No Chance For 100% recovery? Chemo Side Effects

Wow? Where have I been? Not sure. I'll try to fill in the timeline with lots of goodies. Right now I want to vent and whine. :p

4/14/06
I explained to the doctor that I experience a shortness of breath after I excert myself. This isn't the first time I noted this. The Fellow with her noted in an amazingly tactful way that I may be understating my discomfort. Honestly, no sarcasm in that statement. I was actually shocked by such an astute observation coming from anyone, much less a Fellow.

Reference Point: The Saturday Brandy dropped me off at the ER for my as of yet diagnosed Diverticulitus. I worked through the day bent over in pain. As she dropped me off I said to the effect: "I'm not sure I requires the ER, Maybe it's nothing to be concerned about?" I was less than a day from my Large intestine blowing out into my peritoneal cavity (almost certain death?) and spent 4 days in the hospital.

Reference Point: I don't remember how many days my right eye bothered me. Maybe a week. When I went to the ER I needed to wrap a towel over my eye. I had two Corneal Ulcers and I was hours from Septicemea. cause? Shitty contact care. by was that Optometrist pissed!

I wondered after each time whether or not I had learned my lesson. I guess not. But Third times a charm, no? :D

Back on Track
Soooooooooooooooooooooooo. My Dr. seems concerned about the shortness of breath. I feel like nothing is obstructing inhalation but I'm just not absorbing. Or so it seems. I'm not anemic. So She wants to do a Pulminary function Test after treatment. They don't seem to want to volunteer any information. This seems to be a pattern. Is ignorance bliss with Cancer patients? I don't work that way so I asked what might be causing this?

Dr. A: The Bleomycin (neoplastic Antibody)
Me: Oh. I'll recover?
Dr. A: No.

"No?" "No?" "No?"........................................Man that bugged the Fuck out of me. Why/How did I convince myself recovery would be 100%? I mean, outside the future chance of Cancer?

So, yes. I'm feeling sorry for myself. In the meantime Dr. A. reiterated that raddiation seems unlikely. They were concerned about the Lung Lesions but the sizes seem below the threshold. Irradiating the Lungs causes a 25% percent decrease in capacity!

So after getting home from chemo I started to re-educate myself on my chemo protocol.

Adriamycin "Can sometimes cause heart damage"

Fuck.

Now I'm really feeling sorry for myself. Dani to the rescue. she explains that Yes, Cancer Sucks. Once again, ALL Cancers Suck. And Yes, I may have some minor reduced functions. But why worry about future percentages and future issues? I'm alive and without the drugs I would be dead.

God I love her.

But I'm not at my past, especially right after treatment. I feel like feeling sorry for myself. At least for a short time. Then, after Im over it as usual, I'll look in the mirror, give myself the double Bird, and say:

FUCK YOU CANCER! KISS MY FUCKING ASS! "Damage/reduced function my ass!

:x

Below are the side effects, Short and Long Term.
Peace

Short term Effects:

Bleomycin: Common: nausea and vomiting (ask your doctor about drugs to counteract nausea), fever/chills after dose, cough, shortness of breath, mouth sores, itching, rash, loss of appetite; Less Common: confusion, faintness, wheezing; Rare: sudden/severe chest pain, sudden weakness in arms/legs.

Adriamycin: Common: nausea and vomiting (ask your doctor about drugs to counteract nausea), sores on mouth & lips; Less Common: cough, fever/chills, fast or irregular heartbeat, swelling of extremities, diarrhea; Rare: black stools, blood in urine, pinpoint red spots on skin, unusual bleeding, wheezing, skin rash/itching. Adriamycin may turn the urine red which is not blood and should disappear within 2 days.

Vinblastine: Common: nausea and vomiting (ask your doctor about drugs to counteract nausea), fever/chills after dose, cough, shortness of breath, mouth sores, itching, rash, loss of appetite; Less Common: confusion, faintness, wheezing, peripheral neuropathy (tingling & numbness in the hands and feet). Rare: sudden/severe chest pain, sudden weakness in arms/legs

Dacarbazine: Common: Redness, pain, or swelling at the site of injection, nausea, vomiting. Less Common: black stools, blood in urine or stool, cough, fever/chills, lower back/side pain, painful or difficult urination, pinpoint red spots on skin, sores in mouth and on lips.

Long Term Effects:

Bleomycin: hair loss (alopecia) during use - hair growth should return after treatment and lung (pulmonary) toxicity (doses should be monitored).

Adriamycin: hair loss (alopecia) during use - hair growth should return late in treatment or after treatment, possible sterility (weaker than some drugs) and heart toxicity (doses should be monitored)

Vinblastine: hair loss (alopecia) during use - hair growth should return after treatment and lung (pulmonary) toxicity (doses should be monitored), peripheral neuropathy (tingling & numbness in the hands and feet).

Dacarbazine: Some hair loss which should return after treatment, transient (shorter term) reduction in liver and kidney function.