State of the Toad

The fifth cycle is complete (well, except for the annoying little pump thing still attached). This morning we arrived at the infusion center with me saying my standard prayer for the port to please please please please please please work and what do you know . . . it worked. First time, too. No triple flushing, no special elixirs to clear it all out, no problems at all. I was relieved straight out of the gates. So was Johnny, and it showed in his blood pressure. Usually he is quite nervous about the port thing and his blood pressure shows it by being as high as the 180s. Today, with a cooperating port, his BP was a normal 118/70. Perfect.

We talked to Dr. Ansari about the State of the Toad. Things are looking good from his perspective. He really likes that the CEA is 13.8 and thinks that means the chemo is working well. We asked if it would at all be possible to do only 6 cycles before considering surgery. His reply: "Why would we do that? The chemo is working. Let's let it do its job." So, no such luck getting out of an additional 6 cycles. Actually, instead of getting out of them it looks like we will be kicking it up a notch -- BAM! Johnny goes in on Wednesday to have a special blood test drawn to see what his 5-FU levels are. Depending on the outcome of that, the dosage may possibly (probably) be increased at his next cycle. That may mean more nausea and/or vomiting with the increased dosage, but we really don't know that yet. Pray that it doesn't.

One of the questions that we've had for a while is: How long will we have to wait after the 12th cycle to have surgery. Obviously, we need time for Johnny's body and his blood counts to recover after 24 weeks of chemotherapy before we go cutting things out of him. According to Dr. Ansari, it will be 3-4 week's wait. That will give us time to meet and decide on a surgeon and make all of our travel arrangements. There will be a lot of logistics involved, so I am glad we will have the time off chemo to take care of everything.

Good news to report on his lab values for today! His platelet count actually went up. It was 116 last time and today it was a whopping 124. I think this may have been part of Dr. Ansari's decision to up the dosage, although I don't know it for sure. All of the other relative labs are still in the normal range, which makes me really happy!

While at the infusion center, we ran into an old friend from high school. Really, it isn't the place that you want to run in to old friends. I haven't seen Vince since probably high school, even though he lives locally. He was diagnosed two years ago with lung cancer and has been fighting a really hard battle ever since. The cancer had already spread to the bone by the time they found it, and has now found it's way to his brain. He and his lovely wife, Denise, and their three children are currently building a home here in Niles and hope to be moved in within the next month. He is a walking miracle, and I would like you to help us pray to God to allow him to continue to be that miracle. Like Johnny, his outlook is amazing and so positive. He was one of the only other guys in high school that would hunt/fish as much as Johnny and has had many hunting adventures in his life. . . many of which Johnny envies!

Incidentally, Vince went to the doctor to establish care with a new physician (much like Johnny) and told him of a "sissy cough" (Vince's term) that he had had for a while. He never expected it to be anything. Again, this is a good lesson for all of us. If you have something on your mind pertaining to your health, please don't hesitate to go to the doctor. What is the point of waiting? Seriously, there are two possible outcomes when you go to the doctor. It is either NOTHING, at which point you thank your lucky stars and leave with peace of mind. Or, it is SOMETHING, at which point you thank your lucky starts that you have found it and can now start dealing with it in an appropriate manner. Waiting gets you nothing at all. Sometimes waiting gets you something even worse than nothing at all.

Tonight I am going to bed thankful that we have found Johnny's cancer and are dealing with it appropriately. I hate that he has to go through all of this to get healthy again, but it is so worth it. As long as he can stay strong, I will stay strong with him.

I also go to bed praying for our friend, Vince, and his family; and for strength for our friend Matt, and his family; and for a whole host of new friends that we have met on this trip that we had no intentions of taking. But, since we are taking it, we may as well enjoy renewing old friendships, maintaining current friendships, and embracing the new friendships as they come along.

It is all about the friendships, people. And as James Taylor would say: Just shower the people you love with love, show them the way that you feel. Things are gonna work out fine if you only will. Shower the people you love with love, show them the way you feel. Things are gonna be much better if you only will.

Oh, great. Now I am going to go to bed with that song in my head, too. I probably won't be alone. :O)