Day One of Chemo.

Well this is quite a way to renew our blog.  We announce we are headed to the hospital to give birth to Ethan, and then 12 weeks later I announce that I am done with my first day of chemotherapy.

Regarding Ethan; he is doing great.  He was born August 5 at 10:50 pm.  He weighed in at 8 lbs. 6 oz. and he is already pushing, if not surpassed, 15 pounds.  He is already wearing 6-9 mos. clothing.  He is such a joy.  I was so excited to become a father, but the joy he has brought to my life has surpassed all of my expectations.  I am sure that part of the reason I say that is that he has slept wonderfully from day one.  He is sleeping through the night (9:30 pm to 5-8 am on many nights), and has been for several weeks.  I guess when you grow into the 80% in height and weight you need your sleep.  We know that we will have to be prepared for sleep deprivation with the next one because we won't be this lucky twice.

Ok, so on to the chemo.  I checked into St. Joe of Ann Arbor on Tuesday, October 28 at 1:00 pm.  I had made a trip to OSU on Monday for a second opinion, and it was the same as what was said here.  I have been extremely pleased with the care I have received here, and would recommend it to anyone.  Thank you to Kate and Susan for helping me connect with Drs. Schaub and Sullivan here.  While UM's Thoracic Surgeon could not get me in for a consult until this coming Friday (yes, I am technically still waiting to get into UM), St. Joe got me in the day I called and I had a biopsy the next day.  Dr. Sullivan was my surgeon, and she was excellent.  She set me up with Dr. Winegarden, my oncologist, who actually saw me before the biopsy, and was there to watch the biopsy as well.  He said that it was the first time he had done that, but that by some miracle in his schedule he was available, and hoped it would help in his diagnosis and speed things along.  He is great and I am very comfortable in his hands.  

Thank you also to Heather and Todd for connecting me with OSU oncology department, and to my sister for her help in this process as well.  Todd's connection at OSU was the head of oncology.  He made sure that I was able to see someone in his department on Monday, and was offering to put in a call to his personal friend, Dr. Einhorn, at Indiana.  He was the one that treated Lance Armstrong.  At OSU they confirmed that treatment was standard and that I would receive excellent treatment back here at St. Joe as well.  They were excellent; they fit me in on short notice, were very thorough, and while they said they were ready to treat me there starting the next day, they also stressed the importance of going somewhere that is convenient for my family and where I am comfortable.  So after speaking with them, and speaking with Dr. Winegarden on his cell phone at home that evening, I decided to head back up here, equipped with more info and more confidence in the treatment plan.  My sister was there for my appointment at OSU, and actually went into the office in the morning to make contact with the doctors helped oversee things down there.  She is great, and her knowledge of the pathology has been both impressive and invaluable.

Most importantly I want to thank Megan!  She has been a mad magician this past week.  She has been on the phone constantly, coordinating my appointments and organizing all of the information.  She has been my nurse, and somehow, she continues to care for Ethan.  I don't know how she does it!  She is a superstar and I love her more than anything.  Now she is driving back and forth between me and Ethan, and watching over us both.  We couldn't do it without the help of our parents in watching Ethan and driving me to Columbus.  Thank you everyone, and Megan, you amaze me everyday.  I love you!

So here I am now, early in the morning of Day 2 of chemo.  My cancer is called choriocarcinoma.  It is very rare, but curable.  Since the goal is cure, the chemo will be very strong and they will follow the regimen strictly.  The side effects will likely make me very sick, but they will manage that will other drugs and will not reduce the chemo except in a few serious scenarios because the goal is cure and this regimen does work.  The drugs have hepatotoxicity and pulmonary toxicity, thereofore they will watch my kidney and lung function closely.  In very rare instances the drugs can also cause leukemia.  However, they also cure the cancer.  Choriocarcimoma is usually mixed with other types of germ cell tumors, but it looks like I may have pure choriocarcinoma, which is even more rare.  This means that there is a small risk of bleeding with treatment.  This is the main reason they admitted me for the first segment of chemo.  If everything goes smoothly the rest will be outpatient treatment.

My treatment this week is five days of chemo, then a treatment on the ninth day and the sixteenth day, and then we start all over after 21 days.  I will go through 4 cylces total.  The drugs are Bleomycin, Etoposide, and Cisplatin.  I started yesterday, and believe it or not, it was the best I have felt in at least 3 weeks!  They gave me about a dozen drugs before the chemo to minimize the side effects of the drugs, and they seemed to greatly reduce my symptoms as well.  I ate everything they put in front of me yesterday, and I have not eaten a full meal in weeks.  My cough is better and my GI upset is essentially gone.  I truly feel great!  I know that will not likely continue to be the case as the levels of chemo increase in my body, but for now, I will take it. 

Last night I slept like a rock.  I can't say that was the case the night before.  I think I woke up about 3 am and was awake until 5 am.  During that time I began reading Lance Armstrongs book (thanks for the loaner Jack), I prayed a lot, and I had a conversation with the cancer.  I congratulated it on it's impressive growth; there are multiple very large masses.  I also told it to enjoy it's last night of freedom.  Up until now it has had it's way in my body.  I told it that was about to end and I would soon begin to kick it's ass!  It may have won round one, but there was no knock out.  It may be big and strong, but I am much bigger and much stronger, and I will be winning the rest of the rounds and I will register a knock out.  

Since I found out about this last Monday, I really have not felt scared or worried.  I saw the images of the masses, and I know they are not going anywhere unless I do something about them.  So my feeling is that the only thing worth my energy and my worry is what can I do to beat it.  One would have to move the mountains and the oceans to take me away from my family, and a mass of tissue is certainly not going to accomplish that. 

So please try not to worry (too much), because I will win!!  Please do send your prayers and your thoughts and your love.  I won't take any chances with this and will take all the help I can get, but please remember that together, WE WILL BEAT THIS!!!