Half-Way, More or Less

FIVE Chemo infusions completed and FIVE to go!

Here is the latest chapter in my very, very strange year of medical anomalies. After my fifth Chemo treatment (treatments are three weeks apart): The news is mostly good--very good.

1  My PSA has decreased from a high of 54 in May to 15 at the end of July!
2  My appetite has improved greatly. For nearly six months most foods tasted terrible or at best bland. All of a sudden food tastes like food again. Why? Maybe I'll never know but I will continue to enjoy eating normally.
3  And my weight has increased by more than ten pounds since May. I almost look normal (but on the slim side) again. I had to buy some new clothes to fit my trimmed down frame (bought pants in the Boys Department).
4  I am able to jog a little and walk a mile or two most days. For about an hour a day I can work in the yard, split and carry wood, or do a few household chores.
5  My tolerance of the Chemo drug has been pretty good. No serious side effects, no major pain, and I still have much of my hair. I didn't have all that much to begin with.

There are always challenges:

1  I regularly experience fatigue, take a nap or two each day, and sleep 10 to 12 hours at night. I fall asleep while watching TV and often don't make it past 8:00 pm. I fall asleep while talking to my wife (she thinks I'm just ignoring her). This is worst the first 7 to 10 days after Chemo. It gets better about a  week before the next treatment.
2  My attention span suffers from time to time. That may also be related to my advanced age.
3  I catch colds easily, have developed rashes and a fungus, and use a ton of hand sanitizer. It's hard to remember to be careful and avoid all sorts of dust, germs, and other stuff.

Cancer Survivor? We are all survivors. I have come to the conclusion that you are a 'survivor' at this very moment and you never know what will happen five minutes in the future. There are never any guarantees. That's OK.

We still plan our life as we always have. We travel, visit friends and relatives, and take on projects on the farm. But now, for example when making airline reservations, we always buy the trip insurance--just in case. Life is pretty good. Thank all of you who have cared and supported me.
Stay tuned!

axman

Some Progress is Better than No Progress

Having incurable cancer has led me to regularly adjust my definition of "quality of life."

Three chemo treatments down, seven to go. In the past month my PSA has gone from a high of 54 (way too high) to 22 this week--still high but much improved. My goal is zero or thereabouts.

I still have some hair but it is thinning fast. And I am eating better, walking better, and being more alert more often (don't hold me to that one). I gained three pounds in a month. First time I've actually gained weight in six months. I lost about 50 pounds in those six months--none of it on purpose. I bottomed out at about 132--my 12-year-old weight. Gives new meaning to second childhood.

I keep hearing about all the nasty side effects I can expect from the chemo infusions, but my side effects have been minor, so far. But then there are seven sessions to go. I'm optimistic but not fanatically so. Stuff (this is PG rated) happens.

Just so you don't think I'm living in la la land, I know I still have stage four prostate cancer that has metastasized to all sorts of places in my body, including my lungs, bones, and bladder. I can't run marathons any more, my wife won't let me climb on the roof to clean gutters (hmmmm, maybe not so bad), I need a nap or two every day, I can't stay awake through a movie, and just about no body part works as well as it used to.

I can't see or feel those internal problem areas so when my other outer symptoms/conditions are addressed I feel pretty good. "Good" as in my new definition of Quality of Life. Nothing hurts much, I get around (rather) slowly, I can still write blogs and draw cartoons, and I can spend time with family and friends. In summary, I have a pretty Good Quality of Life!

axman

So Chemo is Good for You Again?

You men with incurable prostate cancer have probably heard at least some of this. In recent years men with advanced prostate cancer were usually given chemotherapy only when everything else failed. When your Dr. said, “Let’s try Chemo,” you (or at least me) figured you were almost dead. In a world where cancer drugs showing ‘significant survival benefit’ keep you alive 3.7 extra months, it’s easy to be skeptical of new claims. 

But wait, things are changing…

A recent article published by Medscape reports changes in the use of chemotherapy. Several recent studies have shown that adding chemo BEFORE the hormone blockers (such as abiraterone and enzalutamide) have failed can lead to ‘significant survival benefit’ for many men—in the 17 to 22

month range (on average). That’s good. Docetaxel, a plant based chemotherapy agent, was used in the studies. It has been around nearly 20 years but just recently used earlier in the prostate cancer treatment cycle. 

Men using hormone blockers and who also have metastatic prostate cancer have been treated with docetaxel infusions while the hormone blockers have still been effective. Those men lived significantly longer than men who did not start chemo treatment until the hormone blockers became much less effective.

But there can be side effects…

Side effects are common. Most cancer meds come with some unpleasant side effects. Docetaxel (like other chemotherapies) has side effects that can be serious enough that some men can’t tolerate it. 

Side effects can include:

•         Being allergic to docetaxel
•         Increased risk of infection, red and white cell blood counts low
•         Nausea 
•         Diarrhea 
•         Mouth sores 
•         Weight gain
•         Hair loss (for those who still have hair)
•         ….and more

So when your doctor brings up the subject of chemo—don’t panic, it just might be worth your while (and a few extra months) to consider the possibilities.

axman