One Year

I had my first chemotherapy a year ago today, 7 July 2017.  Picture at right.  BTW, that belly is gone, I have been losing about a pound a month since January 2017.

17 infusions so far, number 18 is next

Tuesday.

There has been no significant change in my tumor over the past year, either in size or density. So that is good, the pemetrexed has been effective. My blood-work has remained stable, also.

Statistically, I am doing well, the median survival rate after diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer is less than 6 months and I have been going for about 15 months so far... so far, so good.

I have three major complications, the first is nausea, my nearly constant companion. My motto is: “have barf bag will travel.” I have barf bags all over the place: in the bedroom, living room, shop, crawlspace, car and carry one in my pocket whenever we are out of the house. In addition I carry a couple of dissolve-under-your-tongue anti-nausea pills (Zofran) in my pocket at all times. I take 5 to 10 of the sub-lingual tablets each cycle and so far I have just been dragging around the barf bags for security.  The nausea affects my appetite and is the cause of my weight loss.

The second complication is a reduction in lung capacity. My heart rate hovers between 100 and 120 bpm and my oxygen saturation is about 88 % at rest – my heart is working harder to compensate for the reduced lung capacity (due to surgery, radiation, and collapsed lobes).  I am totally out of breath from walking up a flight of stairs and have to sit down for 5 minutes to catch my breath. So I have chairs set up in the crawlspace and shop, so anywhere I end up I have a place to rest. I got a walker with big wheels so I have something to sit on when I get short of breath when we are out walking. I have a chronic cough that I have been nursing for the past 3 to 4 years – it is worse when I switch positions, like getting up in the morning, or standing after sitting, bending over, any exertion, and laughing also gets the cough going.  We are in the process of getting an oxygen machine, I am told, one of those that I can wear like a back pack. A slow process I am told, so patiently waiting.

And third, is fatigue. I wish I had more energy. Although sitting around does allow me to read as much as I have always wanted to. Recently I have been reading “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Earnest Hemmingway.

I created a spread sheet to monitor my symptoms: nausea, heart rate, weight, blood oxygen %, constipation, etc and monitor my medications. I began to cut back on medications until I was experiencing symptoms and added a day. I reduced my medication by about half. I have been feeling much better so I think I was severely over medicated.

Carol and I were in Bismarck in April for a judo seminar.  I was coughing and hacking but I kept to a slow pace and was able to teach for about 5 hours.  The seminar is posted on youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv8AeRaA0yc  After the seminar we met at a restaurant, several former students showed up to party with us.  Great seeing everyone.

We were in Fargo for Mother's Day week.  Spent a day with our daughter and two year old granddaughter, had lunch at Space Aliens and Sloane was having a great time pointing out the monsters to me, I laughed so hard.  Then we went to the zoo, it was a very hot day and we had a great time.  Mother's Day celebration was at my sister's house near Detroit Lakes, they have a pretty place with lots of trees and ponds and she puts on a good feed.  During the week I got to hang out with some of my former co-workers from the lab.  And on the way home put on a 2 hour judo seminar for the Rough Rider Judo Club in Dickinson.  Life is good.

We have been hanging out at home since then and enjoying it.  We have had a fair bit of rain reducing the risk of forest fires and contributing to the weed problem in the garden.  We have had some nice weather too.  Mark Strege and I built a stairway from the deck to the crawlspace level of the house, Mark cut the stringers and installed them, I got to help a little.  Carol and I installed the risers and treads between rain storms.  Sam Rudd was here this past week and helped me remake the deck railing, making an opening to the stairway and then we installed a railing - he did most of the work. I am so thankful for my friends.  The stairway makes it so much easier for me to get down to the hot tub and the crawlspace.

Our daughter Brittany, her husband Brady and 2 year old Sloane were here for 5 days the end of June.  Gamma Carol and I really enjoyed having a 2 year old bundle of joy running around the house.  Sloane is just beginning to talk and points and asks, "wassat" about everything.  We would ask her, "where is the kitty" and she would respond, "kitty outside" and would then add, "kitty go potty."  She was just adorable.  We were sad to see them go.

Sam Rudd stayed the first week of July.  Sam and I met in 1978 at the Judo Club at NDSU with Leigh English teaching and have been close friends since.  For the most part we just sat around and visited, I laughed so hard that my coughing got out of control a couple of times. 

On a day to day basis we are doing OK. We start out our days with coffee in the sky-chairs in the sun room or on the deck and talk about our kids. We get a couple of hours of chores/projects in before lunch. Then a nap after lunch. Supper at 6 pm. Watch the news and go to bed about 8 pm. 

Having cancer in the house creates a lot of stress.  We do our best to reduce the stress.  Carol and I are both firm believers in "laughing every day", we work at it.  We hope you do too.

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.

Love to all,

Vern