So, I'm a bit late with this update as I wanted to be certain of what I would say and had to verify with the Doc before I did so. Last week, after my normal infusion the Doc had moved up my six month screen to technically three months. So, off I went to the imaging center, I get pumped full of IV Contrast and I get to suck up some more of those sweet, sweet radiation rays.
So, I've decided to name this pump I have to haul around twice a month Kuato, cause it's joined to me at the hip. (Bonus points if you get the reference.) So, the most serious side effect I've had so far is my blood pressure, which had gotten normal was quite elevated today. Almost to the point where they didn't want to treat. My Oncologist wants to me to schedule with my Primary care to have my Lisinopril I take daily doubled from 5mg to 10mg.
So, here we are at Chemo Day 3. First the good news. Doctor is VERY pleased with my numbers. He's going to schedule me a PET scan after my next infusion (Chemo Day 4) instead of waiting for six months. Fingers crossed that news will be good! So far cold sensitivity has been my greatest side effect, if you don't count all the time of coming and going and hauling around the slow dose pump from now until Thursday.
I got a new drug added to the cocktail, this one supposedly targets specific cancer cells, colon cancer being one of them, and draws the drugs to them to kill them. As it was explained to me, rather like a Ranger ground team Lasing a target to guide in a smart bomb. I still have to take the pump home for two days with it wired into my port, which makes for very awkward maneuvering around home. But, it beats dying so I'm not complaining.
Got to say, I'm having second thoughts about it after the lecture and Environmental Protection Suit I was given to clean up spills, if any. To include, if more than a small amount gets on your cloths, put them in the bio-hazard bag and bring to us for DESTRUCTION. And this is stuff I'm putting INTO my body intravenously! I mean, I get where Paracelsus was going when he said, "All things are poisons, for there is nothing without poisonous qualities. It is only the dose which makes a thing poison,” but still!
So, saw the Oncologist this week and we went over the results of my PET scan.
First the good news. All of my organs are cancer free, lungs, liver, kidneys, the whole smash. That's the good news. The bad news I am Stage IV. The PET Scan showed:
There are several small left sided peritoneal nodules measuring less than 1 cm in short axis diameter, image #240-254. There are a few small sub-5 mm right-sided peritoneal nodules which show no significant hypermetabolism, image #249-253.
Hello friends. I am now home from Cobb WellStar Hospital, two tumors and a fair amount of intestine lighter. But the cancer is now out of me and we have some breathing space to plot the battle. From here, it will be 6 months of chemo to be sure anything too small to have been seen is dead and once we're sure of that, a follow up surgery to repair my lightened intestines.
Tired, sore, beat up and sobered.
Almost died on the table, but thanks to the quick thinking and decisiveness of my surgeon, I'm still here and home. And I got news an old college buddy my age died.
Does anyone else get this? I have checked the Remember Me box for my log in, but it never does and with just about every time I come to the site, I have to log in again. And with that comes this error:
So, as it says on the tin, I'm looking for a pre-reader to give solid, detailed feedback on plot, character development and world building. I don't need my ego stroked, but if the limit of the feedback is it's great/sucked, that doesn't help me. I need someone who can articulate, in depth how they are/aren't enjoying the overall story, the world the story is told in, and the characters as they interact with each other.
Checks can be made out & sent to:
Joyce Melton
1001 Third St.
Space 80
Calimesa, CA 92320
USA
Note: $6000 is the operating, maintenance and upgrade budget. Amounts received in excess of the $6000 will be applied to long term debt accrued over the last 19 years.
