Hello, Fabulous Family & Friends!
So sorry it’s been so long. It’s been crazy busy! Which is good. Means that my life is getting back to “normal.”
So, in summary: my last chemo was July 20th and it was a rough one. The chemo effects had stacked up enough to make me very sick. Glad it was the last. The doctor was right in stopping them. They were becoming more toxic than helpful to my body.
Anyway, made it through that rough spell and then my next adventure began: caring for my Mom (who came to care for me). She got bit on the calf by a dog while jogging. Two days later we had to bring her to the emergency room because she was septic. She spent 11 nights in the hospital (4 in ICU) and had to have a cut made from the back of her knee down to her ankle to remove all the infection. Then she came home. A week later we had to take her back for another 3 nights because she got C. Diff., a bad bacterial infection. Since then, it’s been surgeon and physician follow-ups and physical therapy. She’s much better now and can walk well but some days she still gets very exhausted and weak. So that’s how I spent most of August and September. Oh well. I told her we’re even now. She took care of me and I returned the favor. Checkmark. (smile)
So, what’s the future look like from here? I have to have monthly port flushes (I hate how that sounds!) to keep my port clear in case it needs to be used again for chemo. I hope that this won’t happen and I can get it out. But I think they wait for two years. Bummer! Oh well. I’ve already accumulated a lot of high-neck shirts to cover it up. Guess I’ll just keep looking for more.
I also get my bloodwork checked at each port flush and the last one was wonderful. In fact, my CEA tumor marker dropped another point to 4.6. Yaaaaay! Still dropping after 1 ½ months. Love it!
To keep a check on the cancer, I get a colonoscopy next month (oh, the joys of cancer) and then a CT the next month. These are to check that there’s no more cancer growing. I think that after these are done—and are clear (praying!)—I’ll be considered NED (no evidence of disease). I may also be considered a NERD but we already know that.
Those two tests will continue every 3 months or so, along with the blood tests and port flushes (sounds like I’m talking about a toilet!) to check for re-occurrence of the cancer. The chemo did a wonder on the colon cancer—better even than my Oncologist expected. (That’s because of God hearing all of you AMAZING friends!!!) But…(don’t you just love that word)…he expects that it may return in a different form. This is because I had it so long and it fully covered my liver and had moved to my lung (though only a 3-4 mm nodule that was quickly killed by the chemo). I could have one little cell of cancer floating around in me and changing so that it isn’t affected by the last chemo. If it does re-occur, I’ll have to do chemo again. And the next one will for sure take all my hair. Yes, my hair. Finally, got the short haircut. Hated it. (Note the above picture. Scary!) Whenever I looked in the mirror I saw Alice from the Brady Bunch or a little English boy from the 1600s. Everyone else loved it (or so they said…I have nice friends). Anyway, I’m learning to love it. It is way quicker and sassier. But in the morning I look like a troll doll. Oh well.
I still have a few side effects. My feet and fingers are always tingly and feel like ice. That’s supposed to go away. May take a year but it’s supposed to fade. Hope so. On the bright side, I can now taste food. Yay!!!! And I’m no longer nauseous. Double Yay!!! Oh yeah, still have the chemo brain. Bummer. But it’s very entertaining for others.
So, that’s what’s happening for me. Life seems almost normal again and I constantly think, “Did all that really happen?” and then “Will all that happen again?” But, we can’t tell the future so I’m praying and planning for the best. No need to fret until there’s something to fret about.
Oh wait, I forgot to add my commercial. Here goes: “If you’re over 40…GET A COLONOSCOPY!”
Short and sweet. Really. Do it! It’s so much more treatable if you catch it early. Forget 50. Go at 40. It’s not as bad you think. And it’s so much better to not have to do chemo. Trust me!
Anyway, thank you all for being such an INCREDIBLE support network. You guys made this such a more bearable “journey.” I can’t even express in words how fabulous you all have been. Thank you so very, very much! So until I have some great, or not-so-great news to tell you, it may be awhile before you hear from me. Just think happy thoughts about jazz hands, fanny packs and Nutella or my newest downfall: Almond Roca!!! Hugs![...]