I'm Free!

[RayThom]

I had an appointment with my surgeon today and things really went well.

He removed the enteral valve and J-tube inserted into my belly so I'm no longer tethered to a nutritional "feed bag" infuser attached to an IV pole.

And now on to chemotherapy.

Ain't no stopping me now. Life is good.

[Burning Petard]

Good on you. I will not give you that Southern curse: God bless your heart.

snailgate

[ex-khobar Andy]

Great news,Ray!

[BoSoxGal]

Yay! I hope the chemo isn’t too awful - keep us posted.

[Joe Guy]

RayThom unplugged. That's good news. Stay strong.

[Econoline]

Drat, I already used the "chemo-sabe" joke. I'll just have to tell you to hang in there and wish you the best and let it go at that.
Remember: stay pessimistic. Pessimists are constantly either being proven correct or being pleasantly surprised.

[Sean]

That's great news Ray! I've been through this with my wife (breast cancer) over the last 12 months but she's got the all clear now. Do they think that chemo will sort you out?

[RayThom]

Do they think that chemo will sort you out?

The hope is that chemo will eventually put me into remission, meaning clinical signs that the cancer is undetectable. That's what I'm hoping for. Of course, remission never means a cancer is gone, it only means that it may take five, six, seven years before a recurrence happens.

I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. In the meantime, I just barely made it out of surgery alive so every day since then I am thankful for.

Damn! I wear my optimism on my sleeve. I'll be fine.

[MajGenl.Meade]

All best wishes for continued progress. I just hope Darren doesn't start some kind of count-down thread.

[dales]

RayThom unplugged?

Sounds like a musical act.

Get well!

[Lord Jim]

[Gob]

Good news Ray, very good news!!

[MGMcAnick]

RayThom unplugged?

Sounds like a musical act.

Get well!

That's exactly what I was thinking.
Hang in there.

[Sean]

The hope is that chemo will eventually put me into remission, meaning clinical signs that the cancer is undetectable. That's what I'm hoping for. Of course, remission never means a cancer is gone, it only means that it may take five, six, seven years before a recurrence happens.

I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. In the meantime, I just barely made it out of surgery alive so every day since then I am thankful for.

Damn! I wear my optimism on my sleeve. I'll be fine.

Yeah, it's the gift that keeps on giving!
They don't use the word 'remission' here anymore. It's now NED (No Evidence of Disease). AKA arse covering.

[TPFKA@W]

That's great news Ray! I've been through this with my wife (breast cancer) over the last 12 months but she's got the all clear now. Do they think that chemo will sort you out?

Sorry to hear of that happening to Sister Mary Fellatio. (Wasn't that her?) Tell her the best therapy is argument and this is the best place to get a free argument.

[Sean]

Sorry to hear of that happening to Sister Mary Fellatio. (Wasn't that her?) Tell her the best therapy is argument and this is the best place to get a free argument.

Thanks A@W. Yes, she was SMF. She's thankfully through it now after lots of surgeries and chemo. As for arguing, she's found that she can piss off even more people simultaneously with Facebook.

[RayThom]

I had an appointment with my oncologist yesterday and we agreed I was strong enough to start chemotherapy next week. A six month course of treatment has been planned. Yay!

Whereas a goal of remission remains my focus my cancer has progressed to "somewhat aggressive" T3/T4 stages, and management, rather than remission, is what my oncologist is shooting for. Yes, our individual prognoses may differ but I'm always way ahead of the curve when it comes to radical post-surgical recovery. My optimism, and dry sense of humor about the human condition, has worked for me most of my life and that will continue til things really get too dark.

The course of treatment I opted for is Capecitabine which is mostly a regimen of daily pills which may be augmented by an occasional (at home) IV infusion through the chemo port embedded in my chest. Mercifully, radiation is not an option.

OK, does anyone in here (Sean?) have any first hand experience and/or knowledge to impart regarding this oral cancer treatment? I have the info on the physical side effects but there's not a lot mentioned about how these chemicals will effect me mentally, at least more than I am now.

Hey, I'm still on this side of the sod. I ain't dead yet.

... Lucky I'm sane after all I've been through
(Everybody say I'm cool, he's cool)
I can't complain but sometimes I still do
Life's been good to me so far..."

[MajGenl.Meade]

You know.

[BoSoxGal]

My now several friends who have undergone chemotherapy have all experienced aphasia to some degree or another; I think it’s probably important to be prepared for the likelihood of ‘chemo brain’ side effects and just roll with it.

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/ ... s-or-more/

Depression is also not uncommon in folks going through chemotherapy, so just bear that in mind and if you start to feel your usual optimistic spirit is assailed, let your doctor know.

[RayThom]

... researchers said the finding that cognitive recovery can take five years or more is likely to apply to breast cancer patients and patients who have undergone chemotherapy for other types of cancer."

Five years? I can live with that.