Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.

I just had Folfiri treatment #10 yesterday. The lower dose has definitely helped with side effects. Nausea yesterday but no puking and today is starting to get better. Mostly just fatigue and low appetite now. I've spent most of today on the recliner, covered in blankets and cats.

We eliminated Panitumumab from my treatment protocol based on info in the FoundationOne test showing that my tumors are no longer affected by it. Hopefully that means the rash will disappear in the next couple of weeks. :) Instead, we've added Avastin back into the mix. I haven't had that drug since 2011 but it sounds like it could still work well for me. Side effects from Avastin are minimal...mostly nose bleeds and some clotting issues.

I've had some slight pain in my tailbone again but we think it's being caused by the amount of time I'm spending sitting on the chair/couch while recovering from treatments. Sitting on my special coccyx pillow seems to help (yep, that's right, I have an old man cushion). I've also had some more pain in my left side just below my ribcage. We did a CT scan last week to see what was going on with that but nothing looked out of the ordinary. Dr. Huie thinks it could be remnants from our misadventures in lung ablation. This seems like a plausible explanation since I've had the pain on and off since that procedure, but we'll still keep an eye on it to make sure it's nothing else. On a good note, the CT scan showed that the junk in my liver appears stable, meaning the Folfiri is at least holding the disease at bay. My CEA has continued to drop. We are going to keep treating my with Folfiri and Avastin indefinitely until it stops working and will then explore the additional drugs that the FoundationOne test identified as possible matches.

The kids have been keeping busy...Erik just finished up his soccer season and has started basketball; Ellie just started playing on a volleyball league in Middleton. Dad and I (mostly Dad) insulated the garage this past weekend...The chickens should be happy about that. Di, Ellie, Erik and I had a wonderful dinner at Gilda's Club with friends this past weekend. I've always been aware of its existence but never realized how wonderful of a place it is and what an amazing service they offer to families dealing with cancer.

On a final and unrelated note, I was sad to learn of this weekend's passing of Mary Beth Mackin, UW-W Dean of Students. Mary Beth hired me as a student graphic designer at the Office of Residence Life at UW-Whitewater when I was a sophomore and was the first "boss" and mentor in my career . She was a kind, caring person and a champion of all things Wlhitewater. I am thankful for the opportunities, freedom and trust that she gave to me as a student designer. I carry the learning that I gained working with Mary Beth and her successor Scott with me in my management style to this day. So...if you're a UW-W alum (or even if you're not), tomorrow is wear purple for Mary Beth day. More info at https://www.facebook.com/events/896074260468409/

Thanks for checking in!

Korbin