chemo

4/23/09

Jim was uncomfortable last night--aches and pains and some discomfort in the area of the port-- but he slept well. In spite of his bravado and positive outlook, I know this is getting him down. No one wants to take chemo again. And as the spokesperson for all of those brave and silent suffering patients, my job is to tell you that whatever they say, this is no easy journey.

4/23/09

Some regimens might be relatively easier but none are easy.Jim is taking his pre-infusion now--Decadron, Zofran, Benadryl They should begin the other drugs--one at a time--shortly. The nurse said he will probably be here for 6 hours. Tomorrow should be shorter--3 hours.

Dr. Rios answered some questions for us: 1.)Yes I will be giving Jim Procrit and Neuposgen shots again--i guess beginning next week. Pray the insurance pays for this. Dr. Rios said he didn't foresee a problem. 2) He will get 4 sessions of the 4 drugs, once every 21 days--then a PET back here in Houston to see if the tumor is shrinking. Start praying now. With every drip that goes in his body I am praying that it goes directly to the ttumor and any others that have begun and obliterates them. 3) Pray that he doesn't have a problem with clots--a common side effect with the Alimta or maybe Avastin iget them confused. 4) He is going to get us some phenergan for breakthrough nausea but the pre meds they use now are much stronger than in 2003. Then the effect for nausea was only 24 hrs. Now it is 5 days.

I am going to get something to eat. I hate going without Jim but 6 hrs is too long to wait and I doubt very much that he will feel like eating tonite.