Health/stress update, October 2018

[Boomstick]

So as many of you know, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer earlier this year, and am currently undergoing treatment. Initially, I had a pretty hard time with treatment, but in August I was supposed to be on vacation, but because I was so tired and my girlfriend had issues of her own, I did not go. As a result however, I did end up with a week off of treatment.

 

Ever since, I've been able to drink room temperature water and even sometimes cold water if I drink it slowly. The worst part has been the awful taste in my mouth after the first few days of treatment -- it's not even bitter or metallic tasting, that's what comes after the first few days when it gets better. Also my youngest son has started hockey and the rinks are pretty cold and my skin (especially hands and legs and ankles) are sensitive to cold. Much better than not being able to drink even room temperature water and being basically narcoleptic.

For the last several weekends, I have been out fishing all day, primarily at local lakes which are usually pretty tough to catch fish from the shore. I have had a lot of success fishing the local lakes with crankbaits. Tomorrow I am going to try for trout after lunch since you can see browns everywhere in a fishing spot I found, and try bass later in the day.

 

I now have 4 treatments to go. My last one is supposed to be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving but that may end up being rescheduled!

The bad is that my insurance has started to randomly deny every treatment or doctor's appointment, giving bogus reasons like they already paid for the same appointment, which they clearly did not. Additionally, I will have to pay for a colonoscopy out of pocket every year for the rest of my life, and because I have Lynch Syndrome (a very high risk of genetic colon cancer for men) my insurance won't cover it. That will end up being about the same as a year's worth of bass boat payments, which is depressing.

 

This weekend would normally be the last camping trip of the weekend. Since my kids don't have school on Columbus Day, I would take the Monday off to go campaign from Saturday to Monday. But with treatment, I can't tolerate the cold that well.

 

At this point, I am just looking forward to next summer, when I should have my energy back and hopefully my employer does not set unrealistic deadlines, telling us we have a month to do a full system re-write with no real basis for the said timeline given the size of the team and project.

[Gundog]

Good luck with the trout and with the treatments. I'm praying for you. Just remember that no matter how tough life gets, it does get better. 

[Boomstick]

2 minutes ago, Gundog said:

Good luck with the trout and with the treatments. I'm praying for you. Just remember that no matter how tough life gets, it does get better. 

It already has! I'm no longer narcoleptic and can at least fish on the weekends (no time during the week as the kids sports season started plus I'm pretty tired during the week - partially due to treatments and partially due to my job burning me out at the end of the day).

 

All week I have been looking forward to this weekend. A tolerable high of 64 tomorrow and sunny all day, and a little rain early on Sunday morning but a nice high of 73! Perfect weather.

[12poundbass]

Good news! The insurance part sucks but it'll get worked out one way or another. I remember my last treatment, when my broviac was removed, and when my taste buds finally came back! You'll enjoy life like you never have before. ?

[Boomstick]

52 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Good news! The insurance part sucks but it'll get worked out one way or another. I remember my last treatment, when my broviac was removed, and when my taste buds finally came back! You'll enjoy life like you never have before. ?

I never really lost my taste buds... but the second I stop eating, the bad taste returns at least right after treatment. I also have 24/7 acid reflux, but they gave me medication so as long as I take it, it keeps that at bay.

[Oregon Native]

Sounds like things are getting better slowly.....keep up the fight and "Tight Lines to ya"

[12poundbass]

10 hours ago, Boomstick said:

I never really lost my taste buds... but the second I stop eating, the bad taste returns at least right after treatment. I also have 24/7 acid reflux, but they gave me medication so as long as I take it, it keeps that at bay.

I'm not sure how your treatment  is but mine was extremely aggressive that required me to be in the hospital for treatment a week at a time then two weeks out and did that for six months. All my hair was gone after my first treatment.

 

My tastebuds were shot! Everything tasted sweet, it was horrible! I pretty much made myself eat bland food so I wasn't disappointed if I ate good food and it tasted sweet to me. 

[Boomstick]

1 hour ago, 12poundbass said:

I'm not sure how your treatment  is but mine was extremely aggressive that required me to be in the hospital for treatment a week at a time then two weeks out and did that for six months. All my hair was gone after my first treatment.

 

My tastebuds were shot! Everything tasted sweet, it was horrible! I pretty much made myself eat bland food so I wasn't disappointed if I ate good food and it tasted sweet to me. 

My treatment is a milder one, folfox. I go in Wednesdays, get a bunch of infusions, get hooked up to a pump for two days which I get unhooked Fridays. No getting sick or losing my hair at least.

[Kelvin]

Post Tx 800 mg of cimedetine (tagemet) daily for a year greatly improves the post chemo survival of colon cancer.  Lynch syndrome is a bad hand to be dealt.  HNCPP gene polymorphisms.  Check out running a microbiome test to determine what exact makeup of flora strains are in your body.  (uBiome) .