Does he really, REALLY need it?

I met with the nurse today and we went over the chemo pills I'm going to be taking. It actually the same chemo drug I was taking earlier but in pill form, and as I've said, I'm very happy about that. Apparently I responded well to that treatment because the doc said that the liver and lymph nodes look much better.

After my appointment I went to the pharmacy to pick up the pills. After a long wait, the pharmacist called me up and told me that my insurance company wanted to talk to the doctor to make sure that I needed this medication. It was a prescription FROM the doctor, with his signature on it. I'd say that means he thinks I should get the medication, but I guess Blue Cross Blue Shield wants to be absolutely sure. The pharmacist said it could take two days. You have GOT to be kidding me. Yo, Blue Cross, you're messing with my chi!!!

A Week of Good News

I've had a lot of good news in the last week. Friday I learned that the tissue near the tumor is softening, which means the radiation is doing what they had hoped it would do. I'll have a follow-up in 4 weeks on that. Monday I had lab work done and the CEA marker went down from 72.9 to 35.4 (it should be <3, but the lower the better). Wednesday I had CT scans done and the doctor said the liver and the lymph nodes look better and I can start taking pills instead of using the chemo pump! I'm really happy about that. This has been a great week! Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support!!

Don't get your hopes up, CaT!

I never really know what's going on. I went to the oncologist's office today thinking that I would start the new chemo, but the doctor said he'd like to do another CT scan first and if things look better or the same, then he'd keep me on the old chemo, and it is possible that I could even take pills instead of the dreaded pump! Man, I got excited about that, but then he said "Don't get your hopes up". How could I NOT get my hopes up?

I'm going to have the CT scans done Wednesday. Here's a picture of the stuff I have to drink before the scans. Barium Sulfate tastes like... umm... Barium Sulfate. I don't care if they call it a Berry Smoothie. If you ever have to drink it, drink it cold. It's better that way.

Supplement City

At the urging of a very good friend of mine (and cancer survivor), I went to a world renown specialist in nutritional oncology who has an office right here in Austin. He's a very friendly gent with an impressive resume and he must be good because it took weeks to get in to see him. The appointment was timely since I will begin my new chemo regiment next week, and he had suggestions on what to eat and what not to eat before, during, and after the chemo sessions. He is quite the intellectual. He told me about some supplements that can act as immunomodulators and then he started talking about anti-angiogenic therapy and vascular endothelial growth factors and tumor neovascularization and by then I could only smile and nod and occasionally grunt out an "Uh-huh, yeah. Sounds good."

I did get the general idea; some of the nutritional tips and supplements will increase the effectiveness of the chemo, and other supplements will decrease the negative side effects of the chemo. Works for me, dude!

A Nice Break

I'm done with radiation and I have a break from chemo, so we decided to take a mini-vacation. We just got back from four glorious days in Ruidoso, NM. The high temperature was around 78 degrees and it was down to the 50's at night, a welcome relief from the 100's we have everyday in Austin. We stayed at The Inn of the Mountain Gods. When I saw this sign I thought "What a conundrum - do you play golf or go to the casino?". I quickly realized the answer is easy. Play golf. After all, you can't play golf in a casino, but you sure can gamble on the golf course.

One day we played miniature golf and ran into the Dalai Lama. Big hitter the Lama - long. I asked if he had any tips and he said that there would be no tips, but that on my deathbed I would receive total consciousness. So I got that going for me, which is nice...

One More Day

I only have one more day of radiation!! I should have named this machine. I talked to it a lot while I was there but never gave it a name, at least not one that I feel like I should share right now.

Re-Accessing The PowerPort

I have a state-of-the-art PowerPort port-a-cath that was installed under my left shoulder blade. This is where the chemo is administered. Today I had to get my port-a-cath "re-accessed" as the nurses say. I have plenty of chemo drugs still in the pump, but they have a rule that you can only have the needle in the PowerPort for 7 days, then they have to flush it out and give you another needle. The PowerPort is just under the skin and it hurts a little when they put the needle in, but it's not too bad. I was kind of bummed that I had to get it re-accessed since I'm going to get rid of the pump on Friday, in 48 hours. Actually about 46 hours from now, but who's counting?

I am!

Thank You. Thank You Very Much...

The support I've received from family and friends (you guys!) has been incredible, and it has really helped me over the last couple of months. I don't know what to say except thank you. That just doesn't seem to express how much it means to me...

Today I got a very cool present in the mail from my cousin Tom and his wife Donna. It's a Japanese daruma doll for making wishes. I haven't made my wish yet, but I am about to do that and fill in one eye.

Check out the Wikipedia definition:

Daruma dolls (達磨, daruma^?), also known as dharma dolls, are hollow and round Japanese wish dolls with no arms or legs, modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder and first patriarch of Zen.^[1] Typical colors are red (most common), yellow, green, and white. The doll has a face with a mustache and beard, but its eyes only contain the color white. Using black ink, one fills in a single circular eye while thinking of a wish. Should the wish later come true, the second eye is filled in. It is traditional to fill in the right eye first; the left eye is left blank until the wish is fulfilled.

...and Rose Marie ...

My oncologist is a Dick van Dyke fan and has this autographed picture in one of his exam rooms. He said he met Dick van Dyke once and he was a very friendly, nice guy. Last week I had an appointment with my doctor and I started to think about the opening song to that show and the scene where Rob Petrie either trips over or avoids tripping over the ottoman in the living room. I had that song in my head for three days. I think it's back.