Burt has now finished the second round of his chemo treatments and is getting ready to use the "big guns" for the next 6 weeks......chemo and radiation at the same time. The radiation itself will only take a few minutes every day (Monday through Friday) but the chemo is going to have some risks and side effects. Right now we are waiting for the insurance company to call us, they do not want to pay for the chemo in pill form (Xeloda), they want him to use 5FU through a personal IV through his port 24/hours/day 5 days a week. He will carry the pump in a little pouch around his waist that will contain the liquid chemo, which will move through a flexible tube to a catheter in his chest port. He can remove that for the weekend but has to have it put back in every Monday when he goes in for radiation. The insurance company wants him to use that instead of paying for the pills, which are probably a lot more expensive....
They told us of the side effects of this type of chemo, blisters and cracking skin on the bottom of your feet and hands, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, hair loss, mouth sores.....the list goes on and on. It almost makes you want to say STOP! But Burt tolerated the first chemo drug, Gemzar, quite well, he did not have many of the side effects associated with that, so hopefully he will tolerate this as well. Only time will tell. He was sick last night just thinking about all this, I have to say I admire the man. He's tough. If it were me I'd be curled up in a ball somewhere bawling my eyes out and feeling sorry for myself. I gotta give him a lot of credit, he picks himself back up and keeps going no matter what. That's why I love this guy!
Thanks to all of your who have included Burt and our family in your daily prayers, keep 'em coming! They are working and we just have to get through this rough patch (the next 6 weeks). After this round of treatment is over, he will have a two week break before resuming the last two rounds of Gemzar treatment. By Christmas hopefully this will all be a distant memory.
1 comment:
Hey Burt and Sherrie!
I know you will get through this. Sometimes going through my year of treatment I would wonder how we would get through. But as you say the power of prayer is a mighty thing. I know you two will get through this. And come out stronger. You have so many praying for you. Stay strong!
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