[Doomonyou]

Carter set up a blog for this ordeal at Lisa's request for the folks at Church and the other unfortunate souls not on Free Republic. :)

Here's my first post on it:

Chemo day NUMBER 1

11-17-15

I learn something everyday.

I had a headful of pre-convieved ideas of what this day would be like from who knows how many sources. Stuff like:

the chemo burns on the way in

I’ll be sick/nauseous right away

I’ll be so fatigued I’ll sleep all day

Today was none of those things. Just another trip to the hospital where I give them some blood and they give me some meds.

But, today was the fist day of the counter attack! I’ve known I’ve had mesothelioma for a couple weeks but today was the first day I’ve (really I mean they, Doctors, nurses, etc.) been able to fight back physically.

This nasty insidious disease has had a big head start on eating away at my body from the inside out, probably for several months at the least. It hasn’t caused me any pain at all. I found out I had it based on a symptom that I thought was a intestinal blockage or something else. Within four to six weeks I’ve lost 25 pounds of muscle and fat, granted, I needed to dump about fifteen pounds anyway. Part of “My Plan” was the new job, which got me out from behind a desk, out in the field, and on my feet all day, and that would do the trick!

I’ll expand on the journey to here at a later time.

Based on conversations with the nurses and doctors leading up to today, plus my own thoughts and beliefs, I started out the day with bacon and eggs (Need the protein!) and a half a grapefruit, 1000 mg ginger capsules and a big mug of ginger tea (for nausea), the handful of new medications I need to take, Pre/during/post chemo meds (Steroids), plus two anti-nausea meds, a folic acid tablet and a large dose of B-12.

Lisa and I rolled in to the Hospital at 1PM, signed in, got called in and gave more blood for analysis to make sure everything was at acceptable levels and that my liver and kidneys function are all good. Everything checked out fine so they cleaned up the chemo port, put some freeze spray on it and slammed the needle in, no sweat.

First thing they gave me was a bag of anti-nausea meds (are you noticing a pattern here?) Then the first Chemo cocktail (Alimta) sounds like a car brand. Anyway that was 15 minutes, no reaction, no anything. Then a bag of Carboplaten that took an hour to drain, again, nothing. So I sat in nice reclining chair, (pretty comfy) and started to read The Martian that Carter bought for me while he was here. At the end of the infusion, the nurse gave me a shot of B-12 in the arm.

So I’m home, eating some leftover chicken pot pie (excellent BTW, thanks Mom.) Split pea soup, and some iced tea feeling fine.

Tomorrow I have a appointment with Dr. Paula, my oncologist, and get an injection of Neulasta, a white blood cell booster.

So, this is what I learned about Thursday (or Chemo day +2). Of course, as everyone says, everyone has a different reaction, as everyone is different, and every cancer is different, and everyone’s treatment is different, so YMMV.

I’ve been told that Thursday will be, as I’m calling it, “Crash day.”

Best case scenario: Nothing, I feel like I do today. Pretty good. (Lets pray for that!)

Worst case Scenario: Heavy fatigue, Nausea, vomiting, weakness, muscle soreness, and severe aching in the bones.

Likely scenario: Somewhere in the middle.

So far my attitude has been really good, I do have moments that are not that great but for the most part they are few and far between. But, I'm not fooling myself either, This is a life and death bloody serious condition. I’ve briefly (very briefly) at this point, done a little introspection on a worse case scenario (Like death in the not too distant future). I’ll have more time to reflect on this issue, dive into the Word, and have many more in depth Conversations with God in the near future. Him and I have already had many conversations during these sleepless nights over the last month. I read a great little book the other day by John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Cancer. I don’t intend to with Gods help.

Right now it’s day to day juggling doctor appointments (Lisa is my Champion), reading all the relevant info I get on this, managing all the drugs, trying to eat enough, stay hydrated, trying to get some decent sleep, and work issues (I really need to get back at it. One note on that: I talked to the CEO yesterday about a new job I was just assigned, small but huge potential with a new client. We spent 10 minutes on work and 15 talking cancer, she’s a 20 year survivor!) Gods on top of this, don’t forget. She left it with,

“Anything you need professionally or personally, you call me.” Massive blessing for me and Lisa!

I mentioned earlier that today was the first day of the counter attack. That is not exactly true. The first day of the counter attack was the day I was diagnosed and we started to spread the word to our family and friends. The kids prayed, our Petaluma church family started praying and spreading the word, Chip and Faith Roberts, prayed and spread the word at Cottonwood Church here in McKinney, I put up a prayer request on Freerepublic.com that went out to at least a half a dozen prayer lists, Carter put up a blog thingy last night that got over 80 replies within in an hour, and Amy got folks on Facebook praying.

Only God knows how many prayer warriors are out there on the front line hammering God with fervent prayer for me, Lisa, my family, the doctors, the nurses, and everyone and anyone who has any input into the defeat, remission or control of this Cancer. When I let myself think about the support, I get overwhelmed at the prayer, love and support I’m receiving from friends and family (OK I get that part) but from total strangers that have no clue who I am and pray just as hard as all of you are. I look in the mirror and just see a sinner, not worthy of any of this kind of love. I have no way to humanly respond. All I can do is look at the band on my wrist at the top of this blog page and know that "Gods Got This", cause I know I don’t.

I can say thank you all, and bless you, but that does not begin to express the true depth of what it means to Lisa and me.

Jeff

[Doomonyou]

Got a message from MD Anderson while I was in Chemo. Will call them in the morning!

Sorry about the stupid "quote" Thing. I know it's annoying to read.

[LucyT]

Chemo day NUMBER 1

Whew, glad that's over!

Not bad so far. So Far being the operative words.

Thanks, Doomonyou.

[Jane Long]

You keep up the great work of healing, and we’ll be keeping-up the prayers, FRiend ;-)

[Tired of Taxes]

CANCER WARRIORS PRAYER UPDATE

Jeff had his first day of chemo: Post # 402.

[Tired of Taxes]

They really have come a long way with the anti-nausea meds. That doesn't mean that you'll never, ever feel nauseous, but the meds do help a lot!

Thank you for keeping us all updated. Prayers continue...

[kalee]

Jeff,
Praying for you, your family, and your medical care providers.
Kalee

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayer Warriors.....day 1 of chemo for Doomonyou.

http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/3354877/posts?page=402#402

[fatima]

We are all here.((((Hugs))))

[redleghunter]

You “sound” excellent. Keep up this attitude of fight and humble prayer. Praise God.

And yes your chemo experience will differ. We are all somewhat different:)

I had chemo for 6 months...What was called Full Fox. About the half way point I hit some of the side effects hard. But bounced back fine.

[Myrddin]

Be cautious with grapefruit. It contains a substance that inactivates an important enzyme in your digestive tract. That enzyme metabolizes many oral drugs. Drug doses are calculated on the assumption that the enzyme is working normally and will metabolize some of the drug. When that doesn't happen because of eating grapefruit, you can end up with an overdose.

The mechanism and affected drugs are identified in the wikipedia article at this link.

Good to hear the first day was well tolerated.

[Califreak]

I’m glad your first day wasn’t too bad.

Sounds like they’re doing everything they can and you’re getting good care.

Prayers up for you guys.

[verga]

Prayers up.

[BykrBayb]

Bump and prayers.

[TheOldLady]

Thank you for the ping, LucyT, and the update, Doomonyou.

I remember my first chemo session last December. I sailed
through the thing with no side effects at all. subsequent
sessions didn’t go as well because of the side effects,
but here I am, with only two sessions to go, and things
are going very well.

I hope that the rest of your sessions go smoothly and that
your oncologist and nurses give you the drugs you may need
for any side effects that are particularly bothersome for you.

May God Bless you with many more years lived in good health
with your dear Lisa, in the Holy Name of our Lord, Jesus, I
humbly pray for you and your family.

[Doomonyou]

Talked to my Oncologist today and had the white blood cell booster shot. Still no chemo side effects yet! Chemo day +2 is tomorrow so we shall see what that brings.

Talked with MD Anderson today, they are waiting on a set of pathology slides to review (which are on the way we found out today) so I should have an appointment day in the near future in Houston!

Dr. Paula (my Oncologist) said I need to go because this form of Mesothelioma (which is rare enough) is about .1% of the total Mesothelioma cases out there. From her conversation with the Cancer board, one of the members was trained at MD and suggested a "cure" as opposed to control or containment could be surgery where they would go in and remove my entire gut sack (You Deer hunters know what that means) and then remove the tumor in my stomach. Sounds kind of radical to me, but If that's an option, I'll listen. Another option my be to go in surgically and apply the chemo directly to the cancer in the abdomen. Lots to think about but we are excited about getting down to MD in probably a week or two I'd guess.

Thanks for the continued prayers! I'd say Gods listening!

Jeff