The Pixies Were Here

We got back from the cottage last night, as is usually the norm for he who doesn't work (Saturday and Sunday getaways only) and our house has been fully cleaned.  My mom and older sister spent a good chunk of their weekend moving couches and giving things a proper cleaning at our house.  It was a big surprise to us and really appreciated.  My bathroom hasn't been that clean in months.

Big thanks to Brenda and my mom.  It was a total surprise to us.


On the chemo front, I have a few more days to go and then I can resume taking a reduced quantity of pills for Chemo 4 in an effort to actually complete it.  My left thumb is still red and pretty sore when I use it and my feet are sore when I walk on them but they're much better than they were last week when it was actually painful.

Chemo 4 On Hold

My feet hurt like hell again this morning and now my left hand with the numb fingertips has turned red and my left thumb hurts like hell when I move it.  My doctor phoned me this morning and her instructions were to stop taking the chemo pills for seven days.  After seven days if my redness and pain has gone away, I can resume the last seven days at a reduced quantity.

Now, in the evening, my feet and thumb are more pain-free.

I'm taking 5,000 mg of Xeloda daily but now it's reduced to 4,000 mg daily.  Fingers crossed that this doesn't cause any more funny side effects.  And, hopefully, my left fingertips regain their feeling in the next month.

I like motorcycles.
Kevin Lacombe on his new BMW at last weekend's St. Eustache Canadian
Superbike Nationals.  For six years I enthusiastically raced at the back of the pack
at the Nationals.  This year I haven't felt good enough to even spectate
at one event.  Maybe in August...

Chemo 4 Underway

My white blood cell counts rebounded and I got the green light last week to start chemo on the pills.  Two milestones here: Chemo 4 marks the halfway point (well, technically, after I'm done the two weeks of pills I'm at halfway for Chemo) and I actually rode my bicycle to Shoppers Drug Mart to pick up the pills.  It's only about 3 kms but it's the first time I've ridden my bicycle all year.  The surgery I had in April was all in the pelvis area so, despite the fact that I've been bicycle commuting to work for the last two years, I didn't dare get on my bicycle until now.  So, on July 10th, three months after my surgery, I was able to ride my bicycle.  That's progress.

Last week I had four medical appointments and one scheduled chemo pill pickup on a certain day.  That's almost five medical appointments in a week.  I've never broken the record of five but I've tied it a few times.  Hopefully in August things will be less busy.

I've been feeling good for seven days now.  I feel about 75%.  It was almost going to be 14 days of feeling good but my first day on the chemo pills were pretty rough.  This is like an episode of The Simpsons where the sign of "14 days Accident Free" has to be reset to zero all the time.  I think I'm not going to make it to 8 days in a row of feeling good because this morning I woke up with my feet in great pain when I walk.  It's on my list of side effects.  I have to call my doctor.  Thankfully, it only hurts when I walk but it hurts like hell.

We spent another weekend at the cottage and, because I had been feeling
good for a few days in a row, I talked Erinn into staying there alone.  She's
really enjoying it.  I'm at home with both kids.

I Flunked the Blood Test

I guess I didn't study enough. 

I went into the hospital yesterday for my 4th chemo infusion.  That marks the halfway point for chemo and a bit of a milestone for me.  I had really been looking forward to this infusion just because of the milestone.  Well, they made me run downstairs and repeat my bloodwork from the previous Friday because my white blood cell count was too low.  Two hours later, they let me know my white blood cell count was still too low.  The good news is my white blood cell count is 1.4 and they need 1.5.  I don't know what the units of measure are but that sounded pretty close to me.  They sent me home and said we'd give it a week so I go into a blood clinic next Monday to repeat the test.

Last week I found out I got approved for the pills at 100% expense coverage.  That's great news as it means I don't need future infusions.  So, based on this and failing the blood test, I asked the nurse if I could get this PICC line removed.  No.  Really?   Next week's infusion will be this bottle.  Odd, I should start the pills next time, not the bottle.  The bottle is on your chart so we'll keep it that way.  Bummer, I was really looking forward to swimming with the kids.

So, when two time Canadian Superbike champ Francis Martin was told by 4 out of 5 doctors that he shouldn't race with that broken pelvis, what did he do?  He consulted a 5th doctor. 

I got home and phoned the hospital.  I got a different nurse and an appointment to have the PICC line removed...the next day.  I will have it out in an hour.  Tee hee!!!



Kate, Maggie and Grandpa.  We had a great July 1st weekend at the cottage.
Odd that the guy who doesn't work was only able to attend for the weekend.
My medical obiligations during the week pretty much snooker me for making
the most of my time off work.  Cancer is my new job.

So, due to this delay and the three week rotation on the pills, my chemo will now end in early October 2012.  That'll make it a full ten months of cancer treatment in 2012.  A year to remember.

Having said that, I feel I'm nearing the finish line.  I have a lot of crap days on the chemo but October is just around the corner considering it's been cancer fun since mid November 2011.  Lots of uncomfortable tests in November and December with radiation-burn-your-ass treatment starting in January 2012.  And, hey, nothing can be as bad as that goddamned surgery in April.  Two weeks ago I started putting on my own socks but my pelvis is still numb.

Maybe at my next post the feeling will be returning in my left fingers.  I haven't felt those fingertips since this began about eight weeks ago.   Thankfully, the feeling returned in my right fingers.




This is the PICC line that enters my bicep and stops about
1 cm short of my heart.  I used to get my chemo treatments
through this PICC line.  Essentially, it's a small hose that acts
to protect my veins as the chemo is injected.  Chemo rots a lot
of stuff, including my veins.  I can't get it wet.  I cover it in the
shower.  I have seven large medical supply boxes at home to
simply deal with the PICC line.  It comes out in an hour. 
Good riddance.