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| Chemo Bell |
Chemo #2 is just another entry / memory. Side effects were as round #1. So we are thankful for that. Everywhere we went people (even the Dr.) warned us how it would be so much worse and to ‘get ready for it’!?. Good thing we choose to believe to go with the flow and accept what happens. Take your meds as prescribed and don’t wait for side effects to happen and then try to catch up. It won’t work. As the person who watches what happens, Ken and his body took it even better with round 2. Maybe it was the 80% dosage. Maybe his body thought ‘OK fine…you gave me this before, let’s get it over with’. A few days after chemo is a bit of a dip as the steroids in the anti-nausea pills wear off. Luckily it happened on a weekend so there’s some extra time to adjust. Just makes him a little more tired.
Last Friday was a big day. First stop blood work to see what Chemo #2 did. Then Chemo Dr., radiation and dentist. The chemo clinic was quiet that day. Not so many new people as we usually see. They say on a regular Wed. and Thurs. clinic, each clinic sees an average of 100 people. There are 4 clinics doing this. The nurse told us we were at our worst time for pain. It was kind of funny to note that we were excited to hear this…just to know it will get better from here.
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| Chemo Angels |
Then Dr. Kuruvilla the chemo Dr. came in. We were basically there to decide how Chemo #3 would proceed on February 1st. She spoke a bit about blood work. She gave us a bunch of text book facts of things / studies. And all we could think was ‘oh…we’re going ahead with #3 – well we knew it was coming – bring it on’. But, then she finished with ‘based on talk with her colleagues, they don’t feel that chemo #3 is necessary – 2 will be fine based on his progress and timing, etc. Chemo works better during the radiation period as it softens the tissues for the radiation to work better. Since our last radiation is Jan. 25th, we would be done before the chemo could be fit it. They felt Ken’s blood counts wouldn’t be where they needed them (Platelets = 84 / ANC = low normal). We were told approx. 40% of people don’t get the 3rd chemo in for this type of treatment. We are now booked for a follow up appointment to see how things are going in February! YEAH!!
I commented on the Bell – What? We don’t get to ring the chemo bell? That’s our rite of passage! We worked hard to get here. Oh well. The outcome is good enough I guess. We’ll still have our radiation bell to ring!
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| True RE/MAX-er sporting his stylish bag & water bottle. Have a hat too but baby-face Ken likes his gangsta hat! Yes, there is lots of hair under it! |
Smashingly happy ‘V’…smashing it big time!
Xx
S
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