Scans are clear. No evidence of any lymphoma! Brain, sinuses, lungs unremarkable. (Damn I thought my brain was remarkable.) Some athersclerosis--knew that. So, I am cut loose of the cancer folk for now and hopefully for a long while.
But the upper respiratory stuff persists in the absence of anything a scan might show. So, back into the court of my regular internist for what's next. I have queried him in re next steps.
But for now--goin' fishin'.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Monday, April 21, 2014
last day tomorrow!
Maintenance chemo ends with an infusion tomorrow. I will miss the camaraderie of the nursing staff at the Cache Valley Cancer Center. They have been fabulous. Then what?
Results of my semi-annual physical last week were good. My core physiology is fine. The concern of the nagging upper respiratory gombu pends. My regular physician would like to see some scan results of the upper body, including chest and head (where the damn sinuses are!). That doesn't really interfere with plans to scan the remainder of my body for cancers so I have put the word out that, instead of waiting until Aug to do this, we should do it now, in a full-body scan. Then my regular doc will decide how we proceed with the upper respiratory stuff with this additional information.
The stuff is firmly locked in my sinuses, eyes, and chest. But it is sneaky. It takes a bunch of hacking and clearing when I arise, but retreats during the day for the most part. It may return at night, particularly if I recline. Then an additional bout of coughing, hacking, and clearing occurs. Occasionally there are bouts of sneezing and what appear to be more allergy-driven itchy eyes, and hacking during the day, but not so much. My throat is dry much of the time and lately coughing during the day is not-productive of mucus. So we'll see.
I am not alone in this. A friend, and musician colleague appears to have similar symptoms. His is also resistant to anti-biotics (several courses). With his fully functioning immune system, it will be interesting to compare notes with him on his progress. When my sister-in-law appeared to have the same stuff in AZ--mea culpa for her infection--a Vitamin B shot appeared to cure her.
Results of my semi-annual physical last week were good. My core physiology is fine. The concern of the nagging upper respiratory gombu pends. My regular physician would like to see some scan results of the upper body, including chest and head (where the damn sinuses are!). That doesn't really interfere with plans to scan the remainder of my body for cancers so I have put the word out that, instead of waiting until Aug to do this, we should do it now, in a full-body scan. Then my regular doc will decide how we proceed with the upper respiratory stuff with this additional information.
The stuff is firmly locked in my sinuses, eyes, and chest. But it is sneaky. It takes a bunch of hacking and clearing when I arise, but retreats during the day for the most part. It may return at night, particularly if I recline. Then an additional bout of coughing, hacking, and clearing occurs. Occasionally there are bouts of sneezing and what appear to be more allergy-driven itchy eyes, and hacking during the day, but not so much. My throat is dry much of the time and lately coughing during the day is not-productive of mucus. So we'll see.
I am not alone in this. A friend, and musician colleague appears to have similar symptoms. His is also resistant to anti-biotics (several courses). With his fully functioning immune system, it will be interesting to compare notes with him on his progress. When my sister-in-law appeared to have the same stuff in AZ--mea culpa for her infection--a Vitamin B shot appeared to cure her.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
how time flies...
We arrived home in the third week of March after a pleasant diversion to Albuquerque, NM and found all to be in reasonable order. Of course, it snowed the day we arrived! And, typical of spring weather in N Utah it has continued to do so off and on since. Indeed, March seemed to go out like the proverbial lion. But, between the storms, the weather has been fantastic and the snow when it occurs makes little impact. That is, here today, gone tomorrow. N Utah has been so fortunate that the snow pack is slightly above average insuring minimal grumbling from the farmers and happy noises from the fisherfolk (moi!). Finally, on the weather topic, the continuing weather changes have provided for clean air. Thus, all is well on this front.
I am in my fourth of four sets of maintenance chemo, having had two of the four infusions at this writing. The usual results: I feel a bit more neuropathy (is this real, or just anticipated?): embouchure a little stiff after minimal trumpet playing, more tingling (discomfort) in hands and feet. But this is more or less de rigeur. So two more weeks and I am cut loose! In discussion with my onc doc (ABJ), I find that I could have my power port removed right away (simple in-office procedure), but since average survival with my disease is 3 yrs, arbitrarily we have decided to wait until Aug which will be 3 yrs since diagnosis. At that time we will also do some scans.
Some news on recurrence: One of the reasons for taking the port out--other than the continued hassle of maintenance flushes wherever I am--is that should next steps be required, they could involve an autologous stem cell transplant. For that, apparently, the port would not be necessary. But ABJ reports that since my diagnosis there has been the successful development of a couple new drugs that target mantle cell lymphoma. Apparently these are appropriate for recurrence whereas the CNS impact of the original R-CHOP is not. So, this is good news, but may argue in favor of continuing to keep the port in.
Phoenix in winter was too good to me. Too many fine lunches and dinners out accompanied by cocktails (evening), IPAs (lunch) and the general social facilitation that comes from convivial, communal dining. Result: an 8-lb weight gain (250 lbs!). Not good. Being abstinent now during the chemo process, and watching the diet a little I have shed that 8 lbs. But more is necessary and I hope to report some success on that front in the future. Again, however, I have the enviable duty of gathering during the week with friends for good lunches.....we'll see.
It has been a tough time psychologically this last while as a good friend and colleague quickly ended his life and just in the last 24-hrs there is more. Thoughts of mortality rise and cannot be denied. Yet, I am optimistic. I just spent some bucks on a couple new rods and reels and put the charger to the boat's batteries. Spring fishing cannot be far in the future. Carpe diem.
I am in my fourth of four sets of maintenance chemo, having had two of the four infusions at this writing. The usual results: I feel a bit more neuropathy (is this real, or just anticipated?): embouchure a little stiff after minimal trumpet playing, more tingling (discomfort) in hands and feet. But this is more or less de rigeur. So two more weeks and I am cut loose! In discussion with my onc doc (ABJ), I find that I could have my power port removed right away (simple in-office procedure), but since average survival with my disease is 3 yrs, arbitrarily we have decided to wait until Aug which will be 3 yrs since diagnosis. At that time we will also do some scans.
Some news on recurrence: One of the reasons for taking the port out--other than the continued hassle of maintenance flushes wherever I am--is that should next steps be required, they could involve an autologous stem cell transplant. For that, apparently, the port would not be necessary. But ABJ reports that since my diagnosis there has been the successful development of a couple new drugs that target mantle cell lymphoma. Apparently these are appropriate for recurrence whereas the CNS impact of the original R-CHOP is not. So, this is good news, but may argue in favor of continuing to keep the port in.
Phoenix in winter was too good to me. Too many fine lunches and dinners out accompanied by cocktails (evening), IPAs (lunch) and the general social facilitation that comes from convivial, communal dining. Result: an 8-lb weight gain (250 lbs!). Not good. Being abstinent now during the chemo process, and watching the diet a little I have shed that 8 lbs. But more is necessary and I hope to report some success on that front in the future. Again, however, I have the enviable duty of gathering during the week with friends for good lunches.....we'll see.
It has been a tough time psychologically this last while as a good friend and colleague quickly ended his life and just in the last 24-hrs there is more. Thoughts of mortality rise and cannot be denied. Yet, I am optimistic. I just spent some bucks on a couple new rods and reels and put the charger to the boat's batteries. Spring fishing cannot be far in the future. Carpe diem.
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