Staying Focused on Life Not Cancer
Ray and I have tried not to let cancer be the main focus of our life. It was fairly easy to do during the summer when he had few side effects from his chemotherapy treatments. He was feeling strong and energetic and except for the two days every two weeks that he was hooked up to the 5FU pump, cancer lived in the background of our life. Now that he is on a more aggressive regimen of FOLFOX and Avastin, cancer is very much in the present and always at hand.
The Oxaliplatin chemo, one of the chemo drugs in his FOLFOX combo, causes neuropathy – nerve damage. It shows up as a ‘pins & needles’ feeling in his fingers when he touches something cold, and in his lips, mouth and throat when he drinks something cold. In the beginning, the neuropathy went away a few days after his treatment. Ray had is fourth FOLFOX/Avastin treatment last week and the neuropathy is still present today. It lasts a little longer each time he receives a treatment.
Avastin side effects have been fairly mild. He’s had a couple of nosebleeds and one week he had flu-like symptoms for a few days. This was a little scary because his temperature dropped down to 93 degrees F. I never saw a body temperature that low before. I actually thought the thermometer was broken and bought a new one. When the new thermometer gave the same reading, I called the cancer clinic. An oncology nurse called me back said it sounded like he picked up a flu bug. I was told to give him some Tylenol and keep an eye on his temperature. After he took the Tylenol, Ray fell asleep for a few hours. When he woke up he was running a fever of 100 degrees F. I was told to bring him to the hospital if it went over 101 F. It never did. A short time later his temperature spiked, he broke out in a sweat, then he started shivering with chills. He slept for another hour or so, then felt better until the next day when the process repeated over again. Since that time, I have come across people who took, or are taking, Avastin and had the exact same reaction.
I have found that you cannot rely on the cancer clinic and medical staff alone for answers. Other patients and caregivers are an invaluable resource. There are always others who are walking a little further ahead on the road you’re traveling. Their knowledge, suggestions, little tricks for easing chemo side effects, or just their understanding, becomes part of the safety net that keeps you from feeling like you’re falling off the edge of the world.
Terri McPherson Buckley
