Day -1, et al

I had my first chemo this week. The first day was called "D -1 Day". Wednesday was "D 1 Day" and so on.

Because I am in a "trial" they broke apart the 3 different chemo drugs with lots of blood pulls to determine my reaction to them as a baseline. So Tuesday was Taxol, Wednesday was Carbo + experimental-drug-study-chemo-pill and Thursday was experimental-drug-chemo-pill alone, shortened to "Ro". (it rhymes with "ho" - like what I am doing with my body for science - pimping it out)

The goal of 'Phase One' of this 'Trial' is to determine the maximum amount of Ro one body can take and still be effective. I am "#6" - like only 5 before me - and I guess #1 and #2 had some big kinks to work out, but "they say", things are better for us subsequent lab rats.

Regardless of how badly I wanted into this study to short-stop the rapid cancer cell growth happening within me - I nearly walked away - I nearly chucked it all with one phrase from my very smart, very nice, very kind Dr. Mrowzik - "you do remember, NO COFFEE"..............

That was the first time I had heard this. It might have changed my whole treatment plan.

My face must have turned ashen because she tilted her head and asked me how much coffee I drank each day - I said "3 cups" - and Scott, who was as dumbstruck as I was - spurted out "6 cups" - and she looked between us and I clarified "3 large 'super-sized' cups", then I broke into a blubbering confession -- "they equal almost a pot" -- and she looked at me very kindly and said in her sweet accent "vell maybe, ve go down to 1 small cup a day, then next week you stop"......................

I wondered where they had stored the papers I had signed agreeing to this.

I kind of smiled, my pores trembling, begging for mercy with every atom in my body and told her "you can poke me, prod me, test me, slice me, chemo me, poison every cell in my body - but surely you cannot be taking coffee from me"..... she smiled and patted the bed table between us and said "yes".

Coincidentally, this week's symptoms have been hard to sort out. What caused my almost comatose state on the long drive home today is yet to be determined - was it the third day of chemo, or was it no coffee since Monday????

How can they tell the maximum dose of Ro one can take if my body is in withdrawal? How will that show up on my blood counts?

Other than that, the week went as well as could be expected and then some. Kristi and Cal have made up a very cozy nest for us to crash in after our long 12 hour days at the hospital. I am having minimal side-effects from the chemo so far.

They have some pretty awesome anti-nausea drugs, although I do not think I will be eating popcorn again soon.... God has been good and walking right beside us. Thank you all for your prayers - we feel them moment by moment at times.