Next course of treatment

Karen and I met with the doctor yesterday. We have decided to do the FOLOX infusion treatments. I will start my infusions on August 2^nd. I will go in and get my infusion for about 4 hours. Then they will hook me up to a fanny pack with chemo that I will wear for 2 days.  This will happen every other week for 8 cycles, so this course of treatment will last for 16 weeks.

I have been feeling much better, not normal, but definitely a major improvement. I have been able to put in a quite a bit of miles on my road bike. :)

Doctors

I have been feeling better. I noticed yesterday that my hands and feet feel normal now, instead of sore and tough feeling. The bathroom is not near normal yet, but definitely improving, and any bad skin is showing signs of healing.

I went for a road bike ride last Saturday, it was very nice out. It went well, but I am not looking at mountain biking very soon. There are just too many bumps on the trail, going over the roots and rocks would be too much.  I did have some discomfort from not having ridden much lately and of course from the radiation treatments, but overall no big problems.

I am still working from home. It is a lot easier to stay home, and I am sure it will speed my recovery.

Katmai (Chemotherapy caregivers) called today and I have an appointment with Dr. Mark Levandovsky on July27th. I have decided to work with him instead of Dr. Dennis Beckworth. I feel that Mark has / will put more effort and concern into my treatment plan for chemotherapy. This way I will feel better about my decision on how we are going to proceed.

Healing

The radiation is done, and they gave me my "Diploma" for sticking it out and finishing my treatment!

Several of us met for ice cream that evening. Thanks to everyone who showed up, and I wish everyone could have made it.

I have some time to heal up now. I have a couple of appointments in the next few weeks to help make a decision on what to do next. I probably will be starting some sort of chemo in the next 3 or 4 weeks. I can either take infusions of Folfox or take a pill with 5FU, or nothing at all.

One!

Today is my last day of radiation treatment!! Yipee. Time to heal up.

We are going to Cold Stone for ice cream tonight. 7pm, southside. Hope to see you there.

Two

Only 2 treatments left! I will have my last radiation treatment on Tuesday and they will take off the infusion pump afterwards. Then off to Cold Stone to have some ice cream and celebrate a bit.

I have been feeling better this week. I only went to work for 2 days. I am able to work from home so I have been getting my work done. I have been doing very little other than that though. Spend almost all of my time lying on the couch watching the Tour de France, movies, sleeping, and just plain taking it very easy. This has worked pretty well. I have not had as much pain with my bowel movements. I have been timing my pain killers a little differently and I decided to not eat as much. Less in, less out. I hope to heal up quickly and try to get back into a normal routine.

I also have a chemo class on Tuesday, not sure what we are going to do next, but hope to get that figured out in the next week or 2.