I've been away from blogging for a while for two reasons. We got a new computer and a new wireless Internet router, and it took us several days to get everything hooked up, during whuich the computer I've been using wasn't Internet-enabled (I could have used Jenn's computer but I just didn't). Then we had to get ready for me to return to work. I've been writing editorials for the Register from home since yesterday. But considering all the extraneous piles of paper in my office, it took a while to get it ready for steady 8-hours-a-day work in a reasonably organized way. I did manage to throw away a lot of paper I probably should have trashed years ago -- though the rule seems to be that within a few days or weeks of throwing some potential research paper away you discover that you need it. Ah, well!
At any rate, I am back at work officially. I have three more chemo treatments due beginning in a couple of weeks, so I'm not quite out of the tunnel yet. But the first round with Gemzar elicited almost zero side effects (as did radiation) so I expect to get through the next round fairly handily. nd now that I am officially not disabled I can start commenting on politics again, Whoopee!
Showing posts with label radiation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label radiation. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Back on track -- we hope
It has been a reasonably eventful few days.On Thursday we had our post-operative appointment with Dr. Nissen, our formidable surgeon. We also took the occasion to see Dr. Drazin, our second-opinion chemo doctor. He reassured us that the apparent delays in getting to the radiation treatment were not medically worrisome, though he understood that delay could complicate my going back to work at the most appropriate time. Guess we'll just grin and bear it and make it through somehow.
On Friday we went to the chemo place in Wildomar, and were almost reassured that they're actually beginning radiation next Wednesday, not just having another prep session. They issued us the Zelota pills for this round of chemo that coincides with radiation and said to start taking them Wednesday. When we let the chemo people know the radiation people were vaguie about whether actual treatment would begin, they said to bring the pills with us that day and we'd start taking them if radiation actually began.
Actually, it's only mildly irritating. We've figured out I can get back to working the first week in October either way, so it will be OK. But it's a bit irritating to get the feeling that the medical staff people aren't actually listening, even though they may be nodding sympathetically.
On Friday we went to the chemo place in Wildomar, and were almost reassured that they're actually beginning radiation next Wednesday, not just having another prep session. They issued us the Zelota pills for this round of chemo that coincides with radiation and said to start taking them Wednesday. When we let the chemo people know the radiation people were vaguie about whether actual treatment would begin, they said to bring the pills with us that day and we'd start taking them if radiation actually began.
Actually, it's only mildly irritating. We've figured out I can get back to working the first week in October either way, so it will be OK. But it's a bit irritating to get the feeling that the medical staff people aren't actually listening, even though they may be nodding sympathetically.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Being insistent with doctors
Back to the doctor-visiting regimen today -- and unfortunately (or maybe not), back to having to insist a little bit (politely, of course) to get the kind of treatment we wanted from our doctors. We saw Dr. Sehgal, our chemo oncologist today to review matters after one cycle of chemo. It all looks pretty positive except for an uptick Dr. Sehgal thinks is anomalous in the Ca-19 reading. Then came time to nail down our radiation schedule, and the first thing the nurse said, after consulting with the radiation office, is that they plan to begin actual treatment (5-1/2 weeks) around Sept. 3. That would be too late for our schedule, which requires getting back to working, at least from home, by Oct. 7. We protested, then Dr. Sehgal talked directly to Dr. Mason, and things changed.The first blush was the set-up already scheduled for Friday to be followed by first treatment early the following week. Then on the way home we got a call from the radiation office changing the set-up appointment from Friday to tomorrow.
Moral, from our perspective: stand your ground with authority figures like doctors and if what you're asking for is reasonable, which ours was as everybody stresses not having big gaps in treatment, you'll probably get it. In the respect, I can't recommend Sharon Presley's new book, "Standing Up to Experts and Authorities," highly enough. It has not only philosophical arguments for being insistent with authority figures, but scads of very practical tips about questions to ask of a wide range of authorities. I can't prove it in our case, but I suspect the original schedule was built around the doctor's vacation rather than the patient's needs. But we got what we wanted eventually. So stand up for your rights, even if it isn't necessarily a matter of absolute right!
Moral, from our perspective: stand your ground with authority figures like doctors and if what you're asking for is reasonable, which ours was as everybody stresses not having big gaps in treatment, you'll probably get it. In the respect, I can't recommend Sharon Presley's new book, "Standing Up to Experts and Authorities," highly enough. It has not only philosophical arguments for being insistent with authority figures, but scads of very practical tips about questions to ask of a wide range of authorities. I can't prove it in our case, but I suspect the original schedule was built around the doctor's vacation rather than the patient's needs. But we got what we wanted eventually. So stand up for your rights, even if it isn't necessarily a matter of absolute right!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Moving on to chemotherapy
Almost didn't realize just how long I had been away from this pop stand. Part of the reason is that we've decided writing about politics, which I do for a living, even on my own personal blog, might compromise my status as being on disability, and quite frankly little else seems important enough to me to record here. In addition, with the open wound in my stomach, sitting in front of the computer for long stretches is simply not especially comfortable.
However, I suppose a few people are interested in my physical condition and may check here to find out, and quite frankly that is what does seem to consume me, in general for the better. I'm very much interested in getting better. So . . . we spend a good deal of Thursday and Friday at oncology doctors and made preliminary plans for chemotherapy and radiation. We may go the L.A. for a second opinion, but at this point I fee comfortable with the clinic in Wildomar. Our primary care physician, Dr. Susan Danek, is favorably impressed -- and her father is using them.
The chemo doctor is recommending three weeks of chemo and one week off, to be followed by combined chemo and radiation, apparently for four or five weeks, and then another course of chemo. It's longer than I expected it to be. But he says that while it's encouraging that all the post-surgery reports show no remaining cancerous tissues, the fact that there were some affected lymph nodes -- taken out during the Whipple surgery --, suggests an aggressive approach to make sure no cancer has any proper chance of establishing itself again. I concur.
Bottom line: will probably start chemo next week, assuming Anthem insurance authorizes it (they've been good so far). We'll see how it affects me. They gave us an introductory session Friday noting that there could be nausea and vomiting as well as fatigue and diarrhea. I probably won't feel like doing much of anything on the day of treatment and probably the next day as well. Have take some steps to cope with the side effects.
However, I suppose a few people are interested in my physical condition and may check here to find out, and quite frankly that is what does seem to consume me, in general for the better. I'm very much interested in getting better. So . . . we spend a good deal of Thursday and Friday at oncology doctors and made preliminary plans for chemotherapy and radiation. We may go the L.A. for a second opinion, but at this point I fee comfortable with the clinic in Wildomar. Our primary care physician, Dr. Susan Danek, is favorably impressed -- and her father is using them.
The chemo doctor is recommending three weeks of chemo and one week off, to be followed by combined chemo and radiation, apparently for four or five weeks, and then another course of chemo. It's longer than I expected it to be. But he says that while it's encouraging that all the post-surgery reports show no remaining cancerous tissues, the fact that there were some affected lymph nodes -- taken out during the Whipple surgery --, suggests an aggressive approach to make sure no cancer has any proper chance of establishing itself again. I concur.
Bottom line: will probably start chemo next week, assuming Anthem insurance authorizes it (they've been good so far). We'll see how it affects me. They gave us an introductory session Friday noting that there could be nausea and vomiting as well as fatigue and diarrhea. I probably won't feel like doing much of anything on the day of treatment and probably the next day as well. Have take some steps to cope with the side effects.
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