Apologies to our friends in SG who were expecting us, but we are putting off the trip for now. Husband still has not fully recovered his strength from his fight with dengue, which is of course compounded by the weakness brought on by the iv chemo drugs. We figured it would be better to wait a few weeks, let him build up his strength more, and then only make the drive to SG. Remember, driving for 4 hours, especially when you have a very sore and painful coccyx area, is NOT a piece of cake!
So, keep Husband in your thoughts, that he may continue to get stronger and beat the cancer!
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Quick updates after chemo #9
It has been 5 days since the last chemo session, and the effects of the intravenous Camptosar (Irinotecan) have worn off. Husband is feeling a lot stronger, less shaky, and generally more "alive". The first 5 days after the iv are always the worst, and those are the days where we are more aware of the fact that side effects will hit. Am happy to say that Husband did NOT suffer from diarrhoea or vomiting this time round, and hopefully that means that his system is getting more used to the iv drugs.
We went walking today - Gardens at MegaMall. It is school holidays this week, but I figured that Gardens is one place that is a little bit tooooo upmarket for most normal school kids to want to patronise. MegaMall itself would probably be packed solid :-), as would 1-Utama, so we avoided those two places. It was a good morning. Left home at 10.30am and were in Gardens approx 15 minutes later. Walked a lot, stopped for snacks in between (Husband still cannot eat too much at one sitting, so it calls for lots of frequent small snacks instead). Left Gardens only at 2.15pm. Most of that time was actually spent in walking, which is great!
We are home now. Clothes in the wash, Husband relaxing with music on and feet up, and me updating my blog :-). We are thinking of heading to SG either this weekend or next weekend. The choices are:
- Go to SG this Sunday, staying through till Friday... and leaving SG very very early on Friday morning to get to Melaka for Chemo #10.
- OR go to Melaka for Chemo #10 on Fri Sept 4th, then continue on to SG after that and stay for a few days before heading back to KL.
The first option might be the better one - as Husband does better the week BEFORE chemo, as opposed to the week immediately AFTER chemo. See how lah!
So, if you can, keep Husband in your thoughts, that he has the strength to continue the fight against cancer, and that next time we do the blood test the cancer marker will be back on its way DOWN!!
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
We went walking today - Gardens at MegaMall. It is school holidays this week, but I figured that Gardens is one place that is a little bit tooooo upmarket for most normal school kids to want to patronise. MegaMall itself would probably be packed solid :-), as would 1-Utama, so we avoided those two places. It was a good morning. Left home at 10.30am and were in Gardens approx 15 minutes later. Walked a lot, stopped for snacks in between (Husband still cannot eat too much at one sitting, so it calls for lots of frequent small snacks instead). Left Gardens only at 2.15pm. Most of that time was actually spent in walking, which is great!
We are home now. Clothes in the wash, Husband relaxing with music on and feet up, and me updating my blog :-). We are thinking of heading to SG either this weekend or next weekend. The choices are:
- Go to SG this Sunday, staying through till Friday... and leaving SG very very early on Friday morning to get to Melaka for Chemo #10.
- OR go to Melaka for Chemo #10 on Fri Sept 4th, then continue on to SG after that and stay for a few days before heading back to KL.
The first option might be the better one - as Husband does better the week BEFORE chemo, as opposed to the week immediately AFTER chemo. See how lah!
So, if you can, keep Husband in your thoughts, that he has the strength to continue the fight against cancer, and that next time we do the blood test the cancer marker will be back on its way DOWN!!
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Chemo #9: Continuing the fight against cancer
We are back home already. Very early for a change! Left home this morning at 6am, got to Mahkota Medical Centre in Melaka before 8am, and found very few patients waiting for blood tests, so Husband didn't have to wait too long to have his blood taken. And maybe as a result of not having too many patients today, the blood test results were ready in 1.5 hours, instead of the usual 2 hours. Which also meant that chemo started earlier than normal (10am), and was done by 12.45pm, and we just drove straight home to KL.
Cancer marker (CEA) has, as expected, gone up again - to 198.7. Why do I say "as expected"? Well, because Husband has not been on any chemo meds since last week. The last round of meds he took was last Thursday (13th Aug). He actually asked the doctor "Will I be around at Christmas?", and the doctor laughed and said "Not just this one, but a few more after that!". :-D Made us both feel pretty good!
Anyway, he had the intravenous chemo (Camptosar/Irinotecan) today - the dosage was raised again slightly. In addition he has gone to full dosage of both the UFT and FA pills (2 of each, 3 times daily, at as close to 8 hour intervals as possible). Fingers crossed that no major (or even minor!) side effects hit. I have to also make sure that he keeps drinking a lot of liquid, as I don't want him to collapse again with blood pressure so low that the BP machine can't even read it!!
Husband is resting now, as the drive to Melaka and back, plus the 2.5 hours of SITTING for the chemo iv, have made his lower back (around the coccyx) ache like crazy.
So, that's the update for now. Keep praying for Husband that there are no side effects from the raised dosages!
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Cancer marker (CEA) has, as expected, gone up again - to 198.7. Why do I say "as expected"? Well, because Husband has not been on any chemo meds since last week. The last round of meds he took was last Thursday (13th Aug). He actually asked the doctor "Will I be around at Christmas?", and the doctor laughed and said "Not just this one, but a few more after that!". :-D Made us both feel pretty good!
Anyway, he had the intravenous chemo (Camptosar/Irinotecan) today - the dosage was raised again slightly. In addition he has gone to full dosage of both the UFT and FA pills (2 of each, 3 times daily, at as close to 8 hour intervals as possible). Fingers crossed that no major (or even minor!) side effects hit. I have to also make sure that he keeps drinking a lot of liquid, as I don't want him to collapse again with blood pressure so low that the BP machine can't even read it!!
Husband is resting now, as the drive to Melaka and back, plus the 2.5 hours of SITTING for the chemo iv, have made his lower back (around the coccyx) ache like crazy.
So, that's the update for now. Keep praying for Husband that there are no side effects from the raised dosages!
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
All blood counts are A-OK!!
The clinic just faxed the report to us. The two critical counts are as below:
- White blood count: 4
- Platelet count: 172k
This is GREAT news - because it is above the minimum required to continue chemo AND both counts are within the normal accepted range. Thank you to ALL our friends who have been praying for Husband that the counts should be normal. The prayers DEFINITELY worked!
Took Husband out again this morning to Ikano Power Centre and the Curve. Left home at 10.30am, and only got home at 2.15pm. If you discount 30 minutes for driving there, finding parking, and then driving back, and another 45 minutes for sitting down for an early lunch and a later snack, that means that we were actually WALKING for 2.5 HOURS. Yes, Husband was (in his own words) completely knackered by the time we got home, but it also shows how much stronger he is getting on a daily basis. And, of course, he enjoys getting out and about, AND he gets stronger the more he moves and walks. We also accomplished the original purpose of going to the Curve - to get the mozzie zapper from Ace Hardware. It is quite a big unit, looking something like a lantern, and we bought just one first, to give it a try out in our bedroom. If it works well, we will be going to get at least two more - one for the balcony, so we can enjoy sitting out there without worrying about mozzies, and one for the living room as that is where we spend the most time.
Anyway, Husband is happy that there won't be too much walking the next 3 days, as we are definitely going to Melaka tomorrow for his 9th chemo session, and that involves a lot of driving (to Melaka and back, which Husband is NOT too thrilled about :-p) and a lot of sitting, but not a lot of walking. As for the upcoming weekend - well, we rarely go anywhere on weekends as everywhere is just too crowded. Our walkabout days are always weekdays, as long as there is no public holiday! I must admit that sometimes it is nice to be "retired".
The rest of today should be quiet - other than my regular Thursday night visit to the night market at Mont'Kiara Plaza (mostly to get fruits) - and also my parents are dropping by to visit to drop off a batch of painkillers that my bro-in-law has got for Husband. And as bro-in-law is a doctor he can order the meds at a far cheaper rate than us lesser mortals, which is reason for cheerfulness too.
That's it for now folks. I will update again sometime this weekend, so, till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
- White blood count: 4
- Platelet count: 172k
This is GREAT news - because it is above the minimum required to continue chemo AND both counts are within the normal accepted range. Thank you to ALL our friends who have been praying for Husband that the counts should be normal. The prayers DEFINITELY worked!
Took Husband out again this morning to Ikano Power Centre and the Curve. Left home at 10.30am, and only got home at 2.15pm. If you discount 30 minutes for driving there, finding parking, and then driving back, and another 45 minutes for sitting down for an early lunch and a later snack, that means that we were actually WALKING for 2.5 HOURS. Yes, Husband was (in his own words) completely knackered by the time we got home, but it also shows how much stronger he is getting on a daily basis. And, of course, he enjoys getting out and about, AND he gets stronger the more he moves and walks. We also accomplished the original purpose of going to the Curve - to get the mozzie zapper from Ace Hardware. It is quite a big unit, looking something like a lantern, and we bought just one first, to give it a try out in our bedroom. If it works well, we will be going to get at least two more - one for the balcony, so we can enjoy sitting out there without worrying about mozzies, and one for the living room as that is where we spend the most time.
Anyway, Husband is happy that there won't be too much walking the next 3 days, as we are definitely going to Melaka tomorrow for his 9th chemo session, and that involves a lot of driving (to Melaka and back, which Husband is NOT too thrilled about :-p) and a lot of sitting, but not a lot of walking. As for the upcoming weekend - well, we rarely go anywhere on weekends as everywhere is just too crowded. Our walkabout days are always weekdays, as long as there is no public holiday! I must admit that sometimes it is nice to be "retired".
The rest of today should be quiet - other than my regular Thursday night visit to the night market at Mont'Kiara Plaza (mostly to get fruits) - and also my parents are dropping by to visit to drop off a batch of painkillers that my bro-in-law has got for Husband. And as bro-in-law is a doctor he can order the meds at a far cheaper rate than us lesser mortals, which is reason for cheerfulness too.
That's it for now folks. I will update again sometime this weekend, so, till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Better and better :-)
What can I say? The dengue weakness is receding, Husband is getting his appetite back. He lost 3.5 kg what with all the puking and diarrhoea he had while he had dengue, and he has put back 2 kg already :-D. He is much stronger each day, moving around more, lying down less.
Yesterday I figured he was strong enough to get out of the house for a while, and, for a change, refused to listen to his "I don't have the energy" litany!! Left home at 10.45am and took him to Bangsar Village which, for those who don't know it, is in two separate buildings, connected by a skybridge at the first floor (Level 2, for you Singaporeans reading this blog :-D ). Parked at Village I, near the supermarket, then we walked all the way across the skybridge to the far end of Village II where one of our favourite restaurants (Ms Read's Delicious) is based. Had early lunch, then a slow walk back, with a few stops along the way to check out CD shops, watch shops, shoe shops, book shops. Husband acquired one magazine, and one CD. Then Husband sat down outside the supermarket and waited for me while I did the supermarketing. Then home again, home again, jiggety jig, by 1.30pm. Husband did EXTREMELY well, and, I am happy to say, that after all his complaining, he enjoyed the outing greatly - though he was completely exhausted by the time we got home! Mind you, despite his exhaustion, he stayed up, read, watched a movie, talked with me, etc, and did not actually go to bed until around 10pm - which was so good to see.
Am taking him out again today - this time to Ikano Power Centre. We want to go to the Ace Hardware shop as my sister tells me that they have these UV mosquito traps which work well. She had bought several of these for the bedrooms and the TV area in her house, and she says that since she got them she has not had to spray any insect spray even once, the traps have caught several mosquitos and they have not been bitten since these traps have been put into operation. Since neither Husband nor I want to get dengue again, and since there is absolutely no way to 100% mosquito proof any house, and we dont want to keep spraying with insect spray (as the fumes make us both sick) we thought it might be a good idea to check these out too.
I was reading up on dengue last night and found out that there are 4 strains of dengue. Getting infected by one strain of dengue will give you immunity from that particular strain, but not from the other three... and if you get infected the next time with one of the other strains, the dengue is CONSIDERABLY WORSE than the first time. This is one eventuality I definitely want to avoid, hence the need for the mosquito traps!
What else is happening? Oh yes, we went to see our local GP yesterday late afternoon, for her to take some of Ken's blood to have tested for white blood and platelet counts. Should have the results by today. If they are above 3 and 100K respectively, then our trip to Melaka tomorrow is ON. If not, we will have to wait a few more days. Fingers crossed that the counts are good. Will update later, once I have the results.
Keep Husband in your thoughts and prayers that the counts will be good so we can continue with chemo.
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Yesterday I figured he was strong enough to get out of the house for a while, and, for a change, refused to listen to his "I don't have the energy" litany!! Left home at 10.45am and took him to Bangsar Village which, for those who don't know it, is in two separate buildings, connected by a skybridge at the first floor (Level 2, for you Singaporeans reading this blog :-D ). Parked at Village I, near the supermarket, then we walked all the way across the skybridge to the far end of Village II where one of our favourite restaurants (Ms Read's Delicious) is based. Had early lunch, then a slow walk back, with a few stops along the way to check out CD shops, watch shops, shoe shops, book shops. Husband acquired one magazine, and one CD. Then Husband sat down outside the supermarket and waited for me while I did the supermarketing. Then home again, home again, jiggety jig, by 1.30pm. Husband did EXTREMELY well, and, I am happy to say, that after all his complaining, he enjoyed the outing greatly - though he was completely exhausted by the time we got home! Mind you, despite his exhaustion, he stayed up, read, watched a movie, talked with me, etc, and did not actually go to bed until around 10pm - which was so good to see.
Am taking him out again today - this time to Ikano Power Centre. We want to go to the Ace Hardware shop as my sister tells me that they have these UV mosquito traps which work well. She had bought several of these for the bedrooms and the TV area in her house, and she says that since she got them she has not had to spray any insect spray even once, the traps have caught several mosquitos and they have not been bitten since these traps have been put into operation. Since neither Husband nor I want to get dengue again, and since there is absolutely no way to 100% mosquito proof any house, and we dont want to keep spraying with insect spray (as the fumes make us both sick) we thought it might be a good idea to check these out too.
I was reading up on dengue last night and found out that there are 4 strains of dengue. Getting infected by one strain of dengue will give you immunity from that particular strain, but not from the other three... and if you get infected the next time with one of the other strains, the dengue is CONSIDERABLY WORSE than the first time. This is one eventuality I definitely want to avoid, hence the need for the mosquito traps!
What else is happening? Oh yes, we went to see our local GP yesterday late afternoon, for her to take some of Ken's blood to have tested for white blood and platelet counts. Should have the results by today. If they are above 3 and 100K respectively, then our trip to Melaka tomorrow is ON. If not, we will have to wait a few more days. Fingers crossed that the counts are good. Will update later, once I have the results.
Keep Husband in your thoughts and prayers that the counts will be good so we can continue with chemo.
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Monday, August 17, 2009
The dengue seems to be gone...
As of yesterday evening Husband was definitely feeling better than he has been for the past few days. No more nausea, definitely no fever, able to eat most things and keep it down. That doesn't mean he is totally fine YET - as dengue just leaves you feeling absolutely wiped out and it takes TIME to build your strength back up. Your appetite also tends to take a huge knock - there is no way you can go back to just eating normally again. It takes at least a week - eating tiny meals, more frequently - before you start feeling normal again.... and, Yes, I speak from experience. Other than that, he has also started getting the 'under-the-skin itching", which apparently occurs after the dengue is gone, and lasts about 4 - 5 days.
Mind you, the doctor is still surprised that I recovered so fast from dengue, but then, as I told him, I didn't have the luxury of choosing to be sick for 2 weeks! Who would look after Husband then? It was a case of mind over matter and, for a change, mind won out and I got well fast. Now if only my mind could convince my "matter" to lose weight through sheer will power alone!!! :-D
We have been pretty much house-bound, other than our drive to Melaka last Friday, for the last 4 weeks. First because I had dengue, then because Husband had dengue... sigh. Luckily this place is big enough and comfortable enough that we have not had cabin fever yet :-D.
Keep Husband in your thoughts and prayers, that he should gain his strength quickly so that his blood counts go back to normal and we can do the drive to Melaka this Friday for his chemo session.
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Mind you, the doctor is still surprised that I recovered so fast from dengue, but then, as I told him, I didn't have the luxury of choosing to be sick for 2 weeks! Who would look after Husband then? It was a case of mind over matter and, for a change, mind won out and I got well fast. Now if only my mind could convince my "matter" to lose weight through sheer will power alone!!! :-D
We have been pretty much house-bound, other than our drive to Melaka last Friday, for the last 4 weeks. First because I had dengue, then because Husband had dengue... sigh. Luckily this place is big enough and comfortable enough that we have not had cabin fever yet :-D.
Keep Husband in your thoughts and prayers, that he should gain his strength quickly so that his blood counts go back to normal and we can do the drive to Melaka this Friday for his chemo session.
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Friday, August 14, 2009
The bad, the so-so, and the GOOD news
Well, we have just come back from Melaka - quite early for a change. It was a very very difficult drive for Husband - he is still very weak and shaky from the dengue, still unable to eat much and (as always) hardly drinks anything unless I force him to.
As always, once we get to Mahkota Medical Centre in Melaka, the first thing we do is go to the lab for them to take blood for the blood tests. Today I requested that they add the dengue blood test in to the usual barrage of tests. From the lab, we went to radiology, as Husband was to do a CT Scan as well.
Had to wait till almost 11am before we got all the test results!!!
Anyway, let's start with the bad news first:
- Yes, Husband still has dengue fever... luckily the "fever" part has stopped!
- His White Blood Count (WBC) and platelet count, at 2.4 and 76k, are still too low
- His cancer marker has gone UP again, to 182 :-(
Now for the so-so news:
- the WBC of 2.4 is higher than the WBC of 1.9 as of last Monday. This probably means that his body is now in "recovery" mode, rather than "fight" mode.
And, finally, the good news:
- The CT Scan shows that the cancer has actually disappeared in some areas. For example, the lymph nodes in the lung area, which were infected, are now CLEAR!! There were some nodes in the liver as well, and the scan shows that the nodes have either shrunk or completely disappeared in some cases
- The cancer in the bone has not spread. It is not possible to see if it has receded, as the bone is scarred from the cancer, and even if the cancer has receded, the scars will still show up in the CT Scan. All one can say with certainty is that it has not spread.
So what does this all mean? Well, because he still has dengue and his WBC and platelet are so low the oncologist said there will be NO chemo today at all. No chemo pills either! Instead, this coming Thursday (20th Aug) we have to go to our usual doctor here in KL, to do a blood test, to check the WBC and platelet count. If they are above 3 and 100K respectively, then, on Friday 21st Aug, we go back to Melaka to do the chemo. If they are still not there, then we repeat blood tests again in another few days, and take it from there.
So, folks, this has been a day for mixed news. Please pray for us that Husband should continue to recover fully from the dengue, and that his WBC and platelet count go back to normal, so that we can continue the fight against cancer.
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
As always, once we get to Mahkota Medical Centre in Melaka, the first thing we do is go to the lab for them to take blood for the blood tests. Today I requested that they add the dengue blood test in to the usual barrage of tests. From the lab, we went to radiology, as Husband was to do a CT Scan as well.
Had to wait till almost 11am before we got all the test results!!!
Anyway, let's start with the bad news first:
- Yes, Husband still has dengue fever... luckily the "fever" part has stopped!
- His White Blood Count (WBC) and platelet count, at 2.4 and 76k, are still too low
- His cancer marker has gone UP again, to 182 :-(
Now for the so-so news:
- the WBC of 2.4 is higher than the WBC of 1.9 as of last Monday. This probably means that his body is now in "recovery" mode, rather than "fight" mode.
And, finally, the good news:
- The CT Scan shows that the cancer has actually disappeared in some areas. For example, the lymph nodes in the lung area, which were infected, are now CLEAR!! There were some nodes in the liver as well, and the scan shows that the nodes have either shrunk or completely disappeared in some cases
- The cancer in the bone has not spread. It is not possible to see if it has receded, as the bone is scarred from the cancer, and even if the cancer has receded, the scars will still show up in the CT Scan. All one can say with certainty is that it has not spread.
So what does this all mean? Well, because he still has dengue and his WBC and platelet are so low the oncologist said there will be NO chemo today at all. No chemo pills either! Instead, this coming Thursday (20th Aug) we have to go to our usual doctor here in KL, to do a blood test, to check the WBC and platelet count. If they are above 3 and 100K respectively, then, on Friday 21st Aug, we go back to Melaka to do the chemo. If they are still not there, then we repeat blood tests again in another few days, and take it from there.
So, folks, this has been a day for mixed news. Please pray for us that Husband should continue to recover fully from the dengue, and that his WBC and platelet count go back to normal, so that we can continue the fight against cancer.
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Last weekend happenings...
I must say that, despite Husband suffering from dengue, the last weekend was a good one. First we had Indu and Anita turning up from SG on Sat morning, through till Sunday evening, and we had Poh Moi (also from SG) coming on Sun morning, and she just left last night (Tuesday).
Having friends over to visit always helps us a lot - it takes our mind of our own concerns and worries, and we just enjoy spending time with our friends.
I also did quite a lot of cooking over the weekend, which really surprised me :-). Not that I don't like going out for meals, but I just don't like leaving Husband alone so many times. Indu and Anita helped me with the cooking on Saturday - they chopped and washed up, I cooked. Worked out pretty well :-D. Did tomato curry, rice, cabbage with egg, beef/potato cutlets, and spicy fried potato. Yummy! Didn't do anything that complicated on Sunday evening though - just a chilli con carne. Mind you, we had enough left overs for Monday too, from all that was cooked on Sat and Sun!
Husband is doing OK - though he himself does not feel that he is getting better from the dengue, I know from my own experience of it two weeks ago that it took me (with no complications from any other ailments) more than a week from the time I started feeling better, to actually GET stronger. He just got over the dengue on Monday. It is going to take him time to get back to what he was BEFORE he got dengue.... but, Yes, he IS getting better.
We are off to Melaka this Friday. There is the risk that if Husband's white blood and platelet count are not good enough, the intravenous chemo may not be done... but we still have to do the blood tests and the CT Scan and see the oncologist... so the trip will happen anyway. Please pray for Husband that:
- the CT Scan will show that the cancer has reduced and is well under control
- the cancer marker in the blood will have reduced greatly as well
- both the white blood and platelet counts are well within normal range so the chemo can be carried out
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Having friends over to visit always helps us a lot - it takes our mind of our own concerns and worries, and we just enjoy spending time with our friends.
I also did quite a lot of cooking over the weekend, which really surprised me :-). Not that I don't like going out for meals, but I just don't like leaving Husband alone so many times. Indu and Anita helped me with the cooking on Saturday - they chopped and washed up, I cooked. Worked out pretty well :-D. Did tomato curry, rice, cabbage with egg, beef/potato cutlets, and spicy fried potato. Yummy! Didn't do anything that complicated on Sunday evening though - just a chilli con carne. Mind you, we had enough left overs for Monday too, from all that was cooked on Sat and Sun!
Husband is doing OK - though he himself does not feel that he is getting better from the dengue, I know from my own experience of it two weeks ago that it took me (with no complications from any other ailments) more than a week from the time I started feeling better, to actually GET stronger. He just got over the dengue on Monday. It is going to take him time to get back to what he was BEFORE he got dengue.... but, Yes, he IS getting better.
We are off to Melaka this Friday. There is the risk that if Husband's white blood and platelet count are not good enough, the intravenous chemo may not be done... but we still have to do the blood tests and the CT Scan and see the oncologist... so the trip will happen anyway. Please pray for Husband that:
- the CT Scan will show that the cancer has reduced and is well under control
- the cancer marker in the blood will have reduced greatly as well
- both the white blood and platelet counts are well within normal range so the chemo can be carried out
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Updates on blood test results
Apologies to those who were waiting for an update on Sunday, which never happened. Was too tired and just not in the moood. Then I forgot all about it, until HP called last night and reminded me that I have not updated the blog ... oooooops....
OK, Sundays blood test results showed white blood count (WBC) of 1.9, which is very very low... and platelet count of 145K, which is just on the lower threshold. We went back for another blood test on Monday (yesterday), and pretty much the same results came back... which hopefully means that Husband has reached a plateau and is bouncing back. His fever has gone, he has not puked at all since Sunday afternoon, and he is able to eat normal food again, though not in very large quantities.
Mornings are bad for him as he is very weak (not having eaten anything since 8pm the night before!!!)... but, if he continues gaining strength, then we wont be going back for another blood test, as we are going to Melaka on Friday and will be doing a full blood test then anyway, including WBC and platelets. Whether or not he will be strong enough for another round of chemo is a different question, but we will still have to do the test and the scan, and see the oncologist anyway.
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY.
OK, Sundays blood test results showed white blood count (WBC) of 1.9, which is very very low... and platelet count of 145K, which is just on the lower threshold. We went back for another blood test on Monday (yesterday), and pretty much the same results came back... which hopefully means that Husband has reached a plateau and is bouncing back. His fever has gone, he has not puked at all since Sunday afternoon, and he is able to eat normal food again, though not in very large quantities.
Mornings are bad for him as he is very weak (not having eaten anything since 8pm the night before!!!)... but, if he continues gaining strength, then we wont be going back for another blood test, as we are going to Melaka on Friday and will be doing a full blood test then anyway, including WBC and platelets. Whether or not he will be strong enough for another round of chemo is a different question, but we will still have to do the test and the scan, and see the oncologist anyway.
Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY.
Friday, August 07, 2009
And the culprit is..... DENGUE!!!
I can't believe it myself. Now it is Husband's turn to have dengue. The hospital did not call me... so I called them at 5pm, and they read the blood test results to me over the phone. Basically, his white blood count and platelet count are still excellent... BUT, he has a weak positive for dengue... sigh! They asked if he was still within the first 3 days of fever, and I said it was the FIRST day... so they said that is why it is a 'weak positive'. It will take at least 2 - 3 days for the dengue to show up strongly in the system. They told us to go for another blood test in 2 days. Depending on how Husband is feeling, I will take him for a blood test either tomorrow evening or Sunday morning.
What needs to be done? Nothing really - just take any generic medication to bring down the fever (Panadol, Paracetamol, etc), and make sure he drinks sufficient. So I had given him a couple of Panadol Cold & Flu pills at 5.20pm, at 6pm he had a cup of Quaker Oats 3-in-1 cereal, and I am happy to say that he did NOT puke it up. Now (8pm) he is having another cup of the 3-in-1. In between he has been sipping water slowly (easier on the stomach if it is sipped, rather than gulped!). We have been watching movies in between as well, to take his mind off feeling sick. So far, so good. I have told him that if he does not drink sufficient liquid I am going to check him into the hospital and get them to connect him to an IV! That seems to be threat enough so far, as he does NOT want to go back to hospital :-D.
Will update again on Sunday. Till then, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
What needs to be done? Nothing really - just take any generic medication to bring down the fever (Panadol, Paracetamol, etc), and make sure he drinks sufficient. So I had given him a couple of Panadol Cold & Flu pills at 5.20pm, at 6pm he had a cup of Quaker Oats 3-in-1 cereal, and I am happy to say that he did NOT puke it up. Now (8pm) he is having another cup of the 3-in-1. In between he has been sipping water slowly (easier on the stomach if it is sipped, rather than gulped!). We have been watching movies in between as well, to take his mind off feeling sick. So far, so good. I have told him that if he does not drink sufficient liquid I am going to check him into the hospital and get them to connect him to an IV! That seems to be threat enough so far, as he does NOT want to go back to hospital :-D.
Will update again on Sunday. Till then, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Oh oh... he's got a fever!
Husband started the day feeling worse than normal. Nausea and fever being the main two culprits. No, not a really high fever - it is what doctor's call a 'low-grade' fever I guess, about 37.4deg. Anyway, didn't want to take any chances, so called the oncologist, and he recommended taking Husband for a blood test straight away, to check on the white blood count. It is most likely that the fever is nothing to do with the cancer/chemo but IF the white blood count is low, then it could point to some other problem (eg, dengue!!), which would need to be treated separately. So, anyway, went to Pantai A&E, and man, we were NOT impressed. It took half an hour just to register and get in, then another 30 minute wait to see the doctor, then another 15 minutes before they finally took Husband's blood, and then another 45 minutes wait to pay and get out! And, in the meantime, poor Husband suffering, wanting to go home and just lie down!
The results will be out later today, at which time they will call us, and we can go pick up the test results. If the white blood count is too low, then I am supposed to take Husband to the physician. His fever comes and goes, but luckily so far it has not gone higher than 37.5deg. One thing for sure - I am keeping fingers crossed that he DOES NOT HAVE dengue. It would be very very tough on him, even more so than now, if he did have dengue... so, friends, keep fingers crossed too!
Will update more later, once I know what is happening with Husband. Till then, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
The results will be out later today, at which time they will call us, and we can go pick up the test results. If the white blood count is too low, then I am supposed to take Husband to the physician. His fever comes and goes, but luckily so far it has not gone higher than 37.5deg. One thing for sure - I am keeping fingers crossed that he DOES NOT HAVE dengue. It would be very very tough on him, even more so than now, if he did have dengue... so, friends, keep fingers crossed too!
Will update more later, once I know what is happening with Husband. Till then, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Monday, August 03, 2009
Starting to feel blecchy, after the last chemo
It has taken a couple of days, but Husband is now starting to slowly feel the effects of the increased dosage of Camptosar as well as the UFT. He is feeling rather nauseous, but, so far, his stomach is holding up well. No trots yet! We are both feeling a little less despondent :-p, mainly because we had time for a good cry on Saturday night, and then, of course, all the support we have been getting from our family and friends has helped too.
Nothing to really report as such... this is more to psych myself up to be prepared for when the side effects really hit, though I am hoping that the effect will still not be as bad as it was 4 weeks ago - especially since Husband is being very good about DRINKING sufficient liquids. Last time, what really truly knocked him out was the total dehydration as he just was not drinking. But after he collapsed last time he seems to have learnt his lesson and is keeping himself better hydrated. I don't think he will ever get to drinking as much water as I do, but at least he is drinking!
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, especially that this round of chemo will be more successful than the last one, and, till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Nothing to really report as such... this is more to psych myself up to be prepared for when the side effects really hit, though I am hoping that the effect will still not be as bad as it was 4 weeks ago - especially since Husband is being very good about DRINKING sufficient liquids. Last time, what really truly knocked him out was the total dehydration as he just was not drinking. But after he collapsed last time he seems to have learnt his lesson and is keeping himself better hydrated. I don't think he will ever get to drinking as much water as I do, but at least he is drinking!
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, especially that this round of chemo will be more successful than the last one, and, till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Chemo #8, a setback :-(
Sad but true. We have had a small set back and I have to admit we are both feeling a little despondent - Husband especially. What has happened is that the cancer marker, which had been going steadily down, suddenly reversed itself and went back up again - to 161, from 135.4. A small piece of good news (which does not wipe out the bad news really, at least from our perspective) is that all the liver function tests, which have had a lot of bad results over the last few months, have come back all good and clean, with all factors well within the normal range. Since one of these factors was what tipped off the oncologist that the cancer had spread to the bone, it is a relief to know that all those factors are now A-OK. On our next visit (14th Aug) Husband will have to do a CT Scan as well as the normal blood tests. The oncologist and the radiologist will then do a comparison to the previous CT Scan that was done at the beginning of June, and we can then see where we really are with the control of the cancer.
Anyway, the dosage of the Camptosar/Irinotecan drug has been "upped" again - not as high as it was when Husband had all kinds of awful side effects, but higher than the last dosage 2 weeks ago which was obviously not strong enough to fight the cancer. In addition, the UFT chemo pills (which Husband has been having at half dosage, ie. 1 pill every 8 hours, for the last 2 weeks) have been upped to full dosage of 6 pills a day (2 pills every 8 hours either one hour after or before food). If the side effects are mild, then he can continue on this dosage. If the side effects are horrendous again, then I have to halve the dosage again. We shall see how it goes.
So, I guess we are both feeling a little bit depressed right now. BUT, I don't want to let Husband "stay" depressed, so I am going to give him one or two days to feel angry, and then I have to do whatever I can to get him out of himself and cheer him up.
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, as it is not easy, but I do know that with your prayers and your moral support we can definitely make it.
So, till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY.
Anyway, the dosage of the Camptosar/Irinotecan drug has been "upped" again - not as high as it was when Husband had all kinds of awful side effects, but higher than the last dosage 2 weeks ago which was obviously not strong enough to fight the cancer. In addition, the UFT chemo pills (which Husband has been having at half dosage, ie. 1 pill every 8 hours, for the last 2 weeks) have been upped to full dosage of 6 pills a day (2 pills every 8 hours either one hour after or before food). If the side effects are mild, then he can continue on this dosage. If the side effects are horrendous again, then I have to halve the dosage again. We shall see how it goes.
So, I guess we are both feeling a little bit depressed right now. BUT, I don't want to let Husband "stay" depressed, so I am going to give him one or two days to feel angry, and then I have to do whatever I can to get him out of himself and cheer him up.
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, as it is not easy, but I do know that with your prayers and your moral support we can definitely make it.
So, till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY.
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