Second Full strength treatment delayed

As per my last post I handled the first full strength treatment without too many issues and obviously was looking forward to having my second and getting into a routine to help combat the bad results I have recently received. I had a routine blood test on the day prior to chemo to check all my levels and just my luck my platelet count was very low. Chemo does have an effect on platelets but they were far too low to have another round of treatment so I have been put on hold for a week. This is really disappointing as I was ready to hit the tumors hard and get back on top of them. The only good to come out of it is we are going away for 5 days to Cairns as of today so I will be feeling good over this period and will be able to enjoy the break with my wonderful family. We get back next Wednesday and straight back into chemo on the Thursday if the blood test is OK. I have now finished up work and are officially retired, but am sure I will find plenty to do to keep me busy.It will obviously be a big shock to my routine and will take time to adjust. So we fly out later today and as mentioned previously really looking forward to just chilling out and relaxing. I will update you next week on whether I was able to have chemo or not but keep your fingers crossed as I really need to get on top of this Cancer at the moment. Bye for now and thanks to everyone who has rang and wished me well in my change of life.

Update from last post

I thought I would post another blog as the reaction from my last post was quite overwhelming. I had many calls and emails which I am very appreciative. It was not my intention to worry or scare anyone as the whole idea of this blog site is for me to express myself and hopefully help everyone understand how this terrible disease has change my life and perception on life in general. If the truth is hard to swallow I am sorry but that is the way it is. I had my first full strength treatment 10 days ago. Overall I have handled it well considering. All I thought about when I was sitting in the big chair in the Chemo Suite was feel the drugs going through my body attacking every cancer cell it comes into contact with and killing them. The only problem it does destroy the health cells as well.As long as more cancer cells are destroyed than good cells I will be happy. As I have said many times before I need to keep a positive attitude and for me to feel like the drugs are doing their job helps me to continue with a positive attitude. I have another round of full strength chemo next Tuesday so hopefully I am able to continue to handle the side effects. I have four days of work to go before I retire and we are also flying out for a five day holiday in Cairns next Friday which we are all looking forward to immensely. The closer I get to finishing work the more I realize it is time for me to take it easy and get the rest needed to cope with the chemo. I am sure I will find plenty to do and Meghan will make sure I am busy enough not to be bothering her at work every half hour! I have a CT scan booked in for the day after we get back from Cairns and the a doctors review the following week just before round three of my full strength chemo. This will be a telling appointment in it will show whether the change to full strength chemo is working or not. If it is that will be fantastic and we will continue, if it is not working, well I really do not know where we go from here. I am hoping Dr K has a rabbit he can pull out of his hat. I am still researching any clinical trials which are available in Australia and at this stage there is not much out there but will keep looking. Thanks to everyone who has contacted me over the past few weeks, it really does help to keep me positive and fighting as hard as I can. Thank you All and will post again once I have the result from the next appointment with Dr K.

The Doctor's appointment I have been dreading

Following on from my last blog, I said I would let you all know how my Doc's appointment went with Dr K. I joked in the last blog about when Meghan comes along there is usually some important news. Well that is an understatement this time. We went into the appointment with Dr K and I knew straight away the news was not good. He was procrastinating so I just asked him what the results of the scan and blood test are. His reply was "Not Good this time". My tumors have doubled in size since the last scan in December and my cancer cell count has never been higher and is over 7,000. As you could imagine the atmosphere in the room was very somber. Meghan handled it quite well considering the bad news. Of course the big question needed to be asked and Meghan came straight out and asked, "How long do you think left"? Dr K answered with the usually statement of "based on research" I have a few months left. Dr K himself was not willing to give his personal opinion which I understand he really cannot. So a few months!!!! What does that mean? I was told 30 months ago when first diagnosed I had between 6 to 12 months and I am still here. So where to from here? We decided to up the dosage back to 100% and hopefully I will be able to handle the side effects. I think the bad results were due to skipping a couple of cycles over the past few months and the lower dose, so now I am back on full strength and must have the treatment regularly every 2 weeks. Dr K wants to have CT scans once a month now to keep a close eye on whether the treatment is working or not. We are starting to get to the stage we are running out of protocols, so once this one stops working or the side effects get too bad we really do not know what options are left, but will cross that bridge once we get there. I will be finishing up work at the end of the month and will have the time to really look after myself and hopefully extend my life span. To what extent who knows!!!! So the battle continues, and I am determined to kick these bad results and get them down to an expectable level which will allow me to keep enjoying every day as it comes along. To everyone who reads my blog I thank you for all your support as this is what keeps me going. Thank you All. Bye for now

Major test results due next week

I have had another 2 cycles of chemo since my last blog which were still at the 75 percent of my normal dosage. All went well and no major side effects. I have had CT scans and blood tests this week in preparation for another Drs appointment next Monday. These results should tell us approximately how long I have to live,which is all based on historical research, which I have proven wrong before. It will also tell us if the lower dose is actually having any effect on the tumors. If it isn't it is no use continuing on the lower dose and we will just have to bump it backup and try to handle the side effects best we can. If this be the case the timing is not too bad, as of the end of March I will no longer be working. Yes I have handed in my resignation. After the last couple of scares and the fact I can only concerntrate till about 1pm, I feel it is time to back off and get the rest I need to keep fighting this terrible disease. I knew it would happen eventually, but is hard to except once it does happen. I know in my heart it is the best move and will give me more time with my family and that will be fantastic. We have a couple of trips organized in the first few months, so will keep me occupied and once we are back home I will find something to keep the mind stimulated and also do some light excersise just to keep myself health as possible. So mixed emotions at present and am noticing the chemo drugs do make me emotional, but have been prescribed some type of happy pills to take on a regular basis. So for now I will sign off and post again next week with the results from Monday's appointment. Oh I didn't mention before but Meghan is coming along and we have a standing joke she only comes when there is some big news to be told. I hope everyone who reads my blog is well and by now would have been in and tested for cancer? Bye for now to All