Yesterday we met with Dr. Blumenschein, the Oncologist (Chemo Dr.) He had not seen me in 3 weeks. He did his usual exam of listening, poking and prodding and a lot of questions about how I have been coping with the usual side effects. He was thrilled with what he SAW, HEARD, and MY ANSWERS. Then he said "YOU just don't look like you are in treatment. You don't look it at all, your chest doesn't sound like you are in treatment, and the side effects you have are like those of a person JUST STARTING treatment." We were thrilled!!
We talked a bit about when we come back for the larger dose of Chemo. He said, "originally I had said 3 weeks and 3 weeks. Let's plan on 5 weeks from today and that makes it Dec. 10. We'll examine you and decide if you need another Chemo at that time. Chances are we will do one, and it will be a very much larger dose. Then see you again on Jan 7 and examine you, and probably another Chemo, and then probably about 6 weeks later have a CT scan to see if we got it all. (With all those trips in the near future I need to remember to buy stock in Southwest Airlines!!)
Then he really blew me away. He said something like "this is the worst of it." I took him to mean the two larger doses were the worst of it, and I said, "I've heard that the larger doses are the worst." Then he said, "NO, NO, I mean right now is the worst of it! You will skate thru the larger doses because they are not every 7 days like these have been and your system has more time to recuperate and you won't be getting Radiation at the same time."
He is about 6' 4" or 5", and at one time I was standing on a small stool getting down off the exam table and therefore was about an inch taller than him. I said, " I'm really losing my hair right now," and I looked at the top of his head and even though I have about 35 years on him, I right now have more hair than he does. Oh, wow, he looked at me and simply said, "It'll probably come back in RED."
As he was walking out the door, he was saying, "YOU just don't look like you are in treatment." Carol and I were on top of the world and did a little dance there in the exam room and did some high 5's to Celebrate.
On Monday past I sent out an update that told of my increased nausea and fatigue. Must have been a sort of phase I was going thru because that is actually somewhat better now. (Three Cheers) I am currently leaving a Grey trail behind me. Hair seems to be falling out fast. (The good news is that my beard has actually slowed down it's growth.) - Stan
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