Chemo Round 5 and Other Various Tests

To say that each round of chemo builds on each other is a bit of an understatement! Round 5 put me down the hardest yet. Labs continue to look good so they keep shoving in the chemo. A lot more time spent in bed this round just resting. Body is definitely wiped out...haven't had a decent workout in a few weeks and that has led to 15+ pounds of weight gain. Oh well, one more round to go this Friday then hopefully I can get back in the gym and things a bit more to the normal side.

Last week I had a couple additional tests/examinations. I had a repeat echo of my heart to rule out any damage from the chemo. Results came back great...no changes or damage. I also went in to the surgeon for a repeat cystoscopy. Cystoscopy is a test that allows your doctor to look at the inside of your bladder and urethra. It's done using a thin, lighted tube called a cystoscope . The doctor inserts this tube into your urethra and on into the bladder. The surgeon was unable to find any visual signs of recurrence of tumors on the bladder wall. So far we are 3 for 3 on "best possible results" to date. 

Soooo...plan for now is to complete Round 6 of chemo this Friday, then on August 25th go back into surgery and have my bladder scraped for possible microscopic cancer cells unseen by the human eye. The bladder scrape is the next big result. If they find no evidence of cancer cells than we go into wait and watch mode. No major surgeries, just go in for a cystoscopy every three months and continue to monitor. If they do find something, we move to plan B which hasn't been planned yet.

If your still reading thanks!  Picture below was a day I was able to get out and spend some time downtown with friends.

Chemo Round 4 and Pet Scan Results

Heads up, more bitchy this week!

Crap...this one has been an ass kicker! By far the roughest post week I have had after chemo. Day 7 after round four and I just can't shake the side effects. Still try to keep moving forward but each day I finally hit a wall and am just done! Among the multiple side effects, my hearing has been increasingly worse each week. We work in an open environment and the ambient noise levels are just jacking with me. I am sure everyone is getting tired of me asking to repeat what they are saying. The brilliance of this side effect is that even though your hearing is going away or muffling, you still get the clear ringing in your ears to drive you crazy. On the down hill slide with 4 of 6 rounds done but even thinking about going back for the next round is a bit overwhelming!

Okay...enough griping! On better news, my PET scan came back normal. What does that mean you ask? Apparently, the chemo is working and there currently is no sign of cancer activity. By far the best news we could have received at this point. Not sure how to digest this emotionally yet but pleased things are moving in the right direction.

In other news, my daughter is back from Geology Field Camp and has signed on as an intern at DatumLabs! So for about six weeks she gets to drive in with me and see what Datum is all about. Really enjoying having her in the office and she has already become a productive intern!

Fun for the week...this week I had my first head and face shave with a straight razor. Absolutely amazing!

Chemo Round 3 and Pet Scan

Slight delay in my blog for chemo round three. Not very eventful for the most part. Labs came back good an we ran with the same regimen again. Each time I get chemo it seems to take longer to feel normal again. Starting to forget what normal even feels like. For the most part, I try to push through and keep my schedule the same as before chemo. That being said, my body is wearing out...I can tell not all things are getting back to normal.

Biggest change from week three is my hair falling out. No real biggy for me being a guy. Went ahead and shaved my head...it is summer anyway right? Funny part is having never shaved my head before I felt like a newborn. Rain hits my head and I am like what the heck is that feeling. So in a way, it has been kind of fun! On the flip side, most people are realizing something is up. When I tell them about the cancer, it is like I punched them in the stomach. Funny how I have to console them a bit...everyone cares though! A good feeling for me.

I was suppose to have a PET scan last week to see how the cancer was responding to chemo but somehow the doctors office tripped and it had to be rescheduled. Mentally that jacked with me a bit...you get prepared and then nothing happens. So anyway, today was the PET scan. Tomorrow I find out if it is responding or not. Have tickets to the Royals tonight so hopefully that will help keep my mind off the waiting results.

Tomorrow is also round 4 of chemo if PET scan comes back positive.

Thanks for all that are reading and GO ROYALS!!!

Better Than Expected

So...this weekend actually went better than the last chemo weekend. Most of the heavy nausea was restricted to evenings which allowed me to be a functional human being most of the daytime. This worked out really well since my family was in town visiting. I was able to spend a decent amount of time with my parents and even snuck in a round of golf with them, my brother, and my wife on Sunday morning.

Only difference between last session and this one is I received my Neulasta vaccine on Monday morning versus Saturday. Hoping it doesn't get the nausea started again. Been documenting side effects and dates they occur so hopefully I can get ahead of the headaches, ear ringing, exhaustion, etc.

Have to do additional labs this week as well as next week before third treatment. My understanding is the second treatment really starts to wear on the blood cells so we have to start watching a bit closer.

Anyway, parting picture from the weekend. Me and the wife!

Chemo Round Two

Lab results were good so round two is a go. This week was pretty good...unfortunately by the time you feel almost normal is is time for another round. My body continues to test me everyday. Always something new to figure out. For the most part though, handling the chemo well!

Datum has really gained traction so work remains busy. This is great for me mentally and I am ecstatic to see our company grow out of infancy. I am privileged to have great employees and co-workers who work hard and share in the company philosophy. We work closely with our Barkley partners and even when things get crazy...everyone makes time to joke and have fun. Couldn't ask for a better environment to work in while fighting this cancer.

Same regimen as two weeks ago...will check in later! Oscar our data monster (below) says hi!

So How Did the Weekend Go?

Turns out you can read every blog on the internet and it just doesn't matter. Most chemo patients get hit a couple days after their chemo. So we figured Sunday was going to be the day nausea strikes. Nope...we decided to meet our dear friends the Accurso's at T-Bones for dinner that evening after chemo. Not 30 minutes into dinner, waves of nausea and dizziness strike. People were talking to me but I had transcended into some weird world. I heard them but I felt like I was in some kind of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory freak out.

I had to leave the table and left the building. I wandered around the outside of T-Bones trying to shake off the waves of nausea and dysphoria. Needless to say, I never told anyone where I was at and left my phone on the table so 20-30 minutes later Lisa was worried. Whoops! I sat back down, choked down my chicken, paid the bill and we rolled out. I don't even remember getting to the bed but somehow got there and passed out for the evening!

I woke up Saturday morning and as Nurse Carolyn told me immediately took my Zophran. She said it would be good to get it going and I was not going to argue after Friday night.  We had to get moving because I had another date with the chemo bay for my Neulasta shot. Neulasta (for the low price of $6k per shot) helps stimulate the growth of white blood cells that the chemo kills while trying to kill your cancer. On the way to get the injection I had another wave of nausea. We were close to the hospital when it hit which was nice since I was driving! We parked the Jeep and with some deep breathing I made it in the building.

Registration was fairly quick and I made my way to get the injection. Nurse Ashley administered the injection but not before letting me know the side effects of bone pain and nausea. Not sure after all the chemo the nausea side effect is that important to relay. Received the shot and quickly got on my way home. Longest ride ever! If you have ever experienced the late night when you drank way too much and can feel every move the car makes...there is where I was! Finally got home dropped Compazine hit the bed and there I was the rest of the day. Boom...chemo side effects all day long! Around midnight I woke up and things were feeling better. I went in and made a turkey roll up an ate it all down. Feeling like a winner I went back to bed and hoped for a better Sunday.

Sunday morning rolled and sure enough feeling much better. I was able to get a workout in and we launched the boat and took a boat ride. A bit fatigued and some nausea here and there but manageable. I have had some headaches at night but nothing some ibuprofen did not heal.

Monday came along and felt some fatigue. Took it pretty easy most the day...trying to listen to my body. Had one heck of a migraine but Zomig knocked it out. Work tomorrow can't wait to get back to work, something normal!

Leaving on a good note, we had a wildlife visitor in a rose bush by our pool. Picture below...hope momma comes back for him!

Chemo Day 1

Quick Pic from Day 1 chemo.

Here are the sorted details:

Once my port was accessed the cocktails began. 

I will be getting what is known as the MVAC chemotherapy. 

If interested you can read in more detail below here

http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/acronyms/mvac.aspx

• First they hydrate the crap out of me with fluids. Duration 30 Minutes.
• We start off with Anti-Nausea Aloxi and Steroid Dexamethasone. Duration 10 Minutes.
• Next comes another Anti-Nausea Emend. Duration 30 Minutes.
• First chemo is Methotrexate. Duration 30 Minutes.
• Next chemo is Vinblastine...cool name I have to admit. Duration 5 Minutes.
• After first chemo I get a piggy back of Magnesium Sulfate and Potassium Chloride to renew electrolytes. I also get another hydration of saline. Duration 1 hour...now I have to pee!
• Next chemo drug, Adriamycin. This one was kind of weird and when I think about it I get nauseated still. Yes I did pee red after.  Duration 15 Minutes.

Carolyn administering the Adriamycin

 

•  Now comes the biggy Cisplatin. This is the one that sucks the most. Duration 1 Hour.
• Once through the chemos, I get another piggy back of Magnesium Sulfate and Potassium Chloride to renew electrolytes. I also get a dose of Mannitol that acts as a diuretic plus one more round of fluids. Duration 1 hour.
• By the time you check in it was a 6 hour day.
• Lisa and I could not get out quick enough.
• Next session in two weeks.

Now couple cool things....the nurses rock!!! Big props to Carolyn Wilburn, very detailed and informative! The chemo bay is bright and there are windows, wifi access so I can work and I can bring whatever I want so diet is not an issue. I had my rock, my advocate, my bull dog by my side the the whole time making sure everyone did their job...thanks Lisa!

New Body Part - The Port

Tuesday, May 24th I had my port surgically inserted.

For those who do not know, a port (or portacath) is a small medical appliance that is installed beneath the skin. A catheter connects the port to a vein. Under the skin, the port has a septum through which drugs can be injected and blood samples can be drawn many times, usually with less discomfort for the patient than a more typical "needle stick".

 

The set up for the surgery took longer than the actual implant. I was put in a conscious sedation so I could hear everything during the surgery. Pretty cool actually...would have been better if I could have watched! Pain was bearable...I had more pain in the neck. Must be from the trauma to the jugular vein. My bandage was driving me crazy but my awesome wife took the bandage off and put a better dressing on to relieve the skin pulling.  

Chemo starts Friday, May 27th.

Brief History

So here we go:

• December 14th, 2016 I had a knee replacement.
• During post op of my knee replacement I was catheterized and blood and tissue was released from my bladder.
• I continued to have blood in my urine for a couple months along with clots.
• Went into doctor and a CT was ordered of my abdomen and pelvis.
• Result showed a large tumor in my bladder.
• Went to urologist for a scope and bladder cancer was determined.
• Original scans showed cancer was contained in the bladder.
• Late in April 2017, surgery was completed to remove the cancer from my bladder and get biopsy of muscle wall.
• Turned out the cancer was a high grade aggressive cancer and had invaded the muscle wall of my bladder.
• Plans were made to start chemo an remove my bladder and prostate then create a new bladder from part of my small intestine.
• A very tiny paratracheal node had lit up on my CT so my oncologist decided to order a PET scan to rule out metastatic disease.
• PET scan revealed metastasis in multiple lymph nodes from my bladder all the way up to my paratracheal node.