Dates now all set

Brief update.

I found a working MRI machine and got another good scan back; everything has shrunk a little more and is responding well.

I also have some dates set for the new year now. I will see my surgeon on the 9th to review what is to be done regarding surgery, and then will be going for the surgery in the following week (12-16th January). All a little quicker than expected.

More than likely, this means I won't be returning to work in 2009 until March, after the recovery.

For now, I intend to have a very merry, and chemo-free, xmas and new year :)

Cold Turkey before Xmas

So today I had my last injection, and tonight I am due to swallow the last of the Cepecitabine tablets. My right arm still hurts a little from a fortnight, my scalp is dry as heck and a couple of my fingers are starting to get quite painful around the nails... but I'm still in one piece !

This morning's MRI scan was delayed due to a broken MRI machine, so I am due to return to their other clinic tomorrow morning to get that done, after which I have an appointment on Thursday to discuss the next steps. Only then will I know 100% if we are going ahead with surgery, which would mean a break of Chemo over xmas, or if they have other things in mind. If they say otherwise, I will scream, but I'd rather do what's best advised rather than what suits me.

Got most of my xmas shopping done over the weekend too (much of it online) so looking forward to a pleasant and manageable run up to xmas holidays. Overall feeling quite confident that half of this is all behind me now, and with help, patience, experience and strength, the latter half will go even better.

More when I've spoken to the doctor on Thursday...

Inejction #4 - battling through it

Yesterday's injection was much-dreaded. A long seven hour session at the clinic, as it was a Cetuximab AND Oxaliplatin session, and also because we slowed the Oxaliplatin down to take three hours instead of two.

This may of helped reduce the reaction, which was still painful like last time. Pins and needles up and down my arm (right arm, this time) and lots of stiffness and soreness. But I'm fighting through it this time. I got up at a good time, got my pills down me, and spent the morning chopping and preparing a tasty Heston Blumenthal Spag. Boll. (8 hours cooking time - yum) so that I was doing something and using my arm muscles, not resting them. The little pain I get from using the arm is somewhat countered by the movements slowly reducing the pins and needles and making me feel less "crippled" by the painful arm.

So all in all, emotionally this cycle has been so bad yet. For the first three days, I have to take the stronger drugs, including steroids that really wire me up, but once through them I hope to come out in good shape. I am also cheered that this might be the last cycle for a couple of months now, letting me look forward to christmas and snowbaording in the new year.