“The Plan” With Greater Detail
I had an appointment with my doctor in Baltimore today. He removed all of my staples. Yay! I’m a bit more comfortable now. We also discussed in greater detail my treatment plan for the next several months.
As I’ve already mentioned, I’m getting a chemo port installed on Thursday and I start systemic chemo on Monday, August 22nd. I’m going to be getting the FOLFOX regimen alone for the first two or three cycles and they’re going to add Avastin after that. I’ll be getting the chemo once every two weeks.
Probably between the 5th and 6th chemo treatments, I’ll have a CT scan to see what’s going on with the cancer. I’ll also be having tumor marker tests every month, of course.
Assuming all goes well and on schedule, around the middle of November I’ll quit the systemic chemo. This is because you need to have 6 weeks after stopping Avastin before you can have surgery.
Around the end of December or the beginning January, I’ll have surgery again — this time WITH the heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Depending on what the doctor sees on the CT scan and when he begins the procedure, I may be able to have this second surgery done laparoscopically — which would be great. Either way, though, I’m looking forward to getting the HIPEC (the heated chemo). That stuff kicks ass. Cancer ass, I mean. It kicks cancer ass.
And that’s it!
I really like that there’s a plan in place.
Oh, also… I asked the doctor about the scary terminology differences between my pathology report in April and my pathology report in July. As you may recall, in April they were calling it “mucinous adenoma”, but in July it was “mucinous carcinoma, intermediate”. Dr. E. has assured me that my pathology has not changed in those three short months. It’s just that different labs use different terminology. Although they weren’t calling it carcinoma in April, it still WAS a cancer — which I knew. The lab who did the July pathology is just more “general” about how they name things. Anyway, not to worry. It’s the same thing now that it was in April. Not great — but not horrifying, either. So. Good.
Posted by RebeccaHartong on August 15, 2011 under Health
Agree it is good to have a plan! Glad your staples are one-this does make the incision more comortable. As redness subsides some (and after oozing, if any, is gone)I recommend getting some silicon anti-scarring gel and working into the healing tissue 2x/day. Tri-Derma makes a good one. This doesn’t get rid of scarring but it will keep the scar flatter and the tissue more pliable-which also makes for a more comfortable scar since it will pull less on surrounding skin.
Get as much rest as you can and good food before chemo. They probably have told you this, but don’t take folic acid supplements (if you do) while taking 5-FU; one counteracts the effects of the other, You might want to talk to the doctor about B-12 supplementation though, with a vegetarian diet you don’t get very much of this from the diet, and chemo is likely to deplete the rest. It is possible that any B vitamins would be vetoed, ut it is worth checking into since B12 deficiency can exacerbate the peripheral neuropathy that can come with chemo.
Thanks for the tips, Barb! I’m definitely going to ask about the B-12, in particular!
Oh — I meant to ask you…I have been told that chemo can make the skin very sensitive. I have some lovely, unscented olive oil Castille soap I would be happy to send you! It has been aging for about 6 months, which makes it even better and more gentle.
Thanks, Valerie! That would be really nice. One of the possible side effects of the drugs I’ll be getting is that the skin on hands and feet can crack and peel. Gentle soap would be very welcome under those circumstances.
Hey! I’m playing on my NEW computer! I don’t have my email address book moved here yet, so email me and I can add you. You know how much I HATE change … so getting used to this new machine is a PAIN. So far I LIKE it tho! It actually has all its keys – and they all WORK!