BEP Round 3 Day 2

10:25am O:0 P:0 N:1 T:1
Today started off much better. I got 9.5 hours of sleep which helped a lot. Got some crappy traffic this morning but we still made it on time. Pre-meds done, and about to finish off the Platinum. So far doing ok side effect wise, I am starting to get some bad headaches over the last couple of weeks though nurse said to try aleve which I will, Norco always works but its such overkill Med wise. The "fun" of this round wont really start until Thursday if it keeps the same pattern as the last two.

3:05pm O:1 P:1 N:2 T:4
I am back home now, the drive makes it much more of a full day of chemo crud that it used to be.  I am drained, little bit a nausea but not bad and a slight headache.  I have been getting these headaches ranging from a 1->6 on the pain scale still not 100% sure what's going on with that could have been the nuepogen but I stopped taking that many days ago, nurse says it could be the zofran but I just started taking that yesterday who knows. Anyway back home, trying to get a little work done then relax a bit.  I would rather NOT take a nap because I want a full good nights sleep tonight. Sorry I didn't get a "chair pic" for you guys today it was a busy day and I was doing work/telecons from my chair and honestly it didn't even occur to me until after we left.  I will try and get them for the rest of the week though.

9:05pm O:1 P:1 N:0 T:2
I am not very tired, I fought the need for the afternoon nap so I could get a good nights sleep, however I am going to try and go to bed in the next 30 minutes or so.  I did have a couple more symptoms I wanted to let people know about.  Before I do that, I wanted to say my headache has been gone since about 5pm and hasn't come back so that's great.  However, I have some darkening of my joins in my hands on the top of them.  I tried to take a picture but it didn't come out very well.  The "worst" one feels kinda like a callous and its dark grey, I showed them to the nurse and she recommended some hand creme so that's what i am trying tonight.  The other symptom which just showed up tonight is on the tips of probably half my fingers.  I feel like they have a little any bite or a splinter is stuck in there.  If you rub them you can't feel anything but if you hit them just right it hurts, very odd since I thought a symptom of the Platinum was deadening of the fingers! HAHAHAHA.  I will mention it to the nurse tomorrow and see what she says.  Good night everyone, all-in-all not a bad day.. but the bad ones are coming =(

BEP Round 3 Day 1

9:00am O:0 P:0 N:0 T:3
So having to wake up at 5:45am to drive up here for chemo isn't all that fun, hence the tiredness rating.  However, its only for a week right.  I was a bit nervous and apprehensive about starting this week because I know full well what I am in for pain/discomfort wise and its not something I am looking forward to HA.

I have some amazing, awesome, super great (probably enough adjectives) news.  They pulled my tumor markers last Thursday and it takes a few days to get the results.  So I got them today and my HCG <1 which was expected since it was 9 three weeks ago and it decays very quickly.  The thing I was worried about was my AFP.  It started out of 2716 before my surgery (Which is quite high) and it was still 855 before I started chemo.  After the first round it only dropped down about half over the 3 week round.  That worried me because it could mean I still had quite a bit of active cells producing AFP, it could also mean they just gave off LOTS when they died which happens as well. That brings us to today, using my sheet I showed you guys last time to do the half life calculation it should have been at ~84.  I was hoping for at least 150, but really wanting it to be around 84 because that means NOTHING is actively producing markers and its decaying like it should.  Well I got the numbers back and its 27!!!!!!!  Its hard to express how happy that made me, that means in about ~11 days from that date my AFP will be in the NORMAL RANGE!   I wasn't feeling so hot this morning, tired, worried about how this week would go etc but that news made me very very happy.  Here is a pic of a print out of my numbers AND a picture of my reaction when I got them!

I will update later, we are doing the premeds.. then I have all Three today B, E, and P so it will be a long day of chemo fun but its working and that's the important thing!

2:15pm O:0 P:0 N:0 T:2
I didn't do any updates during the treatments because I was asleep HA.  I tried to do some work but the combination of me being tired to start with, then getting chemo, AND getting some benadryl for my reaction to the Etoposide meant I lasted about an hour or so then passed out for the rest of it.  It all went well though and I am back at home.  The trip is about an hour there in traffic in the morning and ~35 minutes back in the afternoon so that's not bad for a few more days.  I am still under the wonderful spell of the pre-meds they usually start giving out around 4-5 and are gone by 7pm.  But since its the first day I am hoping for a decent night.

9:15pm O:0 P:0 N:0 T:5
All-in-all it was a good day, I did some work (almost of full day) and I did some things around the house.  However, I am getting very tired now.  Since I have to wake up so early tomorrow, and every day this week I am going to call it an early night.  I did have an odd reaction though, after a hot shower it went away but my face broke out and my complexion got all crazy look here is a picture I am very confused:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH just kidding of course I found that when I was unpacking thought it would be a funny picture :-P (I even have my glasses on) CYA tomorrow!

BEP Round 2 Day 18

Small update, I have a Dr's appointment today to redo my blood work and see where I am count wise.  I will update it later to let everyone know.  As for how I am feeling, these neupogen shots are really taking their toll on me this time.  I have had pretty bad headaches, hot/cold flashes, and overall body ache/flu like run down feeling from them.  Sorry for it being a short post but I feel cruddy.  I will update later.


4:30pm
UPDATE: So just got back from my Dr appointment.  Good news, my blood counts are all back up!  In fact my white blood cell count is about 5x the normal range HAHAHAH super immune system :-P.  I talked to my doctor about the headaches and body "flu-like" feeling etc and he said its because my white blood cell count is so high due to the nuepogen that my body is reacting like a have an infection.  The counts will balance back out to normal in a day or so and I will feel better.  I think I am going to pop in at work tomorrow just to say hi to everyone, and maybe sync up my computer with the server while I have this cell count!

Aside from that the Dr App went well, starting Round 3 next week and we are hoping that will be the end of it. We have PET/CT scheduled for after the round and we are going to check my nodes and check for active cells (ie PET) because EC has a tendency to leave scar tissue when it dies off which can cause fault positives if you are just going to be size and not activity.  There are more things we can do treatment wise, if we need to after that but I am not going to think about that yet.

BEP Round 2 Day 15

2:30pm O:0 P:0 N:0 T:0

So last day of Round 2!  Just bleo today, and blood work to make sure my white blood cells are cooperating.  I feel great honestly, if it wasn't' for the fact that i was sitting in a chemo chair having deadly chemicals pumped into my body right now I would say I am "normal" :-P

I organized the garage/house a bit yesterday while i was feeling good.  I know that next week is gonna hit me like a ton a bricks so I want to get as much done this week and weekend as I can.  I worked for several hours last night and many more today.  My goal, since its as new pay cycle, is to work 50+ hours this week while I am feeling good and that way I don't' have many hours left to try and cover next week as I descend into chemo HELL!.

I will update later with what my blood work says and if I have to do more yummy nuepogen shots, ttyl.

3:15pm O:0 P:0 N:0 T:0

Ok I am just blown away.  I got back my blood work, and .... Its amazing I am walking around.  Nearly every count is at its lowest its EVER been some by a factor of 10!, even my Red Blood cells and Hemoglobin are crashing and that has never happened. Those are low enough to where if they drop much more I am going to need a blood transfusion!!  I am not really sure what to say, most of them are in "Critical" range and the rest are either "Alert" or "Low".  I just don't' understand how my blood counts can be such trash, and I feel fine... best I have in weeks.

So I am on quarantine AGAIN, my doctor made me put on my mask IMMEDIATELY and I can't take it off until I get home.  We are still going to do my chemo today and finish off this round... and we are gonna do LOTS more nuepogen shots (nearly out of pain meds gonna need more of those) and I see my oncologist on Thursday so we are going to reassess then and see how much my body has recovered.

4:00pm O:0 P:0 N:0 T:0
Well i got my two shots for home then next two days, and gave my self one just a second ago; so we shall see if they can bring be back up out of the abyss by Thursday when I see my Dr.  Here is your chair pick of the day, nearly done for the day:

VICTORIOUS over Round 2 of BEP!  Even though my blood cell counts are in the trashcan right now we will get them back up.  The important thing is that I am DONE with Round 2!

BEP Round 2 Day 14

I wanted to let you all know "moving day" went well.  We got everything in 1 trip thanks to a 24' Uhal, two trucks and a trailer HA.  I did a little bit here and there but since my energy lasts for about 5 minutes at a time before I am wiped out for an hour or so, we had lots of help.  Jenn's parents and her sister's husband came to help.  I can't thank them enough there is no way we could have moved without them and I am going to have to think of some way of properly thanking them.  Jenn's sister's husband especially since he took on the tasks that happen on every move where it takes 150% of someone's energy to do X (move some crazy piece of furniture or lug something up stairs etc) and he put his all and then some into helping.  All-in-all the move went well, we have everything here at the house... now is the fun task of getting it all unpacked and actually usable. We had many instances of that wonderful "Crud we need thing Y, what box is it in? HAHAH"

As for chemo related issues, I did have a few instances of my bone pain coming back and I had a take a Norco about mid day since the Ibuprofen wasn't keeping it at bay.  Luckily I haven't had the fever issue this time I had last time on it, but I think its because I have kept up pretty well with the med doses to keep that issue "hidden". I am getting some rashes back again on my arms and legs (it happen last round too), the Dr said it was from the steroids they give me in the pre-meds but it really seems to have kicked up a bit since I started back on the nuepogen so it might be related to that.  Its not bad though and only mildy itches so its alright.

I do have more news on the insurance front, my first set of Nuepogen shots were basically ordered by my Dr from my insurance (they have to be specially approved) and then they just GAVE me ones they already had while they waited to get mine approved.  So my insurance had to call me today and get me to give them "verbal acceptance of the charges" because they were so much.  Luckily they were covered 80/20 so I only had to pay 20% of it but that was still ~$975!  And that's just for the shots they gave me this time, and I am going to need more so for those of you counting that's about $850 a shot.  I need ~3 more next week and probably another half a dozen for each round so yeah  I am going to have no problem maxing out my "out of pocket" medical for the year very very soon.

As for the rest of my symptoms I have been doing really well, I would say i am back to "normal" now from hell week.  That normal is in quotes because its really a new normal for chemo where I am still tired and I don't have any engery reserves but all-in-all I feel good.  I have been eating pretty well and my stomach is doing fine with it, my taste buds are still nearly dead so really only STRONG flavors get through but even regular stuff doesn't turn my stomach it just doesn't taste like much of anything.

Well  I have 1 more Bleo shot Monday and then Round 2 is officially DONE!  I am not looking forward to the hell week of Round 3 but, we will cross that in a weeks time I am going to try and enjoy this week's NOT feeling like horrible crap :-P  For those of you counting Round 3 might be my last one, we are going to do CT/PET/Blood work and see how well my tumors in my lymph nodes responded to the chemo... fingers crossed its all I need but we can do 1 more round (for a total of 4) to give it a bit more kick then there is the RPLND surgery but I really really don't' want to do that.  Anyway, not going to think about all those what-ifs yet we will cross those bridges when we get there!!

BEP Round 2 Day 12

Short post today, just wanted to let you all know I am feeling MUCH better today.  Eating pretty normally now, energy levels are still a bit low and I tire easier than "normal" but aside from that I am doing decent.  I have a CBC today, and I will post when I know the results but fingers crossed my counts are good because neupogen gives me fever and wonderful bone pain I have to treat medically which wipes me out.

Oh btw its MOVING DAY, or at least the first day of it.  Tonight we are going to move a few things and get the place staged and ready for tomorrow's big move day.  I will post how the CBC turned out later today.


UPDATE:
Well Boo, my white blood cells crashed AGAIN.  Nearly back down to zero =(  So its back to neupogen shots for me over the weekend.  This time though I know what to expect, gonna keep on the Ibuprofen and I have my Norco to supplement it when I need to so I should be fine.  Guess the Bleo really wipes out my cells, the Dr/Nurse again seemed confused when they asked me how I felt and I said the best so far of this Round honestly... and they don't see how that's possible with my blood counts so low HAHAHA.

Oh well, so nuepogen and pain killers will be my med of choice this weekend!

UPDATE 2:
So for the first time since I started this "cancer fun" I finally got a full statement from my treatment center.  Its interesting because it shows both last years treatment/cost profile and this year's with my new oh-so-nice insurance.  Basically for all you out there wondering, each DAY I sit down in a chemo chair it costs $4,500<->$2,500 depending on what I am getting that day and what pre-meds etc I get.  That's each.... freaking... day!!!

So previously, last year with my normal person insurance before my company decided to go bonkers and change things around.  I would pay the co-pay visit cost of $40, they would get a "Contract Discount" which I assume is an insurance company and hospital basically agreeing on LESS than the full amount.. and the insurance would cover the rest usually in the $1K-$3K range each day.  Now, however with this new plan where we cover everything up to $3,500 then they start kicking in 80% until we hit $8k (which wont' take long to hit) the bills are getting crazy.  I currently have over $12,500 outstanding on my balance sheet right now and I haven't even finished Round 2.. and I have a Round 3 and maybe 4 to look forward too.  I have told their billing department (though I haven't heard back yet) that I can give them whatever X amount each month they take out of my check for the HSA and not a penny more.  I refuse to put cancer treatment on a credit card or take out a loan... I paid all that crud out of pocket last year and I don't' want to do that again.  Its just crazy to me that these treatments are so much money.  I suppose its good I got my self out of debt before I was hit with Cancer because it seems like I am going to be paying on this for quite a while.  Fun fun!

BEP Round 2 Day 10

I wanted to post an update since its been a couple of days to basically let everyone know how the "Hell-Week recovery" was going.  The first round I had a rough couple of days followed by stark improvement day to day as the week went on, with me feeling kinda normal by Wed and basically back to my own snarky self by Thursday give or take (within reason at least).

However this round has been much rougher on me, and I share this because as the chemo rounds "add up" in my system this will happen.  So for example, we tried to baby my stomach as much as possible the last day or so of hell week chemo and while it helped a bit at first we ended up down basically the same path of digestive system mutiny as the first round.  In addition, this time its lasting quite a bit longer.  I am STILL fighting my stomach on nearly everything I put in my mouth even water.  Have you ever stuffed your self on something you knew was going to make you feel bad like Taco bell or something you know causes you stomach problems?  When you are done eating, forcing every bit you can you can still kinda feel it up in your esophagus and when you burp or move the wrong way you can kinda feel the food right there.  In addition, you have this really overly heavy feeling in your stomach and it protests with gurgling etc etc for hours.  Since you have so much food in your stomach you also get very physically drained (think a really heavy lunch then back at your desk at work... eyes weary).  Now imagine all of this for someone who ate a 120 calorie soup and some water!!!  Every time I eat anything my digestive system pretends its the end of the world.  In addition to that, my taste buds are totally out of wake so almost nothing is actually appetizing to eat it all tastes like bland blah crud or worse turns my stomach.

Now all of this has led to me not being able to eat much of anything, and certainly not much of it when I do so I am seriously calorie deficient I am sure which is adding to the overall fatigue and cruddy feeling.  I am at a bit of a loss to "turn the corner" on this one honestly, if I could do a fwe days of 2500->3500 calories and get it moving through my system perhaps I could make a come back but I can't seem to stomach it.  One idea I had was to get a bunch of those Ensure meal replacement things and just try and force myself to drink X every Y hours to add up to a decent calorie intake for the day.. but those aren't exactly balanced meals and they are crazy loaded with sugar.

The other thing I have noticed about this rounds recovery time is that last time if I felt tired, and slept I would at least feel marginally better when I woke up.  So sleeping = feeling better, this time that's not really the case my tiredness is much more deep and profound such that sleeping doesn't really aid or cure it.  Again this could be both the added round of chemo and the lack of calories adding to this effect I am not sure.

Now on to the good news, I do actually feel a bit better today and I am going to focus on eating as much as I can and drinking water etc etc .. the normal drill.  I really just wish there was some magic bullet.. take X pill or eat a bunch of Y and it would solve this but that doesn't seem to be the case.  I am holding in there though, and I KNOW I will feel better eventually its just taking more time than I would like!!!!

BTW my fingers are crossed that my Dr decides 3 rounds is enough, 1 more round of this is more than enough for me I think hahahaha the thought of 2 more rounds is a bit much to take right now but I know I will do whatever is needed....