From 11 a.m. to about 5 p.m. spent in the infusion mall today at the SCCA. Nausea and pain were much worse today. On the Franky Scale I could maybe go to a 5, but it was draining. Probably due to the cumulative effect of the chemo; there is the one-week recup period each cycle but that's not quite enough. We try to walk that thin tight rope between killing off the cancer and killing off the rest of me — and with the cancer you've got to do what you can before it smartens up and modifies iteself. Chemotherapy has made huge progress in terms of lessened side-effects in recent years, but there's no denying the primitive aspects of it. Though I've been doing very well, they say, still no picnic. "Kill all the cells in the body that multiply quickly." It's like Dick Cheney with a shotgun.
No new numbers today about the cancer marker, the CA 19-9; as one or two of you asked. The last number, remember from two weeks ago, was good: 6300 (from May 23), a decrease of around 50% since the first time they checked. It seems they take the number every three weeks, which means there should be blood sent off for this next week, and since there are only a few labs in the country that test for CA 19-9 it will take a few days on top of that. My hemoglobin and hematocrit numbers were both up (small but good news), the former is still subnormal range and the latter bumped up to the bottom edge of normal. Those are indicators that I'm still having to deal with anemia, though there seems to be a little positive movement.
OK, some technical tidbits on my condition that I hope are somewhat helpful, otherwise, I'm dead beat after the day, which means my only aims now are some calories/food for dinner, and then I'm deciding between The Graduate and the final (tedious) pages of The Brothers Karamazov or Althusser's memoir again.... If I'm lucky sleep will sneak in ("sleep" is personified, "sneak in" is a verb phrase suggesting it's hard to sleep when I try at times... does that help?). Ooh, the excitement is probably killing you, no?
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8 comments:
I definitely cast my vote for The Graduate, as well as hemoglobin and hematocrit. xox.
I hope you can get some sleep tonight; at least some rest-sounds like you really need it. i hope you'll feel better tomorrow.
guess i don't have too much to say, either than boring crap. in short, have a good night. will check your blog tomorrow for more info.
Hey my lovely brother:
today sounds very poopy. Did you get my email?
I knew I should have kept you here, but then "yikes"
trapped by the morons. : ) I can be there in a flash.I am just two short hours away.
I'll call you tomorrow-- just checking in and a little concerned. I am so sorry you are in so much pain. I don't like the franky at #5. I think you might like it less though. Everyone here is thinking of you. If you did anything, I hoped you watched the movie. I'm going with DZD as well. What is "sleep with sneak in." ??? I think it is a person. Yes, the excitement is killing me. You said nothing of this yesterday in the car or at the airport or during coffee.
You are a little sneaker stinker.
Please take care. Hope you can get some sleep.
BTW-- Dr. Mefi loved her book. I think she thinks she's italian now--- or a mobster.
Let me know.
Love and circulation--
Sheri
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FS 5? Force of will-- force of mr j.-- you've kept it at a higher range in what seem to have been difficult passages, so it must have really sucked big time Tuesday. Here's hopin' The Grad lulled you to sleep.
Plastics! Isn't that what the Dodo was touting?
Someone is off to y.k.w., tho not without a bit of a bobble, deftly dealt with, at the aero puerto.
My first comment: I want to let you know that I truly enjoy reading your blog, every morning, and a few times more during the day :) some very interesting readings.. I often think of my dad, when he was dealing with his bone cancer...he never shared his thoughts and we never asked. I hope you got some well deserve sleep or maybe a fun time with sneak in??
OK, Thank you for the comments and at least two of your for catching a typo--but, perhaps sadly for you, not a sexual innuendo: I had meant to write "....sleep WILL sneak in," a reference to be tired. The other variations of meaning a couple of you saw, including one sister, are pushing too hard, naming someone "sneak in", etc etc. Also, as a fyi, I don't think any kind of sexual activity would be possible below a Franky Scale 6, a solid six, too; it might even be a required 7. No way at a 5, so your imaginations were simply impossible.
Just sleep, sleep, sleep, and alone, eyes closed, under blankets, hopefully with NO CALLS late, I had hoped, but one sibling kind of doesn't get that. (HELLO!? HELLO!)
-Mr. J
I have "Entourage - the 1st season" avec popcorn and melona pops if you like.
-B
hi. just hoping today finds you better. not at work. woke up with the flu. havent thrown for quite a few years.
maybe find a good soup kitchen. soup does wonders for my tummy.
thnking good thoughts your way
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