Seeing radiologist Thursday

[Bill5107]

Just a quick note, I'm seeing my radiologist this week instead of continuing FOLFIRI. I feel a bid "odd" not continuing chemo...I'm feeling very much like not operating with a safety net, but I know it's a normal process/sequence of events.

I had 3 MRIs back to back of my shoulder and back to see what was really involved in my pain and numbness etc... 9:00->12:15 with only 7 minutes break (my choice). That was what led to adjusting my treatment plan actually.

Since then I hiked mountainj Monadnock, which was very challenging for me, even with the 1.4 mile head start by telling my sob story to the ranger and getting permission to ride to the end of the access road. I will have to ask if there really was a "ridge path" that would have been easier lol I will eventually write a poper nte on that trip later.

I was fine for a few days, but yesterday when I did my usual lunch-walk, my hip pinched a few times and by night i was in terrible hip-pain to the point of tears and being honestly too grumpy and harsh with my expectations of Lois helping me when she didn't yet realize what my problem was. . . sigh.

Today toward the late afternoon/evening was miserable, I'm tolerable now but still in good pain. So I expect we'll be talking about that tomorrow too.

I'll keep y'all posted. All I know is once it gets setup, it's everyday for radiation for less than the initial 6 weeks pre-surgery. I'm apprehensive about it all to be honest, but I hear good things about radiation, so I'm hopeful at the same time.

cheers everyone!

[SkiFletch]

Nuke em till they glow Bill... literally

[Guinevere]

Nuke em till they glow Bill... literally

Exactly and I understand how you feel about the lack of the "safety net". Just the three weeks I was off all chemo started getting me anxious. Hope the rad helps you out!

[NedPlease]

Glad you've got a plan.
Pain=grumpiness. Understandable.
Hope radiation is as good as you've heard it is

[NWgirl]

Thinking of you always Bill and hoping for the best possible outcome with the radiation.

[simon031003]

Glad to see ya posting. I have been anxiously waiting for the update as to what has been going on. Not sure if I missed something, but are you discontinuing folfiri because of side effects, progression or some other reason? Hope the radiation works miracles for you.

[GreenLakeGirl]

Nice to see you posting, Bill. Tritto on the nuking.

[michelle c]

Nice to hear from you Bill

All the best for your radiation and wishing you the best outcome possible.

[Cancerislame]

Good luck with the new plan of action. Hear's to less pain and no more cancer for you in the near future.

Jennifer

[Bill5107]

I love you guys! I'm irrationally happy to see all my "ol' friends" from my earliest Dx days to more recenty history in here. And believe me, even though for some it's only been since mid-2010, that feels like a life-time ago, so you really do sit in my head as true-blue-ol' friends.

I stopped FOLFIRI unexpectedly to me this Monday (but still got the 2 hour Aridia drip for bone treatments) because we don't believe both chemo and radiation would safe. The radiologist will make another, separate determination, if I understand. He might just suggest a different low-doose, or nothing since radiation is daily and not nearly as much as the 6 months pre-suergery chemo.

[pollo65]

Good luck Bill, I've really missed hearing from ya.
pollo 65

[BrownBagger]

Thanks for the update, Bill, as always.

I've heard encouraging things about radiation, so I'm really hoping that it works for you the way you hope and expect. And, good news on Mt. Marcy. That's quite an accomplishment in any event.

[Bill5107]

Thanks for the update, Bill, as always.

I've heard encouraging things about radiation, so I'm really hoping that it works for you the way you hope and expect. And, good news on Mt. Marcy. That's quite an accomplishment in any event.

Mt Marcy? Is that what you call Mt Monadnock? lol.

I had my consult yesterday. We talked about me wicked pain in my hips too. She was not prepared to talk about that directly because at the time my onc setup the visit my hips had not given me any trouble, not even on the mountain! I needed a nap afterwards to let my body recover (food, water, electorlyts, tired muscles) but all stuff easily attribued to normal exercise fatigue, well, with some moderate dehydration tossed in due to misplanning of water suupplies.

Monday was a brilliant, active day, so was Tuesday most of the day until late evening when things first got miserable. Wednesday I wanted to get home early from work, but forced myself to wait 'till a training task was complete. . paid x2 for that later in the evening but again, recovered after resting and doping up. Thursday was a repeat except the pain, once it started mid afternoon it did not let up untill about 1:30 AM Friday lol.

But Thursday was my radiologist appt, as this thread mentions. It seems she can irradiate the suckers in my shoulder pretty easily, minimal collateral damage and side effect, my neck/high thoracic area is not so easy so I will need to eat a soft diet and do a few things to take it easy on my throat and esophagus I guess. My hip she hopes she can do something with, but had to check what the prior exposure was from pre-surgery chemoradiation. . . I'm not sure what that means, but I hope they can do something! lol. It looks like about 3 weeks of radiation to the neck and spine/neck at the same time. The exact number is apparently based on outcomes. It will be every day. It will also certainly span the week I'm away at summer camp with my boy scouts. Ugh. Here I've been telling my best scoutmaster backujp that he's free to do as he chooses...now he might well be put on point again X-P

Ah well. He really doesn't mind. . . but I do wish I could be around so much more than I have been able to manage.

sigh.

I'm in and out of pain today and barely slept, and whateversleep I had was under fairly heavy ercpcet, so I took a day sick time. So far it looks like there is little chance of telecommuting today. This note took 3 efforts lol I started it, nodded off and it locked..so I walked away. Second time I had to lealve due to pain, third was this time.

Well, at least I keep plugging away, just like I do with everything in my life now it seems.

Cheers everyone.

<zonk>
<zzzzZZzzZZzzzZZZZZZZZZZ>

[SoConfused]

Bill - I am so sorry you're in pain.

I have a question ... hope you don't mind my asking: do you have mets to your shoulder and hips? is that why you're in so much pain and need radiation to those areas? I must have missed this development in your former posts.

[so-scared]

Bill,

I hope the radiation does the trick to get your pain under control. Hang in there!

So-s