Something to laugh
about in the midst of cancer treatment
Joyce
and I decided to go out to eat at our favorite fish dinner place the
evening my portable chemo pump was hooked up. We went to The Inn
Between - between Anna
and Botkins. As we were finishing our meal, we noticed several of
the waitstaff walking around, getting on chairs and looking up. We
discovered they were trying to figure out which smoke detector was
beeping. So we listened and also heard the beeping. Joyce has
extremely sensitive ears, so after a while I suggested she might be
able to figure it out. Joyce got up and discovered the sound was not
as loud as she moved away. Then her eyes lit up and she said smiling
“It is you and your pump!” My chemo pump had apparently sensed a
kink in the tubing and started beeping. The staff was also relieved
and amused when they discovered I was the culprit.
Update 03/19/2015
John E. Swank
Thought I would give a brief
update. Some people think I may be worse if I don't send out a
report. So here is a brief update.
- Things have been fairly stable the past two weeks.
- Experiencing new side effects since changed medications- now on Camptosar.
- Dodged the bullet on diarrhea which is most common side effect.
- Upset stomach and some ulcer-like symptoms made the first week after chemo uncomfortable.
- If symptoms continue will get a “scope” (EGD) study done.
- Feet and hands pain and numbness continue. Worse the day or two following treatment.
- Try to limit walking as much as possible, although I often just deal with the pain rather than do just sit around.
- Either use my “new” scooter or provided electric carts when out and about. Joyce often goes ahead and warns people that I am a dangerous driver.
- Overall, have been feeling pretty decent.
Update 04/03/2015
I never got the last update
mailed out so this time you get “2 for 1.”
- Overall not much different, although become tired more easily on the new medication.
- Neuropathy causes a great deal of pain in my toes - makes walking very far painful, so use either the scooter or an electric cart in the stores. However standing is not painful as not much pressure is put on the toes.
- Started losing more hair with the change in chemo. My hair had been growing and getting thicker. Not getting extremely thin.
- Erin was home for a few days as she had a conference in Cincinnati, so saw her before and after. I think she is worried about her dad. 3rd trip in from Denver in the last 5 months.
- Erin used her connections and got complementary tickets for Peter Pan at Wright State University, her alma mater. It was a really good performance.
- The upset stomach has not continued - yea
- The warmer weather has been nice, except it has rained a lot.
- A new and convenient change is that the infusion center is now hooking up my chemo pump as I finish my treatment. This means that the nurse does not have to come to hook up my pump. Apparently recent research has found that the sooner the pump is hooked up, the better the outcome.
Trust you have a good
Easter/Spring Break. Enjoy life.
John Swank
This will be posted on the
blog at: http://itwonthappenthatway.blogspot.com
