Vacation is over, now it's work and Chemo

Vacation came to a screeching halt when I had to go back to work on Sept 15. Then I got to start my new Chemo regimen on the 16th. Unfortunately, this new chemo hasn't been as easy as I hoped. They warned me that without a port, the oxaliplatin would be hard on my veins. Yep, it pretty much made my whole left arm tingle and very sensitive to touch for a couple days. I have to think seriously about getting a port put in.
Friday morning I couldn't make it to work. Both my hands and feet were tingling and I just generally felt rotten. I finally figured out the tingling was due to cold sensitivity; when I got my hands and feet warm the tingling went away. The rotten feeling was helped by nausea meds, but nothing helped the fatigue.
I was warned that the cold sensitivity could lead to severe throat spasms if I drank cold liquids. I really didn't want to experience that, so I was careful to warm my drinks. On the occasion that I had cool drinks, I could feel some constriction. Not good when taking pills.
The other strange side effect has been spasms in my jaw muscles when I take a first bite of food. It's like taking a bite of something REALLY sour and your jaws sort of lock. It doesn't seem to matter what food, and it's only on the first bite, so it's more of an irritation than a problem.
I was told the side effects should start improving within a few days. The cold sensitivity is much better, the "lockjaw" is less, the nausea is manageable, but the fatigue is still with me.
On the good side, we got to spend last weekend with Ben & Sally and attended the K-State vs Iowa State football game at Arrowhead stadium. (K-State won) We also got to visit Sally's parents and see the kids European Vacation photos.

Mountain Vacation

It has been lovely here in Idaho Springs, CO. The weather just about perfect.. in the mid 70's. Walking out our front door and seeing the beautiful mountains has been wonderful!

Sister Kathy drove out from Denver to treat us to lunch. We drove up into the mountains to the small town of Empire, where Kathy treated us to a nice lunch in a little cafe. Dessert... a huge piece of peanut butter pie, served with three forks! We strolled main street and stopped to check out an antique shop. In the evening we drove into Denver to see Kathy's play. It was a comedy about a woman who got possession of a dead man's cell phone. Along the way it made several points about how cell phones have affected our lives. Kathy played the part of the dead man's mother, Mrs. Gottlieb. We really enjoyed the play!

Today we are leaving Idaho Springs for Canon City, CO. Our plans are to ride the excursion train which runs through the bottom of the Royal Gorge. We hope to do that tomorrow (Sunday) and then we will have to head home on Monday.

From Colorado,
Joe & Vicki

vacation

We're sitting a little southwest of Idaho Springs, CO, in a small RV campground in a narrow canyon. We spent Labor Day traveling across Kansas in gale force winds. Not much fun to drive through, and it takes lots of extra fuel. We arrived here on Tuesday. Spent some time yesterday taking a scenic drive, then wandered around Idaho Springs. Today we are headed to Georgetown, and tomorrow my sister (who lives in Denver) will drive out and visit us. Saturday we will head south to Canon City. We plan to ride the train through the Royal Gorge.

I have been feeling good without chemo side effects and just enjoying time off. It is a real luxury not having to set an alarm clock and get up to rush around for work.

Joe

The New Chemo!

We finally have a schedule for the new chemo. It starts on September 16, on a 3 week cycle. I will be taking a Xeloda (Zel-o'-da) pill twice a day for 2 weeks, then a week off. On the day I start pills, I will also get an infusion of Oxaliplatin which will take 2 - 3 hours.

It sounds like the most prevalant side effect will be a sensitivity to cold, mostly in my hands, feet, and throat. I probably won't be able to drink cold drinks, and no more ice cream. I also need to soak my hands and feet multiple times a day and use hand creams liberally to prevent dry, peeling skin. I could also end up with tingling in my hands and feet. On the positive side, the nausea shouldn't be as bad as previous chemo.

We are leaving on vacation Friday, Sept 3, and won't be home until Tuesday, Sept 14.

Joe