From Leo, 9-4-2014:
Well, here we go with #15 but a bit different. After consultation, Amanda decided to infuse the Oxaliplatin and eliminate the pump!! 3 cheers for Amanda!! Instead of the pump, I will be taking a new drug orally, at least for the next 7 days when we do the CT scan. If the scan looks as good as we think it will, they will schedule surgery to remove my port!! (We have been having issues with the port anyway so this is a good move).
Amanda told me that my bodies response to the chemo therapy is so far out in front of 95% of cancer patients on the same chemicals that anything is possible now up to and including 100% remission, that with proper maintenance, could add years, not just days, to the prognosis. I'm In!!!
Now the bad news on the oral stuff....I have to take 5 tables in the evening and 5 in the morning 12 hours apart for 7 days then the Doctor will evaluate what is going on with the side effects and decide if it is the venue we need to be taking. The side effect she is most worried about has to do with the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet becoming almost like badly sunburned to the point of blistering. Let's hope that doesn't happen.
I had to spend an hour with the Pharmacist ( a VA Pharmacist not a Vandy Pharmacist ) and it renewed my faith in the VA about hiring those less fortunate and those that are multi tasking challenged. She is a very nice person but typing a prescription for me and talking at the same time left a prescription with directions on how to get to where ever it was she was talking about instead of instruction on how to take the medications.
I promptly told her that I wanted some of what she had been taking!!!
CT Scan on the 10th at 5pm, looking for completely clean