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Week 38 - Jerry's Greatest Challenge - More Chemo Treatments
Jerry’s Greatest Challenge
11-18-2007 through 11-25-2007
More Chemo Treatments
Editors Note: This is the 38th week since Jerry was diagnosed with lung cancer. Jerry has reported each week regarding the progress, treatment, feelings, events and thoughts as he goes through this challenge.
From Jerry: Well this has been a week of repeats. Back to the oncology association and back on Chemo Treatments. I started the first of six treatments on Wednesday 11-21-2007, the day before Thanksgiving. The doctors have me on the following 4 chemicals or drugs:
• Carboplatinum
• Gemzar
• Aloxi
• Decadron
These are all given at one sitting which usually takes 2 and ½ hours. They are all administered through the port installed by my surgeon back in March of this year. These treatments will be given once per week.
This week I was also measured and marked with the primary marks for the 35 radiation treatments that will began on December 3rd. This was very interesting. The technicians lay you on a collapsible bag that fits from your lower back up behind your neck and head. This is what they call forming.
The purpose is to build a form, which is permanent that will make sure your body fit the exact same way each time you take your treatments. Then they run you through this massive machine that has laser beams coming from all directions. Once these lasers are coordinated to the cancer in your body they mark the areas with a dark purple X.
The next step in this process will occur on Friday 11-30-07. This is what they call a simulation of treatment. They then mark the other areas on the body. The process today is simpler than in times past when they actually tattooed a mark on your body and that mark was permanent. Once the simulation is over and Dr. Wright does his study we are then set to start radiation treatments the following Monday. These will be given each day, 5 days per week until we complete 35 treatments.
My understanding is each treatment will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Radiation is a very direct and powerful treatment with the only areas affected being the ones focused on. Side effect will vary but because this is around my neck and esophagus I could have difficulty swallowing, eating and talking. I am thinking positive that this will not occur.
We are still in the process of trying to set up a foundation to help the caregivers. There seems to be nothing dedicated to the caregivers of the thousands of cancer patients and this would be used primarily to set up counseling groups, training classes and other ways to help the caregivers. More on that as we move forward.
I sincerely hope that each and every one of you had a nice Thanksgiving. I hope you used this time to spend with your family and that you told them you loved them.
I would like to extend my condolences to the Chris Conner family as they suffered the lost of Chris last week due to complications in surgery due to blood clots. Our prayers go out to the family and to the friends of Chris. He was a wonderful person.
If you are going through any type challenge read the book entitled “The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, by Dr. Joseph Murphy. If you read this book and follow its advice, you can overcome anything.
Also if you need a speaker at your club let me know. We need to get the word out to all people about what their friends and neighbors are going through if they have cancer. There is no one in any area that is not affected by cancer either in friends, loved ones, neighbors or others you know. Cancer is rampant.
Jerry Fowler
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