Update

Mr. Fixit received the results of is latest scan and blood work. Everything looks terrific. His blood work showed no problem with kidney function. A good thing since he only has one now. His scan indicated no growth in any of the spots (that’s a technical term for you-know-what).  The doctor wants to keep him on the oral chemo for another six months just to be sure.

I asked the question the doctor must hear from every patient--Could Mr. Fixit be considered “cured?” He said, in essence, that “cured” was too strong a word because it could be that the problem is still there but is simply too small to see. Not very comforting, but I understand it.

He will continue to have bi-monthly blood work but no scans for a while.

Mr. Fixit is still a bit depressed. The only time he seems happy is when he is with our sons. He has been working with them quite a bit and it helps a lot. When he’s here at home he sits and stares into space. I’ve tried to get him to do little jobs around the house, but he doesn’t want to do  anything. He mows the yard; that’s about it.  I ask him to do other things once, and then let it go. I don’t want to nag. But, maybe I should nag a little just to get him off the couch or napping three times a day.

For me, every visit with the doctor causes me to be very thankful not only for the excellent care he is receiving, but also for this drug that apparently has saved his life. I am also thankful for the program that allows him to receive his drug. I know the consequences of not having this drug.

One Less Worry

Yesterday I received a call to notify us that the grant for Mr. Fixit’s  oral chemo medicine has been approved for one more year.

(If you hear a swoosh, it’s my sigh of relief.)

Update

Mr. Fixit received some very good news today regarding the scans he had done last week. The doctor says that some of the nodules have disappeared and the others show significant shrinkage. He will stay on the oral chemo stuff for another year and then the doctor said that he would discuss taking him off the medication. That medication is a miracle. About 20 years ago my sister-in-law was diagnosed with kidney cancer; she was gone in less than a year after it spread to her lungs and her brain. I am so thankful for the medication and the care he has received. We had our 49th anniversary a few days ago. That's a long time, but not long enough. We're going to make it a few more years!

A year has passed since Mr. Fixit's cancer was found. It's been a very difficult year, but he is doing well. Apparently, the size and number of lesions in his lungs are stable. He's feeling okay physically, but he is depressed sometimes. It's understandable. I'm just a little tired and stressed and still a little scared about the future. I happy he's okay.

The Latest Side Effect

When Mr. Fixit had his last appointment with the oncologist, he complained of a problem with his fingertips. He described it as numbness, but he indicated that there is pain involved working with his fingers, i.e., buttoning his shirt or opening jars. The doctor prescribed a new medication for the problem. Apparently, it’s a side effect of his cancer medication.

He took the medicine for a few days but then developed a rash on his legs similar to that he had when he began the oral cancer drug. I suggested that he stop the medication because that was the only new thing brought in. I told him he had to decide which was worse, the numbness or the rash. He said the rash was worse.

Yesterday I called the office because even though he hadn’t taken the new medicine for a few days the rash was worse. It now covers almost his whole body and was a very angry red. He said it itches when the rash first appears. The nurse suggested that he take Benadryl, Claritin, and Zantac. 

After we arrived at the pharmacy, I realized that Zantac is used for heartburn. I thought maybe I made a mistake, and she had actually said “Zyrtec.” I called to check and she said that Zantac was the right one. Who knew heartburn medication could be used to treat allergic reactions? Not me, that’s for sure.

Today the rash is still there, but it does look better. It’s not as red as it was.

The Results

The results were good. There has been no change in the nodules, and the doctor says that what he was looking for.

He did drop one little bomb on us. Some time ago he had mentioned that he keeps is patients on this oral chemo drug for at least a year. Yesterday he said that Mr. Fixit will have to stay on it for the rest of his life. He also said that the nodules will never go away completely. That’s not what he had said before.

The doctor gave him a prescription for a new medication for the neuropathy in his finger tips. Mr. Fixit say that they hurt. We’ll see how that works out.

He scheduled another monthly visit and indicated another round of scans will be scheduled in four months.

All in all, it was very good news. I’m relieved, but I’m not feeling well about the nodules never disappearing and the idea that Mr. Fixit will have to take the chemo meds for the rest of his life. He is very disappointed about that. Some of the side effects are curtailing his quality of life. I suggested to him that the problems are minor, but discomfiting, when you think that this drug has prolonged his life.

Monthly Update

Mr. Fixit has been doing quite well for the last months. He had an appointment with his GP a few days ago. His blood work was great. He has an appt. with the oncologist on Friday just for a check-up. He has been feeling well enough to do some painting on some of the rental properties that our son owns, and he painted a picket fence for our other son.