Fantastic, man. God bless ya'.

Keep fighting!

OW! This could have started better. The nurse stuck the needle in my chest that will be there for 2 days and it flaming well hurt like a big bee sting. It's taking a while to feel better, too. It's sort of a tight feeling and twinges until it calms down. I did not pass out, however. My average is getting better on that! Now I wait to be called back to see the nurse practitioner, then go upstairs and wait some more for treatment.

Need a soundtrack? -

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I think Hand of Doom by Sabbath is the best soundtrack for my day so far.

I finally saw the nurse. She got caught up in traffic by Olathe slowed by snowfall. My blood work looked good, she said. Now I am waiting for my chemo bags, and have been for over 30 minutes now. It is slow as molasses in, well, February in this place.

I was told last time that I'd be taken off oxaliplatin for a while to hopefully avoid permanent nerve damage. I was happy for the fact that it takes 2 hours for that stuff to drip into me, so I thought I'd be out of here very early today and didn't bring any food or a drink. I was just told that I will be getting the full regimine today, so instead of being out of here by 11:30 am, I will be lucky to get done by 3 pm. I am NOT happy at all. :cuss:

I get the pump removed tomorrow and I must admit, the oxaliplatin is making me nervous. I've had twice the dosages that most receive and it can cause permanent nerve damage and the cold sensitivity sucks. I asked my nurse if we could continue my treatments in Zimbabwe until it warms up in KC.

I'm sure they e got your best interest in mind and wouldn't give you more than you can handle. They just know you're a warrior so they aren't taking it easy on you.

What's next, beast-man?

On Friday, I have to see the colon doc again. Maybe he will be setting up my next CT scan. He has talked about surgery a bit, but not anything too specific as far as dates go. I will remind him I am going to Denmark on May 4th, so if he does want to hack on me, it better be no later than March. I want to be fully recovered before I go so I can get back in shape and build strength. I do a lot of walking over there and when I am in Løkken, I have to drag my suitcase and carry-on about a quarter mile or more to the apartment from the bus top and vice versa. I don't want to have to stop every 50 feet or so and catch my breath like I am some brokedick old fart.

I was told that before my next treatment in 2 weeks, they will test me by having me pick up coins and not drop them, which is what happens when the nerve damage and cold sensitivity are getting to be too much. So far, I've done fine the two times she had me pick up coins. Also, I walk down the hall and back. If my feet are numb and tingly, I'd walk funny or stumble or even fall. I told them I used to be a martial artist and assistant instructor, so it's hard for me to fall down on accident. I shift my weight instinctively and don't fall. That isn't to say I've nearly fallen, though. I just walk slower when my feet feel all tingly and like there are needles in them.

It happens to me whenever I sit on the crapper too long. :)

Do you turn on the fan? It could be the methane!

great news, Ed! Have the time of your life!

ROFL. I tend to luxuriate during my ablutions. The fart fan's no help.

I get the pump removed in about 2 and a half hours. I am happy! They always say, "Ok, I'll count down from 3 and pull the needle out." Count shmount, just do it. I LOVE it when the needle comes out. It's the going in part I have the issues with! So one more time of washing my hair in the sink and then I can shower for the next 12 days until this stuff starts all over again.

Ugh! Chemo heartburn woke me up rudely at 5:30 am. I am going to try a glass of warmed skim milk with a bit of honey and cinnamon in it. I drank over half a gallon of water and juice yesterday but still feel parched.

Wow man. I don't envy the chemo. Hopefully there is no damage because your big ass is going to be around for a good long time.

:thumb:

The warm milk did the trick! I got back to sleep and now I am up and ready for a big breakfast to fuel my inner Viking as he crushes my enemy within. He must be chopping away at those tumors because I am gassy as a rhino.

Nice Ed, keep on kicking ass.

LMAO sounds like your inner Eric the Red enjoyed that milk.

I hope you can post good news threads for years to come.

Ditto this!!!

Actually, I read about it and gas is a side effect of the oxaliplatin. As long as it is DRY gas, it is about the only side effect I look forward to!

Good shit Ed! Keep going buddy

I arrived early at the cancer center so now I sit waiting for the nurse to call me in to jab me with the curved needle and take blood and getting me set up for my 13th treatment. I hope they take me off the oxaliplatin today. That stuff has been kicking my ass the past three times.

Hang in there man.

So far, so great! I got a male nurse today and he was terrific. The needle into my chest was one of the most pleasant, if that makes sense, since my first time here. I'd say it was between a mosquito bite and a bee sting. It took far less time to settle down, the feeling of having a needle stuck in my chest, where it will stay for 2 days. I told him he did a great job and I am happy. I haven't seen the doc yet, but so far, so great, as I mentioned.

I'm happy to hear things are getting better man..keep kicking ass

Besides you can't die..you got many more years of watching the Chiefs **** themselves

It may be what started my cancer off in the first place!

Keep fighting bud. Since you didn't get a hot female nurse, glad to know the one you did get is at least a good one.

I will gladly take him over any hot nurse if he keeps on like he did today! The hot nurses are all upstairs in the treatment area, anyway, so it's win-win for me. Now where are Caroline and Amanda today??

Atta boy, Ed. Keep on keepin' on!!!

Groan! I am off the oxapilatin, but they ran that bag with another and it ALSO takes two hours, so I am never going to get out of this place early. I didn't say much to the nurse when she told me the leucovorin takes 2 hours, but inside, I screamed, "Son of a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch!" :mad:

Glad it went well. Good on you for telling the nurse he did a good job. I don't know how much they appreciate it, but I'd appreciate it if I were in their shoes.

A new side effect has hit me. The soles of my feet and undersides of my toes are cracked and peeling. It feels like I was standing barefoot on a hot sidewalk for too long and I hobble around slowly when I walk because it HURTS! I've put skin lotion on them 5 times today, which has helped a very tiny bit. This cancer is pissing me off even more.

This sounds like eczema. There are wonder lotions that may help. Talk to your doctor for a prescription - I hope this helps.

It's actually a common side effect, but it took 13 treatments to zap me. It's mostly just red skin around the balls of my feet and heels, and some cracking mainly around my heels, but they've been gnarled ever since my days as an assistant martial arts instructor.

There must be some simplistic ointment they can recommend/prescribe to make the area housing your piggies feel better. :)

Sucks man. Keep fighting. Keep that inner Viking hacking away at it.

I don't know what kind of lotion you are using but you might try OKeefes Healthy Feet. I can't post a pic with my phone but if you have seen Working Hands it is a similar product for feet. When I get my hands all dried to shit it works pretty well.

All the best bother man.

All the best Ed.
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I noticed when I woke up during the night feeling like I had to dump 2 lbs. and barely passed a tablespoon (yet another fun aspect of colon cancer... :cuss:) that my feet are not hurting as much. The redness has gone as well. The only parts of my feet that are hurting are my heels, so that seems to be some progress. Hmm, even my tongue feels a bit more normal now. It has been feeling like I burnt it on some hot pizza sauce but a day or so after, sort of roughed up and tender. Hopefully that will mean I regained some of the sense of taste I lost. I didn't lose much, just a bit, but I like food and want to taste good stuff 100%!

In case you're wondering how I can talk of such things as in my first sentence, well, I have to describe my poo to the doc. Oh, how diginity has been whittled away. :doh!:

Back to bed I go until my wonderful colon decides to roust me out from under the covers yet again.

Keep fighting, brother.

Keep up the good fight. God Bless You.

It's CP. Poop threads are welcome here.

I didn't think of that! I'd just like to go in peace, not in pieces.

Actually, this is groundbreaking stuff here Ed. You've just documented the very first radioactive dump on CP. Congrats to you.

You are very inspiring Ed.

Radioactive, huh? Well, that would explain why my internal 'roids feel like they're being microwaved!

A few roids and pant fulls of dookie isnt gonna beat your inner viking... go berzerker on them bastards!

You know what makes a guy feel tons better? I don't have any blood-related sisters, but I do have two women whom I refer to as my big sis and my little sis. Lil sis emailed me to check on me and I saw my big sis today and hugged her several times and told her I love her. Having those two like buoys under each arm has been huge in my battle with the foul invader cancer. I couldn't do it without them, in particular. My big sis has been in my life for a long time. Her brother was my best friend who was killed in a car crash back in 1980 and I stayed close to the family since I was practically adopted by them. My little sis, I went to high school with her, but never got to know her until our 20th reunion, then we became fast friends and she has been like a sister to me for a few years, but it feels like much longer.

Hey! I never said nuffin' about filling my drawers! Knock on wood that trend continues despite several close calls...

Yup, that's got to be comforting, Ed. Always good to have good people around. You keep on keepin' on!!

I've been slowly building my strength, and hopefully my endurance, back but today... ugh. I was using the chainsaw to saw up firewood for an hour and I had sweat streaming down my head into my eyes. I took a long break and sucked down over a pint of water. I went back out just to put things away and took a shower. I am DONE for the day. I've got a ways to go before I feel like my old self before the chemo. I still have a goal set to be able to lift my own suitcase when I go to Denmark, though. Hopefully, I will be able to do it without making old man noises... ooooogh, eeerrrfff, *pant pant pant*

Old man noises are nothing to be ashamed of. I do it all the time. I'm 50 BTW.

Get used to old man noises, my friend. You ain't gettin' any younger! Nonetheless, I'm guessing that you'll be back to your old self shortly. Takes time to rebuild endurance. Until then, don't push it TOO much!!!

Sincerely, one who makes LOTS of old man noises.

I've totally started collecting some "old man noises". Eh, it just makes you sophisticated.

I started making old man noises in my early teens.

I played basketball today and I feel PRECISELY the same way. Bad news is I'm 31 and cancer free.

Good to see you're more active. Don't over-do it.

Keep kicking Cancer ass.

While fighting cancer you made man noises using a chain saw and you're disappointed about that?

Ok, I'm a pussy.

Godspeed. I hope you have a great trip.

While using the chainsaw, the only noises I made were panting and "OW! Sweat in the eyes! OW!" I cussed a little, too. I hope I sweated out some of the chemo toxins in me. You're not a pussy!

Thanks!

Sounds like an awesome trip planned! Keep on rocking man :thumb:

To be 31 and cancer free sounds like the best news in the world to me!

I had a CT scan early this morning and about halfway home, my phone rang. It was a nurse telling me the doc wants me to come in right away. My heart sank hearing that and then she said I may have a blood clot somewhere so the doc wants to assess me. Now why couldn't they have called me while I was at the damned center earlier?? I'm sitting waiting and waiting to be called in to see the doc now. Arrgh.

Well, poop. As you know, these things happen. So just get it taken care of and you'll be back in the saddle in no time. Hang in there bud!!!

Ed, you are still in our prayers, Brother. Keep fighting.

I have a friend battling Luekemia and he just spent the last 100+ days in the hospital. He is back home today and appears to have had a very successful stem cell transplant. Prayers do get answered.

Thanks and I pray he doesn't have to go back. Over 100 days in the hospital... I could hardly stand the 5 nights I was in one in November!

The scan showed a small clot in a lung and a large one running along the major vein in the center of my body, so the doc is making calls now to get me in the hospital. She's very concerned about it and said they'd run some filter into the vein to keep it out of my lungs. At least the scan today showed my cancer is shrinking further, but it feels like I just can't catch a break. My spirits are not good right now.

Prayers sent man keep your head up.

Friend of mine recently had colon surgery for Crohns. Surgery went well, but a few days later she developed a clot. Back to the hospital. Much better now.

Ed, if you're in doctor's care, I think they can handle these clots just fine. Pain in the butt, but you gotta just get through it. Congrats on the shrinking cancer shit!!! Now, get rid of these clots and you'll be back on your feet in no time!

Will pray.

( and not that fake Inmem bullshit )

Shit man. At least they found it. My great grandad died after a pulmonary embolism when he was a little older than you.

After many long hours waiting, I finally have a filter in my vena cava. It was not a surgical procedure, more like a big shot. I had anesthetic so it didn't hurt. My neck is a bit stiff now and there is a big tight bandage over the spot where they went in. I might be released tomorrow. I sure hope so. I ordered two pizzas tonight for dinner and they only sent me one! Get me out of this place!

So does the filter stay or what? I'm kind of confused.

Hang in there, Ed.

Yes, it can stay in me indefinitely, but at some point it may be taken out. I'd rather have it out since it's not actually a part of me.

How did the stomach shots go, better than anticipated I hope?

I have been put on blood thinners now and the delivery method leaves a lot to be desired. I have to get a shot in the side of my gut twice a day and it is horrible as it feels like the needle is still in there for anywhere from 15 seconds to over a minute, depending on the nurse. Now they tell me that *I* have to do it myself at home. Umm, what part of needles and I do not mix is not sinking in with them? One doc said there are pills that do the same thing as the shot. OKAY, problem solved, right? Gimme the pills already!

The nurses said they will get me comfortable with injecting myself before I am discharged. That settles it then. I am staying in the hospital until I die.

I seriously wouldn't shut my yap until they forked over the pills.