Chemo #12 - DOWN.

It's been six days since my 12th chemo. We are really hoping this is my final full-IV chemo...the chemo where I sat for nearly 5 hours as the drugs were pumped into my veins and then I wore a mini-pump around for 48 more hours. If I never experience that reality again, it will be more than fine by me.

I was pretty physically drained this last infusion. I had mixed reactions each treatment - sometimes I would have fairly good energy and sometimes I would feel very drained. This last treatment I simply could not wake up. I slept almost 3 days straight and felt terrible the entire time.  It was probably fitting that this last infusion seemed to be my worst one. Guaranteed that I'll never "hanker back" to the "good old days of chemo" (I felt a shudder even writing this. You can't take anything for granted with cancer). The good news is that I have decided to be "over it" and I'm just going on with our lives...I am so sick of talking about my cancer.

What's next?

I have been on my new protocol of repurposed drugs and I see Dr Cantrell in Tennessee at the end of February. So far, I feel great and have no pains or issues anywhere.

I have an appointment with my GI doctor (my colon specialist) this week because a week can't go by without something medically embarrassing happening in my life. This will be my first physical exam to triple check that the cancer in my rectum is truly gone (as the scan said). It involves enemas (for an organ that is not currently working, but oh well...) and possibly some tough discussions/decisions regarding surgery on my "lower colon" (ie: my rectum).

Here is where I insert the well-known joke: "rectum? Damn near killed him!"

Suffice it to say that I do not want surgery because the potential side-effects are life-changing; but this is the standard practice when it comes to cancer.

Possibly my favorite news is that my bag can definitely be reversed (but will be effected by the rectal surgery timing). I honestly don't care if it has to be put off until June, if I can have a future without a bag of poop hanging off my stomach, I will consider everything a win.

And on the "future treatment" timeline, the standard of oncology is that I will continue some type of chemo (pill or pump form) indefinitely (no one has ever said how long I'd be "on it"). If you have read any of this blog, you'll know I am committed to using the repurposed drugs INSTEAD of any type of chemo. Obviously, these next few months will tell us a lot about how my future will go.

Spoiler - "I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of living" (Ps 27:13) and that land involves hair and energy and bathing suits...