The Three Cs: Cancer, Chemo and Colds

Which of these doesn't belong in the group?

After being diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer and undergoing some of the harshest chemo known to man, I would think that I would now sneeze in the face of colds. Only wimps complain about colds, right?

Wrong. After catching yet another cold four weeks ago, I've been tired, sluggish and grumpy. An active day is followed by a day of recuperation. And it seems that I no sooner recover from a cold or flu that I've caught another bug.

During my visit at City of Hope yesterday, I told my doctor that I now catch colds and flus more easily (I've had two bouts of the flu and two colds since December, with sick days outnumbering well days 5 to 1), that I'm knocked down harder and that it takes me longer to get back up again. He believes that my immune system was battered by the post-stem-cell-transplant maintenance Rituxan that I took every quarter for nearly two years. We cut short the last infusion because he suspected that my immune system was taking a hit.

"It's one of the things that we doctors often debate," he said. The efficacy of Rituxan for keeping patients in remission is uncertain. But the pummelling of the immune system with some patients on Rituxan is certain.

If someone had come to me with these facts before the decision to go with the maintenance Rituxan, I doubt that my decision would be different. I figured only a fool would pass on a chance for a longer remission because of a fear of sniffles.

But as I reach for one more Kleenex and cover one more cough, I'm beginning to wonder.

A Little of This, A Little of That

I really love the stretches of time when Cancer Banter lies dormant and Open Mouth, Insert Fork sizzles with food activity.

The food overindulgence is paying off. I found out yesterday at the City of Hope that I've packed on seven pounds in a month. (And, if you've been following my food blog, you'll see why.) Now I just need to gain another dozen pounds to go from "scrawny" to "svelte."

[photo forthcoming]

I've also been indulging in some good wines, but still haven't managed to visit the EOS Estate Winery in Paso Robles.

The EOS cap brought me good cheer, and it must also be bringing me good luck. Ever since Nancy brought it over, my EOS have been behaving. Yesterday I found out that they decreased (sans steroids) slightly since my last blood draw a month ago. I believe my EOS woes (and the accompanying stress) are behind me.

I'm always amazed at the creativity and thoughtfulness that goes in to helping others who are going through or recovering from cancer or a serious illness. Instead of a perfunctory, "Let me know what I can do," some of you may have offered to help with nitty gritty tasks, like cleaning out the litter box or scrubbing the toilets. If there's a disconnect between your intentions and your scrub brush, you may want to visit Cleaning for a Reason, an organization that provides free cleaning services for cancer patients. (Thanks to Petrea for forwarding this website.)

A concerned friend of blogger Assertive Cancer Patient lives in a different state, so she couldn't bring over a home-cooked meal. She did the next best thing and made arrangements for a pizza delivery. This works for close-distant friends too, because sometimes it's easier to make a call than make a meal. Just remember to contact the patient to find out when they'd like the delivery made and what toppings the family likes. (And, of course, delivery doesn't have to be confined to pizza.)

I love the creativity of Susan Kitchens, who made an audio tape of her walk, complete with the sounds of zooming cars and cheeping birds, and brought it to a friend who is landlocked in the hospital after an organ transplant. If only there was a way to record the amazing spring fragrances.

I feel uplifted just thinking about the love and thoughtfulness that goes into these acts. They're a great reminder that it's better to do something than to do nothing and feel guilty about it.

Have you been on the giving or receiving end of a thoughtful act? I'd love to hear about it.

Becoming Dis-Oriented

Disorientation is nothing new to me. I was born without a sense of direction.

But lately I've been thinking about the way marketers use the term "Oriental," as in "Oriental Flavor Ramen."

Don't get lost on your way to Open Mouth, Insert Fork.

The Lazy Life

Is taking the easiest, least stressful route being "lazy"?

I think so, but I've finally made peace with "lazy." In a good way.

Read more about my lazy luncheon at Open Mouth, Insert Fork.

Nursing Sick Dogs Back to Health

Any patient with a dog, knows that our faithful companions immediately sense when we're not feeling well and then do their best to help lick our wounds.

Last night was my turn to help out Betty, our wonder mutt. A little before 5 pm, she started coughing in convulsions. She lost bladder and bowel control. She wandered into the spare bedroom to isolate. Soon, she lost the strength in her legs. She couldn't walk and I couldn't carry her, so my neighbor came to the rescue and gave Betty a lift to the car.

We rushed to the emergency hospital in Eagle Rock and arrived just as they were opening at 6 pm. I was afraid that it was time to say goodbye to my faithful girl. But she pulled through, in spite of literally turning purple, a collapsed lung and a host of other problems set off by an inability to breathe.

We're hoping that Prednisone (the same drug that I take for rising EOS) reduces the swelling in her trachea so that we don't have to do surgery.

When we were at our local vet's office this morning, I stepped on to the giant scale and got a shock. "Is this scale correct?" I asked the vet's assistant in disbelief. Of course, it was. I just couldn't believe that I tipped the scales at 110 - an eight pound weight loss in less than a month. (This in spite of calorie contributions in the form of mac 'n' cheese and soups from two friends.) I've been having a host of ongoing GI problems, which I'm sure explains the plunge in pounds.

I'm scheduled at the City of Hope on Thursday and plan to ask for a referral to a GI specialist.

In the mean time, we sick dogs will just have to stick together and nurse one another back to health.

Eating My Way Through a Bucket List

I'll tell you this much: I'd much rather be talking about bucket lists on my food blog than on my cancer blog.

Read about what happens when restaurants kick the bucket at Open Mouth, Insert Fork.

Let the Sun Shine In!

After a week of soup and stew weather, the clouds have parted and it's time for a celebration of citrus.

Wander over to Open Mouth, Insert Fork to find out how I've been using the back yard citrus.