Update on oggbashan's health

[TarnishedPenny]

Oh, dear.

 

[oggbashan]

It is still uncomfortable - no more than that, just a constant dull ache. But it is now at about 50% of the previous swelling. I can see knuckles! Hurrah!

 

[fma20fma]

wishing you speedy recovery.many posters and your post readers are awaiting your return to normalcy soon.

 

[oggbashan]

Apart from a less swollen arm, I am normal for Og. I have no other side effects of the chemo. I am eating as normal and enjoying my food. The arm is a nuisance, no more.

But extravasation can be damaging. I don't think mine is. I am supposed to get redness, soreness of the skin and possibly blistering. I haven't any of them. My skin, although swollen, looks perfectly normal.

 

[shakna]

But extravasation can be damaging. I don't think mine is. I am supposed to get redness, soreness of the skin and possibly blistering. I haven't any of them. My skin, although swollen, looks perfectly normal.

Damn, that's a lucky escape. It can go really bad. One thing to be thankful for, among the rest of the shit sandwhich, I guess.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Glad you seem to be recovering from extra annoyances.

 

[oggbashan]

Back to the hospital (after foot clinic). Photos were taken of my 50% reduction in swelling with NO skin damage. Disbelief all round.

They will telephone me next week to ensure no bad effects. If I have any problems I am to ring them (a 24 hour hotline) but I doubt I'll need it.

Now back to the (****) ice packs...

 

[oggbashan]

This morning I went for my next pre-chemo check. BP 115/53. Blood oxygen 99%, temp normal. Height? Unmeasured, the nurse couldn't reach that high, therefore she assumed unchanged. Weight, no change, still heavy. Overall OK but blood has to be checked too before the third chemo session on Tuesday.

 

[KeithD]

This morning I went for my next pre-chemo check. BP 115/53. Blood oxygen 99%, temp normal. Height? Unmeasured, the nurse couldn't reach that high, therefore she assumed unchanged. Weight, no change, still heavy. Overall OK but blood has to be checked too before the third chemo session on Tuesday.

Your values are better than mine, so I'll just say keep on keeping.

 

[Handley_Page]

Ogg, may you long continue to confound local medical science

 

[Athalia]

Best wishes for you, Ogg. May you enjoy Indian food for years to come.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

Wishing you well for a very long time to come.

 

[Duleigh]

This morning I went for my next pre-chemo check. BP 115/53. Blood oxygen 99%, temp normal. Height? Unmeasured, the nurse couldn't reach that high, therefore she assumed unchanged. Weight, no change, still heavy. Overall OK but blood has to be checked too before the third chemo session on Tuesday.

Outstanding! I have CTEPH so an O2Sat of 99% is just a fond memory. Hang in there, there's stories lining up waiting for you.

 

[oggbashan]

Outstanding! I have CTEPH so an O2Sat of 99% is just a fond memory. Hang in there, there's stories lining up waiting for you.

I was disappointed with 99%. I had been at 100% for years even during the time I had a camera down my throat and the oxygen bleed fell out of my nose...

 

[oggbashan]

Third (of six) chemo sessions this afternoon. I am not looking forward to it. 4+ hours sitting in a chair with an immobilised arm...

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Third (of six) chemo sessions this afternoon. I am not looking forward to it. 4+ hours sitting in a chair with an immobilised arm...

Got it. Absolutely.

That said, Ogg, you started this thread three years ago in full anticipation of being rose-food within a couple of months.

I understand your point, but four hours with an immobilized arm every so often seems a reasonable price to pay for those extra years.

Stick around, sir. The site would be a far duller place without you.

 

[oggbashan]

Thank you. I'm back with no issues. I'm having a hot chilli meal for dinner tonight to the horror of the chemo ward staff who expect their patients to be nauseous and not wanting food...

I don't need their anti-nausea tablets or their helpline. I have a cast-iron stomach that will eat anything, chemo or not.

 

[Handley_Page]

Good for you, Ogg

 

[mordbrand]

Thank you. I'm back with no issues. I'm having a hot chilli meal for dinner tonight to the horror of the chemo ward staff who expect their patients to be nauseous and not wanting food...

I don't need their anti-nausea tablets or their helpline. I have a cast-iron stomach that will eat anything, chemo or not.

As different as our opinions may be, I'm still pleased to hear you're handling chemo well.

When they apply mine, they inject pre meds down the port, steroids for rash/itch, and anti nausea ones that last a few days. They have given me the pills as well, but like you, I have not needed them. Do they tell you all the meds they inject?

 

[oggbashan]

As different as our opinions may be, I'm still pleased to hear you're handling chemo well.

When they apply mine, they inject pre meds down the port, steroids for rash/itch, and anti nausea ones that last a few days. They have given me the pills as well, but like you, I have not needed them. Do they tell you all the meds they inject?

Yes. Saline first, then anti-nausea, then the 'treatment' and finally a syringe of saline to clear the line. I take steroid pills with water. I have to remember NOT to take my usual steroid pills for four days.

On days one and two (today and tomorrow) I have pills with water with breakfast. On days two and three I take pills on an empty stomach and on days three to eight I inject myself.

PS: Scheduled length of treatment is 3 hours. Actual length is usually 4.5 - half an hour to find a deep-seated vein.

 

[mordbrand]

Yes. Saline first, then anti-nausea, then the 'treatment' and finally a syringe of saline to clear the line. I take steroid pills with water. I have to remember NOT to take my usual steroid pills for four days.

On days one and two (today and tomorrow) I have pills with water with breakfast. On days two and three I take pills on an empty stomach and on days three to eight I inject myself.

PS: Scheduled length of treatment is 3 hours. Actual length is usually 4.5 - half an hour to find a deep-seated vein.

I had a bard power port inserted into my chest, it is under the skin and leads into the jugular. I was getting poked so much that I was running out of good veins. They use a 3/4 inch needle to access the port, shoot saline in, then draw out the same amount so that it doesn't interfere with the lab draw they take after.

Once the oncologist confirms my numbers are stable enough for my dose, they inject the steroid and nausea pre meds into the access line, then I get my chemo dose. If I'm low on any other category, like yesterday my magnesium was low and giving me muscle spasms, they will also do that. I was doing about 5 hours on average, but the bile duct tumor has shrunk slightly and they took me off one of the chemo drugs (cisplatin, the most strong one) to let me recover some.

I don't know about you, but the double dose was hitting me hard, dropping my red blood count and white blood/anc counts. I had to get whole blood transfusions 3 times so far and my antibodies are just now coming back up out of the scary range. With the reduction of the chemo, I spend about 1.5 hours total now vs the five plus of a couple weeks ago.

I wish you continued success with your treatment, chemotherapy has come a long way from even 13 years ago when the experience my grandmother went through left such a negative impression that I initially turned down treatment. My experience, while difficult and not even close to enjoyable, is so much better than she went through. Plus I have beaten the 4-6 mos estimate that I had without it. Fingers crossed, I can beat the average of 11 mos with treatment.

In any case, good luck and keep fighting.

 

[oggbashan]

You keep fighting too.

During the first session of six chemo treatments, I had to delay two because some of my indicators were low. Since then (six of the second treatment and three of the third) my blood results were very good, perhaps because I am taking multivitamins daily with cod liver oil and garlic pills. But, apart from feeling tired on the first and second day after treatment, I have no problems whatever. I'm not even losing my hair as I did after the first six - but it grew back, even where I had been bald for years. Even then I kept my beard which got a bit straggly.

My brother had two sessions of chemo which he tolerated. But the third was terrible. He was vomiting and couldn't eat. He stopped the treatment and decided to live well until he died. He lasted a whole year, trying to drink his wine cellar. He was agreeably drunk for the whole year and had only finished half the cellar. He shouldn't have married a wine importer's daughter. Christmas and birthday presents were cases of fine wines.

He left instructions in his will that what was left in the cellar should be used at his funeral feast. But he was a major benefactor of his village, organising campaigns to provide facilities. His funeral procession passed the tennis courts and clubhouse - he raised the money for that. The football pitches and changing rooms - ditto; the cricket club and clubhouse - ditto - to the church. Despite being a very rare churchgoer, he had raised money to repair the leaking church roof. The attendees walked through the children's playground - him again, to the village hall which he had raised money to build, to extend, to add disabled toilets too etc.

The village hall committee had decided as a mark of what he had done they would provide the drinks - free, and the Women's Institute did the food. 600 people (from a village of 900 including children) attended the service and reception. At the end of seven hours of drinking, they had four barrels of beer and eight cases of wine left, but the WI's food had all gone.

He died as President, Chairman and Treasurer of 14 village organisations, having spent his last year losing as many roles as he could...

 

[Handley_Page]

. . . . one of the chemo drugs (cisplatin, the most strong one) to let me recover some.

In any case, good luck and keep fighting.

It's strange stuff, cisplatin. I was on it (the other experts had me being cooked in a radio-therapy machine (a great many watts like a microwave)).
But it seems to have worked.

Meanwhile, I need Tea

 

[oggbashan]

I have had radio therapy too. The treatment lasted a shorter time than it took to change into an undersized hospital gown marked XXL. I think in their terms I must be XXXXL at least. I have a small tattoo at the aiming site.

 

[TxRad]

Best wish on the treatments guys.