Darrin’s Day.com

dclock January 12th, 2008

I met with my Oncologist last week, and we had a long and through discussion on my test results and options.  We have chosen a path that has not been tried before, at least as far as any of us know.  My Oncologist suggested a cocktail of chemo drugs, with an additional medication that is not used for chemo, but has been used in the past with interesting results.  It was determined that if I do not try some sort of therapy, my life would end in May 2008.  I refuse to accept that date, so after a discussion with my family, we have decided to start the following therapy.

The cocktail we will be trying is a cocktail containing Ifex, Gemzar, Taxotere and Vevaprimil.  I will be taking this cocktail through an IV for 5 days in a row the first week, then once a week for week 2 and 3.  During week 2 and 3 I will be getting many different drugs on days that I don’t have chemo, to try to reduce the side-effects of the chemo cocktail.   They will try to keep my blood marrow working, red blood cell count up and to protect my other organs that are at risk from this chemo cocktail, specifically my Liver, Bladder and Kidneys.

 Due to this schedule, I will not be able to return to work for at least the 8 weeks of this chemotherapy.  The Doctor has suggested that with my low oxygen levels and chronic pain I already have from the two previous surgeries, I would not be able to work with the additional effects this chemo will have.  Specifically, they expect I will have weakness, increased pain, nausea, diarrhea, bleeding and mouth sores.  There is many other expected side-effects, but the largest one is a risk of coma.  I will really miss not working with my team, but I agree that I don’t think I have the strength to work and do this chemo again, especially as I am still healing from the last lung surgery.

I started one of the drugs, (Vevaprimil) this week, and will start the rest of the cocktail on January 21st.  What a bummer, I just last week went and got a haircut, and now it will all fall out again!  Anyway, that is the latest with our family.  We as a family, are all in agreement to try out this chemo cocktail, so that makes things easier.  Katee is doing great and only has 2 treatments left.  She is so excited to have her treatment end.

Thank you to all that have stepped up and helped us out.  There are too many to recognize you all individually, but you know who you are.  Thank you so very much! 

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