I am off to another round of Bleomycin today. It is a short, one hour infusion that does not effect blood counts, but can take it's toll on the lungs. So far my lungs seem to have handled the treatment just fine, and I am looking forward to another day of killing cancer!
I had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. Thanks to Becky and Chris for a wonderful day and meal, and my taste buds were functioning properly! The metallic taste that had been creeping in through the week was miraculously held at bay for the day and I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Ironically, I woke up this morning and took a sip of water and it tasted like I was drinking zinc! Crazy drugs can do crazy things. Hopefully my taste buds will give me another reprieve tomorrow when I have round 2 of Thanksgiving with my family.
My hair continues to fall out, but it is doing so at an even pace. I have not opted to shave it off yet. Ethan and I now have the same hairdo, but we are ships passing in the night. His is starting to fill in nicely, while mine is thinning out nicely. We will post some pictures as soon as we find the time to download them off the cameras.
Ethan is continue to grow like crazy, and he enjoyed his first food yesterday for Thanksgiving. We fed him some rice cereal mixed with breast milk for the first time. I guess I don't know if he truly enjoyed his first meal, but he did eat some of it. He is just growing so big that he always wants to eat and he eats a lot. For Megan's sake it is time to supplement with some cereal.
I continue to be thankful for my progress and thankful for you support. It's a beautiful day, it's time to go kill cancer!!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope this entry finds you enjoying the holiday with family and friends. We have had a good week visiting with good friends whom are in town, and will be spending the next couple of days with family.
It has been a busy week thus far for me. Besides visits from Fred and Diana (in from CA) and from Dan Holmes (in from Chicago). I have been busy conducting phone interviews for a new front desk staff at the office. After running an ad for one week, we received nearly 100 applications! In the Michigan economy, it really isn't that big of a surprise. There are a lot of people looking for work. It's another reason to be thankful this week, and a reminder to prayer for those in search of work. I will be praying for you.
I continue to do very well with the treatment. The only change this week has been that the chemo has started affecting my taste buds. Many foods now have a zinc taste to them. It's a crummy week for that to start, but at least I am able to eat and still have a good appetite. So I still plan to test my taste buds on all of today's and Saturday's Thanksgiving meals. I am sure I can find a way to enjoy the feasts!
So I still have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I am feeling strong. My symptoms/side-effects range from fatigue, hair loss, and altered taste. These are all easily managed. Ethan is seated on my lap as I type, trying to add a few edits as I go. I have the time and strength to enjoy my time with him and Megan, and I am even able to run some of my business from home. God is good.
Please know that you are all in my heart today. All of the posts, the emails, the cards, and the phone calls have touched my soul. It is an overwhelming feeling to see how much one can be loved by so many. Please have a blessed Thanksgiving, and know that I will be praying for each of you today. I give thanks for all of you and the gift of your love that you have given me in the last 6 weeks.
It has been a busy week thus far for me. Besides visits from Fred and Diana (in from CA) and from Dan Holmes (in from Chicago). I have been busy conducting phone interviews for a new front desk staff at the office. After running an ad for one week, we received nearly 100 applications! In the Michigan economy, it really isn't that big of a surprise. There are a lot of people looking for work. It's another reason to be thankful this week, and a reminder to prayer for those in search of work. I will be praying for you.
I continue to do very well with the treatment. The only change this week has been that the chemo has started affecting my taste buds. Many foods now have a zinc taste to them. It's a crummy week for that to start, but at least I am able to eat and still have a good appetite. So I still plan to test my taste buds on all of today's and Saturday's Thanksgiving meals. I am sure I can find a way to enjoy the feasts!
So I still have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I am feeling strong. My symptoms/side-effects range from fatigue, hair loss, and altered taste. These are all easily managed. Ethan is seated on my lap as I type, trying to add a few edits as I go. I have the time and strength to enjoy my time with him and Megan, and I am even able to run some of my business from home. God is good.
Please know that you are all in my heart today. All of the posts, the emails, the cards, and the phone calls have touched my soul. It is an overwhelming feeling to see how much one can be loved by so many. Please have a blessed Thanksgiving, and know that I will be praying for each of you today. I give thanks for all of you and the gift of your love that you have given me in the last 6 weeks.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Day 5 of Round 2
Day 4 of chemo passed uneventfully, and I feel great. I am just waiting for the drugs to arrive to hook up for day 5 and kill more cancer cells. The worst part of yesterday was watching my Wolverines get pummelled by OSU, much like my cancer is getting pummelled by me! I guess those are results I can live with.
I spoke with the oncologist again today and he confirmed that the HCG levels indeed have a direct correlation to tumor size. Therefore it looks like the treatment thus far has been very successful and that the tumors are likely greatly reduced. HCG is the marker that they will continue to monitor for years to come to be sure that it is not coming back. So it is a bright, sunny, Sunday morning and a great day to give thanks to God.
It is fitting to be receiving this news as Thanksgiving approaches. It seems that it may be a strange time in my life to feel blessed and full of thanks, but that is how I feel. I would love to be home instead of here in the hospital fighting cancer, but somehow I still feel blessed. I have a wonderful family waiting for me to arrive home today, I am strong, and I am beating this cancer. If anything, this has allowed me to take stock in my life, and to really see how many things for which I have to be thankful. It reminds me a bit of a paper I wrote after breaking my leg playing football in high school; it was entitled "Life is Like a Broken Leg." Basically I wrote about how everything was going along in life so well, then a sudden accident greatly changed that. I was in a cast for several months, and then had a cane for many more weeks. It made me realize how many little things we take for granted in life, particularly when it comes to mobility and independence.
How does a broken leg compare to cancer, you ask? Well, you just never know what is coming around the corner. You could have fortune or adversity. It could be a minor setback, or it could be have long lasting effects. This cancer of mine will simply be part of my medical history in a few short months, but it will serve as a constant reminder to cherish every healthy day.
If I have one wish for all of you this week of Thanksgiving, it's that you take advantage of the day that's given you. Take stock in what you have to be thankful for, and don't take a moment for granted. It is hard to view each day as a gift of time, but that is what it a day truly is. None of us will likely ever make every moment count, but this Thanksgiving, take some time to give thanks, and ponder what it would mean to make each day count to it's fullest.
You will all be in my prayers of Thanksgiving this week, may God bless you.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Matt 2, Cancer 0
It may be too early to call round two for me yet, but I have decided to count round one as a 2 point takedown in my favor. I checked into the hospital yesterday afternoon to finish up my 5 days of chemo over the weekend. I had outpatient chemo on Wed-Friday, and will have a round this morning and tomorrow morning. As usual, I had blood drawn on Wed prior to begining chemo on Wed and I received some good news regarding HCG levels.
If you recall, HCG is a hormone that is released by this type of testicular cancer (choriocarcinoma) that is not normally found in men. It is one of the blood tumor markers that are tracked and was very high to begin with, indicating that this was choriocacinoma and possible a pure choriocarcinoma instead of a mixed mass with other types. When I began treatment the HCG levels were >200,000. After 1.5 weeks the HCG had dropped to 96,000, which is a tremendous improvement, and far more than was expected. The exciting news is that on Wednesday, before I started round 2, my levels were 4,900!!! That is a tremendous drop after just one round of chemo. Normal levels are, of course, very low. In the range of 0-5, but I have made tremendous progress. The real significance is that there is a direct correlation between HCG levels and tumor size. So as the tumor shrinks, the HCG levels go down. I will likely have another CT scan in the next week or two to see what the tumors look like, and I can't wait to see how badly I am pummelling those suckers!
Other results of the blood draw show that I am still neutropenic, which means that I have a high risk of infection. My white blood cells crept up from 2.0 to 2.5, but normal is 4.0 to 10.0. My neutophils dropped to 1.2, when they should be 1.7-7.6. This is very low, and in some regimens low enough to alter the chemo dose. In my case, however, since we have a cure we are sticking to the regimen and they will give me injections to boost those levels if the counts do not rebound on their own. The catch is that the injection interacts with the chemo (bleomycin) and increases the risk of pulmonary toxicity. It can cause fibrosis of the lungs and can cause permanent damage. Something we certainly want to avoid.
This is all a balancing act between countless drugs and weighing the risks and benefits of each one. Right now the goal is to get every drop of chemo into my body to kill this cancer. If, however, it continues to kill too many blood cells, we will have to address that. In turn, if that seems to interact with the bleomycin and cause breathing problems, then we may have to back off of the chemo slightly to prevent lung damage. The unknown in all of this is the thyroid medication that I am on. It has a 1:500 chance of lowering white blood cells as well, so we don't really know if that is holding my counts down or not. Thankfully, it appears that the lower HCG levels have reduced the stimulation of my thyroid, and my thyroid function appears to be nearing normal. They began weaning me off of the thyroid med on Thursday. What a balancing act!
Overall I still feel great, and everyday that I feel great I feel that I get stronger. Hearing that my HCG levels are down to 4,900 was a real boost last night. My fatigue is not as bad as it was last week, and my hair is hanging in there. It is still falling out, but it seems to be falling out fairly evenly now, so I still have not shaved it off. I just look like I am ready for the Marines. The hiccups have come back with this second round of chemo, and just a little stomach upset. I have not felt nausea, but I have been taking the anti-nausea drugs to prevent it and they seem to help with the hiccups. All in all I am doing great.
Fred flew in from California last night. We were supposed to be in Columbus for the Michigan game, as is our annual tradition. We both have some streaks going on this game. He has not missed a game since 1994, and I have only missed one since 1989. The irony for me is that the last 2 games I have missed were in 1988 and 1998, and here we are in 2008. So I told Fred count me back in after this year, but I don't plan to attend the game in 2018. I don't wish to see what catastrophic event has to occur to keep this 10 year pattern going.
Fred sold our tickets on ebay for about what he had paid for them on ebay, and he and Andy are coming here to watch the game with me and my Dad. There is nothing like a chemo-cocktail tailgate in the hospital!
I won't make any predictions for today's game, other than this; anything can happen, that's why they play the game. As with every game this season the question is how well can Michigan play today. They are set up nicely; they are big underdogs, they have nothing to lose, and all they have to play for is pride. No one expects them to win and OSU may be taking them lightly. The problem is that they need to play 4 quarters of football, and they have yet to really do that. Can they pull that off in the last game of the year? While it may not seem likely, there would be no better time than now. It they play 4 quarters of solid football, will that be enough for an upset? I don't know, but I hope to get a chance to find out.
Thanks to everyone for your continued support. The cards, the emails, the posts, the phone calls, and the prayers are inspiring. I want you to know that you are all a part of my success thus far and I give you my heartfelt thanks and a rowdy Go Blue! Beat the Bucks!
ADDENDUM:
I just met with one of the oncologists and he gave me wonderful news regarding my blood draw taken this morning. My white blood cell count is back up to 6.5 (normal is 4.0-10.0)! I am waiting on the full report to see how my neutrophils have rebounded, and it takes longer to get the HCG levels. I also just finished my walk around the floor. I made ten laps today, and when I was in for my first round the most I did was 8. So, the question of the day for the cancer has become, "What? Is that all you got?!"
If you recall, HCG is a hormone that is released by this type of testicular cancer (choriocarcinoma) that is not normally found in men. It is one of the blood tumor markers that are tracked and was very high to begin with, indicating that this was choriocacinoma and possible a pure choriocarcinoma instead of a mixed mass with other types. When I began treatment the HCG levels were >200,000. After 1.5 weeks the HCG had dropped to 96,000, which is a tremendous improvement, and far more than was expected. The exciting news is that on Wednesday, before I started round 2, my levels were 4,900!!! That is a tremendous drop after just one round of chemo. Normal levels are, of course, very low. In the range of 0-5, but I have made tremendous progress. The real significance is that there is a direct correlation between HCG levels and tumor size. So as the tumor shrinks, the HCG levels go down. I will likely have another CT scan in the next week or two to see what the tumors look like, and I can't wait to see how badly I am pummelling those suckers!
Other results of the blood draw show that I am still neutropenic, which means that I have a high risk of infection. My white blood cells crept up from 2.0 to 2.5, but normal is 4.0 to 10.0. My neutophils dropped to 1.2, when they should be 1.7-7.6. This is very low, and in some regimens low enough to alter the chemo dose. In my case, however, since we have a cure we are sticking to the regimen and they will give me injections to boost those levels if the counts do not rebound on their own. The catch is that the injection interacts with the chemo (bleomycin) and increases the risk of pulmonary toxicity. It can cause fibrosis of the lungs and can cause permanent damage. Something we certainly want to avoid.
This is all a balancing act between countless drugs and weighing the risks and benefits of each one. Right now the goal is to get every drop of chemo into my body to kill this cancer. If, however, it continues to kill too many blood cells, we will have to address that. In turn, if that seems to interact with the bleomycin and cause breathing problems, then we may have to back off of the chemo slightly to prevent lung damage. The unknown in all of this is the thyroid medication that I am on. It has a 1:500 chance of lowering white blood cells as well, so we don't really know if that is holding my counts down or not. Thankfully, it appears that the lower HCG levels have reduced the stimulation of my thyroid, and my thyroid function appears to be nearing normal. They began weaning me off of the thyroid med on Thursday. What a balancing act!
Overall I still feel great, and everyday that I feel great I feel that I get stronger. Hearing that my HCG levels are down to 4,900 was a real boost last night. My fatigue is not as bad as it was last week, and my hair is hanging in there. It is still falling out, but it seems to be falling out fairly evenly now, so I still have not shaved it off. I just look like I am ready for the Marines. The hiccups have come back with this second round of chemo, and just a little stomach upset. I have not felt nausea, but I have been taking the anti-nausea drugs to prevent it and they seem to help with the hiccups. All in all I am doing great.
Fred flew in from California last night. We were supposed to be in Columbus for the Michigan game, as is our annual tradition. We both have some streaks going on this game. He has not missed a game since 1994, and I have only missed one since 1989. The irony for me is that the last 2 games I have missed were in 1988 and 1998, and here we are in 2008. So I told Fred count me back in after this year, but I don't plan to attend the game in 2018. I don't wish to see what catastrophic event has to occur to keep this 10 year pattern going.
Fred sold our tickets on ebay for about what he had paid for them on ebay, and he and Andy are coming here to watch the game with me and my Dad. There is nothing like a chemo-cocktail tailgate in the hospital!
I won't make any predictions for today's game, other than this; anything can happen, that's why they play the game. As with every game this season the question is how well can Michigan play today. They are set up nicely; they are big underdogs, they have nothing to lose, and all they have to play for is pride. No one expects them to win and OSU may be taking them lightly. The problem is that they need to play 4 quarters of football, and they have yet to really do that. Can they pull that off in the last game of the year? While it may not seem likely, there would be no better time than now. It they play 4 quarters of solid football, will that be enough for an upset? I don't know, but I hope to get a chance to find out.
Thanks to everyone for your continued support. The cards, the emails, the posts, the phone calls, and the prayers are inspiring. I want you to know that you are all a part of my success thus far and I give you my heartfelt thanks and a rowdy Go Blue! Beat the Bucks!
ADDENDUM:
I just met with one of the oncologists and he gave me wonderful news regarding my blood draw taken this morning. My white blood cell count is back up to 6.5 (normal is 4.0-10.0)! I am waiting on the full report to see how my neutrophils have rebounded, and it takes longer to get the HCG levels. I also just finished my walk around the floor. I made ten laps today, and when I was in for my first round the most I did was 8. So, the question of the day for the cancer has become, "What? Is that all you got?!"
Monday, November 17, 2008
Hair today, gone tomorrow.
I continue to feel great, but my hair is finally falling out. My fatigue has decreased the last couple of days, and I continue to have a good appetite. I walked 2 miles this evening and felt like I could keep going. I wanted to jog again, but kept it at a brisk walk. We spent Saturday at my parents house to watch the Michigan game, and we made the trip down to Megan's parents house in Toledo on Sunday. Although I can not go out in public and large crowds, it felt great to get out and see family. It felt like a normal weekend and helped me feel like my old self. Although I am feeling great, it is hard to stay home couped up all day.
The only new development is my hair loss, or increased hair loss. I noticed on Friday that my shirt was covered in whiskers from my beard, so I shaved it on Saturday morning. Unfortunately that did not rectify the hair collecting in the shower drain and the everywhere else I look in the condo. My hair is getting visibly thinner in new areas, and I will likely shave it all off in the next couple of days. I will be sure to post a picture on the blog so as not to shock anyone the next time I see you.
Ethan continues to be a joy. He is now giggling and laughing and trying harder to talk. It is such a blessing to have this time with him as he develops. It is a shame that American society does not normally allow the time off for parents to enjoy this time with their babies. While cancer may not be the best way to do it, I continue to feel blessed that I can spend time with Ethan and Megan. Even if she just called me a mangy dog because of the patches of my hair missing. Yes, we continue to joke about the situation and have very high spirits in general. I am happy to look like a mangy dog, or anything else for that matter, if it means I am beating cancer.
Many of you have offered us help with babysitting, meals, and running errands. We truly appreciate it, and though we may not have taken you up on your offers, rest assured that we will when we need your help. One of the byproducts of me feeling so well is that I can still do many things for myself and help Megan around the house. As long as I am able, I want to do those things. I am able to take care of Ethan, and I am able to help with meals. I have always enjoyed cooking, and Megan and I have always enjoyed cooking together. We are still able to do that. The reality is that in a week, 2 weeks, or a month, that may no longer be the case. When that time comes, we will be looking for help. Thank you all for your generous offers, and please remain on standby.
On Thursday it will have been one month since the initial chest x-ray and CT scan that revealed the masses in my chest, abdomen, and lungs. I am anxious to see the next CT scan to see how much it is reduced. I never imagined that I would feel this well and this strong a month later. I am certain that I am beating this, and look forward to visual proof.
This cancer chose the wrong man to mess with!!
The only new development is my hair loss, or increased hair loss. I noticed on Friday that my shirt was covered in whiskers from my beard, so I shaved it on Saturday morning. Unfortunately that did not rectify the hair collecting in the shower drain and the everywhere else I look in the condo. My hair is getting visibly thinner in new areas, and I will likely shave it all off in the next couple of days. I will be sure to post a picture on the blog so as not to shock anyone the next time I see you.
Ethan continues to be a joy. He is now giggling and laughing and trying harder to talk. It is such a blessing to have this time with him as he develops. It is a shame that American society does not normally allow the time off for parents to enjoy this time with their babies. While cancer may not be the best way to do it, I continue to feel blessed that I can spend time with Ethan and Megan. Even if she just called me a mangy dog because of the patches of my hair missing. Yes, we continue to joke about the situation and have very high spirits in general. I am happy to look like a mangy dog, or anything else for that matter, if it means I am beating cancer.
Many of you have offered us help with babysitting, meals, and running errands. We truly appreciate it, and though we may not have taken you up on your offers, rest assured that we will when we need your help. One of the byproducts of me feeling so well is that I can still do many things for myself and help Megan around the house. As long as I am able, I want to do those things. I am able to take care of Ethan, and I am able to help with meals. I have always enjoyed cooking, and Megan and I have always enjoyed cooking together. We are still able to do that. The reality is that in a week, 2 weeks, or a month, that may no longer be the case. When that time comes, we will be looking for help. Thank you all for your generous offers, and please remain on standby.
On Thursday it will have been one month since the initial chest x-ray and CT scan that revealed the masses in my chest, abdomen, and lungs. I am anxious to see the next CT scan to see how much it is reduced. I never imagined that I would feel this well and this strong a month later. I am certain that I am beating this, and look forward to visual proof.
This cancer chose the wrong man to mess with!!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Matt 1, Cancer 0
Today I completed the last day of chemo for the first round, and I must say that I feel like I won this round! I am still feeling great, with the only noticeable side effect being fatigue. The treatment today was another infusion of Bleomycin, and I felt it less than I did last week.
I had blood drawn twice this week to check my thyroid and to check my blood counts. I found out yesterday that my thyroid is still hyperactive due to the elevated HCG levels. The significance of that is that my surgery that was planned for tomorrow will be postponed. The elevated thyroid activity poses a risk to receiving general anesthesia. I would have like to have gotten it out of the way, but I am glad my doctors are being cautious. Could you imagine if they found that I was beating the cancer, but I fell victim to complications with anesthesia? They will check my thyroid in 2 weeks and see if we can schedule the surgery for 3-4 weeks (the end of the next round of chemo).
The other blood draw today revealed that my blood counts have all gone down. The count of particular concern is my white blood cells (WBC). Normally WBC levels are 4.0 - 10.0 K/UL and my counts are 2.0. This means that I have a higher risk of infection from bacteria that my body would normally have no problem fighting off. I have to avoid crowds, anyone whom may be sick, practice good hygiene, and make sure that my food is properly prepared and fully cooked. So while I was hoping to make it to church on Sunday, it looks like that is out of the question for now. It seems excessive considering how well I feel, but my immune system is just too weak right now to fight anything off. Apparently it should start to come back up over the next week, and then we will hit it again with another round of chemo.
Still no sign of any (additional) hair loss. In fact, I need a haircut according to my wife. So tomorrow may be my last haircut for awhile. Just think of the money I will save; a whole $15 a month!
Below are a few pictures of my family taken last weekend. I hope you enjoy them.
Ethan helping Dad through chemo on Halloween at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.
Family Halloween Photo
A happy father and not-so-happy son.
Reading with Grandpa
Monday, November 10, 2008
There's No Place Like Home!
I have been home for a week now, and it feels great. I apologize for my absence on the blog. Living in a two bedroom condo means that the second bedroom doubles as Ethan's room and the home office. So when Ethan is sleeping there is no blogging, and when Ethan is awake, I have been playing with him. I have finally dusted off Megan's laptop and reconnected to our wireless network, so that problem should now be corrected.
I must say that I really expected to feel worse by now. I still feel very good. I am tired, but I have not felt sick or had any pain. I continue to walk a mile to a mile and a half most days, and I am now competing with Ethan for naps. My doctors say I am doing well and to keep it up. The hardest part for me is staying home and being lazy when I don't feel sick, but I will happily deal with that.
Last Thursday I had an appointment with my oncologist and another chemo treatment. I had blood drawn (again) and so far my counts look good. The white blood cells have not really dropped yet, and the red blood cells are just slightly low. The best news is that the HCG levels have gone down significantly. HCG is the tumor marker that is released by the cancer, and it is the hormone that is causing my thyroid to be hyperactive. Before I began treatment the HCG levels were >200,000. I found out today that the results of last weeks blood draw indicated that my HCG levels are now 96,000! While that is still high, it indicates a significant reduction in just the first round of chemo. My doctor initially said that he did not expect to see much change at this point, but he was curious and wanted to run the test.
Last Thursday's chemo went very well also. It was an hour infusion of Bleomycin. I did feel the effects of it a little bit more this time, but they were still quite minor. Bleomycin has the potential for pulmonary toxicity, and what I felt was just that. My cough returned a little on Thursday night, and my breathing was just a little strained. Thankfully, by Friday afternoon I was back to normal. So while I did feel this strong drug affecting my body, it could have been much worse and my body seems to be handling the treatment very well.
So far I have not noticed any hair loss, or should I say, any more than normal. I was told to expect some hair loss in the next couple of weeks, but I pointed out that my hair loss started about ten years ago. The good news is that it will grow back after chemo, and often it grows back thicker. Who knew the answer to male pattern baldness was cancer!?
I appreciate everyone checking in on me, sending cards and well wishes. Please know that your support is a great strength. I am very lucky to be feeling well and to be home with Megan and Ethan. That is really the silver lining in all of this. It is a joy to see how Ethan changes each day, and I have been able to witness a lot of special moments that I otherwise would not have if I was at work. Megan and I have been able to spend more time together as well, even time without Ethan as we drive to and from appointments. It's time that we wouldn't normally have together and it really has been a blessing. I wish it was due to other circumstances, but nonetheless, it is time with my family that I truly treasure. It has gotten me to thinking a bit about how I will prioritize my time and schedule my life when this is all over. I am not sure what that means yet, but it will certainly mean more time at home.
I hope you are all doing well, and thank you again for your support, love, and prayers. They are working!
I must say that I really expected to feel worse by now. I still feel very good. I am tired, but I have not felt sick or had any pain. I continue to walk a mile to a mile and a half most days, and I am now competing with Ethan for naps. My doctors say I am doing well and to keep it up. The hardest part for me is staying home and being lazy when I don't feel sick, but I will happily deal with that.
Last Thursday I had an appointment with my oncologist and another chemo treatment. I had blood drawn (again) and so far my counts look good. The white blood cells have not really dropped yet, and the red blood cells are just slightly low. The best news is that the HCG levels have gone down significantly. HCG is the tumor marker that is released by the cancer, and it is the hormone that is causing my thyroid to be hyperactive. Before I began treatment the HCG levels were >200,000. I found out today that the results of last weeks blood draw indicated that my HCG levels are now 96,000! While that is still high, it indicates a significant reduction in just the first round of chemo. My doctor initially said that he did not expect to see much change at this point, but he was curious and wanted to run the test.
Last Thursday's chemo went very well also. It was an hour infusion of Bleomycin. I did feel the effects of it a little bit more this time, but they were still quite minor. Bleomycin has the potential for pulmonary toxicity, and what I felt was just that. My cough returned a little on Thursday night, and my breathing was just a little strained. Thankfully, by Friday afternoon I was back to normal. So while I did feel this strong drug affecting my body, it could have been much worse and my body seems to be handling the treatment very well.
So far I have not noticed any hair loss, or should I say, any more than normal. I was told to expect some hair loss in the next couple of weeks, but I pointed out that my hair loss started about ten years ago. The good news is that it will grow back after chemo, and often it grows back thicker. Who knew the answer to male pattern baldness was cancer!?
I appreciate everyone checking in on me, sending cards and well wishes. Please know that your support is a great strength. I am very lucky to be feeling well and to be home with Megan and Ethan. That is really the silver lining in all of this. It is a joy to see how Ethan changes each day, and I have been able to witness a lot of special moments that I otherwise would not have if I was at work. Megan and I have been able to spend more time together as well, even time without Ethan as we drive to and from appointments. It's time that we wouldn't normally have together and it really has been a blessing. I wish it was due to other circumstances, but nonetheless, it is time with my family that I truly treasure. It has gotten me to thinking a bit about how I will prioritize my time and schedule my life when this is all over. I am not sure what that means yet, but it will certainly mean more time at home.
I hope you are all doing well, and thank you again for your support, love, and prayers. They are working!
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