Qancer

May. 10th, 2010

T+3

mood:

happy

Over the last 6 months, a number friends have asked if they could point recently diagnosed friends or acquaintances to this blog. Realizing that the blog is still proving helpful, I'm going to backdate a few posts and fill in some things that have happened over the last year that may be of interest.

First - I passed the three year mark and all tests came back clear (May 10th)! I'm now good to go for a full year before another scan. They'll probably stop scanning at 5 years.

Since my last CT scan (1 year ago) they've made a big improvement with the contrast fluid. Previously I had to consume about 30 oz of this nasty chalk-like drink before the CT scan. The first few sips were ok, but it was really a challenge to choke down the full amount and it also resulted in urgent bathroom trips afterwards. Fortunately in the year since my last scan they've made great improvement. You still have to drink the same amount of liquid but it's clear and pretty much taste like water.

On the down side, the person that put my IV in was a bit inexperienced. They tried several times with the left arm and after failing with that finally got it in my right arm. Basically they hook you up with feed line in one room and then later connect the feed line to a bag of contrast fluid right before they perform the scan. This time, when lying in the CT with my arms above my head, when the fluid started to flow, part of the line popped out and contrast fluid started running all over my pillow. They stopped the scan, sat me up, and then blood started to come out of the line, pool in my forearm and start running on the floor. If I was at all squeemish this wouldn't have been good. Fortunately, I'm not and they called a nurse in a fixed it pretty quickly.

Note that this was *not* my usual experience. Previously I found the IV techs prepping the CT scans to be really good and give painless IVs. I'm guessing this was just a new person.

May. 4th, 2009

T+2 Years

mood:

happy

Results for latest x-rays and blood work came back today. All clear!

Now on yearly check-up schedule with next CAT scans a year from now.

Whoo hoo!

Oct. 22nd, 2007

Great news!

Whooo hoo! I had a follow-up with my doctor this morning to go over the blood work and scans from last week and the results are fantastic!

All the blood markers look normal and more importantly the enlarged lymph node is gone! (Comparison photos below). This means two things. First it signifies that the enlarged lymph node was, as suspected, actually the result of cancer and that doing radiation was the right decision. Secondly, and more importantly, it means that the radiation treatment was effective.

Here’s the original CT scan from May: (enlarged lymph node in red)

And the new one from last week: (lymph node is a tiny speck)

As you can see the lymph node is so small in the follow-up that it’s hardly even visible. I had no idea how much anticipation of this appointment had been effecting me until I got the results back. To say the least I feel like a giant cloud of doom has been lifted.

My doc set me up for my next follow up in three months (more blood work and a chest X-ray) which I’ll do every 3-4 months and then annual CT scans for the next 8-10 years.

A big group friends threw a surprise “Lars Appreciation Party” on Friday with a barrage of nut jokes, nut songs, gifts, a modern nut dance and believe it or not an appropriately decorated piñata. It was quite the roast and I haven’t laughed so hard in ages (nor has my face been so red with embarrassment). It’s been a really hard summer and I can’t emphasize enough how much support from friends and family has made a difference. Thank you.

Oct. 15th, 2007

First Follow-Up

I had my first follow-up exams today. Abdominal CT, Pelvic CT, Chest X-Rays and blood work. I won’t get the results back until next Monday when I meet with my doctor. I’m a little nervous, but generally feel pretty good about stuff.

And, incidentally, drinking a litre of contrast fluid is nasty.... Ugh.

Sep. 27th, 2007

Upside to an Orchiectomy?

My friend Geoff found an interesting article relating to Lance Armstrong's amazing success in the Tour de France after diagnosis and treatment for testicular cancer.

The authors of the article suggest that his orchiectomy is in a large part responsible for his amazing athletic performance. Specifically they argue that a unilateral orchiectomy promotes physiological maturation and athletic performance by enhancing fuel metabolism, muscle repair and erythroid function.

Hey, maybe there’s an upside to everything.

I really love this diagram!

Hilariously at the end of the paper they recommend that no one should get a unilateral orchiectory simply for its performance enhancement.

“Only the foolish would undergo orchiectomy …. to enhance performance in endurance sports.”

I guess there might be some devoted athletes just that crazy….

If you can find the entire paper at:

http://www.wisc.edu/agingresearch/pdf/Atwood%20and%20Bowen%20'06.pdf

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Jul. 13th, 2007

Sympathy for a Microwaved Burrito

Wow, is it great to be DONE! First full work day in a month. Never thought I’d be so thrilled to not be leaving work early!

The side effects are still at full bore, but I’m expecting them to get significantly better over the next 3-4 days. You can pretty much tell the exact outline of the radiation treatment area by the patch of hair loss. It’s nice to finally have the targeting stickers off though. I’ve been wearing them for over a month.

Unfortunately I missed Jen and Barry’s birthday gathering last night. Really wanted to go, but was feeling too sick to get off the couch.

Amy decorated the house last night for when I got home. She’s so sweeeet!

Jul. 10th, 2007

Graduation...

I had my weekly meeting with the radiologist yesterday. It turns out that they’d upped the daily dosage so I’m finished with radiation treatments this Thursday instead of next Monday!! Whoo hooo!

Symptom-wise eating has returned somewhat to normal in terms of what I can eat, although some of the other symptoms have ramped up. I’m getting a fair amount of camping and abdominal oookiness (that’s a technical term). My skin is continuing to get more sensitive. The doctor gave me some cream to put on which seemed to help today. The hair in the radiated area is beginning to come out which is a little bit weird. Sunday, I was feeling particularly wiped out and I spent the entire day sleeping or sacked out on the couch. However, with only two more treatments to go I’m in pretty high spirits.

The doctor said it’s going to take a month (maybe a little more) to feel completely back to normal but I’m optimistic.

Almost done!

Jun. 29th, 2007

Sesion 9: I heart Zofran

The Zofran is working great! That’s a big lifter-upper. I took it an hour before radiation and last night I felt the best I’ve felt yet. It’s a once-a-day thing, so now it seems the mornings are worse as it has worn off by then.

From a physiological standpoint it’s interesting to note that even though it substantially decreases the perception of queasiness, it didn’t prevent me from developing the unpleasant association with the food that I ate last night. As before, my dinner last night (which was great at the time) now makes my stomach turn just thinking about it.

I’m really running out of new food ideas. Everything I’ve eaten the last two weeks now sounds thoroughly unappealing. Think I’ll wander around Whole Foods again tonight until something sounds good.

I started to get reports from my insurance company in the mail (at least for the tests done before surgery). The envelope felt like a book. Fortunately, for many of the labs they are covering 100%!

Jun. 28th, 2007

Session 8: Yellow Arches & Zofran

I got up early to do house work again yesterday. That seems to be working well. However, around three o’clock I feel a sense of dread that grows stronger each day. Even with a positive attitude, my body knows that it’s going to feel like crap after the appointment and that creates a pretty strong association.

After radiation, I did something I haven’t done in so long that I can’t even remember the last time – had dinner at McDonald’s. I figure if I get the craving for something, might as well take advantage. The list of appealing foods is quickly shortening though as each get associated with nausea. What sounded good yesterday makes my stomach turn today.

I had my weekly appointment with my oncologist. I asked my doctor about the herbal meds. He agreed that in his experience they work well and have no negative health effects, but do leave you loopy, so he gave me a script for Zofran** (thanks Nancy for suggesting that). I gave the herbal meds a rest last night and tried just the Zofran. It worked as well but without the loopy side effects. I feel pretty queasy this morning though.

On the down side, they added one more session to my treatment protocol as they ramped up slower than expected, but that’s not too big a deal.

I chatted a bit with a few other patients in the waiting room. You start to get familiar with seeing the same faces every day. Among them are two other young guys, one twenty-eight, also with testicular cancer, and another twenty-two with hodgkin’s lymphoma. Poor guy just finished 6 weeks of chemo and just started 3 weeks of radiation. He seemed in a pretty good mood though. I think he was just glad to be done with chemo.

Bought eleven tickets to Sicko yesterday for Monday's showing. I believe Sven and Des are coming and bringing some additional peeps too. Cool.

** Interestingly, at least for the neuro-geeks among us (of whom there are surprisingly many), Zofran is a serotonin agonist (specifically the 5HT3 receptor).

Jun. 27th, 2007

Session 7: 1/3 Done!

Driving to and from Pill Hill during rush hour every day is starting to wear on me. I’m 1/3 finished with treatment though!

Had a bit more energy last night. Amy took advantage of my weakened state to take me clothes shopping. ~shudder~ It actually worked pretty well. I rested in the changing room and she brought stuff in for me to try on. Got some cool, cheap pants.

The strategy of eating something quickly right after radiation but before the oogies kick in seems to be working. I’ve also figured out that I can get up early in the morning before work to get house stuff, bills, laundry etc done. After radiation I’m pretty useless.

A new side-effect that they warned me about has started. My skin in the radiation area has become extra sensitive. It’s mild, but I found the sheets last night to be annoyingly abrasive.

Dave invited me to go up to Granite Falls on Saturday to the Shinto shrine there for a blessing ceremony. Looking forward to this.

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