Half Way There!

This week marked the half way point with my first cycle of the clinical trial!  I am becoming very eager to know if it is working or not!  In four weeks I will have another PET scan.  The goal is for my tumors to discontinue growth.  If the tumors have decreased in size, that is a bonus!  But if the tumors are not reacting to the drug and have continued to grow, then we are going to try a new clinical trial.  The good news is that the next potential drug will also have very few side effects, very similar to what I am on now.  Unfortunately it will have to be administered through an IV, but it will also be only once a week.  Depending on how toxic the drug is on my veins and how long I will be on it, there has been talk about re-implanting my port.  But that is potential talk, so for now it's just a waiting game.

I met with the doctor this week and she is very happy with my blood counts!  My white blood counts are very good for a chemo patient; they have barely decreased.  I have labs taken weekly since I am new to the trial.  She was concerned, though, to hear of how lethargic I have been.  I either need a daily nap or a bed time of 8:00 is necessary for a feel-good kind of day.  I do best with ten hours of sleep at night - but that only leaves me 14 hours in my day, over half of which are consumed with work!  I have only been on the drug for 4 weeks, and I do feel as though I adjust more and more each day.  The only other annoyance I have is a VERY irregular diet.  Some days I feel insanely full and can't keep much down.  Other days I can't get enough food in me.  Needless to say, I'm still on the weight gain train.  My goal is to restart yoga tomorrow.  It's going to be baby steps!

Other than my constant need for food and sleep, I've been doing pretty well!  I have been voiceless for the past week, I'm assuming due to allergies.  My throat is still sensitive since the surgery, so it's not too happy with the drainage.  Hopefully new meds will take care of that soon... as well as a more predictable weather pattern!