Just had my 10th treatment yesterday on this regimen and ONC is currently planning on chemo holiday. I have a CT scan on Thursday (ins. wouldn't approve PET) and I have a lot more anxiety this time. April's PET showed tumors shrinking, but then I got a pretty severe cold during mid May that lasted well into June. One of May's treatment delayed 2 weeks due to high temps and the one right after delayed a week due to cold. These have been my only delays since starting chemo last July. My CEA bottomed out in May at 5.5 and has crept back up to 6.9 since. Hoping the CEA rise is due to that, but ONC is concerned chemo may have stopped working. We have already been talking about possible referrals and trials due to how aggressive the cancer has acted in the past. I normally get a call from the office when they get the results as a heads up. Call from the nurse is a good thing, call from the ONC is not. I have an office visit scheduled the week after the CT.
It's been a horrible week with my father-in-law passing. He led a very good life to the ripe age of 93 and will be terribly missed. As I sit here, the tears can barely form due to dryness in my eyes from the chemo. Some days I really do hate the chemo side affects.
After yesterday's treatment I visited my original chemo buddy upstairs in the hospital (we sat next to each other during my first 6 month regimen and had a lot of long conversions). She's been battling for several years now and is so very tired. I fear what may be coming next.
I normally don't spill my guts out, but after this week and when I think about the scan coming up I sure could use a boost of positivity.