The Last Chemo "Treatment" is Over! The Brain is Still Clear! And Other Stuff!

I had my last Taxol chemo treatment today so that means fewer hours in the chemo chair, fewer side effects and fewer drugs to treat the side effects from now on.  And if that isn’t enough good news, the MRI on the brain showed no changes – in other words things are still clear and the cancer is being held at bay in the brain.

What’s next you ask?  I have next week off and don’t have to see a doctor – a very nice Christmas gift indeed. 

The following Monday, December 29, I will have another CAT scan on my lungs.  I am really hoping that we see continued shrinkage and reduction in the lesions with this scan.  At a minimum,  stability from the prior scan that was so good.

Also, I will have my first “maintenance” chemo on the 29th which consists of just one IV drug – Avastin, an angiogenesis inhibitor that slows the growth of new blood vessels that feed cancer cells, essentially starving the cancer cells. It has shown good success in the past with other patients who have followed this treatment and maintenance combo.   I will have the IV every 3 weeks initially and if all goes well, stretch it out to every four weeks after a few cycles.  The only real side effect I've had from Avastin is bloody noses.  I've become a professional bloody nose wrangler (a rare profession indeed!) so I'm not too concerned with that.  I don’t need any pre-chemo drugs or post-chemo drugs to alleviate side effects so the infusion is only the 30-minute drip itself.  I’ll continue on this program as long as it produces stability in the lungs.  Hopefully, a very long time!

My headaches continue, though more subdued and tolerable.  I was headache-free for almost 2 weeks but started to have more run-of-the-mill headaches starting at the end of last week that just sort of linger.  I try to ignore them for the most part and occasionally take Advil when it gets too annoying.

My hair has been surprisingly resilient.  I still have coverage over the entire cranium, but it is extremely sparse and unless combed over painstakingly, reveals patches of scalp.  It isn't a flattering look.  I've begun to wear my wig and hats when out in public.  This Sunday, Doug will shave my head completely and on Monday, I will have a henna crown applied to my bald head.  This is a temporary tattoo in the Indian ceremonial tradition that features ornate designs of all kinds.  It is more typically applied to hands and feet, especially for wedding ceremonies.  I am excited to actually feel good about being bald and to actually accentuate it in such an artful way.  I only wish it would last more than 7-10 days.

 

I’m not sure what to expect from the side effects of today’s chemo.  Although it was only the Taxol, that’s the nastier one for side effects and it seems that I have been having stronger effects as the chemo drugs have accumulated in my body.  Well, at least Christmas week should be side-effect free!

 

Speaking of the holidays, I wish all of you a happy and healthy holiday season with lots of love and laughter and a kinder 2015 for all of us.

 

Winding Down

Today was the last of the chemo treatments with all 3 drugs.  Everything went smoothly.  No other real news since I didn’t have any scans today.

 On Monday, Dec. 15 I will have the last chemo with just the Taxol that is part of this treatment.  I will also have an MRI.

I’m feeling good and back to normal right now, but fear that soon I’ll be feeling the effects of today’s chemo.  We’re on the final stretch.  Just have to bear down a little longer.

That’s the latest!

Headaches and Other Fun Side Effects

I had an appointment with Dr. Caplan, my primary physician, yesterday evening to try to figure out the cause of my headaches, which I have been having regularly for the past few weeks in varying degrees of severity. 

 

She didn’t feel any pressure in the sinuses and thinks the headaches are in the migraine family.  There is a chance that I have had some kind of virus, maybe even some form of shingles, that triggered both the hearing loss and these headaches and that it might ultimately go away.  There is also a chance I will be dealing with migraines from now on.  I guess we wait and see.

 In the meantime, she recommended using Excedrin Migraine.  If that doesn’t work, we will try Imetrix.  And if that doesn’t work, we would move on to the hard stuff that has a barbiturate in it.

In the midst of all this, I am now developing mouth sores and my face has broken out in an angry rash.  Boy will I be glad when I’m done with this chemo treatment!