My side effects this chemo cycle have been relatively mild. I seem to be able to more-than-less control them through medication. The clinical trial I began a week ago to alleviate fatigue has worked for me. I say this with some hesitation. As mentioned in the prior blog entry, this is a double blind study. As such, I don’t know whether I’m getting a drug or a placebo. But, whichever it is, it’s working. On the 1 to 10 scale where 1 is no fatigue and 10 is the worst fatigue; I was pretty much at a steady 5 on average prior to last week. I must qualify this by saying my scale is different today than before cancer. In today’s world, a 1 means I feel like I can begin doing a light workout. In the world before cancer, I would have rated myself an 8 or 9 on the fatigue scale. Cancer has a way of changing your perspective on many fronts. The new drug I’m taking has lessened my fatigue level to a 2 or 3. That’s a major improvement both physically and mentally. I found an article on the Internet addressing the use of a drug for cancer-related fatigue. Here’s the URL for those that are interested…
http://www.cancerwise.org/april_2004/display.cfm?id=165dd531-c8c3-422c-bdcbde72034d9f8c&method=displayfull&color=green
I asked the clinical trial administrator if I would ever find out whether it is the drug or the placebo that I’m taking. She wasn’t sure, but will try to find out. I’ll let you know the answer if I get one.
The only other news of note is an upcoming CT scan. It’s scheduled for March 5th. The results will be available around March 10th. Given my history, scan results can at best be neutral news (no clear evidence of disease) and at worst bad news. My last scan was in mid November. Here again, I’ll keep you posted.
I finished two more novels by Lee Child. For those interested in action, suspense, puzzles, and clues, this may be a good read. I know I have enjoyed his works.
I hope all of you are feeling good and healthy. Thanks for checking in. Take care.
Eva Mendes Wallpaper n picture gallery
Eva Mendes is an famous hollywood actress and American celebrity.Eva mendes was born in Miami,to Cuban-American parents and was raised in Los Angeles by her mother after her parents divorce.Her father is a car salesman and her mother, Eva, is now an elementary school principal.Eva is the youngest of four children (2 sisters, 1 brother).
She began acting in the late 1990s, and became known after a series of roles in several major Hollywood films, including 2 Fast 2 Furious, Hitch and We Own the Night. Mendes made her big-screen debut in 1998 in the horror film Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror.She received her first big-screen break when she appeared in the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Training Day. That performance led to roles in Stuck on You, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and as the female lead in the comedy Hitch opposite Will Smith.
Eva is employed by Revlon Cosmetics as an international spokeswoman and is also a passionate supporter and active participant in Revlon's fight against breast cancer. In December 2007,Mendes posed nude for the anti-fur campaign of PETA.
Name: Eva Mendes
Birth date: 05-03-1974
Birth place: Miami, Florida, U.S.
Profession : Actress
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5' 07"
She began acting in the late 1990s, and became known after a series of roles in several major Hollywood films, including 2 Fast 2 Furious, Hitch and We Own the Night. Mendes made her big-screen debut in 1998 in the horror film Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror.She received her first big-screen break when she appeared in the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Training Day. That performance led to roles in Stuck on You, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and as the female lead in the comedy Hitch opposite Will Smith.
Eva is employed by Revlon Cosmetics as an international spokeswoman and is also a passionate supporter and active participant in Revlon's fight against breast cancer. In December 2007,Mendes posed nude for the anti-fur campaign of PETA.
Name: Eva Mendes
Birth date: 05-03-1974
Birth place: Miami, Florida, U.S.
Profession : Actress
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5' 07"
Eva Longoria gallery n wallpapers
Eva Longoria is a Golden Globe Award-nominated hollywood film celebrity and television actress. She plays Gabrielle Solis in the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. She became an nationally recognized model after appearing in several high-profile advertising campaigns and numerous men's magazines.In 2004, Longoria landed a role that elevated her to the A-List. She starred as adulteress Gabrielle Solis in the worldwide break-out ABC hit Desperate Housewives. As the show became an overnight sensation, Longoria's celebrity career was well and truly launched.
Longoria was married to General Hospital star Tyler Christopher from January 20, 2002, to January 19, 2004.On November 30, 2006, she became engaged to Spurs point guard Tony Parker and the couple was officially married on July 6, 2007.
Name: Eva Jacqueline Longoria
Other Names:Eva Longoria Christopher and Eva Longoria Parker
Birth date: 15-03-1975
Place of birth: Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.
Parents: Enrique Longoria and Ella Eva Mireles
sisters: Elizabeth Judina, Emily Jeannette, and Esmeralda Josephina
Married to: Tyler Christopher (2002-2004)
Tony Parker (2007-)
Longoria was married to General Hospital star Tyler Christopher from January 20, 2002, to January 19, 2004.On November 30, 2006, she became engaged to Spurs point guard Tony Parker and the couple was officially married on July 6, 2007.
Name: Eva Jacqueline Longoria
Other Names:Eva Longoria Christopher and Eva Longoria Parker
Birth date: 15-03-1975
Place of birth: Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.
Parents: Enrique Longoria and Ella Eva Mireles
sisters: Elizabeth Judina, Emily Jeannette, and Esmeralda Josephina
Married to: Tyler Christopher (2002-2004)
Tony Parker (2007-)
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Megan Fox Wallpapers
Megan Denise Fox, is an hollywood actress and American model.Fox was born in Rockwood, Tennessee, and has Irish, French, and Native American ancestry. Her mother is Darlene Tonachio, former Roane, Tennessee Tourism Director. she has one older sister.
Fox's career in modeling and acting began in 1999. She acted in films like Holiday in the Sun (2001), Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Crimes of Fashion and Transformers. Fox was dubbed "the sexiest woman in the world" for 2008 in a non-scientific online poll conducted by the men's magazine FHM. As of 2007, Fox has been engaged to Brian Austin Green, actor and former star of Beverly Hills.
Name: Megan Denise Fox
Birth date: 16-05-1986
Birth place: Rockwood, Tennessee, USA
Profession: modeling and acting
Engaged to: Brian Austin Green(as of 2007)
Fox's career in modeling and acting began in 1999. She acted in films like Holiday in the Sun (2001), Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Crimes of Fashion and Transformers. Fox was dubbed "the sexiest woman in the world" for 2008 in a non-scientific online poll conducted by the men's magazine FHM. As of 2007, Fox has been engaged to Brian Austin Green, actor and former star of Beverly Hills.
Name: Megan Denise Fox
Birth date: 16-05-1986
Birth place: Rockwood, Tennessee, USA
Profession: modeling and acting
Engaged to: Brian Austin Green(as of 2007)
A Day in the Life
...so here's how a normal New York day ends up for me.
6.30 am: Alarm goes off. Turn on TV to check the weather report.
6.32 am: Hang a bog. Check Facebook on my mobile phone. Poke everyone that poked me overnight (Hi Chris!). Shower.
6.45 am: Deodorize. Moisturize. Decide what to wear to work.
6.59 am: Kiss Matt goodbye and head out the door.
7.00 am: Step outside the apartment block and decide whether to take the subway (30 minutes door-to-door) or catch a cab (10 minutes door-to-door).
7.10 am: Arrive at work. Log on to Facebook. Poke everyone that has poked me in the last 38 minutes (Hi Chris!).
7.11 am-11.29 am: Work interspersed with Facebook poking and Scrabulous.
11.30 am: Order lunch from http://www.paxfood.com/
11.31 am - 6.29 pm: Work interspersed with Facebook poking and Scrabulous.
6.30 pm: Head out the office. Decide whether to hit the gym or hit Happy Hour at [Insert name of gay bar here].
6.35 pm: Arrive at [Insert name of gay bar here]. Proceed to down Ketelone and Sodas at Happy Hour prices.
8.59 pm: Order another drink in the last minute of Happy Hour.
11.00 pm: Leave bar to make it to the corner of 28th and 6th before the McDonalds closes.
11.10 pm: Stagger into McDonalds to order 10 McNuggets meal. Try not to make racial slurs to the workers (Hi Loan!).
11.29 pm: Finish inhaling nuggets and fries at home. Ponder running down to McDonalds again to get more food one minute before it closes. Decide against that.
11.35 pm: Go up to the rooftop to have a cigarette and check whether anyone in the apartment block opposite is taking a shower with the blinds open. If yes, call Dan (if he's not already up there).
11.59 pm: Swear to self that I'm never drinking again.
Midnight: Sleep!
...rinse and repeat Mon - Thurs. :)
Song of the Day: "Butterfly" - Kylie Minogue
6.30 am: Alarm goes off. Turn on TV to check the weather report.
6.32 am: Hang a bog. Check Facebook on my mobile phone. Poke everyone that poked me overnight (Hi Chris!). Shower.
6.45 am: Deodorize. Moisturize. Decide what to wear to work.
6.59 am: Kiss Matt goodbye and head out the door.
7.00 am: Step outside the apartment block and decide whether to take the subway (30 minutes door-to-door) or catch a cab (10 minutes door-to-door).
7.10 am: Arrive at work. Log on to Facebook. Poke everyone that has poked me in the last 38 minutes (Hi Chris!).
7.11 am-11.29 am: Work interspersed with Facebook poking and Scrabulous.
11.30 am: Order lunch from http://www.paxfood.com/
11.31 am - 6.29 pm: Work interspersed with Facebook poking and Scrabulous.
6.30 pm: Head out the office. Decide whether to hit the gym or hit Happy Hour at [Insert name of gay bar here].
6.35 pm: Arrive at [Insert name of gay bar here].
8.59 pm: Order another drink in the last minute of Happy Hour.
11.00 pm: Leave bar to make it to the corner of 28th and 6th before the McDonalds closes.
11.10 pm: Stagger into McDonalds to order 10 McNuggets meal. Try not to make racial slurs to the workers (Hi Loan!).
11.29 pm: Finish inhaling nuggets and fries at home. Ponder running down to McDonalds again to get more food one minute before it closes. Decide against that.
11.35 pm: Go up to the rooftop to have a cigarette and check whether anyone in the apartment block opposite is taking a shower with the blinds open. If yes, call Dan (if he's not already up there).
11.59 pm: Swear to self that I'm never drinking again.
Midnight: Sleep!
...rinse and repeat Mon - Thurs. :)
Song of the Day: "Butterfly" - Kylie Minogue
Mixed Feelings
It was a good day at the cancer center yesterday. I should be happy today, but more than anything else, I’m feeling tired. I won’t go through the blow-by-blow details of yesterday’s visit; here’s a summary. I met with my chemo doctor. He is scheduling a scan for early March, he thinks I look good, we talked for awhile, and he sent me off for chemo which was later in the day. I visited with the Supportive Care unit. They used to be called Palliative Care. The doctor I met with there explained that they do more than end of life treatments. They also treat symptoms and provide counseling. She recommended a clinical trial to address my fatigue. I read the paperwork and agreed to participate in the clinical trial. It will take place over a 7 week period. The first two weeks will be with a drug or a placebo (it’s a double-blind study meaning the administrator of the study nor the subject (in this case myself) knows whether or not I’m getting the drug or the placebo). The next five weeks will be with the drug. I have a daily log book and will receive survey calls 3 times per week to assess how I’m feeling and my activity level. I had to answer an extensive questionnaire, take a few cognitive tests to establish a baseline, and also one physical test. I will begin taking the drug/placebo on Saturday. The drug has been on the market for a long time, but not in the treatment of fatigue due to cancer. It would open a whole new market for this drug if successful. I then visited my dental oncologist and finished the fitting for my new mouth prosthetic. It will take a few weeks to get used to, but it makes a noticeable positive difference in the quality of my voice. For that I am truly thankful. Lastly, I had my chemo. The nurse got my IV going on the first stick, which is good, but she may have punctured the underside side of the vein in the process. That’s not unusual. I’ll be able to tell within the next 24 hours if it turns black and blue. This all took place over about a 7 hour period. That’s pretty good when compared to past visits.
Happy Valentine’s Day. Thanks for checking in. Take care everyone.
Happy Valentine’s Day. Thanks for checking in. Take care everyone.
Duration Test
A friend of mine told me a few years ago that having cancer and treating it was more like the challenges one faces in running a marathon than in running a sprint. It’s basically a long drawn out process. That is not true in every case (some people become cured and some people die quickly from the disease), but it sure is true in my case. It’s been a tough weekend. I’ve been under the weather. Severe headache, nausea, chills, and skin/muscle tightness in places where I was treated with radiation and surgery. It’s similar to having flu like symptoms. However, I don’t have any fever and therefore don’t think that I have the flu. It’s probably chemo related, but I’m not sure. The symptoms began on Friday night and are continuing though tonight (Sunday). It’s disappointing because my last IV treatment was 2.5 weeks ago and up until Friday night, the side effects had been relatively minor, some fatigue and neuropathy (feet/toe numbness). It’s times like this where one has to just lay back and hope that the discomfort fads quickly and that tomorrow will be a better day. Bottom line, this cancer stuff is just plain old tiring right now.
That’s all for now. Thanks for checking in. Take care everyone.
That’s all for now. Thanks for checking in. Take care everyone.
Mid Chemo Round Update
It’s been 9 days since my last chemo treatment and 12 days until my next one. This round has been relatively mild from a side effect perspective. I’m still fighting fatigue, but not severe fatigue. I tried cutting back on my pain/anxiety medicine, but that little experiment proved to be uncomfortable. My current dosing is relatively low. I’m at 50% of the maximum daily dose for one of the lesser strength prescription pain medicines and at about 20% of maximum daily dose for my anxiety medicine. Ideally, I’d like to be at no medication. The self imposed cut back severely disrupted my sleep for almost a week. Lack of a good sleep made me generally uncomfortable. As such, yesterday I went back to the dose that helps me get by.
I had an interesting phone conversation with someone today. We didn’t know each other (she was a representative at a company where I bank). We began to talk about my speech impediment. She said her sister had a brain aneurysm which caused her to have a speech impediment, but it did not impact her cognitive abilities. She went on to say that her sister was very frustrated by this because she had trouble communicating with people and people treated her differently. She then said, “you must be frustrated.” Ah ha, (the proverbial light bulb went off in my head) that is the perfect word for how I feel, “FRUSTRATED.” Okay, I said it. I like to talk and communicate, but it’s hard for me to do so in a way that I feel is normal, especially over the phone. This is not a complaint; I’m trying to share with those that read my blog how I feel. I’m looking forward to my new month prosthetic that will be ready in about a month. They took a mouth impression last week and it will take about 3 fittings to get it right. The first fitting is this coming Monday. I hope I’m being realistic about what this device will do for me. Once it’s fitted properly, it will take a few weeks to get used to. I’ll let you know how it works.
That’s all for now. Thanks, as always, for checking in. Take care everyone.
I had an interesting phone conversation with someone today. We didn’t know each other (she was a representative at a company where I bank). We began to talk about my speech impediment. She said her sister had a brain aneurysm which caused her to have a speech impediment, but it did not impact her cognitive abilities. She went on to say that her sister was very frustrated by this because she had trouble communicating with people and people treated her differently. She then said, “you must be frustrated.” Ah ha, (the proverbial light bulb went off in my head) that is the perfect word for how I feel, “FRUSTRATED.” Okay, I said it. I like to talk and communicate, but it’s hard for me to do so in a way that I feel is normal, especially over the phone. This is not a complaint; I’m trying to share with those that read my blog how I feel. I’m looking forward to my new month prosthetic that will be ready in about a month. They took a mouth impression last week and it will take about 3 fittings to get it right. The first fitting is this coming Monday. I hope I’m being realistic about what this device will do for me. Once it’s fitted properly, it will take a few weeks to get used to. I’ll let you know how it works.
That’s all for now. Thanks, as always, for checking in. Take care everyone.
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