Update for October 20

I'm back home in beautiful Montana - feels like a sanctuary from the peopled world and of course, the large medical institutions like the Texas Medical Center. I love the drive up and down Grant Creek, trees turning fall oranges and yellows and Lolo Peak tracks the fall weather...collecting clouds or the clear, crisp fall days that are before us.

I apologize for leaving some of my fellow bloggers up in the air -- what about the treatment?? How did it go? What was it like, etc? Yes, I had a successful treatment. Dr. Bull said I got an A+ for my ability to handle it. Here's a summary:

The hyperthermia clinical trial combines chemotherapy and heating of the body to kill cancer cells and tumors. They like to do at least 2 treatments spaced about a month a part and can do up to 6 treatments. They remeasure the effectiveness of the treatments after 2 treatments (so no, I didn't get immediate feedback on its success in that way). The protocol includes a first day of receiving Cisplatin chemo drug; a second day of taking in 2 big bags of fluid because you're going to sweat it out all; a third day of the actual heat treatment; and then a fourth for recovery (spending the night in the hospital). Of the experience, the 2nd day is the most difficult or uncomfortable because you have to sit in the chemo area for a long time and you feel bloated and uncomfortable from the fluids. On the day of the heat treatment, I bundled up with blanket, etc. to get to the hospital at 7am. Sam picked up John and I and led us to the room. The heating area is just like a tanning bed with a lot of comfort...pillows, etc. I initially took Meranol (marijuana) as the relaxant. Laying in the bed, they put a lot of monitors on my body to monitor temp and body response. I felt very relaxed. They also give other sedatives and administer gemzar during the procedure. I don't remember and didn't have discomfort until the last hour or two when the drugs begin to wane. They fixed that and I made it thru. They kept my body temperature at 104 degrees for six hours. In recovery, I was mainly tired and thirsty and spent most of my time sleeping. John stayed the night as well.Then with a few more blood work tests, pills, etc., you're done! Back at home, I'm injecting myself with leukine which is a drug to enhance immune recovery. I'll get blood work done each week to see how my immune system is recovering and I need to be at certain levels for the next treatment which is scheduled around November 8. One other prescription that I got was for Megestrol Acetate as an appetite stimulant....as Dr. Bull said, "see if we can't fatten you up a bit." It works wonders and it's great to be able to eat larger portions and a variety of foods.

Featured Friend(s) - John! It's wonderful to find that your life partner is also your best friend after all these years (32+). He's shown me such support...positive, upbeat, open to talking the heartwrenching issues, and the tenacity and energy to manage the administrative requirements of all this treatment and hang in there with me! He makes me laugh....like his foibles as our travel agent where we stayed in 3 hotels before settling in or as my caregiver at the hospital where he slept like a baby leaving all that responsibility behind! Thanks John!