I've not really had anything to report lately, I've been chugging along doing as much as I can at work and around the house - symptoms are still conspicuously absent (a couple of episodes of nausea and constipation, or diarrhea, I'm lucky enough to get both, but nothing else), except for the aggravating tiredness which comes on at odd times. Sometimes it will hit in the middle of the morning - I left work after an hour or so yesterday because I felt waves of tiredness coming on.
Today was a progress meeting with Dr Akhtar and he seems perfectly happy with everything - all the test results are looking fine and everything is as expected. He said just to keep thinking positive thoughts and get strong for the operation.
I got a bit more detail on what the post-surgery chemo-therapy is going to be. I will either have a port or another picc line (I think I'm leaning towards a port because of the skin infection issues I had with the port, but I need to investigate a bit more as to how the port actually works and what maintenance it requires - I'd like to be able to shower without complications, especially given the length of time I'm going to have to have it!), and I will be having fortnightly infusion sessions, PLUS (and this was news) I will be carrying a pump around for 2 days after each session. I thought I'd said goodbye to the pump for good.
This will continue for 4 months.
That takes us pretty much through June, so I'm guessing that I'll not be able to travel until at least early July. I was hoping to make it to Blighty for Dad's birthday in June, but it looks like we will have to celebrate a little late.
Positive thoughts, he said! Positive!
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Happy New Year
Have to assume that 2017 is going to be better than 2016, right? It couldn't be worse, really! Or is that tempting fate?
I got an email from Dr Alkoraishi in SF saying I need to contact his secretary to finalize arrangements for the operation on Feb 23rd - I've also got an appointment with him set up for Feb 10th, I'm guessing to talk about the procedure. I do hope it's not another examination like the last one he gave me (https://pluchris.blogspot.com/2016/10/went-solo-down-to-city-in-end-figured.html).
Before that, I've currently just got one appointment scheduled - next Thursday with Dr Akhtar. I'm assuming I'll need to get more blood work done before then.
Currently feeling OK, except for the itchiness and tiredness. I'm taking drugs for nausea, urine flow, diarrhea and pain daily and that seems to be taking care of everything. I'm wondering if I should stop taking some or all of these to see whether I'm still getting those symptoms without them? Is that a good plan? I don't know. I'm down to the last couple of pills for the nausea medication, so maybe I should not re-up - after all, I'm not actually getting any chemo right now?
Again, I'm feeling the frustration of not doing anything - as uncomfortable as the radiation treatment was, as least it was something that I was doing every day! I'm glad I've been keeping this blog - I just looked back over some of the earlier entries to find the link above - it's been an interesting trip!
I got an email from Dr Alkoraishi in SF saying I need to contact his secretary to finalize arrangements for the operation on Feb 23rd - I've also got an appointment with him set up for Feb 10th, I'm guessing to talk about the procedure. I do hope it's not another examination like the last one he gave me (https://pluchris.blogspot.com/2016/10/went-solo-down-to-city-in-end-figured.html).
Before that, I've currently just got one appointment scheduled - next Thursday with Dr Akhtar. I'm assuming I'll need to get more blood work done before then.
Currently feeling OK, except for the itchiness and tiredness. I'm taking drugs for nausea, urine flow, diarrhea and pain daily and that seems to be taking care of everything. I'm wondering if I should stop taking some or all of these to see whether I'm still getting those symptoms without them? Is that a good plan? I don't know. I'm down to the last couple of pills for the nausea medication, so maybe I should not re-up - after all, I'm not actually getting any chemo right now?
Again, I'm feeling the frustration of not doing anything - as uncomfortable as the radiation treatment was, as least it was something that I was doing every day! I'm glad I've been keeping this blog - I just looked back over some of the earlier entries to find the link above - it's been an interesting trip!
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