Com Failure

Quick treatment update -

Communication failure imminent, in part due to high standard word count set by initial rambling journal entries, familial duties, schedule issues, and Christmas light installation regimen. Here's the quick update on what's on tap for my cancer treatment odyssey.

Radiation:

Monday 12/6 to Friday 12/10 - 5 sets of radiation treatments. As I understand it, these shouldn't take too long. It's only about 5 minutes of radiation exposure per visit. They were pretty quick with the ass tape the first time. More of the same professionalism is expected from Duke.

Radiation physical side effects: Unknown. According to Google, likely headaches, nausea, and fatigue.

Radiation mental side effects: Based on Sunday, I'd guess increased irritability coupled with decreased desire for social interactions.

Stuck on the notion that in the coming week, my body will see more focused radiation dosage than it (hopefully) ever will again. Mentally preparing for that kind of event is exhausting. My engineering brain can't handle the fact that there must be something I could be doing - Doing right now, mind you, instead of this - that would increase the effectiveness of the radiation/decrease the severity of side effects.

Port Placement:

Done as of Tuesday AM. It was the most pleasant hour of my cancer journey so far, thanks to my nurse anesthetist. Chuck, you're my new favorite bartender. Maybe more on this later.

Side effect is it looks like the port is a season ending basketball injury for me. I don't like the thought of an errant elbow sending me to the hospital. The area where they put the port under the skin is still bruised and tender. My jump shot was already pretty bad - With the right pec tender and me tentative, scoring would be way down. So, it's likely goodbye, Y - Hope to see you in fall of 2022. Missing it a lot already.

In other sports news, this morning was a hard for me - Missing the pickup soccer game that was a lifeline of competitive camaraderie throughout the pandemic. Currently working on a shield for the port so I can play AMA league pickup soccer. AMA is 'against medical advice', for all us non-doctors. Luckily, my soccer skills are at a base level such that any decline will likely go unnoticed.

Chemo:

Wednesday 12/29 to Wednesday 4/20, every 2 weeks - FOLFOX regimen, which is 2 hours of oxaliplatin at Duke, then take home some 5-FU in a pump that runs for about 46 hours. My mind isn't ready to process that length of schedule yet. Mine are used to me being irritable from December to April anyway, so perhaps it'll just be a wash.

~Ed

Note: I'm mostly leaving Karen's treatment out of the updates, out of respect for her right to tell her story. That said, her lumpectomy this past Friday went well. Now we're waiting on the pathology report on the tissue they removed. This IS NOT FORESHADOWING.