Last Thursday I had blood drawn. On Friday I found out that my CEA count has shot up to over 700. The chemo is not working. Furthermore, my white blood count was way down and Dr. George said I would not be able to get it this week. So it seems clear. My body is not tolerating the chemo the way it’s supposed to be given and the way I’m getting it is not working. It’s time to stop chemo. It’s a tough decision but one that I knew was coming sooner or later. So now this battle will be fought by me, my body’s natural defenses, and God.
Today I went for paracentesis after eight days since the last one. They only got 7 liters out which is encouraging because last time it was 12 liters after eight days. That and the fact that I felt so much better afterwards really boosted my spirits.
I’m very close to getting the semi-permanent catheter implanted but I’ll probably wait another eight days and have paracentesis again. If the volume continues to decline I hope to avoid the implant.
I’m very happy to report that I was able to check off another item on my bucket list. There was an anonymous comment left on my last blog post that read in part “… I want you to know that you have changed my life. You have taught me to be more courageous, more grateful and more aware.” I don’t know about courageous but I have often said that this disease has made me more grateful, more aware of other people and more appreciative of things I never noticed before. If my blog has helped someone live their life with the appreciation I wish I had lived mine with then I have a accomplished something special. Some people have alluded to this in the past but anonymous is the first one to tell me I changed his/her life. So I’m checking it off the bucket list. Thank you anonymous.
Carry on.
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I hate tough decisions... I hope you feel so much better that you get to do something wonderful this summer!
ReplyDeleteI think of you all the time... and pray for peace and comfort for you and your family.
Jerry, I think you've changed more lives than you know. I think that when we get to heaven, or whatever a person wants to call it, I think it's there we find out how much we affected other lives. I'll bet it's huge, how many lives have been touched by you. I know you touched my life and John's.
ReplyDeleteT. Hawker
I think you have made the right decission with the chemo Jerry. Think about quality of life, a term you are probably familiar with. My mum enjoyed a good quality 8 months after stopping chemo
ReplyDeleteregards james england