It’s been a while since I posted anything on here. The reason? I’ve been feeling crappy. I’m not sure whether I caught Jude’s stomach flu or whether Chemo II (the revenge) wrought some revenge for the ease of Chemo I but it’s been a couple of days of nausea, knackeredness and the weak sipping of yoghurt based beverages.
Still all now seems fine as I sail I into the coldest weekend of the year bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready for the Barney’s Warehouse sale. Of course I still have clothes from 2 years ago that are still too tight for me – trousers that create the dreaded ‘muffin top’ effect around my hips but I’m telling myself that I’ve lost SOME weight and that new clothes and good health are conceptual bedfellows.
My ability to spend of course has been hampered somewhat by the medical bills that come in daily – another $700 demanded for some random treatment yesterday – and the fear of what my co-pay per chemo session will be (I still haven’t seen a bill). I’m reckoning that I have to be close to my deductibles (the amount I have to pay before insurance kicks in) but that’s complicated by treatments that started in December. You see deductibles run the calendar year – so I have $2000 for 2005 and $2000 for 2006. What this means is that I end up paying $4000 for treatment rather than the $2k it would have cost had I gotten sick in say Feb and had all of the hospital care in a single calendar year.
Handy hint – get sick at the start of the year
Mind I find that I’m spending less on treatment than I used to on lunch. I’d easily go through $25 dollars a day when I was at work each day – on lunch, the Starbuck’s run and then a supposedly healthful smoothie; and when I needed company for lunch you could double that. So I’m saving about $200 a week on food and coffee alone.
Enough though about the US medical system, things here are good.
I’m not coughing, the stairs are no problems anymore, the dog is looking better exercised, I have a fresh perspective on work, a clear perspective on what needs to be done there and I’ve discovered that our friends here are very cool people. What more can you need?
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Ah - that's better
So after a couple of days during which I felt as though I was being routinely tortured by an invisible hand inside my guts I woke up this morning with a passing fancy for a banana. And some toast. And a cup of tea.
The sense of smell is no longer turned up to 'bloodhound' either; which is a blessed relief as EVERYTHING made me feel like throwing up - from the smell of coffee through to the shampoo they used on the dog.
It's a good feeling.. sitting here, tea in hand, dog at feet, nausea pills in cabinet... so good I may even sing a little... la-la-laaahhhh
Yup - that good
The sense of smell is no longer turned up to 'bloodhound' either; which is a blessed relief as EVERYTHING made me feel like throwing up - from the smell of coffee through to the shampoo they used on the dog.
It's a good feeling.. sitting here, tea in hand, dog at feet, nausea pills in cabinet... so good I may even sing a little... la-la-laaahhhh
Yup - that good
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Bleurgh
Not a great day today - spent 99% of the time feeling like I was going to vomit and 1% of the time vomitting.
Will check in with the hospital tomorrow re. meds that I should be taking but it's not been fun
Let's see what tomorrow brings
Will check in with the hospital tomorrow re. meds that I should be taking but it's not been fun
Let's see what tomorrow brings
Sunday, February 12, 2006
A quickie
Chemo II (the revenge) went very well. Of course the 'red stuff' made me throw up my cookies again but I was expecting it this time. Other than that all was smooth - took 6 hrs instead of the 10 and a half the first time and no real side effects yet. In fact not nuch of anything yet - yes I feel slightly queasy, yes I'm burping and belching for England (a disgusting thing to be doing) but more of a worry than anything right now is the snow that's falling at a rapid rate outside. We're looking at 18 inches by the end of the day.
Why is snow a worry? Well I love TiVo - it's a great system that manages to record every show I love and introduce me to some I didn't know I loved. There are other systems but none are as easy to use or as intuitive. Of course TiVo is only available on Satellite - so whilst the rest of the building gets their TV from underground cable I'm reliant on the satellite dish on the roof - and that dish can get buried in snow. Leaving me with no TV - on a Sunday. The day of America's Funniest Home Videos, Desperate Housewives, The L Word and best of all the finale of the Gray's Anatomy bomb in a man's chest cliffhanger.
So keep your fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed as we pray for clearer skies here
Why is snow a worry? Well I love TiVo - it's a great system that manages to record every show I love and introduce me to some I didn't know I loved. There are other systems but none are as easy to use or as intuitive. Of course TiVo is only available on Satellite - so whilst the rest of the building gets their TV from underground cable I'm reliant on the satellite dish on the roof - and that dish can get buried in snow. Leaving me with no TV - on a Sunday. The day of America's Funniest Home Videos, Desperate Housewives, The L Word and best of all the finale of the Gray's Anatomy bomb in a man's chest cliffhanger.
So keep your fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed as we pray for clearer skies here
Thursday, February 09, 2006
More chemo tomorrow
More chemo tomorrow - and a new nurse alas.
Still everyone I've met to date has been both efficient and empathetic; rare qualities indeed.
Have a final check in with Dr Hermann - the man who did my biopsy (for a mere $37,000) today. Hoping to get a final all clear from him, if only because it's finally cold here (-4C outside) and I don't fancy doing the trek out there again.
Short entry this one.
Nick went home on Project Runway yesterday - Daniel looked alarmingly blase throughout, midget asian woman was dressed up like a filipino mamasan, South African bird did another outfit that looked like 'last year at Gap' whilst Santino skated on ever thinner ice with a glued on jump suit that lost a sleeve on the runway.
Still everyone I've met to date has been both efficient and empathetic; rare qualities indeed.
Have a final check in with Dr Hermann - the man who did my biopsy (for a mere $37,000) today. Hoping to get a final all clear from him, if only because it's finally cold here (-4C outside) and I don't fancy doing the trek out there again.
Short entry this one.
Nick went home on Project Runway yesterday - Daniel looked alarmingly blase throughout, midget asian woman was dressed up like a filipino mamasan, South African bird did another outfit that looked like 'last year at Gap' whilst Santino skated on ever thinner ice with a glued on jump suit that lost a sleeve on the runway.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Superbowl ads
Had some students over from the UK on Friday.
I set them a 'superbowl ad' assignment and had them come back in this morning - and boy were they disappointed.
For those of you who don't know - the Superbowl is the biggest advertising bonanza in the US. A sport game during which 1 minute of airtime costs $5m dollars. Accordingly marketing dicks are pumped, inflated and waved during the game. It's 4 hours during which America gives a damn about advertising and it's always a let down.
Superbowl extra large (40 - XL, geddit?) was a HUGE flop.
We had a diet Pepsi can using a Diet Coke can as a stunt double (the diet coke can gets crushed, haw!);
We had a Toyota ad so sickening I went looking for my left over Kytril
KID daddy why do you drive a hybrid
DAD for the future, it uses two types of energy
KID like you with Spanish and English?
DAD yes
KID then why did you learn English?
DAD (smug look into rear view mirror) FOR YOUR future
We had P.Diddy, we had Jessica Simpson, we had Jay Mohr, we had Leonard Nimoy, we had Fabio(!)
We had an avalanche of C list celebrity and D rate 'humor'
We had Dove campaigning for real beauty by begging us to send money to ugly kids (or a 'self esteem' fund)
We had Pepsi (again) informing us that it's brown and bubbly.
We had Kermit whoring it for Ford (he's green, so is the hybrid)
We had an end of the pier with the Nolans and Dooby Duck type dancing 'spectacular' for Burget King - the woman dressed as a meat pattie drew the shittiest stick in a poo-ey pile)
We had men being stupid for Bud Light, women being busty for whateverthehell.com
We had Clydesdales (big horses) for Bud (hurrah!) and a pretty good sheared sheep as streaker gag
Worst of all the world's best agency ripped off JWT Thailand for a Hummer spot, knowingly or not
An total and utter waste of time, I told people at the office that my Grant Mitchell meets an un-touped Liberache look was the result of my having torn out my hair in frustration at the sheer waste of it all - and they believed me.
Thank god for Pizza Hut - pricking at Jessica Simpson's pomposity with a shot for shot remake of her 'this pizza with 26 additional cheese pockets is made for swallowing' (I kid you not) ad - starring Ms Piggy! Yes, Ms Piggy.
Maybe there's hope yet
I set them a 'superbowl ad' assignment and had them come back in this morning - and boy were they disappointed.
For those of you who don't know - the Superbowl is the biggest advertising bonanza in the US. A sport game during which 1 minute of airtime costs $5m dollars. Accordingly marketing dicks are pumped, inflated and waved during the game. It's 4 hours during which America gives a damn about advertising and it's always a let down.
Superbowl extra large (40 - XL, geddit?) was a HUGE flop.
We had a diet Pepsi can using a Diet Coke can as a stunt double (the diet coke can gets crushed, haw!);
We had a Toyota ad so sickening I went looking for my left over Kytril
KID daddy why do you drive a hybrid
DAD for the future, it uses two types of energy
KID like you with Spanish and English?
DAD yes
KID then why did you learn English?
DAD (smug look into rear view mirror) FOR YOUR future
We had P.Diddy, we had Jessica Simpson, we had Jay Mohr, we had Leonard Nimoy, we had Fabio(!)
We had an avalanche of C list celebrity and D rate 'humor'
We had Dove campaigning for real beauty by begging us to send money to ugly kids (or a 'self esteem' fund)
We had Pepsi (again) informing us that it's brown and bubbly.
We had Kermit whoring it for Ford (he's green, so is the hybrid)
We had an end of the pier with the Nolans and Dooby Duck type dancing 'spectacular' for Burget King - the woman dressed as a meat pattie drew the shittiest stick in a poo-ey pile)
We had men being stupid for Bud Light, women being busty for whateverthehell.com
We had Clydesdales (big horses) for Bud (hurrah!) and a pretty good sheared sheep as streaker gag
Worst of all the world's best agency ripped off JWT Thailand for a Hummer spot, knowingly or not
An total and utter waste of time, I told people at the office that my Grant Mitchell meets an un-touped Liberache look was the result of my having torn out my hair in frustration at the sheer waste of it all - and they believed me.
Thank god for Pizza Hut - pricking at Jessica Simpson's pomposity with a shot for shot remake of her 'this pizza with 26 additional cheese pockets is made for swallowing' (I kid you not) ad - starring Ms Piggy! Yes, Ms Piggy.
Maybe there's hope yet
Sunday, February 05, 2006
This is me
'30 minutes of frenzied 'Jude with a razor' action later... mess with me not face optional
This was me
This was me at 10am - scalp itching, hair falling out faster than Leena Zavoroni's during a trip to Chernobyl
Hairless
Woke up yesterday morning with what felt like a sunburnt head. Touch it and 'youch'. Most odd, thought I, my head seems to be on fire and my pillow seems to resemble Captain Caveman (or perhaps Fatima Whitbred) - how can this be?
It turns out of course that the doctors were right, that it takes about two weeks for your hair to start falling out and that I am going to be bald here.
In truth the hair loss is quite comforting. I've felt so well during all of this that you do start to secretly suspect that perhaps you're uniquely immune to the drugs, or part of a placebo study or something similar. Evidence that this stuff is doing what it's supposed to do is very welcome - and the prospect of getting to shave my head is making Judith monsterously excited.
That's about it. After doing full days at work Thurs / Friday plus a couple of decent walks and stuff with the dog yesterday was a write off - an 18 hrs of sleep day. Much brighter this morning however and ready to take on the world
It turns out of course that the doctors were right, that it takes about two weeks for your hair to start falling out and that I am going to be bald here.
In truth the hair loss is quite comforting. I've felt so well during all of this that you do start to secretly suspect that perhaps you're uniquely immune to the drugs, or part of a placebo study or something similar. Evidence that this stuff is doing what it's supposed to do is very welcome - and the prospect of getting to shave my head is making Judith monsterously excited.
That's about it. After doing full days at work Thurs / Friday plus a couple of decent walks and stuff with the dog yesterday was a write off - an 18 hrs of sleep day. Much brighter this morning however and ready to take on the world
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Crash
Watched 'Crash' on DVD yesterday. I''d seen it in the theatre, but Jude hadn't and so we ploughed our way through just under two hours of inhumanity, despair and general teeth grinding. It's all very well done of course, even Sandra Bullock manages to avoid any obvious pratfalls (didn't YOU expect her to play her fall down stairs for a cheap physical laugh?) but the whole thing ended up leaving me cold.
In fact my one take away thought was that the puppets of Avenue Q managed to get across pretty much the same message, in a fraction of the time and a much more entertaining way with their song 'Everyone's a little bit racist'
Maybe I am horribly shallow. Maybe I'm sociopathic. But I just can't find it in my heart to feel very much during movies that ought to be affecting. Brokeback Mountain, ho-hum. Love Story, whatever. Titanic, is it over yet?
Of course when they turn this Blog into a major motion picture Dakota will capture all of this - capturing both my Mercahnt-Ivory British reserve and madame Tussards like waxiness.
Ok, ok... cancer.
When my doctor first told me I had cancer I wanted to ask (regarding survival chances) - is it worth my starting to watch the new season of American Idol (the season lasts about 4 months)... I didn't ask but January is here and I am watching, almost despite myself.
Of course Idol has nothing on TV's best show 'Project Runway' - in which fashion designers compete in various challenges, one being eliminated each week. To date this season has brought us the classic lines
"Where the HELL is my chiffon?"
and
"Oh my God, it's a mother-f*king walk-off"
Last night the task was to make runway ready dresses using $100 worth of flowers. The remaining contestants (four gay men, one of whom is about 7 ft tall and balding fast, a chinese midget and a South African bird with no fashion sense and a surplus of testosterone) sewed up a frenzy before sending some very uncomfortable models down the runway. Michael Kors managed to comment
'It looks like the kind of dress that the town slut would wear to prom, if her mother was a bad home sew-er"
Ah, it's good to be alive.
In fact my one take away thought was that the puppets of Avenue Q managed to get across pretty much the same message, in a fraction of the time and a much more entertaining way with their song 'Everyone's a little bit racist'
Maybe I am horribly shallow. Maybe I'm sociopathic. But I just can't find it in my heart to feel very much during movies that ought to be affecting. Brokeback Mountain, ho-hum. Love Story, whatever. Titanic, is it over yet?
Of course when they turn this Blog into a major motion picture Dakota will capture all of this - capturing both my Mercahnt-Ivory British reserve and madame Tussards like waxiness.
Ok, ok... cancer.
When my doctor first told me I had cancer I wanted to ask (regarding survival chances) - is it worth my starting to watch the new season of American Idol (the season lasts about 4 months)... I didn't ask but January is here and I am watching, almost despite myself.
Of course Idol has nothing on TV's best show 'Project Runway' - in which fashion designers compete in various challenges, one being eliminated each week. To date this season has brought us the classic lines
"Where the HELL is my chiffon?"
and
"Oh my God, it's a mother-f*king walk-off"
Last night the task was to make runway ready dresses using $100 worth of flowers. The remaining contestants (four gay men, one of whom is about 7 ft tall and balding fast, a chinese midget and a South African bird with no fashion sense and a surplus of testosterone) sewed up a frenzy before sending some very uncomfortable models down the runway. Michael Kors managed to comment
'It looks like the kind of dress that the town slut would wear to prom, if her mother was a bad home sew-er"
Ah, it's good to be alive.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Alles Gut
Went to have my blood work done yesterday.
Fast appointment - and all is good.
White cells, red cells platelettes - all where they should be.
Next five treatments should be easier, though first wasn't really hard and I do expect a backlash at some point - karma baby
But seems that I'm doing pretty darned well
Hurrah!
Steve
Fast appointment - and all is good.
White cells, red cells platelettes - all where they should be.
Next five treatments should be easier, though first wasn't really hard and I do expect a backlash at some point - karma baby
But seems that I'm doing pretty darned well
Hurrah!
Steve
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
It moves
So after a weekend spent clutching my back and making vague moaning sounds I started the week free of back pain and devoid of energy. Slept about 14 hrs yesterday - and spent the rest trying not to fall asleep. Weird.
This morning however I feel much better. The dog has been walked, the repair people hassled and I'm ready to hit the shower before hitting the hospital... it's my 10 (well eleven, scheduling issues) day check up - the day where everything should be at its lowest - white cells, red cells, platelettes.
Anyway good to be back in the land of the living.
This morning however I feel much better. The dog has been walked, the repair people hassled and I'm ready to hit the shower before hitting the hospital... it's my 10 (well eleven, scheduling issues) day check up - the day where everything should be at its lowest - white cells, red cells, platelettes.
Anyway good to be back in the land of the living.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
'arold!
No coughing today - which is miraculous.
Managed to get out and about quite a bit and to move with phlegmatic impunity until the early afternoon when my back started to ache like a rotten tooth in a Robin Williams movie. It's agony and my immediately turning into Albert Steptoe has done nothing to help matters.
Other stuff.
Bought a vacuum cleaner with a 7 year warranty - there's optimism! - it's Italian - there's more
Started to resent unfit looking smokers - bastards, who gave you the good genes?
My brother announced / admitted that he's about to become a dad - in 7 weeks. It's a girl
Walked through the Polish part of town - marvelling at how only in NYC can you go from hip to hip replacement in 3 blocks
Fell in love with Newborns at Ralph Lauren - making me the gayest straight man in the world (but c'mon cashmeer kimonos)
Took a pic in which I looked terrible - then posted it anyway in a 'see I AM sick' statement
Managed to get out and about quite a bit and to move with phlegmatic impunity until the early afternoon when my back started to ache like a rotten tooth in a Robin Williams movie. It's agony and my immediately turning into Albert Steptoe has done nothing to help matters.
Other stuff.
Bought a vacuum cleaner with a 7 year warranty - there's optimism! - it's Italian - there's more
Started to resent unfit looking smokers - bastards, who gave you the good genes?
My brother announced / admitted that he's about to become a dad - in 7 weeks. It's a girl
Walked through the Polish part of town - marvelling at how only in NYC can you go from hip to hip replacement in 3 blocks
Fell in love with Newborns at Ralph Lauren - making me the gayest straight man in the world (but c'mon cashmeer kimonos)
Took a pic in which I looked terrible - then posted it anyway in a 'see I AM sick' statement
Friday, January 27, 2006
Geo-targeted
If you talk to Matthew George - a very nice, bright man who I maintain is proof that John Denver and Kermit got very friendly during the making of the Muppet's Xmas album - he'll tell you all about Geo-targeting.
The idea is that media is getting smarter... that when people know what you're watching, or reading they'll now what ads to show you. In a geo-targeted world you'd get an ad for Kleenex just as they were telling you that you're favorite aunt had swallowed that ring you'd always wanted just before she died.
It's a simple idea. You get targeted with ads just at the right moment. The Internet should be great at this, but isn't. It will be.
Of course there are better ways to Geo-target. I've never understood why Kleenex for example haven't published the 100 greatest tear-jerkers as a range, inserting a tissue during every 'weepy' passage. The 'jerkers' idea could be extended too - I'd love to see the '100 sexiest' with tissues inserted for entirely different fluids too.
But I digress.
The people at the hospital told me that my biggest enemy would be constipation. Really? thought I before being regaled with stories of liver toxicity and all manner of things what could block me up bad. I was handed revolting drugs. Generic stool softeners, spasm inducing laxatives - and like a fool I took them.
Yesterday therefore was a just stomach spasm after stomach spasm. It was nasty, lots of bending double and cursing of the people who make 'senna X' or whatever.
And of course every spasm triggered the same ad' - a librarian suddenly doubles over with pain, her book trolley shoots off at comedic speed, it hits a bookcase, a domino effect is seen, library crashes down, 'bad day' is had, 'none spasm inducing laxatives' are recommended as a solution to both spasms and the decaying library system.
Damn if I'd only taken 'Senna XY'
If this is the future you can keep it - Tom Cruise's Minority Report future seemed sexier than this, but it's all the same.
Really, I don't want to be targeted, I want to watch Grey's Anatomy.
Is that too much to ask?
The idea is that media is getting smarter... that when people know what you're watching, or reading they'll now what ads to show you. In a geo-targeted world you'd get an ad for Kleenex just as they were telling you that you're favorite aunt had swallowed that ring you'd always wanted just before she died.
It's a simple idea. You get targeted with ads just at the right moment. The Internet should be great at this, but isn't. It will be.
Of course there are better ways to Geo-target. I've never understood why Kleenex for example haven't published the 100 greatest tear-jerkers as a range, inserting a tissue during every 'weepy' passage. The 'jerkers' idea could be extended too - I'd love to see the '100 sexiest' with tissues inserted for entirely different fluids too.
But I digress.
The people at the hospital told me that my biggest enemy would be constipation. Really? thought I before being regaled with stories of liver toxicity and all manner of things what could block me up bad. I was handed revolting drugs. Generic stool softeners, spasm inducing laxatives - and like a fool I took them.
Yesterday therefore was a just stomach spasm after stomach spasm. It was nasty, lots of bending double and cursing of the people who make 'senna X' or whatever.
And of course every spasm triggered the same ad' - a librarian suddenly doubles over with pain, her book trolley shoots off at comedic speed, it hits a bookcase, a domino effect is seen, library crashes down, 'bad day' is had, 'none spasm inducing laxatives' are recommended as a solution to both spasms and the decaying library system.
Damn if I'd only taken 'Senna XY'
If this is the future you can keep it - Tom Cruise's Minority Report future seemed sexier than this, but it's all the same.
Really, I don't want to be targeted, I want to watch Grey's Anatomy.
Is that too much to ask?
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
First day wothout drugs
Day whatever past first treatment and no drugs at all. Wah-hey.
Mind yesterday may have been a drug infused hallucination... a dog with its head stuck at the dog run, men with crow-bars, Japanese women buying jeans from what looked like someone's living room, a small dog that appeared in ours and 'the hulk's sister' on American Idol.. all just a little stranger than usual.
That said I'm drug free and ready for work - let's see how this day plays out
Steve
Mind yesterday may have been a drug infused hallucination... a dog with its head stuck at the dog run, men with crow-bars, Japanese women buying jeans from what looked like someone's living room, a small dog that appeared in ours and 'the hulk's sister' on American Idol.. all just a little stranger than usual.
That said I'm drug free and ready for work - let's see how this day plays out
Steve
Monday, January 23, 2006
A tale of three coughs
Chemo +3 today and I'm up early and ready to head in and get my white blood cell boosting shot of 'as seen on TV' Neurestra (?)
Last three days have been the tale of three coughs. Saturday my tight cough of 4 months became a deep, chesty. booming thing that had me coughing up old wounds, bits of body and (for an hour over brunch) rather a lot of blood.
Day two was less bellowing - but no return to the love lorn seal bark of yore. Lots of nasty thick phlegm yesterday.
And today, much better. What a restaurant might describe as a 'stunningly light cappucino foam' - certainly the lighest cough (and the lightest 'product' of that cough) in months and months.
Of course by way of recompense (the universe demands payment after all) I woke up singing the Boyzone version of the Cat Stevens song 'Father and Son' - at 7am!
Not the most pleasant of posts I admit - but feeling sparkly good here today, let's see how long I can keep this going
Last three days have been the tale of three coughs. Saturday my tight cough of 4 months became a deep, chesty. booming thing that had me coughing up old wounds, bits of body and (for an hour over brunch) rather a lot of blood.
Day two was less bellowing - but no return to the love lorn seal bark of yore. Lots of nasty thick phlegm yesterday.
And today, much better. What a restaurant might describe as a 'stunningly light cappucino foam' - certainly the lighest cough (and the lightest 'product' of that cough) in months and months.
Of course by way of recompense (the universe demands payment after all) I woke up singing the Boyzone version of the Cat Stevens song 'Father and Son' - at 7am!
Not the most pleasant of posts I admit - but feeling sparkly good here today, let's see how long I can keep this going
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Chemo +1
Well yesterday was long - but not unpleasant.
Everything went pretty much to schedule and to plan... I needed a break from the Rituxin at 100ml / hr, but a benedril shot fixed that and the rest of the infusion passed without incident and I got up to 300ml / hr without incident.
Had an M&M meets injection of orange goop vomitting spell toward the end of the day... never has vomit so closely related ad' - a whilrl, swirly, chocolate kaleidoscope of color.
Everything else was unremarkable.
Got home last night, slept well, took all the drugs suggested and feel good today... slightly strange, but by no means sick. Have walked the dog, picked up more drugs and checked football scores, brunch later... of course next couple of days will be the real test of how things are really going; worst comes at 3-5 days I'm told.
We shall see
Steve
Everything went pretty much to schedule and to plan... I needed a break from the Rituxin at 100ml / hr, but a benedril shot fixed that and the rest of the infusion passed without incident and I got up to 300ml / hr without incident.
Had an M&M meets injection of orange goop vomitting spell toward the end of the day... never has vomit so closely related ad' - a whilrl, swirly, chocolate kaleidoscope of color.
Everything else was unremarkable.
Got home last night, slept well, took all the drugs suggested and feel good today... slightly strange, but by no means sick. Have walked the dog, picked up more drugs and checked football scores, brunch later... of course next couple of days will be the real test of how things are really going; worst comes at 3-5 days I'm told.
We shall see
Steve
Friday, January 20, 2006
Chemo day!
Looking at a long old day today. Standard chemo takes about an hour to administer... but the R part of CHOP R takes 5 hrs the first time.. infusion reactins are common and the slower they go the less likely I am to become a shivering wreck. Add in blood work and the all important Insurance Checks and you're looking at a 10 hr day.
Have loaded up the i-pod (Cyndi Lauper - The Body Acoustic). the DVD player (Deadwood Series One) and have my taking forever to read Roddy Doyle book with me (the one where the Irish guy comes to New York in the 20s) so I'm as ready as I think I can be... and looking forward to actually starting treatment.
September seems a long time ago - but that's when the cough started and when I had the first x-ray. Starting today means being finished end of July (and end of World Cup) meaning that I can start in the gym ahead of a September beach holiday. OK, maybe October (we'll head south) - besides September is the US Open and perfect, perfect weather.
Time to head off...
Have loaded up the i-pod (Cyndi Lauper - The Body Acoustic). the DVD player (Deadwood Series One) and have my taking forever to read Roddy Doyle book with me (the one where the Irish guy comes to New York in the 20s) so I'm as ready as I think I can be... and looking forward to actually starting treatment.
September seems a long time ago - but that's when the cough started and when I had the first x-ray. Starting today means being finished end of July (and end of World Cup) meaning that I can start in the gym ahead of a September beach holiday. OK, maybe October (we'll head south) - besides September is the US Open and perfect, perfect weather.
Time to head off...
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
What Fresh hell is this?
So yesterday I had my first PET scan. Turn up a at the hospital, get injected with radioactive sugar, lay immobile for an hour as 'any movement, even turning the pages of a book could send the sugar to the muscles rather than the organs" and then wander through to get into another whirling donut machine.
'Do not move' warns Dr.24 year old. "No moving". He then proceeds to position me until I'm as uncomfortable as possible all the while muttering "must be still, still, still"
Finally I'm ready, he flips on the machine, gives me one more 'do not move' and turns to leave, flicking on the radio as he goes, arrrghhh. The radio is tuned to 'hip sway' FM... it's playing all the Latin music you know and all of music that drags the Latino out of you... and you can't move. At all.
40 minutes later the beat is now frenzied; I'm still, my arms are starting to go into a 'world's strongest man' shake and I'm pretending to to Finnish (anyone else used to love Janne Virtanen?) in a bid to both hold them still and resist the beat.
Machine chugs, splutters and spits me out and I'm free to leave. I try to capture the 'sense memories' so that I can help Dakota later but have visions of Sandra Bullock and give up. We'll shove Dakota in the machine... that oughta do it.
CAT Scan Thursday (hmmm, Barium) - will call and try to schedule chemo today; hoping for this Friday
'Do not move' warns Dr.24 year old. "No moving". He then proceeds to position me until I'm as uncomfortable as possible all the while muttering "must be still, still, still"
Finally I'm ready, he flips on the machine, gives me one more 'do not move' and turns to leave, flicking on the radio as he goes, arrrghhh. The radio is tuned to 'hip sway' FM... it's playing all the Latin music you know and all of music that drags the Latino out of you... and you can't move. At all.
40 minutes later the beat is now frenzied; I'm still, my arms are starting to go into a 'world's strongest man' shake and I'm pretending to to Finnish (anyone else used to love Janne Virtanen?) in a bid to both hold them still and resist the beat.
Machine chugs, splutters and spits me out and I'm free to leave. I try to capture the 'sense memories' so that I can help Dakota later but have visions of Sandra Bullock and give up. We'll shove Dakota in the machine... that oughta do it.
CAT Scan Thursday (hmmm, Barium) - will call and try to schedule chemo today; hoping for this Friday
Monday, January 16, 2006
A partner in crime?
Just heard that one of the guys I used to work with (my favorite Australian Darren) has just been admitted to hospital with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia... not the same disease as I have I know but close enough a cousin to make marriage a questionable option.
Hoping to trade tales of disappearing hairlines, stool softners, infusion reactions and survival with him very soon.
Hoping to trade tales of disappearing hairlines, stool softners, infusion reactions and survival with him very soon.
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