07.16.2009 - Another Round of Chemo

On 07.16.2009, I had another round of chemotherapy. I had a MRI the prior day, 07.15.2009, and the results of the scan were that my tumor was stable and unchanged. My neurooncologist was very impressed that I was able to work full-time, run three times a week, and lift weights three times a week while doing the therapy and that my energy levels were excellent. He mentioned that when people ask him if they can continue working while doing the therapy, he will now reply, "Russ does it." We decided to continue the current course of treatment and expect to do that until we get to the two year mark, which will be three months.

We had to leave the house early for the chemotherapy today and our sister-in-law really helped us out by watching all the kids. My wife ran some errands while I was receiving the chemo and saw the new Harry Potter movie. Due to the benadryl they gave me intravenously, I slept for most of the four hours that I was there.

I am home now and could be feeling better. I would call my current state mediocre, but not terrible. I am slightly nauseous. I took some anti-nausea medication a little over an hour ago and it is helping. I am really grateful for all my supportive friends and family. It is amazing how many people post supportive comments regarding my treatment status on Facebook. Thank you so much.

For those of you who don't know how you could do it, you could do it. It sounds hard and it is hard, but when faced with something that can and will kill you if you do nothing, you have two choices...fight it and live, or ignore the situation and die. I think the choice is simple. YOU FIGHT. I think you would all do the same thing.

06.13.2009 - Another Round of Chemo

On 06.10.2009, I had another round of chemo. It was Etopicide and Taxol. I always take the Temodar too, but that is orally each evening for five days, beginning with the first day of chemo. That night, I wasn't feeling well, but I felt well enough the following morning to go for a three mile run. I only missed work for the time it took to receive the chemo. So far, so good. My face is breaking out and that is likely an interaction between the Tarceva and the IV chemo drugs. I will hold off on the Tarceva for a while until that goes away. Even though Temodar isn't that bad, it frustrates me that I am supposed to take it at bed time on an empty stomach. I really like eating before bed and I have to plan to eat earlier when taking the Temodar. The hair is all back, but it is only a matter of time before the Taxol knocks it all out again.

05.12.2009 - MRI & Going Well

On 05.12.2009, I had a MRI and it showed that everything is presently stable. My doctor showed me the scan from hours earlier compared to a scan from over a year ago and it was clearly visible that the tumor had responded to treatment. I was very pleased to see that.

The new treatment plan is to discontinue using BCNU because I have had as much, if not more, than anyone has ever had of BCNU and it could cause lung damage. The last lung test that I had showed my DLCO as 134% of normal for people my age. My doctor was impressed by this. I think the weight lifting and running has paid off.

DLCO is the extent to which oxygen passes from the air sacs of the lungs into the blood. He and my nurse were concerned that use of the drug any further could significantly affect my DLCO.

Now, we will continue using the Etopiside and Taxol via IV and the Temodar, orally. When I get to 24 months - which is only five months away - we will switch to all oral medications.

04.24.2009 - One Week Post Chemo

On 04.15.2009, 04.16.2009 & 04.17.2009, I did another round of BCNU. I felt well enough during the treatment that I worked each morning before I had to leave for the doctor's office, brought work with me to do during chemo treatment, and then even worked after chemo was done on the last day. I thought I got off scot-free, but then I was more tired than usual for a week after it. I believe I am feeling pretty close to normal now though. I don't know when the next round will be since the BCNU tends to knock my blood counts down for a few weeks at a minimum. It is also causing me to breakout, so I have a red, flushed look to my face and whiteheads on my face. It is just so fun to look like a teenager again. I don't know if I can say that my hair is coming back yet. I have decent beard growth and my eyebrows are sparse. Last time my hair came out, my eyebrows weren't affected. I don't look too freaky though. Many people have told me I can pull off the bald look pretty well.

04.10.2009 - Hair Falling Out Again

I knew it would happen again at some point soon since Taxol makes my hair fall out. I can see many places where the hair is falling out and it is time to shave my head again. Some day, this process will be over and the hair can stay. I feel good and have been lifting weights three times a week and running three times a week. I am in as good of shape as I was while in the police academy eight years ago. I have another round of chemo - BCNU this time - scheduled for the latter half of next week. Is it spring yet? Last weekend, we had harsh wind and freezing rain and my lawns were covered in sheets of ice.

03.17.2009 - Etopiside, Taxol, and Avastin

On 03.17.2009, I went to the doctor's office and had my regular biweekly Avastin treatment, along with a combination of the chemotherapy drugs - Etopiside and Taxol. Taxol is the one that I have to get pretreated with IV benadryl to prevent any possible allergic reaction and I always need a ride to and from treatment for that one. They don't want me driving home after that.

My mother was visiting and offered to take me. My platelet count had been dropping the past couple weeks and started rising again, but the level wasn't where my nurse wanted it to be. I told her that today was the best time for chemo since I had someone with me who could take me home and she consulted with the doctor and I was approved to have chemotherapy.

The Etopiside is what they are using to replace the Camptosar/Irinotecan/CPT11. My nurse said I should not experience nausea and vomiting from it. It has been several hours since I had the treatment and I don't feel sick, but I don't feel great either. I am experiencing a general malaise.

I knew that if I had chemo this morning, I wouldn't want to run on the treadmill this evening, so I ran when I woke up. I hope I will feel good enough to lift weights tomorrow night and then run again on Thursday night. It doesn't look like there is hair growth in my immediate future with all these drugs. Oh, well, I don't mind the bald look.

03.03.2009 - Perhaps More Chemo?

On 03.03.2009, I had a MRI and a PFT (Pulmonary Function Test). The PFT was because BCNU can adversely affect your lungs. The MRI showed that the residual tumor tissue was stable and unchanged, which is the way it was the last time, the time before that, and the time before that. That is good. It means that the tumor isn't growing.

Despite that, my doctor asked me if I would do more chemo. He said that since I tolerated it so well, perhaps we could hammer another nail in the tumor's coffin. I thought chemo was over and done with. That sucks! We are considering following his advice, but how long will this go on for? Needless to say, it could have been a better day.