She never outright disagreed with anything Duke told me but the overall takeaway I had from the visit was that my chemo (Carbo) is usually manageable with many side effects preventable. Even the worst of the side effects would not necessarily even begin for several weeks. She referred to Carbo as "a simple and elegant" drug which made me laugh out loud. This must mean it is administered by a nurse actively extending his or her pinky. Was my doctor talking about the poison I'll have painfully injected in to my body over the next year or the season's most chic wedding dress?
I am posting this on a Tuesday (4/2/19). I begin chemo on Thursday. Soon.
As expected it will be every three weeks. They also have me do blood work a week or so before each treatment - a relatively small thing but another doctors visit all the same. Estimating, but over the course of the year I will have 7 MRIs, 18 bloodwork labs, 18 chemo sessions... that's over 40 needles. I think I'd prefer pins.
Reflecting on the visit with my new Oncologist I wonder if I was destined all along to be her patient. She is apparently on a first name basis with my original/beloved Kennestone neurosurgeon, all three of my primary Duke doctors, and my Piedmont neuro-ophthalmologist. I cannot imagine there are many people who can claim this, let alone one local to me and assuming responsibility for killing parts of my brain. I wonder who else she knows - I forgot to ask if she knew my 7th grade history teacher Mr. Tickle.*
Regarding my 'feelings,' the more positive presentation of my upcoming treatment has boosted morale a bit. For the time being I do not feel like I am going to die before everyone I know.
- I need a new name for this blog. Or any name.
- I'm probably not changing the name of the tumor. #fubkp
- I am never opposed to fielding questions about this experience. Please email: pauljrehm@gmail.com or send me a message on Facebook - I might do another Q&A post like the one from a few years ago.
- The kindness I have recently experienced from everyone has been hard for me to comprehend (in the best way possible). I am very bad about responding in the way you deserve but it means... everything.
- Re: my recent post: we now have an elliptical, a contractor has been out to look at the shower, a rolodex of pet pictures, lots of babysitters (some still willfully ignorant to the mandatory end-of-night return-the-baby policy). I have many people I still need to respond to but I see the messages and they are great.
- A few years ago there was a donation site established on my behalf which allowed us to pay off my surgeries while I was out of work. I remain hopeful that I will not miss a significant stretch of work and have not re-shared this but have still had several of you go out of your way to provide financial support. I am in awe of each of you.
- The advice I have received, especially in recent weeks, has been invaluable. When one goes through this there is no shortage of opinions/suggestions/ideas to sort through. I am not going to address each but I am considering everything and have repeated several of these things to my doctors to get their input. I am not going to go in to detail here (will probably save for another post), but I have already made several changes based on these inputs.
- Those who have been through (brain) cancer, chemo, brain surgeries, etc, have been much more meaningful to me this go-round. Perhaps I did not previously truly understand what these perspectives offered me.
- I've diligently made myself available to others with brain cancers over the last few years and intend to continue to do so, all inspired by those who offer their experiences to me. Please do not hesitate to encourage others in similar situations to reach out to me.
- Have any of you ever been treated with Carboplatin? I would like to talk to someone who really understands the 'simplicity' and 'elegance.'
Another post coming in the next week or two with my early chemo takeaways.
*'Mr. Tickle' is not a nickname. Michael Jackson did not teach my 7th grade history class.
