August 19, 2006 - Day 4 - Week 20 - Not All Joy In Mudville

If you remember, the mighty Casey struck out, even in the face of adoring fans and high expectations he could not get his ball on the bat to redeem him and save the Mudville Hens. Getting the news last Monday that the PET showed negative, that is the radioactive dye no longer lit me up like a Christmas tree, thus I felt my expectations rise and my optimism soar, only to be faced with some unexpected consequences of this process of getting well.  I experienced strike one this week.

Yesterday I felt worse than, or at least equally debilitated, as any day during chemo therapy.  Apparently, all is not well within the system, because even the slightest physical exercise; going up stairs, making the bed, walking to the post office from my office, winded me noticeably.  This comes at a time when I was preparing myself psychologically, and wanting to train physically for utilizing both my lung capacity and the natural wind for my beloved windsurfing.  No I can’t water start and jump the waves, but the solitary gliding across the water on a board so close to the natural elements is both exhilarating and spiritual for me at the same time.  This is as close to nature as I experience, and last summer I became winded because of the as of then undetected tumors growing within, but this summer was to be different, especially since my news was so great this past Monday.

So off to the doctors again instead of to the gym.  Heart better for sure, but a lingering cough, shortness of breath, and just plain getting pooped out with the least amount of exertion is annoying at best, and downright depressing at the worst.  Reflecting upon experience is the way we learn in life, so I have reflected.

Are the unintended consequences the result of the chemo therapy attacking my good cells, as well as the bad, in a similar successful fashion?  That sounds reasonable to assume.  Had I gotten run down as a result of travel, family, thinking I was stronger than I really was?  Perhaps so.  Am I experiencing chemical soup catastrophe?  I referenced the number of medications in my medicine cabinet a couple of months ago, but now they are even more daunting. Is this the cause of my upset stomach, and feeling like I just want to go back to bed?

I do not know the answers yet, but Monday I will see Dr. Prudente to review this complex medical pharmacy that is so much a part of my daily routine.  Curious?

Here goes:

1. Diabetes – Actos and Metformin
2. Heart – Coreg, Amidarone, Flurosemide
3. Prostate – Doxazosin
4. Lung – Fluconszole, Trimetho/sulfamethox

All spellings are approximate. This list does not include the natural homeopathic vitamin regimen, so by the end of the day I have ingested a chemical soup of approximately 22 tablets of varying sizes and shapes that would make a gemologist proud.

I have great confidence and respect for my primary medical team of three of the finest doctors around, but I will request some form of modification in this regimen if I feel so poorly by Monday.  I guess that is in keeping with my proactive response to being told I have cancer.  Working in consort makes sense.

Back to Week 20