Medicine 2 Round 1 Recovery

Monday (the first day of recovery week) was again very tough, as expected. I did have some relief in short periods during the day.
Still very sensitive to sounds, (makes my head explode), very tired and weak.
Slept or just sat, sitting upright in silence most of the day.
Cindy has been here taking care of me. Bringing me pills, and drinks and moral support.
Can't really do anything but make it to the bathroom and back without really overdoing it, getting dizzy, lightheaded, and suffering sharp abdominal pain.
All that being said, I think that this medicine regimen has been easier on me so far than the last concoction they gave me.
I only have a few days of data, but I am encouraged so far.
But of course it it like comparing a punch in the nose to a punch in the eye, they both suck.
It seems to be not as constantly intense as the last stuff, but I have several 3 to 6 hour sessions each day of really bad time, then it seems to let off for an hour or two. Having that little session randomly dispersed through the day of not feeling completely destroyed is a welcome change.
This medicine is just essentially poison that I have to work out of my system, and it will take time to get any strength back. I just have to be patient and pace myself.
Still very weak Wednesday. Stood up on the back porch with Cindy for about 20 mins while she was scrubbing the deck and just standing there wiped me out. Felt terribly nauseous and exhausted, had to come in and sleep for hours after that.
So the medicine is still lasting a long time in my system as far as making me feel bad, but it really is better than the last stuff. I do not know if that means the meds are not as strong or what. I just hope to God it is really going to do some good this time.
I will try to get to the office on Friday for a visit, just to get out of the house and say hi to the folks there. I think Thursday is not possible to do it, but I would have bet on Thursday earlier in the week. It seemed to be going real good. The progress just slowed a little.

Closing editorial thought.
No argument is worth continuing with a friend or loved one. It is more effort to stay mad, than to swallow your pride and embrace them. After a while it does not matter who is right who is wrong. It is just harmful to all parties involved, and can even hurt other people who love you to see the conflict. There are no second chances when they are gone, and that can happen in the blink of an eye.
My mother once told me never go to sleep while mad at a loved one. I think that is very good advice.
Be good to each other, the world is a bad enough place.
Greg

Starting a new chemo regiment

Today was the first day of the next chemo set of drugs.
Since the first iteration seemed not to work, we have moved onto this new cocktail of medicine. Since my condition seems to be inoperable for many of the tumor placements, and radiation is not an option given the location of the tumors, we are left to rely on chemo. If this series of drugs does not work, there is one more set we can try. But one or the other has to work.
We got to MUSC at 8:00 this morning and we left after 3 PM. Quite the marathon. We are scheduled for 3 PM the rest of the week. I guess we should plan on having dinner in the hospital cafeteria this week right?
We will probably be doing 3 months of this before doing another CT scan. So it will be awhile before any progress results are known.
Probably will only be working 10 or so hours this week, and none next week, during the recovery. But the days will be long even without work. I will be exhausted of course.
A few of the guys that work for me wanted to help me feel less like an outcast or freak at work so they shaved their heads to match mine. It was a fantastically selfless and kind gesture. Since I will not let anybody help me, they decided to not accept that and provide me emotional support by making me feel like one of the crowd. These guys are great. I am blessed to have employees like them that care enough to do this.
They have been planning it for months, and preparing their wives and so on. They surprised me with the haircuts on Wednesday last week. Thanks a million guys, I was moved to tears. See the picture below. Left to right, John Such, Larry Wadsworth, Darren Cumbie, Jeff Diemer and I am in the chair.


















That is all the news that is fit to report for now.
Thought for the week “Those who desire more are never satisfied; those who are thankful for what they have are always happy.”
Remember to help control the pet population, have your pets spayed or neutered.
Your local humane society probably has a clinic that will do it for free.
Love,
Greg