It has been two weeks since my last chemo treatment, and I am starting to see some improvements. My energy level is slowly increasing and some new "hair buds" are appearing on my head. Sometimes after chemotherapy new hair can be a different color or can be curly instead of straight. This is because some of the chemo drugs alter DNA. The change is usually temporary and typically lasts about a year before the hair returns to normal. At this point, it is hard to tell what my hair buds are going to become. In some types of light, they look blonde, in others they look my usual dark brown. I am hoping they turn out blonde and curly. I've done the dark brown thing; it would be interesting to have something else.
My neuropathy has not changed, which is to be expected. My new drug, Lyrica, makes the pain in my feet bearable, but I have recently developed an itchy rash that may be an allergic reaction to this new drug. The rash started on my forehead, then moved to my face, and is now on my forearms and neck. It is really strange because it literally moves throughout the day. My doctor asked me to do some experimenting by stopping the Lyrica to see if the rash goes away. If it doesn't the Lyrica is not the culprit. If it does go away I will have to weigh the pros and cons and make a decision of which one I would rather deal with.
Another side effect that seems to be lingering is my hoarse voice. I think that it has improved slightly, but it is still difficult to hear or understand what I say by the end of the day. If it continues, my oncologist will refer me to an ear-nose-throat doctor. Otherwise my port was removed on Monday so the only thing remaining is my final PET scan which is scheduled for Jan 9th. My oncologist is very confident that it will be negative.
On the bright side I am very excited about starting to feel better, especially my energy returning. Rebecca and I recently joined a gym so that I can start to strengthen my muscles which I feel have atrophied somewhat. I am excited about regaining my strength and finally begin enjoying this beautiful state to which I was so excited to return. I am looking forward to skiing during the winter, and then hiking and maybe rock climbing in the spring and summer. A lot of my colleagues at Adam enjoy rock climbing, and they have already tried to bring me along.
Rebecca and I are flying to Seattle on New Years Eve to celebrate both ending chemo and beating cancer. We are renting a car and will spend a couple of days in Portland as well. We may even take a day trip to Canada. We both have had a rough few months so we decided to take a week to recharge our batteries.
Today I also met with my gastroenterologist to discuss our plan for my future Crohn's management. Because of the immune suppressing chemotherapy, my Crohn's is practically in remission. So for now, I am not going to be on any medications. My upcoming PET scan will show the extent of my affected intestinal tract. More decisions will be made after my doctor reviews that scan. We discussed surgery to remove the affected area and start fresh, and we discussed drug management. One thing is certain: immunosuppressant drugs will not be considered unless all other options are exhausted.
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