To my palate it's stuck
And the taste of food
Makes me want to upchuck
But my hair's still there.
I get so tired
I could sleep on nails.
My skin gets so dry
It's as if I had scales.
But my hair's still there.
For a week, I feel
Like I want to throw up
My colon feels like
It wants to blow up.
But my hair's still there.
I've become so clumsy
And I'm losing my hearing
I question the course
That I've been steering
But my hair's still there.
On the bright side, my doctors
Use every trick
And since I got Merkel's
I haven't been sick.
And my hair's still there.
I shaved it off,
But it didn't fall out.
Yet!
Three more rounds to go.
It will.
I bet.
Actually it is a fact that since I got MCC, I have not even had the sniffles (that weren't caused by allergy).
Yesterday, I visited Dr. Flam for follow-up.
Labs are good.
WBC up to 26,800 due to Neulasta.
Platelets down 166,000 to 80,000. This is still not too bad.
Hgb 11.5 up from 11.0
I have a symptom which has developed slowly and I don't even know if it is related to chemotherapy and that is hearing loss. I can hear sounds, but often cannot make out the words. This is especially so when watching TV. I have been resorting to closed captioning. I had an audiogram yesterday which showed mild hearing loss. We will see if it progresses.
Otherwise I am doing well.
I have a CT scan scheduled 1 week from tomorrow. That will be the moment of truth.
My Granddaughter Eva has donated her hair to Locks of Life, which provides wigs for cancer patients. She has done this in my honor and also in memory of her other grandmother Mary Arechiga, who passed away from the combination of breast cancer and lymphoma.
Here are the photos.
I am so proud!
Hey Dave,
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are handling this like a champ. FYI - the hearing loss is from the Cisplatin ... notorious for causing hearing loss. Scott had mucho amounts of cisplatin and he has hearing loss in both ears in the high pitch range. Most kids that we were in treatment with who were being treated for various pediatric cancers all have hearing aids. I guess it is a side effect we will take considering the alternative.
Keep up the good work and stay strong.
Diane
caringbridge: scotthammond
It is a win/win with Eva donating her hair. I wouldn't want to wear long hair in the Fresno summer anyway.
ReplyDeleteHi Dave,
ReplyDeleteI know that you cheer all of the MCC patients on in the MCC Google Group who have seen Dr. N for treatment. I guess it must be a a bond with "George" thing. I've noticed that no matter now many notes of encouragement that I leave you on your blog, you've never left one for Scott who was diagnosed with very bad MCC ... bones .. lymph nodes, many tumors, etc., at the age of 14, and he is alive and kicking going on his 4th year MCC free, thanks to his oncologists here in DC. Keep in mind that Dr. N. told me when my son was diagnosed with very bad Stage IV MCC, that chemo wouldn't help him. Glad I didn't listen to him and glad you have found the right treatment for you.
I will no longer leave you any more notes, even though I know that you stalk my son, Scott's, caringbridge site, as so many others are doing, and forwarding my son's info to Dr. N for his research purposes. Had to get it off of my chest Dave. Tell everyone in the MCC Google group to keep fighting. Hope the censorship by the "Owners" has calmed down.
Diane Hammond (Mom of Scott Hammond - MCC Miracle Boy since June of 08)
I am sorry if I have said something or failed to say something that upset you. I have not actually read the the Caring Bridge site for Scott, but will do so now.
ReplyDeleteI have referred to him without naming him as one of the anecdotal cases who is a disease-free survivor of MCC after chemo, and whose story helped me to make the decision to have chemo in spite of some comments from Dr. Nghiem. In addition, I have never forwarded any information about Scott to Dr. N.
I wish Scott and you only the best.
Dave Shuster