Monday, October 13, 2008
Finally
Chemotherapy is set to start on Thursday with one session on Thursday, another on Friday, and a pump that I will take home with me delivering even more chemo drugs into my body over the next 5 days. Fun!
More waiting
Surgery is scheduled for Wednesday morning to install my portacath. The procedure will be performed at the hospital. I still haven't heard from the infusion center so I don't know when chemotherapy will start, hopefully later this week.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Preparing for induction chemotherapy
My radiation oncologist and chemo oncologist are in agreement, recommending 3 cycles of induction chemotherapy, spaced three to four weeks apart, followed by radiation and more chemotherapy.
The chemotherapy will include cisplatin, Taxol (paclitaxel), and 5-FU (fluorouracil). But before they can pump the drugs into my body, I need a portacath installed on my chest. The outpatient facility where I had my biopsy is booked until the end of October so my doctor is trying to expedite the process, which means the procedure might be performed at the hospital instead.
I am so ready to get started. Yeah, I know, after the drugs are in my system, I'm sure I'll be writing about how much they suck.
My oncologist is also recommending that I not work during any of the treatment process. I originally thought the induction chemo wouldn't be so bad, but her opinion seems different. In fact, we even discussed having a feeding tube installed now, as my body is still in good health. Going into this whole process, I was insistent on not having the feeding tube, but now I'm reconsidering, especially if it will help save my life by providing me with the calories that I need when I'm not able to eat through my mouth.
The chemotherapy will include cisplatin, Taxol (paclitaxel), and 5-FU (fluorouracil). But before they can pump the drugs into my body, I need a portacath installed on my chest. The outpatient facility where I had my biopsy is booked until the end of October so my doctor is trying to expedite the process, which means the procedure might be performed at the hospital instead.
I am so ready to get started. Yeah, I know, after the drugs are in my system, I'm sure I'll be writing about how much they suck.
My oncologist is also recommending that I not work during any of the treatment process. I originally thought the induction chemo wouldn't be so bad, but her opinion seems different. In fact, we even discussed having a feeding tube installed now, as my body is still in good health. Going into this whole process, I was insistent on not having the feeding tube, but now I'm reconsidering, especially if it will help save my life by providing me with the calories that I need when I'm not able to eat through my mouth.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Eager to get started
Today, I met my radiation oncologist for the first time. I bet being a radiation doctor is pretty hard. I feel fortunate as my doctor is really one of the nicer doctors I have ever met. It will probably make the whole process that little bit easier.
He is classifying my case as stage 4 due to the erosion into the bone at the base of the skull. His treatment plan is for me to initially do 2 to 3 rounds of induction chemo. That will be followed by close to 40 sessions of IMRT radiation treatments concurrent with more chemo.
Tomorrow, I will see my chemo oncologist for the first time.
I'm eager to get started with the chemo. I feel like the tumors on the right side of my neck have gotten much larger in just the last three weeks. The radiation doc says the chemo will start shrinking the tumors leaving less mass for the radiation stages.
He is classifying my case as stage 4 due to the erosion into the bone at the base of the skull. His treatment plan is for me to initially do 2 to 3 rounds of induction chemo. That will be followed by close to 40 sessions of IMRT radiation treatments concurrent with more chemo.
Tomorrow, I will see my chemo oncologist for the first time.
I'm eager to get started with the chemo. I feel like the tumors on the right side of my neck have gotten much larger in just the last three weeks. The radiation doc says the chemo will start shrinking the tumors leaving less mass for the radiation stages.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Is it everything you dreamed it would be
"So doc, what do you think it is?"
"Carcinoma of the nasopharynx." Nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Today, we got the biopsy results confirming my doctor's suspicion. Dreams of traveling to remote places, dreams of sitting on the rocking chair and watching the kids play, dreams of growing old with my wife, but not in any of my dreams, cancer.
"Carcinoma of the nasopharynx." Nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Today, we got the biopsy results confirming my doctor's suspicion. Dreams of traveling to remote places, dreams of sitting on the rocking chair and watching the kids play, dreams of growing old with my wife, but not in any of my dreams, cancer.
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