I'm on a 7-week schedule. Radiation every day. The radiation treatments last about 5 minutes. I've completed 3 treatments, so that leaves only 32 remaining. Chemo every Monday. The chemo treatments are 4 to 5 hours.
I'm on what's considered light doses of both radiation and chemo, so I may have a better than average chance of minimizing the negative effects of treatment. There is no guarantee. The only thing that's consistent in what I'm hearing is that different people react differently to the treatments.
The chemo is all through IV's and my veins aren't real good at holding IV's. I'm getting a very minor surgery to implant an IV in my chest. There was more discussion of the potential surgically implanted feeding tube. I told my oncologist I had a month supply of liquid food designed for use with a feeding tube and I was going to use that as long as I could swallow. He said that was an excellent idea and encouraged me to ask for more if I ran out.
I've already covered the side effects of the radiation, and nothing has changed with that. The common side effects of the chemo are pretty tame. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea lead the list of the nuisance effects. Hair loss isn't even a nuisance. One of my chemo drugs lists "sore mouth and gums" as a common side effect. The other chemo drug lists the same thing as an uncommon side effect. My radiation treatments guarantee the same thing at nasty levels. I suspect my mouth is going to get way past sore and painful.
The uncommon side effects of the chemo drugs go past nuisance and reach life-threatening (that's my interpretation and nothing the doctors have said). Changes in kidney, liver, and heart function are listed. That's not a biggie. I figured out long ago that if there's something that increases my chances of surviving the cancer and doesn't quite kill me - the doctors are giving that to me.
The scariest side effect - even though it's listed as uncommon. "Changes in fertility". I've managed to live 60 years without having any kids. The last thing I want right now is a change in my fertility.
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2 comments:
Merlin..........Hey I'm 60 with no kids...Mmmmm....My looks and personality has always been a very effective birth control device. Are you a "Mini me" of the same age...........;)
Luv ya Brother.
Dale "de Scale" Casey
Gawd, you're a tough old bird, Merlin! I'm pretty sure the chemo will make you LESS fertile, if that's possible, but since you haven't had offspring yet, I'm sure you're not really TOO worried about an unexpected pregnancy!
Our dad, Eric's, Shane's, and mine, had chemotherapy for lung cancer and it seemed to energize him! It was really weird! Instead of nausea and/or vomiting, he kept going into his little kitchen and trying to cook after he'd had chemo. I hope it goes as easily for you as it seemed to for him.
Isn't it possible that you could get your regular dentist to give you injections for pain relief in your mouth and gums? There are local painkillers that, while they will wear off, can still give you some pain-free time.
All the best to you, dear.
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