June 10th through June 17th

Editors Note:  Jerry was diagnosed with lung cancer in February of 2007.  In the hope that we can help others with similar situations we are publishing Jerry’s story from day one and the battles he faces as he fights back against the cancer.
  
This Week.  The first part of this week was really great. When it has been almost three weeks since a Chemo treatment your body is almost back to normal.  Well 50% of normal at least.  My next treatment was scheduled for Tuesday 6-12-2007.  As always one must have blood test to determine if the blood is at the correct levels to accept the Chemo without danger.  Luckily I was given the go ahead and the Chemo was started at 8:30 AM.  This begins with a flushing out of the port followed by a large bag of fluids in preparation for the real stuff, the chemicals.  This is a painless procedure which takes about 6 to 7 hours. 

I had really prepared my mind for this treatment and was determined that I would not experience the horrible side effects of Chemo.  Everything when well until Friday evening and them like a ton of bricks the bottom fell out.  On Friday morning,  5-15-2007 I received additional fluids and chemicals to help ease the after effects, however that evening I crashed.  I came home about 5PM, laid down and did not move until the next morning.  Going to the radio station on Saturday morning to do my show was a real task.  Saturday afternoon I came back home and rested for about 3 hours just to try to regain my strength.

Donna, my nurse with Dr. Babcock’s office had given me a shot to build my white blood cells back to normal. The side effects of these can be extreme joint pain which feels like a huge tooth ache all over your body.  The only way to relieve this is to take lots of Tylenol or pain pills and I am not into taking pain pills so Tylenol was the choice. 

This treatment produced the worst side effects I have had during the entire Chemo treatments. The fatigue, pain, nausea and just generally feeling bad were awful. 

This father’s day was spent sleeping.  When you are sleeping you can get away from the pain and misery especially if you have taken lots of Tylenol.  I slept from Saturday night  through the entire day Sunday.

Dr. Babcock had told me that the Chemo treatments are cumulative, which means they get worst as you do more and more,  however I never knew they could be this bad.

The body goes through some really challenging times.  Your balance is completely off and many times you walk into walls or walk like a person who has had too much to drink.  Your head aches unbearably, your entire joints ache, your stomach is churning and your body feels as if you have a double case of the flu.  You have absolutely NO energy and just picking your arms or legs up are quite a task.

Each Chemo treatment is different. There are so many different chemicals depending on what type cancer is being treated.  Some are worst than others.  Some cause loss of hair with many different type side effects. This is the reason that no two people will experience the same effects.

If you are helping someone, try to find out what they may be experiencing so you can be compassionate and help them.  Try to reach out and help.  The best thing I have in my corner is my wife who goes the extra mile to help me cope. Judy is always there for me and there to help in any way she can.   Without family I am not sure anyone could survive this invasive disease. 

Fortunately I have only one more treatment on 7-3-2007.  If all works out well this hopefully will do the job.  We are doing an X-Ray to see where the tumor is on 6-26-2007.  I expect that X-Ray to show that this tumor is history.

Have a terrific day and remember Day by Day, in every way, by the Grace of God, You are getting better and better and better.

Jerry Fowler
June 17-2007