Jerry's April Update

jgwright
jgwright Member Posts: 242
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Well, okay. EC at the gastroesophageal junction, of course... And now mets to the adrenals. So, I'm on my second run of chemo, and this is the second infusion/pump. Y'know, sadly, before I went on this second run, I was feeling pretty good. But now...

Ah, phooey. So, every two weeks -- Leucovorin, and Oxaliplatin for a couple of hours, and then 5FU in the pump for 46 hours, and my GEJ hurts! It feels really raggedy, and I'm taking lots of Tums, etc. Nausea is back if I eat too much, and I'm back to eating 1/3 or what I used to. Of course, at the same time, I have an abcess that won't go away, although I've had two teeth pulled, and I'm just sucking down the antibiotics. Amoxicillin didn't work, so I'm on something stronger. I forget what, something like KelFlex, or somesuch.

Anyway tomorrow is my first day back at class, and so I think I'd better go to bed, because I can't sleep in until 10 tomorrow!!

--Jerry

Comments

  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #2
    Positive thoughts are coming your way
    You are in our thoughts and prayers, Jerry! Sorry that round 2 is a rough go for you. Endure....

    Hoping that things improve

    Terry
  • megmacmd
    megmacmd Member Posts: 85
    #3
    Dont get discouraged
    Sorry to hear round 2 is rough my first round was the worst got a wicked mouth herpetic infection then it got better for the next7-8 ropunds got really old last 3-4 rounds counts dropped and slept alot Mouth sores and teeth issues are a real pain My doctor gave me a solution of cafergot that really helped the stomach pain when dexilant and tums didnt work Also I got compazine and ativan for the nausea.Lived on yogurt applesause oatmeal and soup.But after I stopped the GE mass had shrunk alot and now I can eat just about anything and energy is coming back.Hang in there rest as much as youcan be easy on yourself pamper yourself alot.I do hope the teeth situation improves nothing worse than tooth pain.Hope you have some pain meds as well They gave me vicodine to take when needed somedays I didnt need it at all some days it helped take the edge off the pain.You are in my prayers .Have a good day in class Meg Mac
  • bingbing2009
    bingbing2009 Member Posts: 177
    #4
    Hang in there!
    Sorry to hear things are not going as well. Having an abcess on top of everything else certainly doesn't help the situation. Hope you get some relief quickly--surely one of the antibiotics will work.
    Try to hang tough and keep that wonderful attitude!
    Sending lots of good thoughts your way!

    Melinda
  • stephikindred
    stephikindred Member Posts: 140
    #5
    Jerry
    I just wanted to chime in and offer encouragement and send healing thoughts your way. And back at class with all this going on...you have a lot on your plate. I hope you are getting enough rest so you can get better!
  • JReed
    JReed Member Posts: 428
    #6
    Hi Jerry!
    I sure hope you get feeling better soon - I have had so many abcesses that finally the last one was the straw that broke the dentists' back - so now I have a complete upper denture - I'm way used to it now - but it definately took some getting used to. It does beat the heck out of the abcesses - ughhh

    I'll bet you are one heck of a great teacher - I know you are - because I remember that you said you loved it. Lucky students to get you for sure.

    Sounds like Don is going to have additional radiation as much as we had hoped against it - don't have all the nitty gritty details because the nurse wasn't very informative - basically all she did was read the report to us - didn't seem to know a whole lot. Oh well, like you said - it is what it is and we will deal with it.

    Hang in there dude - you know we are all pulling for you every step of the way. Thanks for keeping us posted.

    Tons of good mojo coming to your door!

    Love,
    Judy & Don
  • captdave
    captdave Member Posts: 153
    #7
    Jerry, Thanks for the
    Jerry, Thanks for the update. I think about you often and was wondering how you were doing. Hang in there and hopefully after your chemo you will be a candidate for Dr. Mulligan. Glad to hear that your getting back to class. Take care my friend and hang in there!

    Dave
  • birdiequeen
    birdiequeen Member Posts: 319
    #8
    Hope you feel better soon!
    Jerry,

    Sorry you are not feeling better.

    Can you help me? How did they find your adrenal involvement? My husband has two spots on his kidneys and one on his adrenal but the biopsy they did was inconclusive. So he did another and we are waiting on results. How did they determine your adrenal was mets of EC? We have been chasing this since January and he is still feeling well. So I’ve got my fingers crossed!

    Thanks for your help.

    Lee Ann
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #9
    JReed said:

    Hi Jerry!
    I sure hope you get feeling better soon - I have had so many abcesses that finally the last one was the straw that broke the dentists' back - so now I have a complete upper denture - I'm way used to it now - but it definately took some getting used to. It does beat the heck out of the abcesses - ughhh

    I'll bet you are one heck of a great teacher - I know you are - because I remember that you said you loved it. Lucky students to get you for sure.

    Sounds like Don is going to have additional radiation as much as we had hoped against it - don't have all the nitty gritty details because the nurse wasn't very informative - basically all she did was read the report to us - didn't seem to know a whole lot. Oh well, like you said - it is what it is and we will deal with it.

    Hang in there dude - you know we are all pulling for you every step of the way. Thanks for keeping us posted.

    Tons of good mojo coming to your door!

    Love,
    Judy & Don

    ARGH!
    Dammit, dammit, dammit! Not what I wanted to hear, Judy.

    Prayers and positive thoughts that you get better news from the doc. But either way - at least Don is past surgery. It's all small steps towards a better day!

    With much love and {hugs}

    Terry
  • jgwright
    jgwright Member Posts: 242
    #10
    birdiequeen said:

    Hope you feel better soon!
    Jerry,

    Sorry you are not feeling better.

    Can you help me? How did they find your adrenal involvement? My husband has two spots on his kidneys and one on his adrenal but the biopsy they did was inconclusive. So he did another and we are waiting on results. How did they determine your adrenal was mets of EC? We have been chasing this since January and he is still feeling well. So I’ve got my fingers crossed!

    Thanks for your help.

    Lee Ann

    Adrenals
    There was actually some uptake on my original PET scan, but because there were enough "hot spots" that weren't cancerous, they didn't worry that much. But sadly, after my first round of chemo and rads the spots on the adrenals had grown, as shown in the pre-surgery CT scan.

    So a needle biopsy was scheduled, and sadly it WASN'T inconclusive. They only did one adrenal gland, but there was an enlarged spot on the right one, as well, so they made a logical assumption that both are involved, and it does make sense.

    Here's hoping it shrinks down...

    First day of class wasn't bad, but I was not nearly as organized as I wanted to be. Still it went well, and we all hope for a good time. With learning actually happening...

    --Jerry
  • birdiequeen
    birdiequeen Member Posts: 319
    #11
    jgwright said:

    Adrenals
    There was actually some uptake on my original PET scan, but because there were enough "hot spots" that weren't cancerous, they didn't worry that much. But sadly, after my first round of chemo and rads the spots on the adrenals had grown, as shown in the pre-surgery CT scan.

    So a needle biopsy was scheduled, and sadly it WASN'T inconclusive. They only did one adrenal gland, but there was an enlarged spot on the right one, as well, so they made a logical assumption that both are involved, and it does make sense.

    Here's hoping it shrinks down...

    First day of class wasn't bad, but I was not nearly as organized as I wanted to be. Still it went well, and we all hope for a good time. With learning actually happening...

    --Jerry

    Jerry,
    Thank you for that
    Jerry,

    Thank you for that information. I was wondering if there was any other way to determine if it is mets, just in case this biopsy comes back inconclusive too. It is so very hard to wait. But, I don't know what I'm in a hurry to find out either. The news of mets has to be devistating I'm sorry to ask you to think back to that event.

    I am humbled you are still teaching. Glad your first day went well. You will get organized.

    Thank you again,
    Lee Ann
  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #12
    birdiequeen said:

    Jerry,
    Thank you for that
    Jerry,

    Thank you for that information. I was wondering if there was any other way to determine if it is mets, just in case this biopsy comes back inconclusive too. It is so very hard to wait. But, I don't know what I'm in a hurry to find out either. The news of mets has to be devistating I'm sorry to ask you to think back to that event.

    I am humbled you are still teaching. Glad your first day went well. You will get organized.

    Thank you again,
    Lee Ann

    Feep Up Your Spoonk
    Keep moving forward Jerry. You will get thru this. It's great you are still in the classroom. You will gain energy from your students. Keep teaching as long as you can. Prayers, Sam Stage IV
  • Ginny_B
    Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
    #13
    Jerry, hugs to you -- great
    Jerry, hugs to you -- great big ones! I hope you get over this bump in the road and start feeling better (stronger) soon. You're amazing to keep teaching. Your students ARE learning. You're the man!

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