about the 5% who didn’t make it. Its odd being at the point where I’m actually feeling better day by day and now I’m going to be heading back to hospital to become sick again. (while quietly hoping that the effects will be mild). I guess again I need to wait until Friday to find out all those details as well.
Once again another date and another wait.
It’s all kicking off now. Drip is in and saline flowing in
Got a great boast to this whole process last night. The laptop was delivered and is doing great. Got even better when I managed to find some wireless networks. I could use one that was free but it was way slow. There was also a FON one from the whole FON network, (link). I purchased a 5 day pass for $10 and it is working a treat.
I have been able to access all my online stuff and configure the laptop to my liking. Suddenly its not like being closed away from the world anymore. I’m still reading and working on my katakana, but well impressed with FON. To the point were I have ordered my own Wifi router to join the wave!!
On the serious side, chemo starts in the morning 9am! 3 hours in the morning and then 3 hours in the afternoon – for the next 5 days.
Well its all determined now. Met with the specialist on Friday afternoon and they gave me the layout of the plan and whats going to happen. I’ll be receiving the EP Chemotherapy protocol. The drugs are Cisplastin (the P drug) and Etoposide (the E drug). Its going to be 3 cycles of 21 days each. The first three days are in hospital receiving the drugs, then a few days after checking results then home for rest of the 21 days then repeat, and repeat again, and I’ve been told possible repeat again.
Will be digging out the baseball caps I have somewhere as I’m going to need them. That should be an interesting look. As someone at work pointed out a silver lining, don’t need to shave! And on the silver lining topic I also get my teeth cleaned by the hospital as they need to be really healthy to prevent infection! And I was overdue a clean as well.
Just loading the last of the music and TV programs for viewing whilst sitting around waiting. I should be able to write to this long from the phone so will see how it goes. Later
Thats what it is called here. I think in the UK it was called the plan of attack. Today its talk to the oncologist and find out what they have in store for me. I already have nausea and the last meal I kept down was Thursday lunch
Last Monday the future was all looking fairly simple, then on Tuesday it was back to upside down, Wednesday was decision time and then it was simple again. We go off and get some extra treatment and then resume life again. Having made that choice a level of secerenity was possible, now I’m starting to get the real details of it all and quite frankly I don’t have to wait for the chemo induced nausea as I’ve got it already!
When something like this is staring you straight in the eyes you starting searching for the strength to stare right back. Unbeknown to me and surprisingly it is my mothers religous faith that is helping provide this strengh. I’m not going to be running off to confession and taking communion anytime soon, but that belief that there is something more, blended with a few bits and pieces from my travels is very comforting when your all alone in the night.
I should have known it wasn’t going to be over. Just back from the doctors (both of them) and am completely confused as to what to do next. Well not totally, one is that I managed to pop on an entire kilo since my last visit to my routine doctor. One could say with all the sleeping and christmas festivities thats not bad, so its diet and gym calling.
The urology doctor is not quite so cut and dried. Yes you did have cancer and now here are the options.
1. We do nothing but you have to blood test, chest x-ray and CT scan every 3 months for the next 2 years (the golden period its called here!). If the cancer takes hold in either the other testicle or lymp node then they ‘salvage’ the situation – his words, not mine.
2. We either have radication or chemo (and I think the preference they have here is Chemo). This will reduce the chances of it occuring.
So the choices are mine to make. This doctor has a preference of ‘Watchful, waiting’ as they call it. This is also a ‘new’ protocol for treatment and I need to find out what the jury currently thinks. I don’t like the idea of just leaving the thing to grow and risking more surgury. Family history is that cancer has killed some of us.
No choices made yet – so I guess the stout lady is just warming up!! d
Back to the Urologist today to begin stage two of my treatment. The recommendation is for Chemotherapy as according to Japan or latest protocols radiotherapy is not as effective, it was in line with some reading I had done from the UK, so that’s now the course of action. Next step is to meet my oncologist this Friday, watch this space.
