Thursday, June 20, 2013
UTHSC Southwestern Medical School 30 year reunion tribute written by Lisa's dear friend and classmate, Cynthia Fowler, MD....spring 2013
Lisa Ellen Woody, in memoriam by Cynthia Fowler
Nicknamed “Ma” by Scott Turpin freshman year, Lisa Woody was someone you noticed. She was funny and fun, with a smile and a laugh that drew people to her. She was six feet tall and beautiful.
Lisa and I lived together during medical school in a duplex 3 blocks from Greenville Avenue and the bar, Snuffers, where she worked as a waitress during college (SMU) and early years at SWMS. In many ways we were the odd couple. Lisa saw the world in absolute terms, black and white. She was energetic and sociable. She was on time, even early. She could cook. She was neat and organized. She got up every morning and made her bed. When I moved in she warned me that sometimes she would be compelled to scrub the baseboards, but with a laugh said she did not expect me to share her compulsion!
Our house became a gathering place for fellow classmates. We held an annual Christmas ornament party. A few surviving ornaments are on my tree each year. She had a cute dog that for some reason known only to her she named Sleezy. She played the piano. She was an accomplished seamstress. She made a gorgeous wedding gown for Jan Elder in the middle of medical school! (And 25 years later she made the wedding dress for her eldest daughter.) She made beautiful silk shirts for many of her friends. She had a great piecrust recipe. Quiche and apple pies were staple fare at our house.
Lisa’s hometown was Albuquerque, one of my favorite places on earth. She took me home for a magical weekend during the annual Balloon Fiesta. What fun to see the balloons take off in the crisp desert morning and then eat Indian fry bread. Lisa’s family was like her, gracious and welcoming.
Lisa was a good student and teachers loved her. Lisa’s favorite parts of medical school were the clinical years. During our fourth year, she traveled all over the country doing rotations, looking for that perfect place to do a residency. Her plans to intern at Bellvue Hospital in New York City were derailed when her brother Bruce was killed in a hang gliding accident. She went home to Albuquerque to be with her family. She worked for a few months as a medical consultant at a law firm specializing in defending physicians in medical malpractice suits. Within a year she had started a residency at University of New Mexico Hospital. She went on to practice Occupational Medicine, living mainly in Chicago and Connecticut.
Lisa married three times, with the third being the charm. Robert was the love of her life. She had four children with her second husband Ron.
In early 2008, soon after the marriage of her eldest daughter, she sought medical care for back pain. Work up revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung. She was 49 years old when she got the diagnosis. She moved quickly through the tears and the anger. She faced her diagnosis with courage and grace, humor and humility. She became active in the National Lung Cancer Partnership and appeared on the Rachael Ray show. She did everything she could to beat the disease, then to keep it at bay, then finally, to let go. She wrote a blog, “What’s Up with the Doc”, to keep friends and family updated. 85 postings with pictures document her journey. The blog has been archived and I urge you to take a look (http://www.whatsupwiththedoc.blogspot.com/). You will find her obituary there as well.
Lisa died on Martin Luther King Day 2010. She was a good doctor, a devoted mom, a loving wife, sister, and daughter, and a good friend. She pops into my head at odd moments: when I quilt, when I pick up the knitting needles, when I see a hot air balloon, when I eat apple pie, when I wear silk, on those rare occasions when I make the bed. I wish we had more time together. I would have liked her company and support in navigating mid-life and beyond. I am grateful for the time we had and I am a better person for having had her in my life. Carpe diem Lisa, where ever you are!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Our beloved Lisa
My beloved wife Lisa Woody, MD, passed away on Monday, January 18,2010, in the Connecticut Hospice facility in Branford. It is fitting that she was released from further suffering on the day we celebrate Dr. King ("Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, I'm free at last.) Should readers of her blog need more information they can contact me, her late husband, at the e-mail address given below. I can also be reached via snail mail at my new address:
1414 Laurel Ave.
Apt. L403
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone 612-345-4518
Cell 210-422-4424
Thank you all for loving her. I miss her more than I can possibly say.
Robert O. McAlister
romca@aol.com
Obituary:
Lisa Ellen Woody, 51, of Guilford, beloved wife of Robert O. McAlister, passed away January 18, 2010 after a 22-month battle with lung cancer. She was born June 20, 1958 in Huntsville, AL, the daughter of Marta Medaris Smith of Sun City West, AZ and Charles Kenyon Woody of Annapolis, MD. Lisa was a 1976 graduate of Highland High School in Albuquerque, NM; received a BS in Chemistry from Southern Methodist University in 1979 and her MD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1983. She completed an Internal Medicine residency at the University of New Mexico Affiliated Hospitals in 1987 and practiced internal medicine for four years before changing her focus to acute care and occupational medicine. She obtained her MPH from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1996 and her board certification in occupational medicine in 1997. She practiced at the William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, Connecticut from 1992 – 1998 and 2006 – 200_. She practiced at the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois from 1998 – 2006. Lisa loved the mountains where she felt the grandeur and peace of nature were most profoundly expressed and where she was always able to achieve communion with her beloved brother, Bruce Kenyon Woody, both before and after his death. She loved micromanaging her children’s lives, quilts, quilting, baseball, and flowers of all kinds, wild and cultivated (but never indoors, where they inevitably became cat food). In addition to her husband, she is survived by her mother and stepfather Marta Medaris and Charles Smith of Sun City West, AZ; her father and stepmother Charles and Katherine Woody of Annapolis, MD; her children Lindsay Thomas (Jacob Kramer) of New York, NY, Emma Thomas of Ft. Collins, CO, Hannah Thomas of Guilford, CT and Philip Thomas of Guilford, CT; her stepchildren Isaac McAlister of Fort Stewart, GA, Ian (Resa) McAlister of San Antonio, TX and Kaitlin McAlister of Sisters, OR; her sister Faith Myers (Bruce Amos) of Albuquerque, NM; her brother Christopher Woody (Sheri) of Ft. Collins, CO; her stepbrothers Randall Smith (Kimberly) of Arvada, CO, Christopher Smith (Debbie) of Kingsland,TX, William Woody (Beth) of Missoula, MT, Murray Woody (Ruth) of Frankfurt, Germany, Greer Woody (Deborah) of Missoula, MT; her stepsisters Tanis Stewart (Brian) of Reston,VA and Merodie Hancock of Mt. Pleasant, MI; and with a combined 176 years of lifelong friendship, the four women who pushed, dragged, lifted and carried her through her life: Claudia Mora (Los Alamos, NM), Joanne Descher (St. Louis, MO), Lynn Laceky Ward (Dallas, TX) and Cynthia Fowler (Wake Forest, NC) as well as numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. The family would like to thank the administration, employees, and medical staff of the William W. Backus hospital who were so supportive of Lisa during her illness. A celebration of her life will be held at St. David’s Episcopal Church, Rts. 12 & 214, Gales Ferry, CT on February 27 at 11 am with the Rev. David Cannon officiating. Friends of Lisa’s children may call on them at 1310 Alexander Dr. in Guilford on February 27 from 1 pm to 5 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the National Lung Cancer Partnership, 222 N. Midvale Rd, Suite 6, Madison, WI 53705 (or online at www.nationallungcancerpartnership.org) or to the Backus Foundation, 326 Washington St, Norwich, CT 06360 (or online at www.backushospital.org/foundation).
1414 Laurel Ave.
Apt. L403
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone 612-345-4518
Cell 210-422-4424
Thank you all for loving her. I miss her more than I can possibly say.
Robert O. McAlister
romca@aol.com
Obituary:
Lisa Ellen Woody, 51, of Guilford, beloved wife of Robert O. McAlister, passed away January 18, 2010 after a 22-month battle with lung cancer. She was born June 20, 1958 in Huntsville, AL, the daughter of Marta Medaris Smith of Sun City West, AZ and Charles Kenyon Woody of Annapolis, MD. Lisa was a 1976 graduate of Highland High School in Albuquerque, NM; received a BS in Chemistry from Southern Methodist University in 1979 and her MD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1983. She completed an Internal Medicine residency at the University of New Mexico Affiliated Hospitals in 1987 and practiced internal medicine for four years before changing her focus to acute care and occupational medicine. She obtained her MPH from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1996 and her board certification in occupational medicine in 1997. She practiced at the William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, Connecticut from 1992 – 1998 and 2006 – 200_. She practiced at the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois from 1998 – 2006. Lisa loved the mountains where she felt the grandeur and peace of nature were most profoundly expressed and where she was always able to achieve communion with her beloved brother, Bruce Kenyon Woody, both before and after his death. She loved micromanaging her children’s lives, quilts, quilting, baseball, and flowers of all kinds, wild and cultivated (but never indoors, where they inevitably became cat food). In addition to her husband, she is survived by her mother and stepfather Marta Medaris and Charles Smith of Sun City West, AZ; her father and stepmother Charles and Katherine Woody of Annapolis, MD; her children Lindsay Thomas (Jacob Kramer) of New York, NY, Emma Thomas of Ft. Collins, CO, Hannah Thomas of Guilford, CT and Philip Thomas of Guilford, CT; her stepchildren Isaac McAlister of Fort Stewart, GA, Ian (Resa) McAlister of San Antonio, TX and Kaitlin McAlister of Sisters, OR; her sister Faith Myers (Bruce Amos) of Albuquerque, NM; her brother Christopher Woody (Sheri) of Ft. Collins, CO; her stepbrothers Randall Smith (Kimberly) of Arvada, CO, Christopher Smith (Debbie) of Kingsland,TX, William Woody (Beth) of Missoula, MT, Murray Woody (Ruth) of Frankfurt, Germany, Greer Woody (Deborah) of Missoula, MT; her stepsisters Tanis Stewart (Brian) of Reston,VA and Merodie Hancock of Mt. Pleasant, MI; and with a combined 176 years of lifelong friendship, the four women who pushed, dragged, lifted and carried her through her life: Claudia Mora (Los Alamos, NM), Joanne Descher (St. Louis, MO), Lynn Laceky Ward (Dallas, TX) and Cynthia Fowler (Wake Forest, NC) as well as numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. The family would like to thank the administration, employees, and medical staff of the William W. Backus hospital who were so supportive of Lisa during her illness. A celebration of her life will be held at St. David’s Episcopal Church, Rts. 12 & 214, Gales Ferry, CT on February 27 at 11 am with the Rev. David Cannon officiating. Friends of Lisa’s children may call on them at 1310 Alexander Dr. in Guilford on February 27 from 1 pm to 5 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the National Lung Cancer Partnership, 222 N. Midvale Rd, Suite 6, Madison, WI 53705 (or online at www.nationallungcancerpartnership.org) or to the Backus Foundation, 326 Washington St, Norwich, CT 06360 (or online at www.backushospital.org/foundation).
Thursday, December 10, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 85? - Hospice is a Wonderful Thing
I had another miserable day yesterday that Hospice somehow managed to turn around. No pain. Nausea and abdominal distention and fullness as well as overwhelming weakness are my nemeses. I'm not doing very well with the transition from very active to almost completely inactive. I generally don't even have the energy to work on Emma's quilt most days, which makes the chances of finishing it pretty slim - also depressing. We saw both the Hospice social worker and my nurse yesterday and today there is a brand new hospital bed in the family room, ready for when I no longer feel capable of making the trip upstairs for bed.
I'm currently ensconced in my recliner with Philip's laptop, which has a new keyboard and battery so it can easily move back and forth between his room and the family room. I feel like this will cheer me up, this internet access without having to sit up in a chair.
One thing about staring impending death down is that it has inspired me to get holiday preparations taken care of much more efficiently than usual. No tree this year, which is weird, but the family room is full of greens and poinsettias and stockings and looks very festive.
Even with the equipment delivery this morning, I feel better today, so far, than yesterday. Let's just keep hoping for more of that.
Lisa
I'm currently ensconced in my recliner with Philip's laptop, which has a new keyboard and battery so it can easily move back and forth between his room and the family room. I feel like this will cheer me up, this internet access without having to sit up in a chair.
One thing about staring impending death down is that it has inspired me to get holiday preparations taken care of much more efficiently than usual. No tree this year, which is weird, but the family room is full of greens and poinsettias and stockings and looks very festive.
Even with the equipment delivery this morning, I feel better today, so far, than yesterday. Let's just keep hoping for more of that.
Lisa
Monday, November 30, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 84? - The Overwhelms
Sorry to be so long away, but it's been a crazy couple of weeks. My energy level continues to decline and resulted in a rather precipitous decision to start my total disability at work last Tuesday. While driving isn't painful, it does seem to take it out of me to drive an hour to work and back and was leaving me little reserve to do anything meaningful. So now I am on total disability. Robert went today to pick up my personal items from work and to drop off pagers, phone and badges. Much paperwork was required - paperwork for the FMLA, paperwork to start a long term disability claim, paperwork for social security. That took up quite a bit of time and energy last week and especially Saturday morning, when I finished the Social Security application. I also saw the oncologist for Zometa on Tuesday and, while we agreed to stop Gemzar, we decided not to do a Hospice referral until I need "help" at home, whatever that is. More on that later.
Emma got in during the wee hours on Tuesday. Lindsay came up later that day and the cooking began Wednesday with turkey stock, cranberry dressing, cornbread for stuffing and desserts. Thursday I sat in the recliner and watched Lindsay and Emma, with help from Hannah, put together one of the very best Thanksgiving meals I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Not only was the food great, there were no dustups of any kind and an early meal meant early cleanup and getting to bed at a reasonable time.
Friday I slept in and spent the day with Emma - she studying physiology while I worked a little on her quilt. Her father picked her up at 3:30 am Saturday to head for an early flight and once I got up I hit the Social Security website. I can only imagine that it was sitting in the chair at the computer for all those hours that resulted in the remarkable increase in pain I experienced by Saturday evening. Nothing specific. Nothing I could point to as something new. Nothing to say I had an infection or fracture or anything I could think of except all that sitting.
I was not much better on Sunday except that by the afternoon the pain had localized to my left mid back - a new spot for me. I called the doctor on call and we increased my pain meds by 50% and agreed that I would avoid the emergency department unless something new or different happened. So this morning I was on the phone to the oncologist's office first thing for more pain meds and the Hospice referral. They will be out Wednesday and I am looking forward to relaxing into their fine, always available, supportive care.
Today I feel better from the pain standpoint, although a bit high with the increased dose. That's unusual for me and I don't like it much, but I'm sure I'll adjust. I'm pretty sure Hospice will be changing my meds, anyway, so here's hoping for a smooth transition to the next phase of this disease.
I hope you all had as happy a Thanksgiving as I did with my family and ate as well.
Emma got in during the wee hours on Tuesday. Lindsay came up later that day and the cooking began Wednesday with turkey stock, cranberry dressing, cornbread for stuffing and desserts. Thursday I sat in the recliner and watched Lindsay and Emma, with help from Hannah, put together one of the very best Thanksgiving meals I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Not only was the food great, there were no dustups of any kind and an early meal meant early cleanup and getting to bed at a reasonable time.
Friday I slept in and spent the day with Emma - she studying physiology while I worked a little on her quilt. Her father picked her up at 3:30 am Saturday to head for an early flight and once I got up I hit the Social Security website. I can only imagine that it was sitting in the chair at the computer for all those hours that resulted in the remarkable increase in pain I experienced by Saturday evening. Nothing specific. Nothing I could point to as something new. Nothing to say I had an infection or fracture or anything I could think of except all that sitting.
I was not much better on Sunday except that by the afternoon the pain had localized to my left mid back - a new spot for me. I called the doctor on call and we increased my pain meds by 50% and agreed that I would avoid the emergency department unless something new or different happened. So this morning I was on the phone to the oncologist's office first thing for more pain meds and the Hospice referral. They will be out Wednesday and I am looking forward to relaxing into their fine, always available, supportive care.
Today I feel better from the pain standpoint, although a bit high with the increased dose. That's unusual for me and I don't like it much, but I'm sure I'll adjust. I'm pretty sure Hospice will be changing my meds, anyway, so here's hoping for a smooth transition to the next phase of this disease.
I hope you all had as happy a Thanksgiving as I did with my family and ate as well.
Monday, November 16, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 83? - Searching for Some Energy
That's about it as far as what's up with me this week. Robert and I had a lovely trip to Long Island where the food and conversation were excellent. We lost at bridge but had a great time playing. Mostly, I just feel like someone hooked a shop vac up to me somewhere and sucked every bit of energy out of me. I'm not tired - it's not sleep I need - I just can't even describe what it takes out of me to walk across the room, much less climb a single flight of stairs. I've decided to forego that last chemo treatment on December 1st before the scan scheduled on the 8th because I can't conceive of or bear the thought of this getting any worse.
I know I keep saying this and then putting it off, but I suspect that with scan results in hand, both disability and Hospice will be fully in place before the end of the year. And for the first time throughout this entire process, I'm angry and sad at the same time. I want to feel better than I do. I want to be able to do more with whatever time I have left than sit in my wonderful recliner or lie in bed hoping for strength.
This week I have no cancer-related treatments. Next week I get Zometa only and it's Thanksgiving! Emma gets in Monday and the festivities will begin in earnest. I'll take the following week off and then have the scan on the 8th and we'll see what that shows. Until then, all I can do is take this one day at a time, do what I can do and be gentle with myself.
Lisa
I know I keep saying this and then putting it off, but I suspect that with scan results in hand, both disability and Hospice will be fully in place before the end of the year. And for the first time throughout this entire process, I'm angry and sad at the same time. I want to feel better than I do. I want to be able to do more with whatever time I have left than sit in my wonderful recliner or lie in bed hoping for strength.
This week I have no cancer-related treatments. Next week I get Zometa only and it's Thanksgiving! Emma gets in Monday and the festivities will begin in earnest. I'll take the following week off and then have the scan on the 8th and we'll see what that shows. Until then, all I can do is take this one day at a time, do what I can do and be gentle with myself.
Lisa
Monday, November 9, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 82? - Up With Steroids
I wish I could say that I understand this roller coaster, but I don't. Last Tuesday I increased my pain meds and decreased my steroids. I was feeling more generally not well than usual, which usually calls for an increase in pain meds. By Thursday I was feeling a bit better overall and had decent days Friday and Saturday. Then at 2:30 am on Sunday the hammer fell and I woke up with really severe pain everywhere I've ever had pain. I took oxycodone every couple of hours until I could get back to sleep and then spent Sunday doing absolutely nothing except lying in the recliner watching TV. I increased my steroid dose back to the highest dose I've been on and the pain is now firmly under control. Nausea required treatment on Sunday, but none since. And I'm weak as a kitten - now having to rest while making the bed in the morning.
Getting to and from work is still OK so I'm still doing that and what I do at work isn't the least physically challenging as long as there is a handicapped spot close to wherever my meeting or office for the day is. So I'm still doing that but don't expect that to continue much beyond the end of November. Now I'm starting to think about the total disability red tape and getting myself organized for that next step in this journey.
Thanksgiving is fast approaching. I think I have the menu finalized and the turkey ordered. I've never ordered from this place before and they haven't confirmed my order yet, but a quick internet look see would indicate that that's par for the course for this local fresh turkey farm so we should be fine.
Applications are in for Hannah and Emma's next educational round and they are in the no fun waiting period. Lindsay is starting work on her applications for her next round and loving every minute of the process - not. She and Jacob were up for the weekend. Great food and good fun were had by all. This weekend Robert and I are headed for Long Island to have dinner and hopefully some bridge with my cousin and her husband.
Tomorrow is the oncologist and more chemo so think gentle thoughts for how it decides to treat me this week.
Getting to and from work is still OK so I'm still doing that and what I do at work isn't the least physically challenging as long as there is a handicapped spot close to wherever my meeting or office for the day is. So I'm still doing that but don't expect that to continue much beyond the end of November. Now I'm starting to think about the total disability red tape and getting myself organized for that next step in this journey.
Thanksgiving is fast approaching. I think I have the menu finalized and the turkey ordered. I've never ordered from this place before and they haven't confirmed my order yet, but a quick internet look see would indicate that that's par for the course for this local fresh turkey farm so we should be fine.
Applications are in for Hannah and Emma's next educational round and they are in the no fun waiting period. Lindsay is starting work on her applications for her next round and loving every minute of the process - not. She and Jacob were up for the weekend. Great food and good fun were had by all. This weekend Robert and I are headed for Long Island to have dinner and hopefully some bridge with my cousin and her husband.
Tomorrow is the oncologist and more chemo so think gentle thoughts for how it decides to treat me this week.
Friday, October 30, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 81? - A Little Down
After an absolutely delightful trip to New Mexico I returned to my real life in Connecticut on Monday. I saw the oncologist for Gemzar and Zometa on Tuesday and have had no real problems as a result, but my fatigue level is getting worse and worse. I don't know whether it was the travel, the slightly lower steroid dose, the chemo, or a combination of all three, but I'm having trouble getting myself up and at 'em in the morning and by the time I get home from whatever small amount of time I spend at work I collapse into the recliner and don't generally move except for dinner. My pain level is also increasing and I'll have to raise the Oxycontin dose with the next refill and I'm noticing swelling in my feet and ankles and abdomen.
I'm scheduled for two more doses of Gemzar, which will make a total of eight, and then a scan on December 8th. I don't expect anything different from this scan than we have seen with all the preceding ones since August of 2008 - slow but clear progression. And that will mean the end of Gemzar and all active treatment for the cancer (I will continue the Zometa for the time being but it's not considered active cancer treatment). Between now and then I will try another steroid dose reduction next week. If I feel worse I'll bump back up to the original dose and leave it be. If I feel better I'll keep trying small, slow dose reductions until we see how low I can go.
There is still much on my horizon. I've started on Emma's quilt, family will be here for Thanksgiving and Christmas and I suspect there will be other visits from family and friends. I'm just having a little trouble, at this point, seeing more than a few weeks ahead of my nose. I know there's nothing to do but keep putting one foot in front of the other and see where it leads me, but I'd like to get my smile back to keep me company.
This weekend will be graced with a visit from Lindsay and Jacob and a batch of green chile stew made from the chiles I brought back with me from New Mexico. The weather in Connecticut swings wildly from beautiful, crisp and clear to gray, dreary and wet but at least we don't have 2 feet of snow! (Sorry you guys in Colorado.)
More next week when I know how the next steroid experiment goes.
Lisa
I'm scheduled for two more doses of Gemzar, which will make a total of eight, and then a scan on December 8th. I don't expect anything different from this scan than we have seen with all the preceding ones since August of 2008 - slow but clear progression. And that will mean the end of Gemzar and all active treatment for the cancer (I will continue the Zometa for the time being but it's not considered active cancer treatment). Between now and then I will try another steroid dose reduction next week. If I feel worse I'll bump back up to the original dose and leave it be. If I feel better I'll keep trying small, slow dose reductions until we see how low I can go.
There is still much on my horizon. I've started on Emma's quilt, family will be here for Thanksgiving and Christmas and I suspect there will be other visits from family and friends. I'm just having a little trouble, at this point, seeing more than a few weeks ahead of my nose. I know there's nothing to do but keep putting one foot in front of the other and see where it leads me, but I'd like to get my smile back to keep me company.
This weekend will be graced with a visit from Lindsay and Jacob and a batch of green chile stew made from the chiles I brought back with me from New Mexico. The weather in Connecticut swings wildly from beautiful, crisp and clear to gray, dreary and wet but at least we don't have 2 feet of snow! (Sorry you guys in Colorado.)
More next week when I know how the next steroid experiment goes.
Lisa
Friday, October 23, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 80? - Land of Enchantment
I'm sitting at my sister's computer for this week's update, enjoying the New Mexico sunshine streaming in through the window. I've already had my first Lotaburger and tonight holds the promise of chile relleno enchiladas and El Modelo tamales. My mother beat me here yesterday, Chris and Sheri arrive this afternoon and Emma and her buddy tonight. My best childhood friend was here to greet me last night and will be over for gossip and giggles for a while this morning before she heads back home and my stepbrother, Bill, stopped by last evening. He was here for work and also heads home today. Tomorrow we all make fools of ourselves at the CSU/UNM volleyball game, the austensible excuse for this little gathering. More than anything, I am thrilled to be in my beloved New Mexico with friends and family with the largest challenge on the horizon being getting my frozen green chiles home with me on Monday.
After the post-chemo pain resolved last week I was more fatigued than usual until the middle of this week. I attribute that to the combination of chemo and my steroid dose reduction so I've decided not to reduce the dose further until the week after my next chemo. I will enjoy my prodigious appetite while able to enjoy the New Mexico cuisine and not worry about fatigue or nausea cramping my style. That's it for where things stand with current symptoms.
I read a news release this last week about an article published in the International Journal of Cancer about survival improvement in people with stage IV lung cancer and bone metastases who are treated with Zometa. It was a small study and the patients were put on the Zometa for bone pain. Turns out it didn’t help the pain, but overall median survival in the group treated with Zometa was over 19 months, while survival for the chemo only (carbo/taxol) was just over a year.
That’s a big difference! In fact, I will reach the Zometa group’s overall median survival on Sunday. My oncologist started me on the Zometa months ago when I started to develop new bone lesions. As you know, I’m on pain meds to control the pain, but we’ve continued the Zometa to try to prevent more new bone lesions and to delay time to fracture of any that I have. At least a part of me feels like the Zometa is playing a significant part in keeping me alive and keeping me active. I feel like I live a charmed life regarding my oncologist and his educated guesses about how to treat me.
That's it for now. I'll be back in Connecticut Monday afternoon and pick up with enjoying the New England autumn after this little break of enchantment.
Lisa
After the post-chemo pain resolved last week I was more fatigued than usual until the middle of this week. I attribute that to the combination of chemo and my steroid dose reduction so I've decided not to reduce the dose further until the week after my next chemo. I will enjoy my prodigious appetite while able to enjoy the New Mexico cuisine and not worry about fatigue or nausea cramping my style. That's it for where things stand with current symptoms.
I read a news release this last week about an article published in the International Journal of Cancer about survival improvement in people with stage IV lung cancer and bone metastases who are treated with Zometa. It was a small study and the patients were put on the Zometa for bone pain. Turns out it didn’t help the pain, but overall median survival in the group treated with Zometa was over 19 months, while survival for the chemo only (carbo/taxol) was just over a year.
That’s a big difference! In fact, I will reach the Zometa group’s overall median survival on Sunday. My oncologist started me on the Zometa months ago when I started to develop new bone lesions. As you know, I’m on pain meds to control the pain, but we’ve continued the Zometa to try to prevent more new bone lesions and to delay time to fracture of any that I have. At least a part of me feels like the Zometa is playing a significant part in keeping me alive and keeping me active. I feel like I live a charmed life regarding my oncologist and his educated guesses about how to treat me.
That's it for now. I'll be back in Connecticut Monday afternoon and pick up with enjoying the New England autumn after this little break of enchantment.
Lisa
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 79? - Down With Steroids
Today is the day after chemo (Gemzar) and every time is a new experience. Yesterday I had a rather sudden and dramatic increase in all my pain at about 7 pm, 4 hours after the chemo was started. Same thing happened after #2 (yesterday was #4), but it was 24 hours later rather than 4 hours later. None of that after #1 and #3. I'm guessing that that's because I got #1 and #3 with Zometa, the drug they give me to treat bone pain, prevent fracture and slow down the progression of the bone metastases. It's only given once every four weeks and I'm guessing that maybe it protects me from that post-chemo pain syndrome. We'll see. If no pain next time I'll be ready with quick draw pain meds after #6.
I talked to the doctor about my hip pain. I've pretty much decided to let it be for now. As long as I use my cane for any distance and stay off it as much as I can the pain is controllable with a minimal increase in my usual pain medication regimen. Right now I don't see any reason to clutter my life with scans and appointments to consider the possibility of additional radiation. I'll reconsider if the pain threatens to stop me from doing things I want to and would otherwise be doing.
Finally, we talked about the steroids - what they're intended to do and the side effects I'm experiencing. The weakness that makes it difficult for me to get up out of a chair is the most worrisome, although I'm not liking my fat face or fat me. We decided to very slowly try to decrease the dose to one that will lighten up on the side effects but still control the nausea and not let the bone pain get any worse. That's a 25% reduction per week, so I'll let you know how that goes.
Other than that, Emma is recovering from her experience with H1N1 flu and I fully approve of the way the university handled that situation - online reporting, automatic excused absences and test rescheduling, keep 'em out of the health center. Lindsay and maybe Jacob coming for at least part of the weekend. The Fantasticks is at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven and I think we'll go wallow in that with a nice meal thrown in for good measure.
I talked to the doctor about my hip pain. I've pretty much decided to let it be for now. As long as I use my cane for any distance and stay off it as much as I can the pain is controllable with a minimal increase in my usual pain medication regimen. Right now I don't see any reason to clutter my life with scans and appointments to consider the possibility of additional radiation. I'll reconsider if the pain threatens to stop me from doing things I want to and would otherwise be doing.
Finally, we talked about the steroids - what they're intended to do and the side effects I'm experiencing. The weakness that makes it difficult for me to get up out of a chair is the most worrisome, although I'm not liking my fat face or fat me. We decided to very slowly try to decrease the dose to one that will lighten up on the side effects but still control the nausea and not let the bone pain get any worse. That's a 25% reduction per week, so I'll let you know how that goes.
Other than that, Emma is recovering from her experience with H1N1 flu and I fully approve of the way the university handled that situation - online reporting, automatic excused absences and test rescheduling, keep 'em out of the health center. Lindsay and maybe Jacob coming for at least part of the weekend. The Fantasticks is at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven and I think we'll go wallow in that with a nice meal thrown in for good measure.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 78? - A Week of Ups and Arounds
It's been an interesting week, this last one. Robert, Lindsay and I drove to Hartford to pick up my mother Saturday evening in gray, drizzly gloom. We stayed up that way for dinner and by the time we left the restaurant were visited by a fantastic thunderstorm and deluge of rain. We had a great family weekend and Robert put together a meal on Sunday that had to rank as one of his all time best. Monday Lindsay and my mother and I had lunch in New Haven before dropping Lindsay off at the train to head back home.
Once the Sunday evening storms died down the weather had been everything from a tiny bit dreary to sparkling, but we woke to drenching rain on Wednesday to celebrate Robert's birthday. I worked during the morning and for reasons that will never be clear to me, my left hip selected that morning to suddenly, after five months of pain relief and no cane, become exquisitely painful. I didn't do anything, the onset wasn't associated with a specific action, but it is suddenly much worse. I came home to hit the recliner and the pain meds. My aunt and uncle came over from Long Island to help celebrate Robert's birthday, see my mom while she's here and see me before they head for Florida for the winter. By the time dinner rolled around I was feeling some better so we headed out for what turned out to be one of the very best seafood meals I can ever remember.
Thursday morning I looked in the mirror and realized that I've developed the "moon facies" associated with long-term steroid use. I've been on dexamethasone since the end of August when I was in the emergency department for nausea and now you can tell. Nothing bad or dangerous, I'm just not used to having a round face. I also called the oncologist about the hip pain. He sent me for plain x-rays but the radiologist couldn't even see the hip lesion, much less whether there'd been a fracture or any other change. The oncologist asked if I wanted a scan to help decide what to do, but I had so much pain just getting the plain films I told him I'd think about it over the weekend and we'd talk when I see him on Tuesday. As long as I use my cane and stay off the leg as much as possible I'm OK. I was already pretty limited in standing and walking time with the pain from the spinal mets, so I'm mulling whether I really want to do anything about this or not. When it first showed up last spring there was actually talk of surgery, but I'm not in any way a surgical candidate at this point so it's either stay off it and take meds or talk to radiation oncology to see what they might be able to do. So I'll mull over the weekend and we'll talk to the oncologist on Tuesday.
Other than that, Emma got hit with H1N1 influenza in Colorado. She was miserable and it was miserable for me not to be able to do anything for her, but she seems to have turned the corner and was able to go to a couple of classes yesterday. All other children are healthy (well, Isaac recovering from knee surgery) and busy.
Don't forget to support Team Sunnyside for the National Free to Breathe event in November and send quiet thoughts to my hip.
Lisa
Once the Sunday evening storms died down the weather had been everything from a tiny bit dreary to sparkling, but we woke to drenching rain on Wednesday to celebrate Robert's birthday. I worked during the morning and for reasons that will never be clear to me, my left hip selected that morning to suddenly, after five months of pain relief and no cane, become exquisitely painful. I didn't do anything, the onset wasn't associated with a specific action, but it is suddenly much worse. I came home to hit the recliner and the pain meds. My aunt and uncle came over from Long Island to help celebrate Robert's birthday, see my mom while she's here and see me before they head for Florida for the winter. By the time dinner rolled around I was feeling some better so we headed out for what turned out to be one of the very best seafood meals I can ever remember.
Thursday morning I looked in the mirror and realized that I've developed the "moon facies" associated with long-term steroid use. I've been on dexamethasone since the end of August when I was in the emergency department for nausea and now you can tell. Nothing bad or dangerous, I'm just not used to having a round face. I also called the oncologist about the hip pain. He sent me for plain x-rays but the radiologist couldn't even see the hip lesion, much less whether there'd been a fracture or any other change. The oncologist asked if I wanted a scan to help decide what to do, but I had so much pain just getting the plain films I told him I'd think about it over the weekend and we'd talk when I see him on Tuesday. As long as I use my cane and stay off the leg as much as possible I'm OK. I was already pretty limited in standing and walking time with the pain from the spinal mets, so I'm mulling whether I really want to do anything about this or not. When it first showed up last spring there was actually talk of surgery, but I'm not in any way a surgical candidate at this point so it's either stay off it and take meds or talk to radiation oncology to see what they might be able to do. So I'll mull over the weekend and we'll talk to the oncologist on Tuesday.
Other than that, Emma got hit with H1N1 influenza in Colorado. She was miserable and it was miserable for me not to be able to do anything for her, but she seems to have turned the corner and was able to go to a couple of classes yesterday. All other children are healthy (well, Isaac recovering from knee surgery) and busy.
Don't forget to support Team Sunnyside for the National Free to Breathe event in November and send quiet thoughts to my hip.
Lisa
Friday, October 2, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 77? - All Quiet on the Cancer Front
The big news of the week is better liver function tests! Whether due to Gemzar, steroids, or all your good thoughts, the two major liver transaminases are normal and near normal. My alkaline phosphatase is still more than twice normal but can come from a lot of things, most notably bone metastases, so I'm not counting it as a liver function test. Other than that, no new symptoms or problems. No new emergency trips anywhere. I went for Gemzar and Zometa on Tuesday and didn't even have the brief increased pain and fatigue I usually get the next day. So the plan for right now is to keep on keeping on with what we're doing. I'll get Gemzar in two weeks, Gemzar and Zometa in four and that's the next time we'll check liver function tests.
My mother arrives tomorrow for a visit and has apparently timed it perfectly to enjoy early fall in Connecticut. We've had a couple of crisp days and leaves are definitely turning. Before she gets here I'm attending a CME course at my hospital in case I have to relicense and recredential next summer.
All three Thomas daughters are in the throes of school applications (well, Emma's pretty much done with applications - now she's just waiting) so the times they are anticipatory. Isaac is recovering from knee surgery and, other than that, all seven of our children are healthy, working away at and enjoying school and happy.
This week you can keep sending steady as you go thoughts. I would be perfectly happy to become the most boring email/blog updater ever.
Lisa
My mother arrives tomorrow for a visit and has apparently timed it perfectly to enjoy early fall in Connecticut. We've had a couple of crisp days and leaves are definitely turning. Before she gets here I'm attending a CME course at my hospital in case I have to relicense and recredential next summer.
All three Thomas daughters are in the throes of school applications (well, Emma's pretty much done with applications - now she's just waiting) so the times they are anticipatory. Isaac is recovering from knee surgery and, other than that, all seven of our children are healthy, working away at and enjoying school and happy.
This week you can keep sending steady as you go thoughts. I would be perfectly happy to become the most boring email/blog updater ever.
Lisa
Thursday, September 24, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 76? - Cancer Keeps Rolling, Too
Monday night I experienced some shortness of breath when I went to bed. This was a new symptom for me so I called my oncologist on Tuesday. He examined me and everything seemed fine, but wanted a CT angiogram of my chest to make sure the shortness of breath wasn't being caused by a pulmonary embolism (I've lost count, this was either my 3rd of 4th of these for that reason). There was no pulmonary embolism, but the CT scan showed a new, small pleural effusion (fluid around the lung) on the right. It also showed continued growth of multiple nodules in both lungs as well as the liver and adrenal metastases.
The shortness of breath when lying down hasn't been bothering me since Wednesday - I don't know why - so I'm back to my baseline symptoms with shortness of breath after minor exertion, well-controlled pain and only occasional, controllable nausea. My activities haven't changed, just my knowledge of the scoreboard. Right now my cancer and I hold each other at bay and I'm very thankful for that.
Next week I go back for Zometa and Gemzar (who knows? maybe it's slowing things down and it doesn't bother me much so we'll keep it up). The leaves are starting to change but there has been no real nip in the air yet. Everyone is busy and enjoying life.
Lisa
The shortness of breath when lying down hasn't been bothering me since Wednesday - I don't know why - so I'm back to my baseline symptoms with shortness of breath after minor exertion, well-controlled pain and only occasional, controllable nausea. My activities haven't changed, just my knowledge of the scoreboard. Right now my cancer and I hold each other at bay and I'm very thankful for that.
Next week I go back for Zometa and Gemzar (who knows? maybe it's slowing things down and it doesn't bother me much so we'll keep it up). The leaves are starting to change but there has been no real nip in the air yet. Everyone is busy and enjoying life.
Lisa
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 75? - Life Keeps Rolling
It's been a very busy week, hence Friday morning before I can get out my update. I had chemo on Tuesday and that went without any problems. My oncologist is out for a family emergency so I saw one of the other doctors in the practice and we talked a little about what may be coming. As I mentioned in my last note or the one before, my liver function tests are rising. This could either be because the tumors in the liver are growing or because of the chemo itself. I'm pretty sure, for my part, that it is tumor growth because they started up a little before I even started this chemo and, if you remember, they were going up pretty quickly before I started my very first chem over 18 months ago. If they keep going up, regardless of the cause, they will force stopping the chemo when they reach about 5 times the normal upper limits. Not to be a downer, but this is the last approved chemo for my cancer, so that would be the end of active treatment phase. I continue to get Zometa to slow down the progression of the metastases in the bones and prevent fractures. My bone pain has gradually been increasing over the last couple of weeks, so this week we increased the oxycontin to 30 mg twice a day and I am taking 3 - 4 doses of rescue oxycodone to keep the pain controlled. The really good news in that is that the pain is still very controllable and those are still moderate doses, so I presume I'll keep going to the oncologist for Zometa until something happens to make it moot - fracture through that hip lesion, for instance, that would probably put me in a wheelchair - or until I opt for Hospice only care.
Except for the day after chemo, when I felt truly awful for a few short hours with pain and exhaustion, my energy level is good, nausea is minimal, appetite is good and I haven't lost any more weight. There's lots of interesting stuff going on at the hospital regarding Employee Health, H1N1 flu, practice realignments, etc. so plenty of administrative work to do and I have felt well enough to throw myself into it with abandon. Only the CT DOT is trying to interfere, doing major bridge work over the CT River so it took me an hour and 45 minutes to get to work yesterday. Guess I'll be traveling the back roads for the next couple of weeks.
Other than that, volleyball season has begun! Hannah's team played Tuesday and last night and won both matches 3-0. She made the paper this morning for her 3 blocks, 2 service points and 6 kills! Next week will see at least one more challenging match plus their biggest rivalry with the next town over (although that team is starting out 0-2) so the excitement continues to build around her senior season. Philip is doing better in school than ever before in his short but tall life - go Philip!
The leaves have just started to show a little bit of color, temperatures are cooling and it really does seem like there is a touch of fall in the air. The air conditioner almost never comes on but it's always comfortable so I'm enjoying the season transition very much. The recliner is still the place to be in my house and we are enjoying all the great sports on TV.
The only directed thoughts I can ask for right now would be aimed at my liver function tests, so tell those hepatocytes to take a deep breath and chill out. Next chemo September 29.
Lisa
Except for the day after chemo, when I felt truly awful for a few short hours with pain and exhaustion, my energy level is good, nausea is minimal, appetite is good and I haven't lost any more weight. There's lots of interesting stuff going on at the hospital regarding Employee Health, H1N1 flu, practice realignments, etc. so plenty of administrative work to do and I have felt well enough to throw myself into it with abandon. Only the CT DOT is trying to interfere, doing major bridge work over the CT River so it took me an hour and 45 minutes to get to work yesterday. Guess I'll be traveling the back roads for the next couple of weeks.
Other than that, volleyball season has begun! Hannah's team played Tuesday and last night and won both matches 3-0. She made the paper this morning for her 3 blocks, 2 service points and 6 kills! Next week will see at least one more challenging match plus their biggest rivalry with the next town over (although that team is starting out 0-2) so the excitement continues to build around her senior season. Philip is doing better in school than ever before in his short but tall life - go Philip!
The leaves have just started to show a little bit of color, temperatures are cooling and it really does seem like there is a touch of fall in the air. The air conditioner almost never comes on but it's always comfortable so I'm enjoying the season transition very much. The recliner is still the place to be in my house and we are enjoying all the great sports on TV.
The only directed thoughts I can ask for right now would be aimed at my liver function tests, so tell those hepatocytes to take a deep breath and chill out. Next chemo September 29.
Lisa
Thursday, September 10, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 74? - 18 Months!
Just a quickie this week to say that all is well. I tried coming off the steroids and wound up feeling like a flaccid penis that was also nauseated so I'm back on the crack. I doubled my Protonix and the heartburn isn't bothering me. First volleyball scrimmage was yesterday and I made it through 2 1/2 hours thanks to the new stadium seats Robert snagged.
Having great fun helping (minimal help needed) Hannah with AP Physics.
Philip broke his finger in gym class on Tuesday so is out of gym class for a couple of weeks and SO VERY SAD ABOUT THAT. Not.
Emma's vet school applications go in this week.
Lindsay is coming out for the day tomorrow and says she has SO MUCH GRAD SCHOOL STUFF TO TALK ABOUT that it will probably drive me crazy.
Next chemo on Tuesday.
My one serious note comes after an email from my colleague who was diagnosed with stage IV cholangiocarcinoma in December. She is feeling demoralized because treatment is not producing improvement in her cancer and she knows of so many people who have been diagnosed around the same time or since and are finishing or finished treatment and being flipped over into the survivor column. That's the whole problem I've had with the survivor label. I've been alive (surviving) 18 months since diagnosis as of tomorrow. But I am not a survivor. I am still in active treatment and will remain in active treatment until I am transferred to hospice because there are no more approved, effective treatments for my cancer. I have been so blessed with these 18 months and the love and life they have contained. I just wish there had been that survivor column to even aim for.
Thank you all for all you have contributed to these 18 months.
Having great fun helping (minimal help needed) Hannah with AP Physics.
Philip broke his finger in gym class on Tuesday so is out of gym class for a couple of weeks and SO VERY SAD ABOUT THAT. Not.
Emma's vet school applications go in this week.
Lindsay is coming out for the day tomorrow and says she has SO MUCH GRAD SCHOOL STUFF TO TALK ABOUT that it will probably drive me crazy.
Next chemo on Tuesday.
My one serious note comes after an email from my colleague who was diagnosed with stage IV cholangiocarcinoma in December. She is feeling demoralized because treatment is not producing improvement in her cancer and she knows of so many people who have been diagnosed around the same time or since and are finishing or finished treatment and being flipped over into the survivor column. That's the whole problem I've had with the survivor label. I've been alive (surviving) 18 months since diagnosis as of tomorrow. But I am not a survivor. I am still in active treatment and will remain in active treatment until I am transferred to hospice because there are no more approved, effective treatments for my cancer. I have been so blessed with these 18 months and the love and life they have contained. I just wish there had been that survivor column to even aim for.
Thank you all for all you have contributed to these 18 months.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 73? - A Much Better Week
Wow! I am very thankful to report that the last two weeks seem to have been an anomaly of feeling miserable and I am much, much, much better this week. I haven't had to take anything at all for nausea for the last 3 or 4 days, my pain is adequately controlled, I've made it to work every day and I got chemo and Zometa on Tuesday. Yay! I don't know whether I was dealing with a viral gastrointestinal illness or what, but I tolerated the Gemzar on Tuesday with only moderate fatigue the next day and some increased pain for about 24 hours. I'm still worried about those stupid liver function tests, but as long as I feel good won't ask to repeat them until early October. Maybe they'll give us an idea about whether or not the tumor is responding to the Gemzar.
I'm having some moderately severe heartburn today, even on Protonix, so I'll probably increase the Protonix and start to decrease the steroids. I can always go back up on the steroids if my misery index increases, but right now the heartburn is the most miserable thing I'm experiencing. I'm cut loose from the oncologist until September 15th, when I get my next Gemzar.
I continue to THOROUGHLY enjoy my recliner. It's amazing to me how much more comfortable I can be in that chair than just about anywhere else, including my bed. I've been working away on the last of Lindsay's quilt top elements (7 of 18 left to do) and enjoying baseball, football and even occasional golf.
All the kids are back in school. Hannah finds out about final volleyball teams today, first scrimmage is the 9th and first match of the season is the 15th. Philip is at the Percussion Ensemble meeting today and should be entertaining himself making lots of noise this semester at school. Emma is deeply into the semester and almost done with this round of vet school applications. Lindsay has been to her first World Politics class but is currently in Traverse City with Jacob for her sister-in-law's wedding, so school is on the back burner for the next week or so.
Robert has continued to keep himself busy painting the house and the weather in Connecticut has been as close to perfect as it gets for the last week or so. It's nice when feeling good and beautiful surroundings coincide so nicely!
Thanks for all the antinausea thoughts. They worked!
Lisa
I'm having some moderately severe heartburn today, even on Protonix, so I'll probably increase the Protonix and start to decrease the steroids. I can always go back up on the steroids if my misery index increases, but right now the heartburn is the most miserable thing I'm experiencing. I'm cut loose from the oncologist until September 15th, when I get my next Gemzar.
I continue to THOROUGHLY enjoy my recliner. It's amazing to me how much more comfortable I can be in that chair than just about anywhere else, including my bed. I've been working away on the last of Lindsay's quilt top elements (7 of 18 left to do) and enjoying baseball, football and even occasional golf.
All the kids are back in school. Hannah finds out about final volleyball teams today, first scrimmage is the 9th and first match of the season is the 15th. Philip is at the Percussion Ensemble meeting today and should be entertaining himself making lots of noise this semester at school. Emma is deeply into the semester and almost done with this round of vet school applications. Lindsay has been to her first World Politics class but is currently in Traverse City with Jacob for her sister-in-law's wedding, so school is on the back burner for the next week or so.
Robert has continued to keep himself busy painting the house and the weather in Connecticut has been as close to perfect as it gets for the last week or so. It's nice when feeling good and beautiful surroundings coincide so nicely!
Thanks for all the antinausea thoughts. They worked!
Lisa
Saturday, August 29, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 72? - More Than I'd Like
It's been a rocky week. Monday I got hit with that overwhelming discomfort thing from which I am always unable to get any relief. I told Robert that I wanted him to find me a recliner but then let my mother and sister in on it and between the three of them I had a brand new La-Z-Boy in my family room by Tuesday afternoon. It seems to be the place that I am most likely to find a position of comfort and is a wonderful gift in my new state of being. Tuesday and Wednesday were better than Monday, but Thursday I woke up vomiting. I made it to an 8 o'clock meeting but apparently looked so poorly that my boss walked me down to the emergency department, where I spent most of the rest of the day.
They didn't find anything big and scary to explain the vomiting - no brain mets on a dry CT, no abdominal obstruction - but my liver function tests are about twice normal and my platelets are low (that latter is from the chemotherapy a week and a half ago). I got fluids and IV antinausea medicine and eventually got myself home and into the recliner. No vomiting yesterday, but the nausea persists. They started me on steroids and I'm hoping to see some relief from that over the next couple of days. The other not too good thing, along with the elevated liver function tests, is that I've lost 8 pounds in the last 2 weeks. So it feels like the balance is beginning to tip in cancer's favor.
I'll see how things go this week before I make any decisions about work. I'd like to keep working through the middle of October, but I don't know if that's going to be workable. I can do a fair amount from home and I know they are amenable to that, so we'll see.
My spirits are flagging a bit as I start to run into walls that I don't seem to be able to get over. I started an antidepressant Wednesday night but that's on hold with the vomiting on Thursday. The steroids should perk me up at least a bit.
Everybody except Lindsay is back in school and she starts Monday, so the new season rolls along. Hannah is at her first volleyball practice/try out for the school team and I look forward to the games upcoming.
Think good antinausea thoughts for me and I'll try to keep the updates coming.
Lots of love,
Lisa
They didn't find anything big and scary to explain the vomiting - no brain mets on a dry CT, no abdominal obstruction - but my liver function tests are about twice normal and my platelets are low (that latter is from the chemotherapy a week and a half ago). I got fluids and IV antinausea medicine and eventually got myself home and into the recliner. No vomiting yesterday, but the nausea persists. They started me on steroids and I'm hoping to see some relief from that over the next couple of days. The other not too good thing, along with the elevated liver function tests, is that I've lost 8 pounds in the last 2 weeks. So it feels like the balance is beginning to tip in cancer's favor.
I'll see how things go this week before I make any decisions about work. I'd like to keep working through the middle of October, but I don't know if that's going to be workable. I can do a fair amount from home and I know they are amenable to that, so we'll see.
My spirits are flagging a bit as I start to run into walls that I don't seem to be able to get over. I started an antidepressant Wednesday night but that's on hold with the vomiting on Thursday. The steroids should perk me up at least a bit.
Everybody except Lindsay is back in school and she starts Monday, so the new season rolls along. Hannah is at her first volleyball practice/try out for the school team and I look forward to the games upcoming.
Think good antinausea thoughts for me and I'll try to keep the updates coming.
Lots of love,
Lisa
Friday, August 21, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 71? - A Rough Few Days
I feel like a bear stumbling around after winter hibernation even though it's only been three days. As I've been reporting, I always seem to have some level of nausea. It was a little worse when I went in for my first Gemzar on Tuesday but I was otherwise fine and knew they'd be giving me something for nausea IV before the chemo so we went ahead. Half way through the chemo I threw up what appeared to be everything that had gone into my stomach that day. They held the chemo, gave me some fluids and more antinausea meds then finished the chemo. That was far from the end of the story, however. I threw up twice more - once as soon as I got home and one with my 10 pm medications and then had diarrhea for most of the evening/night. My temperature never got above 100. Wednesday I basically didn't make it out of bed except to go to the bathroom. Things finally started to improve yesterday afternoon after I took some Compazine (old school antinausea medicine) and actually managed some dinner last night.
Even though this started during chemo, I don't think it had anything to do with chemo. I actually think I had a viral gastroenteritis so plan to go about my business and give the Gemzar another go in two weeks. My oncologist and I are talking about pain and nausea control (the opiates may certainly be contributing to the constant low grade nausea so we may try messing with those a bit, although my pain is very well controlled right now and I'm a bit nervous about changing any of that up.
Other than that, everything is status quo. My vital signs and blood counts were fine on Tuesday. I managed to get in to work for a few hours yesterday and aim for the same today. We have a quiet weekend planned before the insanity of a new school year hits next week, and I do mean hit. Emma starts classes for her masters program Monday, Lindsay registers for her class(es) Thursday, the same day that Hannah and Philip start their senior and junior years of high school, respectively. We'll be sitting in volleyball bleachers in no time! Even though summer waited a long time to get here, I'm already tired of the hot sticky weather. I'm not looking for first frost or anything, but dew points in the 60s would be an improvement.
So, anyway, I seem to be recovering from this latest little kick in the pants. No more chemo until September!
Even though this started during chemo, I don't think it had anything to do with chemo. I actually think I had a viral gastroenteritis so plan to go about my business and give the Gemzar another go in two weeks. My oncologist and I are talking about pain and nausea control (the opiates may certainly be contributing to the constant low grade nausea so we may try messing with those a bit, although my pain is very well controlled right now and I'm a bit nervous about changing any of that up.
Other than that, everything is status quo. My vital signs and blood counts were fine on Tuesday. I managed to get in to work for a few hours yesterday and aim for the same today. We have a quiet weekend planned before the insanity of a new school year hits next week, and I do mean hit. Emma starts classes for her masters program Monday, Lindsay registers for her class(es) Thursday, the same day that Hannah and Philip start their senior and junior years of high school, respectively. We'll be sitting in volleyball bleachers in no time! Even though summer waited a long time to get here, I'm already tired of the hot sticky weather. I'm not looking for first frost or anything, but dew points in the 60s would be an improvement.
So, anyway, I seem to be recovering from this latest little kick in the pants. No more chemo until September!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
What's Up With the Doc 70? - Helping Hands
I know it hasn't been a week, but something pretty remarkable happened last night and I wanted to share it with you. I was lying in bed just after 10 pm and in quite a lot of pain. I was waiting for my Ibuprofen and rescue oxycodone to work. While I was lying there, I decided to see if I could put all the good thoughts and prayers and hopes you send to good use. So I visualized them all as hands - mothers' and fathers' hands, siblings' and friends' hands, children's and elder's hands - and allowed them to lift me and let me feel weightless. I imagined them gently stroking the lines of my face, gently rubbing my back, neck and shoulders and deeply massaging my feet and hands. Before long I was pain-free and able to go to sleep and slept, with only one bathroom interruption, until my alarm woke me at 6 am (for more medicine). I could easily have awakened my husband or gone to one of my children's rooms, but that would have required physical effort on my part and then, "not quite so hard." or, "a little harder, please," or, "a little to the left," or ,"just a little longer, please." Instead, I got exactly what I wanted for just as long as I wanted it. So thank you all for the thought and prayers and hopes that turned into helping hands for me last night. They were a great comfort.
Lisa
Lisa
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Wht's Up With the Doc 69? - Chugging Along
No big news this week except that Tuesday was 17 months post-diagnosis. Seventeen months ago I didn't expect to be here now, but here I am! Even though I will be going in for Gemzar on Tuesday, the majority of my cancer treatment is symptom control at this point - fine tuning what meds and when will keep me as pain-free, nausea-free and alert as possible. I spoke to the oncologist about Ibuprofen and its antiplatelet activity and wondering whether we should switch to another NSAID but he didn't think so. He feels all the NSAIDs cause poor quality platelets, which aggravates the poor quantity problem with the Gemzar so he says we'll just watch it. If the Ibuprofen causes problems we'll back off on it and add Tylenol and increase narcotics for a while. Speaking of which, pain has been well-controlled on 20 mg of oxycontin twice a day with 5 mg oxycodone as needed (usually once or twice a day) until I fell in the kids' bathtub on Monday. We're using that one because ours was leaking so it had to dry for a few days before being recaulked. The kids' shower has no nonskid material on the floor and I took a good header. My right elbow is bruised but pain-free. My neck hurt immediately but then went back to it's usual state, but my left hip and low back have been unhappy - not quite as bad today, so I think it's muscular. I did tell the oncologist and we agreed to just watch things for now. I'm on Zofran during the day for nausea and Ativan at night and I seem to be holding my own. Oh, and there's a new mat in the bathtub.
My nonclinical work has proven to be interesting and time-consuming. The entire policy manual for the institution has to be reviewed and revised every year and keeping up with Connecticut statutes is always fun. H1N1 flu continues to entertain everyone and running the quality improvement program for our medical staff is perennially like herding cats. It's keeping me busy and distracted but is not too taxing, physically, so just right for my life as it is now.
Hannah and Philip spent the early week with Uncle Bruce and Aunt Dottie on Long Island. Philip and I are going back this weekend and Hannah may go back with a friend next week. All clinging to summer, we are, as we start having to deal with things like senior portraits (Hannah), 10th grade physicals (Philip) and the general getting ready for another school year. It's mid-August, in case no one noticed!
Friday Lindsay and Jacob came up and we all went to see Julie and Julia and then went out to dinner at the restaurant where Hannah works. The movie and the food were great and we had a wonderful time.
That's pretty much it for now. Good thoughts for our shower to stop leaking and that the Gemzar is gentle on me. More next week.
Lisa
My nonclinical work has proven to be interesting and time-consuming. The entire policy manual for the institution has to be reviewed and revised every year and keeping up with Connecticut statutes is always fun. H1N1 flu continues to entertain everyone and running the quality improvement program for our medical staff is perennially like herding cats. It's keeping me busy and distracted but is not too taxing, physically, so just right for my life as it is now.
Hannah and Philip spent the early week with Uncle Bruce and Aunt Dottie on Long Island. Philip and I are going back this weekend and Hannah may go back with a friend next week. All clinging to summer, we are, as we start having to deal with things like senior portraits (Hannah), 10th grade physicals (Philip) and the general getting ready for another school year. It's mid-August, in case no one noticed!
Friday Lindsay and Jacob came up and we all went to see Julie and Julia and then went out to dinner at the restaurant where Hannah works. The movie and the food were great and we had a wonderful time.
That's pretty much it for now. Good thoughts for our shower to stop leaking and that the Gemzar is gentle on me. More next week.
Lisa
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