Marshall's Cancer Updates

Homemade Pierogi by Corrine July 16, 2023 Yesterday was day 11 after chemo session 3. On schedule the same as the first two sessions, the side effects from the  Neulasta Onpro  patch kicked in full force. Fortunately, I knew to be prepared to spend the day in bed under sedation.  I'm feeling better today and have stopped taking the Oxy. One more week until the final chemo session. Last week, I had a CT scan to check on the progress of the treatment, and the results were promising. The tumor has shrunk by a full centimeter and shows evidence of cavitation, which means that it's dying. All my lymph nodes are clear and there's no evidence of metastasis in my liver or kidneys or any other organs. The oncologist got in touch the next day to say that he is very happy with the results. I'll have a PET scan after the next/final round to make sure, but it looks like the treatments are working as hoped. I feel like oncologists, in general, are optimistic about treatment, if fo...

  Sunset over Emerson Lake My 3rd chemo-immunotherapy session was on Monday, July 3rd. Three down and one to go, hopefully. The past three weeks following Session 2 were much better than Session 1, and I expect the next three weeks to be similar as after Session 2:  A couple good days following chemo, then an intense week or so of side effects (but not nearly as bad as the first round), and then back to the new normal for the rest of the period, except a hard second Saturday when the Neulasta side effects (bone aches) kick in and I spend the day in bed. Neulasta stimulates white blood cell growth and the main side effect is achy joints. I also know now to be careful on the first Saturday with balance since that's the timeline in both Session 1 and 2 when I fell. I'll try not to bust my head open this time. At this point, I'm off the narcotics (except an occasional Dilauded for shoulder pain), so I'm a bit more clear headed other than some chemo fog.  I had a number of v...