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.

Dr. Appointment

Mr. Fixit had an appointment yesterday with his cancer guy. He said the blood work looked great. That’s good news. He has another appointment in September and then another scan in October.

The doctor also said that his side effects should lessen the longer he takes the medicine. He seems to be doing better with the symptoms, but even with the good news with each doctor appt., he seems to be a little depressed. I’m the only one that he allows to see it. I know it must be hard for him. I have no clue what it’s like to have this life-threatening illness or how to help him.

Another Day, Another Side Effect

Monday, a week after the prescription for Mr. Fixit’s nausea medication was sent to the pharmacy, the insurance company called and said that an override had been issued, and the prescription would be filled. I waited for the pharmacy to call. Nothing. I went by the pharmacy Tuesday to find out the status. No one had alerted the pharmacy about the override. They called the insurer, and we finally obtained the medicine late Tuesday afternoon.

When I called the doctor’s office to see if he could continue taking the OTC stuff, they advised against it. It’s a good thing that the override was in place.

Before Mr. Fixit began taking the cancer drug, the doctor warned him of several side effects, one of which is a rash. He told us what to do about it. Yesterday he noticed that he has a rash.

He has been taking this cancer drug since March 27, beginning with the strongest dosage allowed. At first, he had no side effects at all unless you want to count his sudden need for speed in the car. He then developed a bit of intestinal upset and a few weird aches and pains. That’s when the dosage was cut in half.

Then the nausea and intestinal upset worsened. Tiredness kick in big time. He was taking two or three naps a day. His hair is falling out, and his eyelashes have all but disappeared.

I just don’t know why after all this time these side effects are happening. It seems to me that they should have manifested when he was taking the maximum dose. Perhaps it’s simply the accumulation of the chemicals in his system.

Another Problem–What a Surprise!

Monday the doctor told us he was going to send a prescription to combat Mr. Fixit’s nausea to our pharmacy. We waited all day for a call telling us the prescription was ready. No call. Tuesday morning I went to the pharmacy to see if the order from the doctor had been received. It hadn’t been. I came home and called the doctor’s office. Of course, I had to talk to a machine instead of a person. No one called me back to acknowledge my call or to explain why the order hadn’t been sent.

Ben called and the receptionist said she would transfer his call to someone, and he said he wanted to speak with a real person, not someone’s voice mail. He found out they had sent in the order after my call.

We waited and waited and waited. I called the pharmacy in the afternoon. She said they had received the  order, but the insurance company wasn’t going to pay for it. I said, “How much is it?” I was planning to pay for it. After all, how much could a medicine to ease nausea be? Pepto and Kaopectate aren’t that expensive. She said, “$285.” After I rose from the floor and made a comment as to the exorbitant price, she said she would tell the doctor that the insurance had refused to pay. She said it is possible for the doctor to approach the insurance company to ask for reconsideration.

Here it is the next evening and Mr. Fixit still doesn’t have the medicine or even an indication of what is happening.

But the good news is his $5.00 bottle of Kaopectate is working fine. His nausea is almost totally gone. I have to find out if there is any conflict with any of his other meds, how much he can take daily, and how long he can take it.I’ll call again tomorrow and talk to the machine again. Maybe I’ll have an answer before our appointment in a month.