143. Chemo What this Chemo Treatment is like

 This is my second go at chemo treatment.  For information on the first set, please read post nr. 11.

I still need to get bloodwork done a couple of days before each treatment.  Again my treatment is over the lunch hour, so I pack my chemo bag with all the necessary things.  When I get to the cancer clinic an attendant takes my vital signs and shows me to my assigned recliner and chemo team.  As before, all seats are taken:  it's busy in there.  This time I do not have a PICC line but will get one next week because every time I have gone for treatment lately, the nurses have had a difficult time accessing a vein for the infusion line; it took several tries.  They start me off by giving me 4 pills against nausea.  Then after 20 minutes or so I get an infusion of Irinotecan for about 90 minutes, plus an injection in the back of one arm with medication against diarrhea from the infusion.  When the infusion is finished the nurses apply a "flush".  Instead of going home with an infusion bottle around my neck for two additional days, I get sent home with chemo pills (Capecitabine) to be taken with breakfast and supper for two more weeks.  Then I am off chemo meds for one week, after which the cycle starts over again, a 3 week cycle.  

So far I have not have any major side effects like nausea, vomiting, heartburn or diarrhea, Thank God!  But my hair fell out almost immediately and I feel groggy and disoriented sometimes.  Also, it seems to be harder on me emotionally.  I am to receive this treatment for 3 to 6 months pending on whether or not I will get a liver resection (operation).

Also of interest is that one of the above chemo drugs works on the principle of interfering with the growth and repair of the DNA of the cancer cells, and consequently with the growth and repair of healthy cells as well I presume.  So much for having long, healthy telomeres then? (for info on telomeres please read post nr. 127 On Longevity)

Back in a bit.  Ciao!  SanTeh!

142. Chemo Very Cautious Optimism

So my bloodwork came back: some of it good, some of it a bit worrisome.   My CEA level (cancer marker in the blood) has been on a steady rise since the end of October, shortly after I had a combination of Flu and Covid shot. (not sure if that is a coincidence).  Much to my dismay, the level peaked at the end of January at 40.4, very worrisome because a "healthy level" is lower than 5, suggested to ideally be lower lower than 2.5 even.  I am happy to announce that since I started chemo again, it has come down to 16.1 from 40.4. I am not out of the woods yet, but this at least is a hopeful development.  Because I am still not at the "ideal level" I suspect to be kept on chemo for a while yet.  What is a worry, is that the liver enzyme levels are way up high yet, an indication that all is not well, that there are possibly still blocked bile ducts somewhere, even though none were found during the gastroenterology exam.  Or what else could it be?  No one can give me a definite answer on this, because the experts can't agree...

I had phone conversations with 2 surgeons recently: one from Alberta and one from Saskatoon.  Both are convinced that I ended up with more tumors in my liver since I had the Nanoknife surgery 6 months ago.  Both recommend surgery to remove a big chunk of my liver.  Of course they would; they are surgeons after all.  However, one is in touch with the radiologist who did the Nanoknife surgery and the radiologist claims that whatever is showing up on CT scan and MRI is fall-out or damage from the surgery.  (Apparently, Nanoknife surgery on the liver isn't done that often and still in the experimental stage.  Lucky me! 😓  I asked for any  data on Nanoknife liver surgery aftereffects and was told "That's a good question".  I took that to mean: we are not sure and/or we do not know at present.)  So for the time being I am staying on chemo and after I've had another scan or MRI, what it will show will determine what the next course of action will be: stay on chemo or have liver surgery.  It's a big decision I think, one I'd much prefer not to have to make.  And my dilemma right now is that the professionals can't reach a consensus.  What to think or who to believe?  I don't know. Yikes!

Back in a while. Take care!  SanTeh!  Have to go swallow some chemo pills.  Ciao!  

141. Chemo Bloodwork

I'm having bloodwork done before next Tuesday's chemo treatment.  If the results are positive (as in good), I will post about it.  If the results are not favorable, I will probably need to "regroup" and you won't be hearing from me for a while.  Fingers crossed!  Take care!  SanTeh! 

140. Chemo Never Say Never

You know, as well as I do, that when you use words like "Always" and "Never", the likelihood of these words to come and "bite you in the butt" are very high.  Take my chemo treatment of last year for instance:  after I was done with it in May, I said: "Never again!".  

On my latest MRI in January it showed that I had a blocked bile duct (possibly resolved, not 100% sure about that) and that in the interval since I had the Nanoknife surgery of last September, no less than 7 new "lesions" have developed in my liver,  possibly being malignancies.  During the last visit with my oncologist, she decided to (finally) consult a liver specialist in another province.  This man phoned me almost immediately.  He was very courteous and to the point and stated that he would most definitely take me on as a patient to remove the diseased part of my liver, provided no surgeon in our province would handle my case.  He also suggested that it would be best to go back on chemo in the interim.  So guess what?  Yes, I am back on chemotherapy, a slightly different protocol than the one I was on last year.  While the physical side effects are manageable, the emotional toll is much harder to deal with this time around.  To date I have not heard back from any surgeon's office whether or not I will get to be operated on.  So in the mean time, I keep swallowing chemo pills and I'm living in limbo...again.

Not sure when I'll be back, next week maybe?  Take care!  SanTeh!

 

139. Chemo Chasing Away Winter Blahs and Winter Blues

There seems to be no end in sight for this winter.  And to make matters worse: Dave and I have been sick.  He is just starting to get over having Covid, yes Covid for the first time.  With me it is "just a cold"; I am testing negative so far.  Time for a bit of cheering up.  Since we can not travel to some exotic destination, I thought I would share some sites we can visit to cheer ourselves up.  But first: here is a photo I took some time this winter in our back yard.  It gives you some idea of what we have been up against.

And here are the websites of some of our local favorite destinations:

https://reginafloralconservatory.ca/   for the exotic feel

https://manitousprings.ca/   for the relaxing and therapeutic mineral pool

https://www.gardenarchitecture.ca/  for the "eye candy" (Saskatoon)

 If you live nearby, give the above a visit.  You won't regret it!  Back in a while.  Santeh!