Via a blog! I sent this email out to a few folks who I am not sure if they check they blog or not, but I will also post it here so you can read it too, as I am sure you all want the same information:
Hello Everyone,
Today I received my second round of this new kind of "chemo" with the drug trial I am involved in here in Houston at MD Anderson. Just from this week alone I can already say that this chemo is AMAZINGLY less side-effect ridden than anything I have had in the past. I've had a headache almost every day (in some form or another) for the past week, but I don't think I can pin that on the chemo so much as the weather down here in Houston. The side-effects that are popping up now are more internal. My Cholesterol and Triglycerides shot up (from 173 and 90 (I don't know units) to 205 and 228 respectively) so they gave me a pill to help control my cholesterol. My platelets also took a nose dive, going from last week's 134 to this week's 57. From the sound of it they are already planning on holding one of the drugs from next week's regime and possibly a transfusion if they go below 10, maybe 20 if I start bruising/ bleeding.
To do MY part to help my health and cholesterol I am turning mostly vegetarian. I'll do the occasional chicken and fish, but red meat is going to be a rarity until I'm off this stuff. I'm not overly concerned about going mostly veg, I take it as a new challenge to my interest in cooking. Let's see what I can do without meat, especially beef.
Prayer request wise I would like continued prayer support for the side effects of the drugs. I'm not sure how they "stack" on each other as I get more and more rounds. Also that the foods I eat will both be good tasting, and help my body. As I continue to recover please pray that I would know when I'm going to far, and that my recovery would continue in spite of the drugs I am taking. Pray also for Lisa as this is the first time she has been "alone" in a house all day. She's used to a work environment where people talk to her all the time.
Please feel free to distribute this to anyone you see fit to distribute it to. A copy of it can also by found on my website: http://www.802heaven.com (which is also where I tend to post daily, or semi-daily updates)
Thanks team!
~B.
Great news about the side effects.
ReplyDeleteI do have to say, being in Houston and not being able to eat red meat is brutal! Hope you can find some good eating out with your new regime. My siblings are always raving about central market - a posh grocery store down there. Might be a fun afternoon activity to find some new things to get excited about on a mostly veg diet:-)
Sarah
Ben this is the first time I've visited your blog - I like it so I can keep posted on your progress and not have to ask all the time. Tell Lisa Hi, and hope she isn't too lonesome at home. The coffee pot misses her here.
ReplyDeletepraying!!
ReplyDelete