7-1-2007 through 7-8-2007

  To reach Jerry email him at Jerry@JerryFowler.com  

From Jerry:  Anyone who knows me knows that I really have a problem talking negative or dwelling on negative thoughts.  This week will be different.  On Tuesday 7-3-2007 I had my 6th Chemo Treatment.   This treatment by far was the worst of all treatments.  There was nothing unusual about the treatment.  In fact this was like all the rest.  The treatment took about 6 hours and was fairly routine.  However the after effects of this one was like a ton of bricks had fallen on my head. 

Dr. Babcock has told me all along that each treatment would have an accumulative effect.  In other words, the after effects would get worst as each treatment was administrated.  Never in my wildest imagination did I realize how bad.

The first thing I noticed was my blood pressure shot up drastically.  I looked like a red beet.  Immediately after the treatment we departed for North Carolina to see my mother who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  This was probably a mistake. Riding in a car for 2 ½ hours is not the best remedy for the after Chemo blues.  The first two days was not that bad then the hammer lowered.  When we returned from North Carolina I was very nauseated and sick.  All I could do was sleep.  Judy and I had decided to take a couple of days off and thank goodness for those days.

If you called the office for me the staff would have told you I was taking a couple of days for vacation.  Actually I was trying desperately to recover.  I am writing this on Monday morning 9-9-2007 and I am still very sick feeling.  This one has been difficult to fight off.

This treatment zapped all the energy from my body making it very difficult to even walk across the room.  The nauseated feeling was overpowering and the pills I have not taken over the 5 previous treatments for sickness sure came in handy this time.  Even water was difficult to drink and drinking lots of water is imperative to getting back to normal after these treatments.

The steroids taken to reduce the nausea caused me to become very hoarse.  In fact it was difficult to talk on the radio show Saturday morning.  After the show I actually came back home and slept the rest of Saturday.

Sleep was the only way to get away from the agony.  I am a very positive person and I have used all my energy to stay positive and not allow myself to fall into that negative trap. 

The saying I have used so often was repeated many times over the past week. Day by Day, in every way, by the grace of God, I am getting better and better and better.

The good news is we will have a CAT scan completed on the 24th of July.  This test will tell the doctors exactly where we are regarding the cancer.

I have noticed a lot of changes in my body such as skin tone, energy level, taste and stamina.  All feelings will return to normal once the Chemo treatments stop.  This was the last scheduled treatment and I believe this cancer has been defeated and is just a part of my history.

Don’t forget the loved ones you know who are suffering from some type of cancer.  Reach out to them, be patient with them and help them in any way you can.  They are going through some very trying times and the personalities you see and experiencing are not their normal attitudes.

By all means if you need me to talk with them email me at Jerry@JerryFowler.com and I will make arrangements to discuss what they are fighting. 

Remember tell them to forget the word HOPE and change that word to BELIEVE.  Let’s not hope for a healing, let’s believe there will be a healing and thank all of you for your cards, emails and most important, your prayers.