LAST INFUSION for now

Well...I just finished my last Avastin infusion. Whew!!! Now, I go into wait & see mode. Only meds are the usual for blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. Hoping that some of the things that we assume are side effects of the Avastin will subside - like the nosebleeds, headaches, etc. My routine will now be checkups every six weeks with Xrays, bloodwork, etc. Will determine any future treatment based on the checkups. As long as the cancer doesn't grow again, I am free of treatments for a while.

We leave for Alaska in four days. Celebration time!!

http://cancer.iu.edu/help/waystogive/lifetime/ribbon.php

Click the link above to honor or remember the faces of cancer in your life.

shoulder and other aches

Well... this week I have been dealing with my very sore shoulder. After quiting physical therapy a couple weeks ago due to the pain, I saw a shoulder specialist Monday. He scheduled an MRI which was done today. Hopefully, after reviewing the MRI, the Dr Kunkle will be able to confirm whether any kind of injury or shoulder damage is involved or if it is what is referred to as "frozen shoulder". After that, I will get directions re: how to handle it going forward.

Also, my feet/toes are bothering me quite a bit again. I assume this is a continuation of the peripheral neuropathy that was caused by chemo. Since the toes got quite a bit worse whenever I was in very cold temps, I had hoped that they would be better as it warmed up - wrong!! I don't really feel what I would call pain. It is more a significant numbness - very much like the toes and balls of my feet being asleep. I have that kind of sharp tingling - except that it doesn't go away.

Still have rough headaches in the AM - sometimes other times during the day. I take a couple Advil in the AM and end up OK for most of the day. Every so often I need to take Advil later in the day - but not every day. Hopefully, the headaches and nose bleeds will subside once I am done with the Avastin infusion later this month.

only one more Avastin

Well...yesterday I got my penultimate Avastin infusion. (That's trivia-speak for next to the last.) April 30 will be my last infusion. Then...we wait & see what happens. I will see Dr Einhorn every six to eight weeks with Xrays and bloodwork to determine my cancer status. Yesterday, he said that my Xrays indicate that the cancer is still stable - as it has been for several months.

On another note, I quit the physical therapy for my shoulder. WOW - was it painful!! Dr Mason Goodman gave me a recommendation for a shoulder specialist and I will see Dr Kunkle in a couple weeks. I have heard everything from "physical therapy is necessary to improve the shoulder" to "leave it alone and it will improve on its own". So...we'll see what the specialist says. I do know for sure, however, that I am probably not willing to put up with the level of pain I had during physical therapy if that will simply get it better a few months earlier than it will get better on its own. We'll see...