Starting treatment on Monday
- Thread starter Michael Andros
- Start date
Planning on it, M, thanks...
You've got a ton of people behind you several of which have dealt with and beat this disease. None of it is easy but your up front about it and that is important in this fight your in. If you find yourself down and we almost all do at one time or the other reach out to any of us survivors and you will find us there and understanding and hopefully of help to you. Just keep fighting and trusting every day and all of a sudden you will find it behind you.
Best to you and yours.
Best to you and yours.
Thanks again tons for all the nice notes, offers of help and encouragement. It all means a lot, sincerely.
Monday will start the fourth week of radiation and the fourth chemo infusion. I found out 3 days ago I have to have a feeding tube put it and it is going to be done Tuesday morning. It has been getting *extremely* problematic to swallow anything solid, food-wise. All the "normal" things went by the boards weeks ago and over the past 2 to 2 1/2 weeks, even what you would think the most easily-swallowed such as scrambled eggs won't go down. Or, at least, *all* of it won't go down so some of it sticks at the base of my throat and chokes me. Not fun... soooooo, as a result, I haven't been eating. Drinking TONS of water, which I HAVE to do to flush my kidneys out due to the chemo, but almost nothing as far as food. A little soup broth, some pudding, etc, but almost nothing else. Consequently, I've lost 30 lbs in the past 4 weeks ( Which in itself isn't particularly scary. I'm 6'4" and before this started, I was 237... so I could afford to lose some ). They expect weight loss during treatment but 2 lbs a week is their threshold. Anything above that and red flags go up. So, they were very concerned over the past 3 weeks but this past week was the proverbial "straw-that-broke-the-camel's-back". I lost 10 lbs in 7 days. So my radiology oncologist said, ummmmm... no. You're getting a feeding tube. So, the adventure continues. I'm not looking forward to this, for no other reason than, to me, having a tube sticking out of me is giving weight to the cancer, agreeing, as it were, that it has a slight advantage, that it will now have a game or two on the wire, which I reject on every level. You're not gonna beat me but, if you do, do it playing even...
This s**t sucks.. but, know what? Once I win, it means 1st prize is worth even more plus the trophy's that much bigger!
:grin::grin::grin:
Monday will start the fourth week of radiation and the fourth chemo infusion. I found out 3 days ago I have to have a feeding tube put it and it is going to be done Tuesday morning. It has been getting *extremely* problematic to swallow anything solid, food-wise. All the "normal" things went by the boards weeks ago and over the past 2 to 2 1/2 weeks, even what you would think the most easily-swallowed such as scrambled eggs won't go down. Or, at least, *all* of it won't go down so some of it sticks at the base of my throat and chokes me. Not fun... soooooo, as a result, I haven't been eating. Drinking TONS of water, which I HAVE to do to flush my kidneys out due to the chemo, but almost nothing as far as food. A little soup broth, some pudding, etc, but almost nothing else. Consequently, I've lost 30 lbs in the past 4 weeks ( Which in itself isn't particularly scary. I'm 6'4" and before this started, I was 237... so I could afford to lose some ). They expect weight loss during treatment but 2 lbs a week is their threshold. Anything above that and red flags go up. So, they were very concerned over the past 3 weeks but this past week was the proverbial "straw-that-broke-the-camel's-back". I lost 10 lbs in 7 days. So my radiology oncologist said, ummmmm... no. You're getting a feeding tube. So, the adventure continues. I'm not looking forward to this, for no other reason than, to me, having a tube sticking out of me is giving weight to the cancer, agreeing, as it were, that it has a slight advantage, that it will now have a game or two on the wire, which I reject on every level. You're not gonna beat me but, if you do, do it playing even...
This s**t sucks.. but, know what? Once I win, it means 1st prize is worth even more plus the trophy's that much bigger!
:grin::grin::grin:
Prayers sent from a stage 4 kidney cancer patient( mine has metastasized into my lymth nodes in my chest and lung) only 10 percent l,with my prognosis, live a year...lol...with God on my side and most importantly,a POSITIVE outlook,and refusal to let it take over,i,m here alive and kicking(5years in august). I still go to work eveyday,get immunotherapies treatment ( nivumolab,not nearly as rough on you as chemo)...michael it sounds like you are dealing with lots of different things with your treatment,just remember,the reason for all this treatment is BETTER things to come. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy.get better,and i,ll be praying for you.
Thanks much, Jay. And good for you, good luck with your own treatment and I'm very happy for you things seem to being going very well. Every day is a gift. I'll be fine... it will take WAY more than this to knock *me* off my feet. I beat it in 07 and I'll do it again. I also fractured a vertebrae @ 6 years ago and I bounced back from that as well. My primary care Dr calls me a "Tough son of a bi*ch". I don't really think of myself that way, but hey... I do know it's not in my nature to do anything but fight for what's been important in my life. I ain't done, not by a far sight... :yeah:
Pool players don't cry...
Pool players don't cry...
Pool players don't cry...
( unless they go bust 3 or 4 times in a row... )
Damn you, PT.
Thank you for the updates. You have a lot of people pulling for you on here.
Feeding tube? Is this going to be a Dobhoff tube thru the nose? If so please make sure it is checked often inside the nose area. Sores can happen very quick with that. We dealt with this with my dad and almost had to do it with my mom too.
Feeding tube? Is this going to be a Dobhoff tube thru the nose? If so please make sure it is checked often inside the nose area. Sores can happen very quick with that. We dealt with this with my dad and almost had to do it with my mom too.
Thanks DM and yeah, I know and it means a helluva lot to me. All you all are making what I'm going through easier. No words can express the gratitude.
No, it's going straight into the stomach. And they're sending out a nurse on Wednesday to show my wife and I how to use it properly, how to clean and care for it, etc... so it should all be good. Again, I'm not looking forward to having a tube sticking out of me but, c'est la vie. I'll deal with it and move on.
Thanks again, DM.
I have seen those in action too. Other than when it is in use it isn't so top of mind like the other type would be. Just think of it as adding a quart of oil :smile:
Funny you should use that analogy, as that is *exactly* the image I had in my mind when my radiation oncologist said "You're getting a feeding tube."
:duck:
Best of luck to you Michael. Keep fighting like a champion. I will pray for you.
Best regards.
Joe P
Best of luck to you Michael. Keep fighting like a champion. I will pray for you.
Best regards.
Joe P
Thanks so much, Joe... All I can do is fight. I've been in a lot of them in my life, mostly on a pool table but some in other places. I'm gonna beat this, of that I have no doubt. But I guarantee one thing. If it somehow gets the better of me? I'm going down swinging... And the big C is gonna lose a few teeth and needs a few stitches.:thumbup:
... and I'm POSITIVELY in your corner.