Gary update 2/20 - Radiation week 1

My radiation started on Tuesday of this past week. I have four weeks -- 20 treatments -- altogether, so as of now, I'm 4 down, 16 to go.


I had hoped for no side effects and, although they have been relatively mild, I've had some big ups and downs this week. Other than the fatigue which I was warned about, I've been having really bad abdominal cramps. The doctor had mentioned nausea as a side effect, but I haven't had any nausea thank the Lord, but I've had these bad cramps. I asked the doctor about it and he agreed that these were a result of the radiation. He said that the bowels especially are very sensitive so that any disturbance in that area can set them off. Usually this results in nausea or irregularity, but in my case, he said that these types of cramps would not be unusual. He advised an over the counter remedy which has helped take the edge off, but that's all.

So week 1 hasn't gone as well as I'd hoped, but I keep reminding myself that this is benefiting me, and I look ahead to being rid of the pain and having more normalcy back as much as possible.

On February 23, I have my next Zometa infusion on top of the radiation. Last month's infusion kicked my butt, so I'm going to talk to the oncologist about how to possibly mitigate some of the worst Zometa side effects. Hopefully he can advise me on what to do to lessen the blow.

My octreatide scan at Moffitt is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5. It may be pushed back a week to March 11 and 12, so we're still waiting to hear back on that. The octreatide scan is a two-day process. Day 1 you get an injection, then report back four hours later for the scan, then come back the next day for the second scan. Evidently they schedule the first day injection for 8:00 a.m. and ask you to be there 15 minutes before your appointment. Yikes! I tried to see if we could move that up. They said they usually don't because they want to have the first scan at noon. With a 3 1/2 to 4 hour trip to Tampa, that may make things interesting. We had considered taking the kids with us this time, but now we're not so sure. We had planned to spend March 4 night in Tampa, but not March 3! We're trying to decide whether to go down March 3 and stay the night to be there for my 8 o'clock appointment or whether to pack up the day before and get up at zero dark thirty (aka 2:30) to head down. I'm still hoping that we can push the whole thing up a few hours. At Shands they did the initial injection at noon and I came back at 4. Evidently Moffitt doesn't do things that way. I left a message yesterday afternoon about it but on a Friday afternoon, I didn't hear back. I'll have to speak with them on Monday.

Here's hoping that next week I will do better. God has been good to us and given me strength so that I've been able to get a few things done, so I haven't felt completely useless. It's hard for me to just lay around. I know I have to save up my strength so my body can heal, but it's difficult. In the long run, I know these next three weeks will be just a blink of an eye, but in the middle of it, it's hard.

Thank you for your love, thoughts, encouragement, friendship, and support during this difficult time. May the Lord bless you all!