Still Feeling It

Weight: 139.8
Pain areas: none, really
Nausea: 7/10
General Attitude: taking it day by day
Swallowing: 5/10
Medications: Prevacid, Vitamin E, Multivitamin, Zofran

I couldn't sleep much last night; I don't know if it was the nausea or the nausea medication but I kept on waking up every 2 hours or so. But I wasn't really feeling tired or sleepy so I guess it could've been worse.

The nausea is about the same as yesterday but I ended up vomiting breakfast this morning - not good since I lost weight from yesterday. Food doesn't taste the same so I feel like I'm losing my appetite; I do feel hungry, however. Hungry, but don't feel like eating.

I even tried walking on the treadmill to see if that lessens the side effects I'm feeling but doesn't help much - a short temporary solution at best.

If this is bad, I wonder how I'll manage when I start chemo+radiation...

Well, perhaps I'll feel better tomorrow and for sure next week - I won't have another round of chemo for another two weeks.

Oh, The Nausea!

Weight: 141.8
Pain areas: none, really
Nausea: 7/10
General Attitude: Positive
Swallowing: 5/10
Medications: Prevacid, Vitamin E, Multivitamin, Zofran

I woke up feeling really nauseated - and the compazine didn't help much. I was even too nauseated to eat some breakfast - but I eventually managed to get some bites in; although it felt like I was going to vomit the whole time. Whats worse than actually vomiting, though, is having the reflex of vomiting but nothing coming out. The way it works for me is that my body tries to expel anything and everything inside my stomach but tries extra hard since nothing is inside. The feeling is not at all pleasant.

Needless to say I took a day off from work. I didn't do much on my day off - just drop off my portable chemo pump and got a full body massage after. Boy, that felt good - the massage wasn't bad either. I also managed to get another prescription for the nausea - zofran.

It seems like cancer is making the big headlines these days. The top digg for tonight was about a CS professor diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He has his own blog here

All Drugged Up ...Again

Weight: 141.4
Pain areas: none, really
Numbness: none, really
Nightsweat: none, really
Nausea: 3 out of 10
General Attitude: Positive
Swallowing: little better than yesterday
Medications: Prevacid, Prochlorperazine (Compazine), Vitamin
E, Multivitamin, Green tea

Its the day after my first chemo treatment and I feel mostly OK; it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. All of the side affects have so far been minor:
1. slight nausea (which I'm taking compazine for)
2. almost a burning sensation in my cheeks when I start to eat, lasts about 10 seconds.
3. slight sensitivity to anything cold. I guess no more ice cream for a while =(
4. I did notice that when I was showering this morning that about 20 hairs feel out of my head. Maybe the same amount fell out before I started chemo, but I'm just starting to notice it now.
5. slight taste difference in foods; I'd say some foods taste a little more bland than usual. Others taste outright disgusting (try eating grapes with green tea w/ ginger).

The thing I hate the most though, is carrying my portable infusion pump with me - its a hassle of just taking it everywhere with me and the fact that it gets in the way and also the noise it makes every 25 seconds or so. Good thing I get to return it tomorrow!

One of the important things that I have to lookout for now is my white cell count - which is part of the immune system response. Chemo tends to lower these and many other 'good' cells while destroying cancer cells. This just means that I have to be extra careful about getting sick from now on. So don't be offended if I start putting on Purell after we shake hands, ok?

Treatment Begins

Weight: 141.0
Pain areas: pain around port area is getting better
Numbness: none, really
Nightsweat: none, really
General Attitude: Positive
Swallowing: little worse than yesterday
Medications:
1. Prevacid 30mg x1,
2. Tylenol 500mg x1,
3. Vitamin E 400UI x1,
4. Multivitamin x1
5. Prochlorperazine (Compazine) 10mg x1
6. Fluorouracil 50mg/ml 100ml
7. Leucovorin
8. Oxaliplatin

So today I begin chemotherapy. I went it to UCLA Oncology at around 9:20am and first saw my oncologist. We had a meeting that lasted for about an hour or so - mostly discussing the things that I should expect from the treatment (side effects) and my schedule for the coming months.

The process isn't that bad. The worst part was the initial prick - and it stung for maybe about 3 seconds; I have to say that its on the same pain level as having an IV inserted. But I'm so glad they installed the port - besides saving my veins in my arms, it allows me to do just about anything that requires full use of my arms/hands. The physiological aspect of being connected to a dripper machine making all kinds of sounds is something that I have not yet adjusted to (it's only been 10 minutes!).

Two hours left on the timer and so far I'm OK. I guess I'll have to pass the time watching HBO through my slingbox =).

Treatment doesn't stop after I leave the center; they had me bring home a portable pump to deliver chemo (Fluorouracil, 100mL) that will be kept running for the next 2 days.

As for the side effects of chemo, I'm not feeling all that much - but then again its probably too early to tell. The only things I've noticed so far are:
1. very, very slight nausea (it might be worse tomorrow)
2. strange, unpleasant sensations when eating
3. sensitivity to anything cold (common to oxaliplatin)

I was prescribed Compazine generic drug (for the nausea). I think I'll try it out (even though I don't feel that nauseated); lets see what happens...

Some unique things I did today:
1. have chemotherapy for the first time

Its Back To Work Today

Weight: 140.8
Pain areas: pain around right shoulder has subsided a bit
Numbness: none, really
Nightsweat: none, really
General Attitude: Positive
Swallowing: about the same as yesterday
Medications:
1. Prevacid,
2. vicodin (2 tablets),
3. Vitamin E,
4. Multivitamin
5. Docusate

After about a week off from work, I'm finally going back (probably not for too long, though). Its good to be back - any longer than a week and it'll probably be difficult to catch up on all the things my co-workers have been doing at work. While I can technically work remotely (I'm in software development), its great to see all the familiar faces around the office.

I work in El Segundo, CA with a company called Tandberg Television (bought by Ericsson not too long ago), high up in the 16th floor. We've got a great view - you'd be able to see the ocean as well as LAX from up here. Its just a great place to work!

For lunch, me and some of my co-workers went out to Chili's (errr, Chachky's) - one of our usual lunch places. As some of you may know, Chili's is working with the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to find cures for childhood cancer. Guests can go in and decorate their own Chili peppers and they'll post it up around the restaurant (you'll just need to pay a small fee to do so). See my awesome artwork below...


Something unique I did today:
1. have my artwork posted at a restaurant
2. pay to have my artwork posted at a restaurant



Here's the artwork of other people already posted up (notice one of them reads "I kick cancer in the face" =) ):

We're Off To See The Wizard!

I'm writing this in a Borders store waiting for 3pm so we can see the new Harry Potter movie in IMAX (thats about 2 hours from now). Its been a while since I last saw a movie in IMAX (wait, have I ever seen one in IMAX?) so we'll see how things improved.

I'm not a big Harry Potter's fan but I do like the special effects. I have not read the books and don't really care to, although I've had better experiences with books than I have with movies (but they do take a much longer time to finish). I do like magic, however, but apparently not so much as my talented friend Eric. He took me to see the Magic Castle in Hollywood (of which he is a proud member of). I loved the tricks - both the stage and close-up shows. And I always find myself trying to reverse engineer the tricks, mostly to no avail. It sometimes gives me a headache trying to figure out how they did it.

Health wise, I feel sore. And its not just my shoulder area either; my back is hurting a little from the many times I had to bend over every time I have a heartburn attack (which happens maybe 2 an hour). Eating food isn't all that pleasant either. Besides the difficulty swallowing, I get severe hiccups when I eat too fast for attempt to swallow something not well chewed. This is probably what's causing some discomfort around my midsection - which isn't all that bad, but something noteworthy. All of these discomforts should go away if I took a Vicodin pill, but I forgot to bring it. But its OK because I have to force myself to ration the pills I have left - they only gave me a dozen or so (without any refills!). I gotta save them for important things - like when I go back to work tomorrow (just kiddin').

Just to give some people a heads up on what the future entails for me:
1. Chemo starting Tuesday which goes on for 6 weeks, every other week, 1 day a week.
2. Chemo+Radiation soon after; I can't wait!
3. Esophagegtomy (surgery in about 3 months)

At least I'll be in good hands at UCLA, they even have a website for my disease!

Weight: 140.6
Pain areas: right shoulder (and I didn't bring my Vicodin pills with me, ug!)
Numbness: none, really
Nightsweat: none, really
General Attitude: Positive
Swallowing: about the same as yesterday
Medications: Prevacid, vicodin (2 tablets), Vitamin E, Multivitamin

Unique things I did today:
1. See a movie in IMAX (its been a while)
2. Write a blog entry in a bookstore

I'm On The GO

This is a test of mobile blogger - this was sent using my phone.

I've been taking it real easy today - mostly stayed in the apartment and sleeping or having long walks outside. My right side is pretty sore so I can't really do much of anything else right now.

Weight: 140.0
Pain areas: shoulder area - site of portacath (vicodin helps a lot with this)
Numbness: none, really
Nightsweat: none, really
General Attitude: Positive
Swallowing: little better than yesterday
Medications: Prevacid, Vicodin (2 tablets), Vitamin E, Multivitamin, Lemon grass tea

Something unique I did today:
1. walk on treadmill for a half-mile barefoot.
2. haven't showered since Thursday morning (nearly 3 days!) - its all because I can't get my incision site wet (I usually shower everyday, otherwise). My natural aroma ain't that bad, actually - quite soothing to the senses. Hey, I had no complaints so far...