A "downer" this week, and Chemo#11

The downer started with Husband's back pain really intensifying and causing him so much misery. He could not sit, lie, or even STAND in any comfort. And, let's face it, even if he could "stand" in comfort, that wouldn't help much over the day, would it? Most nights he moves around from room to room - our room, to the back bedroom, to the sofa, back to our room - endlessly through the night, trying to find some comfort somewhere to catch some sleep. As you can imagine, he has had even less sleep than usual.

Then, on Wed, we got hit with a MAJOR downer. We had gone to see the doctor in the morning, for her to take blood for the usual blood test. Went to pick up the test results in the evening, and had a shock when we saw the test results for the CEA (the Cancer Counter in the blood). 2 weeks ago it had been 161.3. This time it went UP by ALMOST ONE HUNDRED - to 258.7. The results hit us both SO HARD. We were upset, depressed, angry, in tears.... it was a major, major emotional downer for us. Husband had been so very good about taking his meds regularly - and the meds were at FULL dose - and yet the CEA went up instead of down.

I called the oncologist immediately to tell him, so that he could have time to think about alternatives before we got to Melaka to see him on Thursday.

So, on Thursday, left KL at 6.15am, and were at the hospital in Melaka by 8.15am. Registered, dropped the appointment card off at the clinic, then went for breakfast. Were back at the clinic by 9am, and finally got to see the doctor at around 9.30am. He did reassure us to a certain extent by explaining that the CEA can go up to the THOUSANDS and the cancer can still be treated. So, from that perspective, a CEA in the low hundreds is not AS scary (though it IS still scary generally to know you have cancer!).

Also, he has changed the chemo regimen a bit. Husband is still on Camptosar (Irinotecan), but he has been taken off Avastin, and that has been replaced with Erbitux. AND there are no more chemo pills to take on a daily basis (except for ONE pill, ONCE a day, after meals, to combat the main side effect of the new drug). And, it is still once in every 2 weeks that we have to go for the treatment. Anyway, the Erbitux iv was administered first, and that took 2.5 hours (from 10.15 to 12.45), then Husband had to take a one hour break (during which time we had lunch). We were back at the clinic before 2pm, but the 2nd iv (the Camptosar) only started at 2.30pm, and it took almost 2 hours. By the time we left the hospital to drive back to KL it was already 4.45pm. Husband was suffering a lot (not from the 2 iv's) from the pain in his back from sitting for so long, the stiffness from not moving, and also (at the end of the first iv), from gastric pains from not having had anything to eat since before 9am!!! We have to be so careful nowadays - he HAS to eat every 2.5 - 3 hours, or else the pains in his stomach from the build-up of acid and gas are really bad.

Oh, before you ask, the worst side effect of the new drug, in approximately 50% of people, is acne!! Knowing Husband, he won't get that side effect - he never seems to get the side effects that affect MOST people, he gets the obscure ones!! Though, as always, fingers are tightly crossed that he does not get ANY side effects!

The journey home took THREE FULL HOURS - the normal journey, one way, usually takes less than 2 hours, door to door. This being the fasting month, the traffic in town, from 5pm onwards to about 7.45pm is HORRENDOUS (and, Yes, it IS worse than the traffic in other months). We got to KL in the normal time, but once closer to town, the last stretch till we got nearer home was solidly jammed, and that was what took the extra time.

We are both feeling a little bit more upbeat today (Friday 18th Sept). Both hoping that as the last effects of the chemo pills (from the last round) wear off, that the pain in Husband's back will ease up and give him SOME relief, and both hoping that the Erbitux will take effect and knock the cancer way out of Husband's system! We have no plans for the rest of the weekend ahead, though we hope to go to PJ on Monday for lunch with the rest of the family as my brother/sis-in-law and kids are coming over from Melaka. Depends on how well Husband feels on that day - and how bad the pain may, or may not, be.

So, to end today's posting:
- To all our Muslim friends: Selamat Hari Raya, Ma'af Zahir Batin.
- To all our friends in Malaysia: Have a wonderful FOUR-DAY weekend
- To all our friends in Singapore: Have a wonderful THREE-DAY weekend (and we hope to be in SG sometime in early Oct, as we miss you all!)

And to all our friends EVERYWHERE: Till next time, keep Husband in your thoughts and prayers, and stay well, stay HEALTHY!