More good news...

Well, another trip to the doc today and got some more good news. Long story short, my oncologist is putting me on an oral form of chemo and we are suspending the standard chemo treatments for now. This is actually great news as the chemo has been whipping me pretty bad for many months. The side affects are so numerous and on going that I forget them all. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Xeloda (pronounced Ze-LO-da; oral chemo drug) doesn't produce the same side affects as standard 5FU.

My wife was mad at me after the Dr. appointment. She asked me if I was excited at the great news. My response was "no". She saw the positive side of the conversation (cancer is in remission, no more chemo, etc.) and I saw the other side. The cancer is not "gone" and in reality it will never be gone. The C word is like a scarlet letter burned into your mind. You can never get away from it, the only thing you can do is try to eliminate it from your thinking. Otherwise you would go crazy. Am I encouraged by the good news? Absolutely yes. I'm excited that things are moving in the right direction. My issue is dealing with the ongoing issues; treatment, scans, doctor visits, etc. It becomes quite exhausting at times. Regardless, I am so fortunate to have excellent doctors and nurses, and an institution that puts the patient first.

We enjoyed a tremendous Thanksgiving holiday in our former home state, Florida. The weather was gorgeous, so "un-Thanksgiving". 80 degrees, breakfast outside in the AM without a jacket, swimming in late November ??? It doesn't get any better than that! Thank God for relaxing vacations, no matter how short they are.

I look forward to the holidays and getting back to work full time. This was something we discussed today during my Dr. appointment. I am so anxious to get back to my "old" routine, pre-cancer. The old routine involved typical day-to-day activities; kids, work, even enjoying a Dr. Pepper. Carbonated sodas and treatment = a painful experience. This is a silly example of how difficult treatment can be. I want that "normal" way of life back, something that I recognize and miss so much. Simple little things like a DP become challenging if not impossible. You don't realize what you miss until it's taken away from you. The psychological effect is amazing, interesting, and painful all at the same time. I should have taken more psych courses in college!

Well, I'm out for now. Today has been stressful and I feel wiped out. The anticipation of these Dr. appointments can take a toll on the body and mind. Take a look at the pic below from our trip to FL.

Till next time, Brian...