I get a good meal tonight and can drink fluids until midnight, then nothing before surgery. I mentioned my achalasia to the admitting RN at the pre-consult--not wanting to be without fluids for 18 or 20 hours if they scheduled me late in the day, tomorrow. She asked for an early time, et voila, I have to be at the Surgery Center at 6:30 a.m. I think blast off is 7:15 a.m. but there can be delays for emergencies and things, so they say to come prepared. Boy, am I prepared. My wife and daughter laid an IPOD Nano (8 gbs) on me for my bd and Lisa recorded a bunch of my CDs. While she claims that she went randomly, everything I see on there is worth revisiting. Then my sis-in-law gets me a pair of Skull Candy phones. (This is a Utah Co. gone big in earphones.) Those, a New Yorker and a good novel (see Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Winner of the Mann-Booker prize--the life of Thos Cromwell) and I can be there forever.
Tomorrow we are one week from Chemo....Time to elaborate a bit on effects and side effects.
1. Allopecia - a definite effect. I will lose all my hair. Going to take the bull by the horns here and next Thursday get buzzed--but not shaved--to approximate the final condition. Everyone says hair loss will start by the second cycle. This gives me a slight bit of additional control. I will lose my hair my own way! (Yes, on this very site, there will eventually be pix.)
2. Survivors have told me there can be mouth sores. Maybe changes in toothpaste are in store.
3. Tiredness - a definite effect. Maybe a pipe dream, but I am going to see if I can continue walking daily (?). Supposedly better outcomes if one stays in some sort of physical condition.
And, I'm also thinking about getting back to the dumbbells to see if it is possible to at least maintain some muscle tone. However, at this point I have no clue whether this can happen.
4. Nausea - quite a few friends, nameless of course, have suggested one search a source for some medical mary jane. From what can be gathered it is a very successful way to stimulate appetite (oh yeah!) as well as prevent nausea. The THC pills are apparently no where near as effective as a toke. (Jan read that cancer patients often die from malnutrition!)
In the article on R-CHOP with Velcade (note this is the correct spelling), the abstract says that they were able to manage "toxicity" and they note several potential side effects of this drug (another source is VELCADE: Questions to ask your doctor):
5. Neutropenia - low levels of a particular type white blood cell (infection fighters)--raised chance of infection; but also leukopenia (lower white blood cells in general)
6. Thrombocytopenia - low levels of platelets (blood clotters)--a chance of bleeding internally
7. Neuropathy - loss of feeling in the extremities (peripheral neuropathy)
8 Gastrointestinal problems - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation (oh shit)
9. Low blood pressure - since I am on a half a lisonopril daily for high blood pressure, I'd better ask about that. Interaction possibilities.
10. Heart problems - the stuff can worsen arythmias
11. Lung disorders - some have been fatal; report any shortness of breath (just typing this makes me short of breath).
12. Neuralgia - nerve pain
13. Pyrexia - high temperatures
OMG! as the Tweeters say. We are in for a long ride. More after surgery when I am capable.
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