Thanks Doc and I agree with you. I was never a smoker, but a former bandmate and keyboard player, who smoked three packs of Kools a day is now on oxygen and suffering from severe emphysema.

To get back on topic, a lot of my neuropathy has subsided and I'm enjoying an ice coffee (homemade, but still good) with ice cubes. The sensitivity to cold had made this impossible until today.

I feel pretty good today and probably the best I've felt since before I started the chemo. I've had no nausea at all, just the fatigue, cold sensitivity and a little bit of tryin' to keep...umm... 'regular'

I'm looking forward to getting next week's infusions done and remain positive in my mind that I'm going to beat this!

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

This is a symbol of courage & strength:

If it were a medal, you would be wearing it.
Don't stare at it too long, it might inspire you!!

_________________
explorationx

On a personal note, and in keeping with Mike's observations, one of my former bandmates....the vocalist in the group I recorded with some 50 years ago, succumbed to emphysema two years ago at the age of 64. His father before him died of the same disease. There is a genetic component to susceptibility. My friend was a smoker from his teen years, and I do not know precisely when he stopped. I learned, shortly before his death that his sister was beginning to show signs of COPD.

Illness has touched my life through a variety of avenues. This fact has served to crytallize many of my points of view.

Doc.

Hang in There Mike you got my prayers!!

PS Don't let your guitar get lonely, Music always seems to cheer me up

-Invin

_________________
What time is it??

Time to Rock!!!!!

Hi Mike,

How's it going. Just checking in with you. I had a different treatment protocol, but when you mention the tired you feel is not tired like other people understand it, I know exactly what you mean. As you go through this, it can get irritating that the "civilians" can't really relate to what we go through. It's like if the witches' potion in Macbeth were injected into us every two weeks, and we had to have it and went to get it. When we say "tired" we mean like if you stayed up for a week and ran a 5K while somebody was riding alongside in a car hammering you with rubber mallets the entire time. As I sit here now, "healthy" these years later, I still have that tired feeling, less acute. They now call it "fibromyalgia" but it's what started in chemo. For many cancer survivors, it goes away after treatment. For the rest of us, we soldier through it and ignore it as much as we can, but it's always there.

Be patient with them that haven't seen reality yet and chase the vanities. Sometimes old people are more that way than some young people. I try to keep in mind that although I am wiser, more mature, and a better person than I was before going through cancer, that doesn't mean I have more of those qualities than anyone else who I meet. Some people are just a lot more sensible than I was before getting a little wisdom knocked into me. Also, generally the non-survivors don't like it pointed out to them that they are vain fools who have never faced adversity in their lives and sit fat and happy while doom approaches. Maybe mine's faster, but I know about it. Especially, they don't like to hear that because due to treatment, I am slower, weaker, less-anger-controlled, more irritable, foggier and much more forgetful and in several other ways appear inferior to them. No, I never said anything like that to anyone, but I do know of a breast cancer survivor who basically did and provoked outrage and fury. Just something to keep in mind going forward. Despite the apparent weaknesses, in fact I've prospered beyond the dreams of avarice (okay, mine were small dreams) since cancer due to enhanced Zen-like detachment and wisdom. I've also been able to stay married and have a couple of kids with my temperamental but beautiful wife, when I know that wouldn't have happened before. I learned to let the dust settle and take no action. So, the gains balance the losses.

My doctors told me to avoid infections I should not shake hands, and should avoid crowds and reunions and so forth. I also started using non-water hand sanitizer a couple of times per day. The infections are what get us when we're going through treatment. I was extremely careful to minimize being where I could catch anything. Stay musical. It's a key for us, no pun intended.

Lately, I've been relating to WWII G.I.s. What I mean is, they went through some very unusual stuff that became usual to them. Here's a link you might enjoy, bro'.

http://www.pbs.org/perilousfight/

_________________
"Now, bring me that horizon."
-Capt. Jack Sparrow

Thanks again to everyone for the positive comments and support. I got a llittle bit of a surprise when I bounced back from the neuropathy over the past several days and was able to enjoy some beverages with ice cubes.

It may not sound like much, but after going about ten days with only being able to drink and eat room temperature foods and beverages (while in the hot summer heat), it was a welcome relief.

I'm about to begin the second treatments tomorrow and I'm pretty sure that although I hope for the best, the neuropathy (cold sensitivity) will probably start again with primarily the oxaliplatin infusion.

In clinical studies, of people with stage III colon cancer who had their primary tumors surgically removed, Eloxatin (brand name) plus 5-FU/LV has been shown to:

-Significantly increase disease-free survival when the recommended dose of 12 cycles of therapy is completed.

-Reduce the risk of colon cancer coming back.

So, thank you all so much for your continued well wishes and I'll try to keep the updates coming as things progress with this week's chemotherapy sessions.

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Mike
You may be getting 12 cycles of therapy, but you're getting daily cycles of Prayers and Mojo!!!!

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Nicely put Chet! Yes Mike, everyday someone or everyone is sending prayers and thoughts of good health and fast recovery your way. Wishing you the best as your treatment continues.

_________________
BP

Hats Off To You Blessed Musicians

• '07 Fender Standard Strat HSS (Midnight Wine)
• '03 Epiphone LP Special (White)
• '86 Charvel Model 2 (Black)

www.myspace.com/brattscovil
www.starvingpencil.com

Chet and Barry, you are right and I sincerely appreciate it!

I need to do some running around and make some calls this afternoon before I go in tomorrow morning. I'm working on setting up payment plans for some of the medical bills that I've received (Deductibles/Co-pays).

When they called earlier to remind me of my second session, they told me to "go light" on any breakfast tomorrow. They suggested just juice and toast. I usually don't have much besides coffee anyway, but maybe I will have some toast with it tomorrow.

I've been happy that I haven't experienced any nausea at all yet. They give me aloxi and another anti-nausea med via IV lines before the nasty stuff.

They've told me that nausea is not in your stomach like you've always thought. No, it's all in your head. Really. There is an area called the "chemoreceptor trigger zone" or "CTZ" that causes nausea. Seems appropriate to me: chemo and nausea, chemoreceptor and nausea. As it turns out, the chemo part of chemotherapy triggers the chemo part of CTZ by getting your body to release natural chemicals like dopamine and serotonin that stimulate the feelings of nausea.

Anyway, it worked last time and I'm hoping that it continues. I expect to feel really tired with some cold sensitivity after tomorrow's infusions. This is based on my first sessions experience. I guess I'll find out tomorrow, but I'm still keeping a positive, upbeat mindset.

Thanks again to all for the well wishes and positive comments, they really do help!

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Hi Mike,

You'll get through it tomorrow just doing what the doctors say and taking the drugs that alleviate the discomfort. Everyone there in the hospital is there to take care of you. They do know what they're doing and you can relax and know that I.V.s never killed anybody that anyone ever heard about. Relax, flow with the current, and it will take you through to the other side.

_________________
"Now, bring me that horizon."
-Capt. Jack Sparrow

Thanks strat58cat! You speaketh from experience.

The day started out on a good note when my oncologist, who after reviewing today's pathology asked me "how do you really feel?"

I responded that I felt great and had really bounced back from the first week of treatment and after about 9 or 10 days from the first session, I've been feeling really good.

He then told me that my reports indicated that everything looked excellent regarding white/red blood cell counts and platelets and that I appear to be tolerating this better than "most of the first-time patients."

That made me feel pretty good, maybe fact, maybe fiction, but it still made me feel good.

I then went to one of the infusion rooms and got stabbed by the oncology nurse in my mediport (the lidocaine/prilocaine) only helped a little bit. She said this was because I had tissue behind the mediport and others who don't ??? use the lidocaine mix and feel absolutely nothing. I'm not so sure about that.

I got the infusions and tolerated them well while there, then got "hooked up" to the portable pump of fluorouracil (5-FU) and was sent on my way but the fatigue is now coming on strong, so I need to rest up a bit.

Again, thank you all for your support, it really helps!

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Best of luck to you with everything in the upcoming future. I'm sure everything will go fine. You'll be in the prayers of mine (and hopefully a good number of the rest of the community.)

+1: count me amongst that "good number".

This cycle is going to get very tiresome for you - at the least. But just when you think you can't stand it any more the end of the tunnel will arrive and you will be free of it all and ready to look forward. It will be a great day, and it IS coming!

Hang in there. It is grim, but it is worth it.

Very best wishes - C

Thanks for the update Mike.

Continued Mojo and Prayers being sent!

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

The tiredness is there and then many of us start to feel fuzzy pretty soon after we get into the middle of the six cycles (12 treatments). Chemofog is sort of like a mental tiredness, very similar to fatigue - like the mental version of fatigue. During treatment, a little fogginess can be a blessing because the treatment will seem to fly past. Let your family know about some increased irritability or quick temper that can happen to avoid anyone taking it personally, rest a lot, enjoy life as much as you can with entertainment and hobbies like music, and relish your family. This time of treatment will just flow past you and it will be over before you know it.

_________________
"Now, bring me that horizon."
-Capt. Jack Sparrow