Updates

February 22nd marked the three-year point of my diagnosis of stage 4 rectal cancer.  I didn't realize until a friend pointed it out that I hadn't posted in a really long time.  Cancer is on my mind everyday it's something I really can't escape from but taking a break from writing or posting about it allowed me a sense of an escape from it for a little while but I know a lot of people would like an update. I was able to be cancer free and just monitoring with CT scans for six months until a CT scan indicated growth of the lung nodules.  I began a new regimen of oral chemo and avastin which is a vascular growth suppressant to hopefully not allow new blood vessels to form to the tumors. I was on this regimen through the fall of 2019 until a CT scan in December indicated that this regimen was not keeping the lung nodules from growing.  It was decided to go back on the oxaliplatin yes the fun one that causes peripheral neuropathy and cold sensitivity great choice while we're in the middle of an Idaho winter.  I was also supposed to go back on the pump which I despise and was able to talk my doctor into allowing me to be on the oral form of the pump chemotherapy until my next scan at which point we will determine if I need to go on the pump instead of the oral chemo. The last CT scan also showed a blood clot by my port so I have been on blood thinner...lots of fun unexpected nose bleeds!  Being back on oxaliplatin was very rough as some of you may remember from when I was previously on it. I have to take a day of premedication and then more pre-med medication the day of and the day following in order not to have an allergic reaction while I am receiving the oxaliplatin. One of the medications I receive through my port is Benadryl which anyone who is visiting with me on chemo day gets a laugh because I will suddenly begin to fall asleep and go offline mentally when the Benadryl kicks in.  The first round on the new regimen was very rough and I ended up going to the ER in the middle of the night due to loss of fluids to the point of experiencing hypothermia.  I am so thankful for our nanny Kim who is like a sister to me and took me to the ER in the middle of the night and even humbly cleaned up the remnants of my sickness in the bathroom.  Thankfully I now know what to expect as a side effect and can head it off with anti-nausea medication and diet changes following chemo.  Despite all the new changes in the past year Daniel and I still live each day fully enjoying our cats and chickens and hoping to spend some time this summer making a couple day trips to explore new places. Don't forget that March is colorectal cancer awareness month and to get your colonoscopy!

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