Home again!

Great day!--sunshine, warm weather, and we're home again! Phil drove from Sandy to Provo; I drove from Provo to Price; and Phil drove the rest of the way home! What a hunk!

Some of you have asked how chemo is affecting Phil.

1) Touching cold objects (like anything in the frig, the car door handle at 2:00 a.m. on his way to work, etc.) gives Phil a "10,000 volt shock" (Phil's words). I bought him several kinds of gloves at Cabela's yesterday, so if you see Phil in gloves, you'll know why! And after this cycle (cycle 2) Phil started getting the same sensation in his throat when drinking something cold--so now we make drinks warm, even water.

2) About day 3 Phil starts to feel pretty sick. Antiemetics help, but he still feels a gag reflex and bloating which translates to no appetite--he's actually afraid of eating because he doesn't want to get any sicker. During cycle 1 that feeling lasted from day 3 through day 5, and this cycle, so far, has been about the same. Some of the chemo drugs cause constipation and some cause diarrhea, so that goes back and forth, too. Go figure!

3) Tingling in Phil's fingers and toes has increased, and now he's having some numbness in his feet. This neuropathy will diminish somewhat as the cycle continues, we're told, but by the time he feels any improvement it will be time for another cycle. Eventually the neuropathy will be irreversible. That's why the Oxaliplatin will be withdrawn after cycle 6.

4) The new chemo drug introduced this week, Bevicizumab (Avastin), causes hypertension, which Phil already struggles with. So Dr. Weis prescribed potassium and Lasix, in addition to Phil's regular high blood pressure meds (Hyzaar and Norvasc). If I understand right, the potassium helps replenish depleted minerals and the Lasix helps prevent edema. However, the potassium has to be taken with food and Phil has to stay upright for 30 minutes (for why I don't know, but intend to find out). Since Phil hasn't been able to eat and has been mostly sleeping, he couldn't take the potassium. When the home health nurse came to disconnect his pump yesterday she was concerned because Phil's BP was high (190/80). Hopefully taking the potassium and Lasix today has helped.

5) Phil is always tired--some days more than others. Days 2 and 3 are spent sleeping and resting, which hopefully helps Phil bounce back faster. But like Dr. Weis said, "About the time you start feeling better, we zap you again." We're extremely grateful to Shon for giving Phil a key to his house, so he can slip away from work and rest while he's in Moab.

Phil is always anxious about missing work. When we're away he spends most of his time on the computer working, even getting up at 4:00 a.m. to do live news broadcasts for the radio stations. But some days are just impossible due to sickness and fatigue.

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts, prayers, and support!

When life gives you lemons . . .

Phil is my hero! Yesterday he cheerfully endured a grueling seven straight hours of chemo. Before meds are mixed, Phil's blood is tested to be sure he can tolerate treatment. Then his chemical regimen (or recipe, as it's called) is mixed and infusions begin in this order: 1. pre-meds (saline, calcium and magnesium, and an anti-emetic to prevent nausea); 2. oxaliplatin (derived from platinum--with a price to prove it), 3. leukovorin (folic acid which binds 5FU to cancer cells); and 4. Bevicizumab (or Avastin). Then he's disconnected from the infusion lab pump and receives: 5. a five-minute bolus, or "push," of flourourasil (commonly known as 5FU) by syringe, and 6. then connected to a portable pump affectionately referred to as his "little friend," which pumps 5FU over the next 46 hours. This pump resembles a ball about the size of a large grapefruit and reduces in size as it infuses.

Since we were in the infusion lab from noon till just after 7:00 p.m., 46 hours later falls at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. That's when the home health nurse will visit us to disconnect Phil's pump and we're free for another 11 days till cycle 3 begins. Right now Phil is scheduled for 12 cycles (2 down--10 to go). But as Dr. Weis wrote in his diagnosis, "this treatment will likely continue indefinitely."

As a neophyte who is fast becoming a frequent flyer of the infusion lab, Phil has learned to navigate while attached to his infusion pump/IV pole. All those fluids necessitate several trips to the rest room and on one such excursion, Phil escaped to the infusion lab across the hall to share some exciting "news" with Dov, who was also being infused. Earlier we had received a copy of the report Dr. Weis dictated regarding our previous visit which read, "Mr. Philip Mueller is a 67-year-old woman . . ." A what? Phil and Dov had some good laughs over that!

I told Phil, "Atleast it doesn't say, 'Upon examination . . .' !"

By the way, Phil's white blood count was lower this week (but fortunately not too low for infusion). Please be aware that Phil's immunity to germs, bacteria, and viruses is also compromised. Research proves that frequent hand washing is the best way to avoid spreadiing disease (that's the Extension Agent in me speaking). Avoid hand-shaking. Cough and sneeze into your elbow. And if you're not feeling 100%, please use the "six-foot rule." Keep a distance of six-feet between you and Phil, and know that we love you for your thoughtfulness and consideration!