Well...it's all fun and games until your magnesium level goes in the shitter (whenever I hear or use the word shitter, I think of cousin Eddie in National Lampoon's Christmas vacation...shitters full! Love that guy.). This past week I had three magnesium infusions (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday...this will be my regular schedule for now)...each time my levels were .9. Personally, I think the lab is dicking with me (not really). But good gawd, how can they still be .9 after 12 magnesium pills a day, three magnesium infusions in five days, and consuming magnesium rich foods?
After seeing Dr. McC. on Monday, and talking about treatment number six this coming Monday (June 30th) I will be having it. She feels the benefit of the final treatment outweighs the negative. So, I have put my big girl panties on and will go on Monday to complete my latest round of chemo. Sometime later in the week...I will have a CAT scan to get a look at the dirty half dozen in my lungs...sneaky little bastards. Immediately following I hope to be on chemo vacation for a minimum of three months to let my body heal, relax and go on a couple of mini-trips. I will still be going in for blood work, and multiple magnesium infusions weekly...but no more chemo for now.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Sunday, June 22, 2014
June 20, 2014 - Magnesium, Potassium, and Phosphorus...Oh My!
Since my last post I have had treatment on June 9th (#5), a couple of magnesium infusions (still struggling with low magnesium) and an over night stay in the hospital (Providence). All fingers point towards my low magnesium level putting me into A-Fib (atrial fibrillation) on Father's Day morning. I woke up, took a quick potty break, headed back upstairs and bam...I could feel my heart beat in my throat and the rate was very irregular. After a few minutes I called Mike and asked him to come take me to the ER. When I arrived my heart rate was 180. They did a blood and urine work up, hooked me up to a bag of magnesium, gave me a beta blocker (slows your heart rate) and talked about putting me under and shocking my heart if it didn't go back into rhythm on its own. As my niece Toni would say...oh hell no. It wasn't too long after I had been there that they made the decision to admit me. Up to the cardiac floor I went where I spent the next 36 hours. Long story short, my heart put itself back into rhythm in the middle of the night after more magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and beta blockers throughout the day and evening. On Monday morning they did an echocardiogram and told me I could potentially go home later in the day if the results were good. Seems my ticker is in good shape so...later that day they sent me on my way with instructions to have my magnesium levels check frequently...frequently like three times a week and to have an infusion if my levels get below 2. Mine have been hanging between .7 and .9 for the past several months. I have also been taking oral magnesium daily for weeks and weeks. The attending physician order a change to one of my drugs and prescribed me a delayed released magnesium.
I had an infusion on Tuesday...levels were already down to 1.00. I had blood drawn this morning (Friday) and I am currently sitting in the infusion suite having another as my magnesium is back down to .9. A slow infusion...like four hours slow. Seems the slower it drips, the better your body absorbs it. Hmmmmm.
I see Dr. McC. on Monday (June 23rd) to discuss all of the fun I have had this past week. Then when
I'm done with her, I see Dr. Hendin (my primary care physician) to do the same.
Treatment #6 is scheduled for Monday, June 30th...however, if Dr. McC. gives me the go ahead I am going to skip it and start my chemo vacation...my body needs a break.
I had an infusion on Tuesday...levels were already down to 1.00. I had blood drawn this morning (Friday) and I am currently sitting in the infusion suite having another as my magnesium is back down to .9. A slow infusion...like four hours slow. Seems the slower it drips, the better your body absorbs it. Hmmmmm.
I see Dr. McC. on Monday (June 23rd) to discuss all of the fun I have had this past week. Then when
I'm done with her, I see Dr. Hendin (my primary care physician) to do the same.
Treatment #6 is scheduled for Monday, June 30th...however, if Dr. McC. gives me the go ahead I am going to skip it and start my chemo vacation...my body needs a break.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Sunday, June 1st - What's Happening?
Hello friends...
Forgive me for my absence, I just haven't felt like writing. No need to panic, nothings wrong, I just haven't been moved to write.
Since my last post I have had two treatments, a CAT scan, and a PET scan. Treatment continues to be delayed by a week each time because my platelets aren't playing nice (to low...80, 83...they need to be 100 or better) and they seem to want/need/require an additional week of fun and frolic...OK by me. I had a routine CAT scan at the half way mark (after three treatments) and found that the tumors in my lungs have pretty much stayed the same...my head scan came back clean...but the radiologist found a potentially suspicious mass in my small intestine...hence, the PET scan. I really didn't feel that there was an issue in my abdominal area, but based on the Radiologists recommendation, Dr. McC. said I was having a PET scan. The results came back clean...whatever the radiologist saw on that particular day was just part of me. I admit though, I teared up when she said my abdominal area was clean. Mike and I celebrated by going upstairs and having treatment...ha! So, the bottom line is...I still have the original dirty half dozen in my lungs, the PET scan showed they have increased in size by a smidgen...my head is clean, and my abdomen is clean...no cancer elsewhere in my body. Where do we go from here? Funny, I asked the same question. Treatment continues as scheduled until I have completed six rounds (#5 is scheduled for 6/9, #6 for 6/29...each will probably be delayed by a week). Increasing the dosage to shrink the tumors is not an option as my body is struggling with the half dosage I am currently on (platelets, magnesium, etc.). When I complete treatment #6 Dr. McC. has offered me a chemo vacation. Hmmmm, Cindy says to Dr.McC....what does this chemo vacation entail? A week, two, four? Dr. McC. replies...three months. Wow...three months with no treatment. I have to admit, it made me smile. I would feel better about it if the tumors were shrinking...but then again if they were, I probably wouldn't take a break. Dr. McC.'s objective for me is quality of life...so if I want to take a break and give my mind and body a rest, she fully supports it. She reinforces that I am in tune with my body and that if I should start having symptoms all I need to do is come in and we'll address them. I feel like a big kid...it's five weeks until schools out...and three months of summer vacation is just in front of me...well, maybe. Grin.
Forgive me for my absence, I just haven't felt like writing. No need to panic, nothings wrong, I just haven't been moved to write.
Since my last post I have had two treatments, a CAT scan, and a PET scan. Treatment continues to be delayed by a week each time because my platelets aren't playing nice (to low...80, 83...they need to be 100 or better) and they seem to want/need/require an additional week of fun and frolic...OK by me. I had a routine CAT scan at the half way mark (after three treatments) and found that the tumors in my lungs have pretty much stayed the same...my head scan came back clean...but the radiologist found a potentially suspicious mass in my small intestine...hence, the PET scan. I really didn't feel that there was an issue in my abdominal area, but based on the Radiologists recommendation, Dr. McC. said I was having a PET scan. The results came back clean...whatever the radiologist saw on that particular day was just part of me. I admit though, I teared up when she said my abdominal area was clean. Mike and I celebrated by going upstairs and having treatment...ha! So, the bottom line is...I still have the original dirty half dozen in my lungs, the PET scan showed they have increased in size by a smidgen...my head is clean, and my abdomen is clean...no cancer elsewhere in my body. Where do we go from here? Funny, I asked the same question. Treatment continues as scheduled until I have completed six rounds (#5 is scheduled for 6/9, #6 for 6/29...each will probably be delayed by a week). Increasing the dosage to shrink the tumors is not an option as my body is struggling with the half dosage I am currently on (platelets, magnesium, etc.). When I complete treatment #6 Dr. McC. has offered me a chemo vacation. Hmmmm, Cindy says to Dr.McC....what does this chemo vacation entail? A week, two, four? Dr. McC. replies...three months. Wow...three months with no treatment. I have to admit, it made me smile. I would feel better about it if the tumors were shrinking...but then again if they were, I probably wouldn't take a break. Dr. McC.'s objective for me is quality of life...so if I want to take a break and give my mind and body a rest, she fully supports it. She reinforces that I am in tune with my body and that if I should start having symptoms all I need to do is come in and we'll address them. I feel like a big kid...it's five weeks until schools out...and three months of summer vacation is just in front of me...well, maybe. Grin.
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