Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Round 26

I moved my chemo treatments this month to Tuesdays to work around some other scheduling things this month so I had it yesterday. It was a very, very long day as the place was packed and Dr. S had to cover other patients. I didn't get home until about 9 pm! But, treatment was the usual fare. I did confirm with Dr. S that he wants me to stay the course on treatment for as long as I can put up with the side effects. Since I've been able to manage them so far, I told him that I will just suck it up and keep going. If it gets really bad, I may get a holiday - but I'm going to do my best to just stay the course.

Today, we leave for a couple of days in Washington, DC to take Vicki to see some colleges. (Vicki in college - I can'r believe it!). But junior year is the year to do your homework on schools. We will be seeing American University, George Washington and Georgetown. And we'll have a half day off to just see things in DC. Since I'm on the bottle for the next day or so, I hope I have the energy to take the tours. I may just do the info sessions and then sleep in the car while Vicki and Robbie get the campus tour. We'll see.

As a brief aside to yesterday's trip to the clinic, I had lunch during my break with a former colleague at AXA. I went to her place on 46th street so I got my walk in. On the way, I passed a construction site and two guys with shovels were mixing a wheelbarrow of concrete on the sidewalk. As I passed, I heard one say to the other "It's not my f**king fault that Darwinism failed!" I really wonder what these two philosophers were arguing about!

Be well! BB

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you think your getting old as Vicki is getting ready for college, imagine how ancient her grandmother feels!

In light of what the other doctor said a few weeks ago about the outcome of those who had chemo holidays, I think your doc is taking the right choice.

If you think of this as a chronic disorder you might feel differently about a holiday. Today millions of people with hypertension, high cholesterol, COPD, diabetes and more live with lifelong therapies. Some have little side effect or risk some are not so lucky.
I have put up with therapies for hypertension and high cholesterol for 19 years. In both cases therapies had to be changed to counter bad side effects, i.e. statins which I was on for 12 years and which suddenly started to create serious liver problems. Can't do without the cholesterol reducers but can't take the statins.

If today's therapies were in existence for my father and mother, they would have survived another 15 years for my father and possibly another 10 years for my mother.

I don't like to see you have to suck it up, but I definitely want you around. Love, Mom

Ginger said...

You know Mary (Mary Alice, not my Auntie M) will vote for American University..but let us know if you all want to meet for dinner.

Good luck with the college visits!

fephy said...

The Washington area is a comfortable distance away for Vicki to go- near enough to come home when she wants to and far away to not be home all the time. I say Yea! for Vicki for reaching this point.

Anonymous said...

Dear Brian, I don't know how I managed to completely misread your previous post about the chemo holiday - talk about seeing what you want to see! Anyhow, it sounds like you're able to tolerate it, so that's good. I'm sorry it's hard.

I think your red state/blue state essay should be published somewhere for more people to read.

You are truly amazing.

love W

Vee said...

If Vicki has any interest in Carnegie Mellon, I'm sure Alison would give her an insider's tour - she LOVES it!! When we went on the east coast tour, I was partial to Tufts, but then again, I have a fondness for Boston - have fun!!! Vicky