My journey with Interferon

Finished!!

2008-08-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

OK, my intensive month long, go to the hospital every day for Interferon treatments are over! It really was a case of Inter-fer-on but ultimately turned out to be Inter-not-fear-on as I seemed to buck the trend of severe side effects experienced by many. Even my nurse manager was amazed at how well I did and how I managed the Interferon and the symptoms. I hope that others who are contemplating undergoing the treatment will look to this as hope that not all will undergo a terrible regime of the drug and that every person will have their own experience and management of the symptoms. If the drug gives you a fighting opportunity and hope for the future than it is worth taking the chance.

My treatment for yesterday was cancelled as per a phone message I received upon arriving home. I just went in then to have my PICC line removed. It came out easier than it went in with no sign of infection upon removal. I am still bandaged up however and will be like that for 2 days.

In retrospect the month did go by fairly fast, especially the last two weeks where I seemed to finally settle into the routine of it all. I remember how scared and anxious I was the first day I set foot in the clinic. That is definitely a memory now as all is completed of this phase of my treatment. However I will definitely miss the caring, tireless, sacrificing and hard working nurses of the Chemo Daycare Unit. I cannot say enough about their care and professionalism. I will also miss all of the other patients recieving treatment. They were all so friendly and we were all drawn together in a sort of comraderie as all of us were undergoing the same type of treatment for the same disease. I wish them all of the best for the future.

Well, this isn’t just about me. I know this entry is going on for ever, but it is my final treatment message. I have people to thank and gratitude to be shown. I am thankful and grateful to the following throughout this month:

Grateful that I was in such close proximity to the hospital
Grateful for the nurses that took such good care of me
Grateful that I was able to tolerate the treatment to the extent that I did
Grateful that I am getting drug coverage for the in home portion of treatment (which by the way is around $3000.00 for a months supply!!)

Thankful for my cousin Elaine who accompanied me my first day of treatment
Thankful for my caring and wonderful friend Lana who spent every Thursday with me at the hospital
Thankful for my Dad and friend Selia who also spent an afternoon with me at the hospital
Thankful for all of the kind messages of support and inspiration that I received from those that read my blog. (You know who you are!) Thanks.
Thankful that hopefully I was able to encourage at least one person who is considering or currently undergoing treatment for Interferon.

Well, I will start my self injections tomorrow, but not really by myself, at least not for a month anyway. I will be going back to the hospital tomorrow to have the nurse give me my first injection and then a home care nurse at my residence for the rest of the month. I will not blog as much for the next eleven months as I am sure it will be boring to read and hopefully it will be event free as far as side effects go. I will be on a half dose and taking the injection at night so as to sleep through any symptoms.

So I close another chapter of my life and move on to the next one with some pride and encouragement that I decided to undergo this treatment with the hope that it will prevent another re-occurrence of this dreaded cancer.

Chris

Three days to go!!

2008-08-06T16:16:00.000-07:00

Well I am back on track with my final week of treatment. My bloodwork was OK on Tuesday after the long weekend with my neutrophils rising again to safe levels. The doctor however has reduced my dosage by half for this last week. I am now getting only 16 MIU per treatment to err on the side of caution. That’s fine with me as this reduced dosage lessens the severity of the side effects in the evening.

I only have 3 more treatments to finish with my last one taking place on Saturday and then I will be free of the hospital visits. It also means that I can have this darn PICC line taken out as well. HOORAY!! I start on the following Monday however with the in home portion of the treatment with the self injections 3 times a week for 11 months. The first dose will be given at the hospital and then for a month at least I will have a home care nurse come in the evening to teach and monitor me re: proper injection techniques. It remains to be seen how long I will be able to tolerate this regimen. Apparently it is better to give yourself the shot at night so that you sleep through any side effects. I will just be glad however to have gotten through the one month intensive.

Chris

Almost there!!

2008-08-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

It has been a stressful week this one has, what with trying to co-ordinate other medical appointments and filing all of the paperwork for the Trillium drug benefits. Papers successfully filed and home care nurse will be arranged to come and teach me safe injection protocol for the at home portion of my treatment.

Side effects have been manageable this week with just the usual amount of fatigue. I have had a little setback as of today. My treatment was suspended for today because my neutrophils have dropped too low to continue. I will have to get bloodwork done first on Tuesday and wait for the results before they decide to continue or not. I really have to be careful of staying away from large crowds and infections now more than ever. I hope that there is not a problem as I am so close…just one more week to go. I just want to finish and get this damn thing over without any delays or prolongation of treatment time. I was told it will be a madhouse on Tuesday also because of the long weekend. So because of that I had to re-schedule another medical appointment because I thought that it would be too long of a day for me. I also hope that I will not be slammed with more severe side effects because of no treatment for four days in a row. I will just have to wait and see.

Chris

Week Three

2008-07-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

I was pretty tired all weekend and also had some low grade nausea on both days. Today was still a low energy day as well but I had some housework to do and so I ploughed through it because there is nobody else to do the work. Anyway I am resting on the couch now and thinking that it is getting pretty tedious going to the hospital every day for a month. My friend S. kept me company today for my appt. so we had ample time to catch up as we have not seen each other since Christmas.

I bought some ginger root capsules today as I read that it is a good remedy for nausea as well as an immune system booster. I took two earlier so we shall see as to the efficacy of the claim and if I get any nausea tonight. Also will be receiving my latest bloodwork results tomorrow and that will determine if they have to adjust the dose or not.

Met with the Social Worker today as we are in the process of finalizing the paperwork for the drug benefits for the home usage. I also meet with the nurse manager tomorrow after my treatment so she can teach me how to do the injections on my own. Oh goody…….NOT!! Anyway I will be having a Homecare nurse come to teach me in my residence for the first month of injections. It remains to be seen if I get through all eleven months of the regime or not. My goal right now is the next two weeks. Again, one day at a time…

Chris

Blue Butterflies!

2008-07-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

Well it’s the end of week two and I am half way there. I started off today with a Reiki appt. at Wellspring, which is a Cancer support agency that is close to where I live. They offer a multitude of services for people with cancer from support groups, yoga, energy work, workshops and more. I also attend one of their men’ cancer groups on Monday evenings and I find that the group is very friendly and supportive; most willing to lend a hand or be there via telephone if you need someone to talk with. Anyway back to the Reiki session. It was very relaxing and calming but different from other Reiki sessions that I have had in the past. The person performing the treatment also used a little bit of acupressure which I found was different. After the session he told me that I was quite intuitive if I let myself feel things. He also saw blue butterflies around me and thought that it was a sign of transformation. Very interesting I thought, as I am looking at my diagnosis as a means of spiritual transformation.

My most excellent friend L. joined me yesterday again for my treatment and offered her calm and soothing energy which made the session fly by. I am lucky to have such a good friend that is concerned enough to take the time to spend with me at the hospital. The side effects have not changed much. Tuesday evening was the worst night for the symptoms but subsequent nights have only brought on chills and some mild nausea.

I must spend some time this weekend and fill out the forms for the Trillium drug benefits so I can get those sent in as soon as possible in order to start my coverage for August hopefully.

My neutrophils have also been dropping so I must stay away from crowds, animals and infection. If they do continue to fall the doctor will reduce the dosage. We will worry about that next week. I am still feeling very positive about the whole treatment and I believe that I have made the right decision. Until next week…

Chris

Hump Day!

2008-07-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday and that means only two more treatments until week two is over. Last night brought on the symptoms a little more severely...why I don't know, but was able to get through them none the less. We will see what tonight brings.

I met with the social worker today at the hospital so she can guide me through the red tape regarding applying for drug benefits for the self-injection portion of the 11 month treatment that is not covered by OHIP. If you do not have a drug plan in Ontario, the Trillium Drug Plan will cover the rest of your medication and you just pay a deductible based on your last year's income. We are so lucky that we have these benefits in Canada. I really feel for our neighbour's to the south who may or may not have insurance and who have to pay out of pocket. We really do have great health coverage in this country and you especially notice it at a time like this.

I again must give complements to the nurses in the Chemo clinic. They do such a wonderful job and you always leave in an upbeat manner.

My bloodwork so far has looked OK with no major problems. I hope that all critical levels keep within a safe range as I really do not want to be put on hold with the medication. I just want to plow through and get it all out of the way with. Just keep hydrated and eat as well as you can and get plenty of rest and stay away form infection. There is light at the end of the tunnell.

Chris

Week Two

2008-07-21T17:27:00.000-07:00

Well it is the start of week two and I went to the hospital early today for a blood draw. At least with the PICC I am not getting poked every day now. After the bloodwork I had to wait an hour and a half to get my treatment. I hope it is not like that every day this week.

I consider myself pretty fortunate so far as I have not experienced any severe side effects. I may be one of the lucky one's. Every person is different however and someone else may experience all of the side effects and with great severity as well. I don't want to lull anybody into a false sense of security however. I just want to be honest about my own experience. I think it has to do with other pre-existing conditions and how healthy you are overall. If you go into the treatment with good health and are strong both physically and mentally I think that is at least half of the battle. I just hope that this keeps up for me and that I do not succumb to any of the side effects. Until next time...

Chris

First week under my belt!!

2008-07-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

I made it through my first week of treatment…it seemed to fly by in retrospect. I remember how scared I was on the first day and now 5 days have passed with 3 more weeks to go.

I had the PICC line put in yesterday which was not a nice procedure to undergo. Mind you it is relatively painless and only takes a half hour but just the thought of something sticking out of your arm for a month is not really that pleasant. I don't like it at all but I guess I will get used to it though. Having my good friend L. along helped a great deal. You must also cover it in plastic when showering as you cannot get it wet and you must be careful not to lift or strain with that arm as well. Since having it placed and receiving the treatment yesterday and today through the catheter I have noticed a decrease in the symptoms, just a slight headache and fever. I wonder why that is…not that I am complaining mind you!

After each infusion I am also getting a 500 ml. bag of saline which is said to cut down on the severity of the symptoms as well. It is also vitally important to keep yourself quite hydrated each day and drink at least 10 to 12 glasses of water.

The Chemo clinic was relatively quiet today so I was in and out in 2 hours 15 min. which was a record for this week. I get my blood checked on Mon. and again next Thur. to see that everything is OK and no adjustments to the medication have to be made.

So my first week of treatment in the clinic was quite an experience…exhausting and emotional but I think that I will adapt just fine. Until next week…

Chris

Another day

2008-07-16T16:37:00.001-07:00

OK…I went to write an entry late last night and I lost the post right at the end due to my crappy internet connection at the time. So I think that I will just post on Mon., Wed., and Fri. so it does not get too boring and it also puts less strain on me.

Today was the third treatment and just like the following two nights and today the side effects are starting to kick in 5 hours post treatment. The same suspects appear myalgia, arthralgia, chills and fever. I told my Oncologist the only side effect I was looking forward to were the chills because I am not a hot weather person and today in Toronto it is 31 degrees centigrade with high humidity… will be for the next two days as well. So chills for me are not so bad!

Tomorrow I have the PICC line inserted (not looking forward to that procedure) but I am told it is relatively painless. Basically it is a central catheter that they insert through your upper arm through a vein and it rests just above your heart in said vessel. http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Chemotherapy/Linesports/PICCline. It is done via an x-ray so they know where they are going. It will stay in for the duration of the month and will aid in giving the medicine and for twice weekly blood draws so that you are not getting poked 7 times a week.

The reality of going to the hospital every day for the month has set in today…it seems quite daunting but I will just take it one day at a time. When I am in the treatment room however and receiving the excellent care from the nurses working in the Chemo Clinic you cannot help but feel relaxed and taken care for. I cannot say enough about these professionals who put our needs ahead of their own on a daily basis. Many go without lunch for the day because they say that we are more important. I am so grateful to be going to PMH.

Well, that’s it for now, I think I will do some stretches to alleviate any muscle soreness and get ready for day four. Take care of yourself,

Chris

First day of treatment

2008-07-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

Monday is over and I have successfully made it through the first day. Arrived at the hospital where I met my cousin E. and headed to the chemo clinic. I was really very, very anxious and walking through those doors of the clinic, not the waiting room, but the actual treatment area was the hardest thing I had to do in my life aside from going through the death of my mother.

Wonderful team of nurses and very friendly patients who struck up conversations with me. We are all in the same boat and we are all fighting the same fight so it's great to stick together.

Treatment administered through a temporary catheter for 20 minutes and then 2 bags of saline. No adverse effects at the hospital. I am recieving 33 MIU per day for 20 days. After a couple of hours I was released and very relieved that the first day went so smoothly at the hospital.

My cousin and I went to share a Danish at the cafeteria and then we walked back to my place (I am greatful I just have a 20 minute walk.

It is now 7:30 pm and I have had mild flu like symptoms for 3 hours now. Took some Tylenol and went through a bout of chills and now I am very warm...but nothing unmanageable. I will see how I make it through the night and to my next appt. tomorrow.

I made it with the wonderful support of family and friends both in this country and the US. Thank you all for a great first day.....WHEWWWWWWWWW!!!!

Chris

Three days to go...

2008-07-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

It's Friday... and I am starting Interferon Alpha injection treatments for Stage III Melanoma on Monday. 5 days a week for one month at Princess Margaret hospital in Toronto. I am feeling a little... no make that a lot anxious about the whole situation. I guess it is the fear of the unknown and how severely I will experience the side effects. Hopefully they will not be too incapacitating. Anyone who knows any little bit about this treatment has heard of the "flu" like syndrome and extreme lethargy, chills, fever, etc., etc. I just hope I don't lose too much weight as I only weigh 120 pounds now as it is.

I have a cousin that will be with me on Monday for my treatment so I will have some support for the first day. They will not be inserting a PICC line until three days later so at least I will have three less days with that as part of my anatomy! (more on that procedure later) I also have a good friend who will be seeing me through that day as well.

So, the waiting begins and I am hoping for the best and will try to remain as positive about this as possible. I am trying to look at this experience as a spiritual awakening or stepping stone to a better life internally and externally.

Stay tuned for news of my first treatment......

Chris