It's been almost a month since I posted anything, a month when I went back on the Votrient. At first, the resumption of side effects was very gradual. But by now they've all returned. First to make a comeback was the loss of ability to taste and the accompanying loss of appetite. Before I was in the hospital in October, I had never had a sandwich from Jimmy John's. Mohamed brought me one (a #12), and, off the Votrient, I thought it was the most delicious food I'd ever eaten outside of France. As long as I wasn't taking the chemo, I scarfed down at least two of them a week. And then suddenly, once back on the Votrient, the sandwich lost its taste, and finishing one seemed an ordeal.
We'd cut the blood pressure meds down to two, rather than the three we'd been using to counter the effects of the chemo, which raises blood pressure dramatically. (One of the causes of the hospitalization last month was that while I had stopped the Votrient, I forgot to reduce the blood pressure meds, so I was reading 80/40 when I entered the hospital.) But now the blood pressure was high again--not dangerously so, but consistently above what is desirable.
The last symptom to return was the diarrhea. It took a while, but when it returned, it did so with a vengeance. Imodium is back on my regular rotation of meds.
Yesterday we went to the KU Cancer Center. Usually we go every six weeks, but to check more closely, we went after four weeks. Blood work went quickly, but there was an uncharacteristic wait for Jennifer, the physician assistant we see on every other visit. There were the usual anomalies in the blood work, but most of the discussion concerned the chemo schedule. What we've settled on now to help alleviate the consequences of Votrient is a schedule of two weeks on, one week off. I started the week off yesterday. We're going to try one blood pressure med while I'm off the chemo, and we'll go back in three weeks after the first of this new cycle. Meanwhile, I hope the diarrhea abates and my appetite returns, especially in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
Since the last post, the Royals have lost the last game of the World Series, though what a thrilling post-season they gave us.
The election has passed and gloom reigns supreme.
The Supreme Court has legalized same-sex marriage in Kansas, though our dreadful governor, secretary of state, and attorney general are doing everything they can to create hassles, e.g. forbidding the DMV to allow changes in a driver's name after a marriage. Presumably, we'll be able to file the same federal and state income tax forms this year.
Happy Thanksgiving. We'll be spending it among friends, the same group as for the last three years, though in a different location. I'm making a pumpkin cheesecake, which is always delicious, though I'm ashamed to admit it's a Paula Deen recipe.
And since it's a Thanksgiving tradition to say what one is thankful for, I'll jump the gun and say that I'm most thankful for Mohamed, who is unfailingly loving and caring and who, after four years of this, has never once complained.
