May 23, 2017 - Post-treatment Follow-up - Great results

I last left the blog a month ago with a problem of swelling ankles and lower legs.  Since then I went to my primary care doctor, Dr. Vaccari, for a general exam and advice on my swelling.  She is very thorough, having asked me 100 questions and prescribing an EKG and Ultrasound scan of my legs.  I had both of these done and no problems were shown.  The end result is that Dr. Vaccari thought the swelling might be from my other treatments and suggested we watch to make sure the swelling doesn’t get worse.  Since then the swelling has actually subsided considerably.  I am wearing mild compression sox, am watching salt intake, and am taking magnesium.  From my wonderful church nurse I borrowed a compression machine that will reduce the swelling mechanically.  In any case I foresee that the swelling will soon disappear.   

For the rest of this blog post I hope you don’t mind a duplication of my post on Facebook:

We just returned from the oncologist.  This was the follow-up after my PET scan on the 22^nd.  This is the appointment that most cancer patients dread because it is the report card on the chemo and hormone-blocking treatments for the past 4 months.  I’ll admit that I went into the examination room with some trepidation.

Dr. Bhangoo came in and handed me the results of the PET scan and with a smile he said, “’Looks very good.”  In other words it looks like I got an A in the test.  The words on the scan report are “Stable to slight improvement in osseous metastatic disease.” In other words the treatment appears to have stopped the spread and even reduced the signs of cancer in several areas.

I should explain that back at the beginning of all of this, the doctors told me that the PET scans are unlikely to show shrinkage of cancer because cancer in bones leaves scar tissue even when it is no longer growing.  This explains the somewhat understated results.  The bottom line is that we appear to have kept the cancer at bay.  As Dr. Bhangoo said, “We now just have to keep it this way for the years to come.”

The next step in a few days is to check the PSA numbers to make sure they are down around the 0.06 that was the case the end of March. I will also get another hormone-blocking shot that will last for another three months.  Then we another PSA and testosterone test.  The PSA will be the marker we will continue to watch.

In the meantime I will continue to limit sugar and carb intake, have Kathe’s wonderful smoothies every morning and continue to take Modified Citrus Pectin, Saw Palmetto, Stinging Nettle Root, AHCC, and Broccoli Sprouts.  I also need to get back on an exercise routine.

I am feeling very good, all things considered.  Kathe and I will celebrate our good fortune tonight by having a Brazilian dinner. 

I don’t have the words to convey how thankful I am for God’s and your support throughout this ordeal.

Les

April 15, 2017 - Last Chemo Treatment Subsiding - New Problem

In my last post I was saying that I was at a physical low, due to the accumulative effects of 6 treatments of chemo.  Well, I am getting back to normal with one exception.  One day last week I looked down and my ankles had disappeared!  They had swollen, as had my legs to some extent.  I've never had this so I started research and discovered that this could be due to a blockage (not in my case since both lower legs were swollen), to a heart problem, due to some vitamin deficiency, or (last) something in the diet.    I took magnesium pills and raised my legs above my heart and by morning the swelling had gone down about 90%.  Then it came back within hours.  I called my doctor and he said he would prescribe a diuretic.  He was less concerned because the swelling was in both feet and legs and I had no redness.  Kathe wondered if it might be a new protein powder that we started around the time of the swelling.  She convinced me not to take the diuretic while we went back to the old protein powder.  So far the swelling is much less, although it hasn't gone away completely.  Like most of the other things that have hit me, this one is not debilitating at all--just annoying.  I like seeing my ankles.

With chemo and hormone blocking it is a lot of little symptoms.  The good news is that they are little symptoms, not big ones.

Now, I'd like to see some hair growth!

Les

March 31, 2017 - Two days after last chemo treatment

I am in that period that is the low point from a stamina standpoint and this time I feel the most fatigued.  However, I am still hanging in there.  We saw palliative doctors on Thursday.  The purpose of palliative care is to deal with patient problems post heavy treatment or surgery.  Palliative doctors are therefore very sensitive to patient needs.  The doctors we met at Scripps in Hillcrest had me give a rundown on my status.  Without bragging, I think they were impressed by how well I was handling the chemo.  They congratulated me on this and how good I looked.  I don't know that they would credit the natural supplements, but they did credit the diet.

I had hoped palliative care would be sharing with me some natural approaches to ensure that my outcome is the best.  Unfortunately they do come from the medical profession that has little training on these approaches.  I will have to go to a naturepath.  The bottom line is that I don't think I will need palliative care help for now.

In my last post I didn't mention a few side effects.  One is watery eyes and nose, which apparently does happen along with hiccups when taking steroids.  The other are these small muscle twitches at random places on the body, which may be the Lupron.  They are just somewhat annoying, but not debilitating.

I'm starting to go out without hats, just to get some sun on the top of my head.  That way when I do start growing hair (I hope), I won't come across as a light head. :-)

After our appointment we went to have poke bowls, which is one of Kathe's favorites.  It was a beautiful day.  So was today.

Next step is to have a PET scan in two months to see if things have changed in my bones.  In the meantime we will be watching my PSA closely.  The Lupron shot will last another three months. After that I am planning to go the naturepath route without the Lupron hormone blocker, monitoring PSA very closely.

Les

March 14, 2017 5th Treatment and Still Going Strong

The trip to New Zealand was successful.  We made it back without getting sick or having any medical incidents.  I gained 4.5 pounds eating on the ship.  It was the lure of "no sugar added" that had me eating way too many carbs.  But it tasted good!

I thought it might be helpful to mention some of the chemo side effects in this article.  It is important to note that chemo in my case is a combination of Docetaxel and Lupron, the hormone-blocker.  It is not easy to separate the impact on me from the two.  However, I do know that the Docetaxel is primarily responsible for my lost head hair (60% and the rest is thin) and lost facial hair, for my various digestive problems (stomach aches and some constipation), for my single dark red fingernail, and for the thinning of the mucous fluids in my mouth, and for the reduction in ability to taste foods. The Lupron is probably primarily responsible for my loss of muscle mass (best guess of 10%), loss of libido, and the loss of some of the feeling in my lower legs.  Kathe says that she thinks I am not quite as sharp-minded, but I think this is more a function of general fatigue (I'm operating at about 85%).  I will also admit that my patience level is lower than it was before chemo, so I don't try as hard to remember little details like the name of a restaurant from several months ago.

Kathe was worried about changes in mood and demeanor, but I don't think I have changed much other than a slightly lower level of patience and slightly higher emotional level (thanks to Lupron).  I still remain positive about the outcome, thanks in large part to the wonderful level of support I am receiving.

So what's next?  I have one more treatment in two weeks and then we wait for bone scans and tests in a couple of months.  This is because chemo effects take longer when the cancer is in the bones.  During the period of waiting I intend to continue on the diet and supplements, adding Saw Palmetto and Stinging Nettle Root to the regimen.  The Lupron will continue to have an effect for two months.

Thank you all for the birthday and well wishes!

February 22, 2017 - Traveling With Chemo

We made it through the 13 hour plane ride and onto the ship.  All went pretty normally.  The only major impact has been a totally screwed up schedule for pill-taking and meals.  This time the chemo is slowing me down more than before, but I am still able to make my way to the buffet!  

Actually we are in a class on the ship that allows us to use a specialty spa restaurant.  The portions are almost comical.  The first night we had a small steak, about 3 square inches in size, accompanied by a single spear of asparagus cut in half and two cherry tomatoes, each cut in half.  There was a salad that was about 4 forkfuls and an appetizer that was about three spoonfuls.  The piece de la resistance was a small scoop of "no sugar added" ice cream. I visited the buffet later that evening.  :-)

I am truly trying to stick to the low sugar diet, but the temptations are many.  On a good note, Kathe probably won't gain weight.

Seriously, I am having about 5 small meals per day.  We have gotten the ship to make smoothies for us using our powder, which means we don't have to use the Nutrabullet we so carefully packed.  I can usually find enough greens, meat, and other items to very roughly stay on my diet.  The toughest to find on a cruise are fresh veggies and nuts.  In the last port I bought a couple of pounds of cashews, macadamia nuts, and walnuts.  This is much better than many of the available snacks.

I need to note that I am experiencing some loss in taste, but I am convinced that the AHCC+ that I am taking is returning some of my lost taste buds.  I am much more religious about taking the 1 gram dosage per meal now.  I CAN taste the food--I just need to ask others if they think something is really tasty or bland.  Sometimes it isn't me at all.

One thing that you should know is that New Zealand and Australia have very strict rules on bringing non-processed food and medicines into the country.  Definitely leave your pot at home! Anyway, my point is that we would have had any nuts confiscated, had we tried to bring them in.  As it is, we faced a hassle on my medicine coming into NZ and are worried about Australia because I don't have the "scripts" or the pill bottles for my many medicines and supplements.  Australia is the most strict.  The only good news is that Australia is our last day, although parting with several hundred dollars of pills will make me very annoyed.

I did wear a mask on the plane and on the way to the ship, but have not used the mask on the ship.  I am trying very hard to avoid being close to anyone.  I wash my hands at least 10 times per day.  So far so good.

One thing is a pain in the tail.  Largely due to the chemo and liquid intake, I have to use the bathroom every two hours.  When traveling this can be annoying.  I have managed well so far.  'Lots of bathrooms in New Zealand.

The bottom line is that I am continuing to do much better than I thought.  I only have the occasional stomach ache due mostly to trapped gas and am about 20% more tired than usual.

Signing off,

Traveling Chemo Man

February 13, 2017 - Next treatment tomorrow

So this is my second attempt at posting.  I inadvertently erased the last post...grrr.

I am doing pretty well and we are managing with the two diets.  We're eating a lot of vegetables and I am eating a lot of nuts, nut butter (without sugar) and some meat.  I am also eating a lot of eggs.  So far I have only lost a pound.

I visited my oncologist and he says that I am looking good and that I appear to be ready for the next treatment tomorrow.  We'll only know after my blood tests tomorrow morning.  I asked him about my 0.17 PSA and he said that he would rather it be 0.  He said that it might be possible that my baseline is 0.17.  This may be the case since for many years I was 0.1 before they could test accurately enough to show the hundredth place.  The key will be if it changes from the value at the end of the chemo.

I was musing about what I will do after the chemo.  I am taking the Modified Citrus Pectin and the AHCC and may continue with this regimen, adding some more natural supplements.  These are some of the supplements that people have pointed me to:

Sugar free diet

Saw Palmetto

Stinging Nettle Root

Tumeric/Cucumin

Modified Citrus Pectin

AHCC

Vitamin C

Broccoli Sprouts

Graviola

Meringa

What to take???

My really helpful next door neighbor, Bob, pointed me to an article about a book that should help.  I bought it and it is on my Kindle for reading on our trip.  The title is "The Healing Platform: Building Your Own Cure".  I am looking forward to reading this book to help me build my recipe for prolonging my life.

We will be gone on our trip for the next two weeks.  I hope all will go well while I am on chemo number 4.

Les

January 31, 2017 -- And things were going so well...

We had a setback today.  Kathe's doctor called and told her that she has dangerously high cholesterol levels and that she needs to do something about it right away.  Although she has always had higher-than-normal cholesterol levels, this is especially high.  Her high level is likely due to our diet because in addition to the green veggies, few fruits, no refined sugar, etc. it also contains high fat to keep me from losing weight.

Sooo, we have to now go on two separate diets which means double the work every meal and double the cleanup, not to mention the confusion when we go food shopping.  I will have to pitch in on the meal prep, in addition to the cleanup, which I have been doing.

Of course the pain that having the two diets pales when the health of both of us is concerned.  I am hoping and praying that Kathe will be okay.  We both hate the idea of her taking statins, so diet will be the first order of business.  Now we need to go to the grocery store!

Les