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This blog is about our journey with life while living with cancer. John was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in February 2014. And so we walk "Side by Side." The title of the blog has been a phrase that Joyce and I have used for the past several years. It has been our way to deal with the reality that most plans and most days don't happen the way we had pictured it in our mind. And it has been our way to learn to anticipate the unexpected.

Click here for details of the June 3rd Memorial Celebration.

Friday, June 20, 2014

06/20/2014 Update

Note from Erin: I'm going back and posting from Dad's original emails, so you can catch up. The actual first date of this blog was in January 2015.
 From the Desk Chair of
John E. Swank
Chemo Update 06/20/14
Guy and Gal version
It has been a month or so since my last update.
  • That is mostly because things have been going very well.
  • Had blistered feet about 3 weeks ago. I think it was because I thought wearing sandals was a good idea. Not! So wearing socks seem important.
  • The past two weeks has been the easiest for about 3 months. No blistering. Cold sensitivity not as severe. The only challenges have been sore feet, hurting when walking.
  • Good news: no blistering of hands, no intense “on fire” feeling with hands right after chemo. Tolerating cold food and touching moderately cold things not a problem. (Can wash my hands in moderately cold water, which was painful before, Items from the freezer still hurt.)
  • Energy level better. Working in the yard, cleaning out workshop. (although I might have been more tired than I thought, as I slept until 11am on this past weekend!)
  • Cleared for Trip to Colorado. Going July 23, back August 2. More details later.
  • CEA level dropped again from 16+ to 11.0 As CEA of 2 is normal, certainly much better than the 924 level we started with in February.
  • I have been seeing clients most days. Thursday saw 4 clients. Yesterday saw 8 clients, when 5-6 is a full day.
  • Had 6 ash trees and 2 pine trees cut down. Joyce has been very busy stacking firewood and cleaning up brush. Thank goodness for Garrett Jones (13 year old) whose work energy, and wide knowledge of so many things has been a god-send for us. When he heard I was sick, he thought through how he could help Joyce and I. He thought Joyce could use help with yard work. (Garrett does not remember ever not being in Joyce's children's choir at church.) Joyce tries to keep up with him!! Not easy.  Joyce was hoping to "get by" with yard work this year, doing minimum. With Garrett, our yard is better than usual!!
Just finishing up chemo as I write this. Thanks for notes and support.

John E. Swank
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