Chemo 2

This past Thursday was Leo's second chemo treatment. It went pretty much like last time - injections, drips, heated blanket, sleepytown - but two great things were different:

1. Our doctor told us that the cancer isn't in Leo's bone marrow. YES. Aside from that being good overall, it also means no more bone marrow biopsies.

2. This time around, Leo's side effects have been much milder. Still some nausea and tiredness, but no aches or crotchety salivary glands. He's been getting lots of food and sleep and generally seems chipper. Fingers crossed things stay this way.

Because there's a better than good chance that Leo's hair will fall out, we decided to give him a preemptive buzz on the recommendation of friends. That was on Friday. He now looks pretty tough. Acts it too. Maybe that's why he doesn't like when I try to pat his new 'do. Or maybe it's just that I'm crooning "You're my fuzzy-buzzy funny-bunny" at the same time.

On Normality and Food

Leo has been feeling a lot better these last couple of days. Many of the side effects have been reduced to a murmur, leaving him "almost normal." Normal enough to plague me with bad jokes and classic Leo-like behaviors (imagine these for yourself, but keywords are: watches, procrastination, and Leo you'd better WRITE YOUR PAPERS). Normal enough for us to bicker like an old married couple. Or maybe the Odd Couple, but, weirdly, we take turns being Oscar and Felix at exactly the same time and argue about that. 

Over the past few weeks Leo and I have been lucky enough to receive some incredibly generous offers and gifts of home-cooked food, often involving magical door-to-door service (see photo). We love the food! Thank you so much.

Something that we've recently learned is that there are several (normally healthy) foods that Leo can't eat now that he's started chemo. So, though this sounds awfully presumptuous, I thought I should give a heads up to avoid anyone going to the trouble of preparing food that Leo can't actually eat. Below are things that he should avoid.

Too Acidic (will hurt the mouth):

Tomatoes, raw or cooked

Citrus fruits or juices

Vinegar or vinegary foods

Coffee

Alcohol

Other Mouth Irritants: 

Spicy foods

Hard, dry, or coarse foods

Very hot/cold foods

Very sugary foods

Bacteria Carriers (due to a lowered immune system):

Raw milk cheeses

Raw fruits and vegetables that haven't been washed/peeled

Raw fish or meat

When the doctor told us about all the foods to avoid, Leo's only question was, "So I shouldn't eat steak tartare?" I really don't think that was a joke.

Side Effects

Well we've made it through the first four days after treatment, and I have to say: Chemo is not nice, but I forgive it.

Our weekend went like this:

Friday: Treatment day. Leo was great. A little dopey from the Benadryl, a little jittery from something in the ABVD, but otherwise not bad at all. 

Saturday: Still energetic. Some mild nausea, but this didn't stop him from chattering like a magpie (if you can picture Leo as a magpie) or going for a long walk around the neighborhood.

Sunday: Feeling not-so-good. Queasy, achy, tired.

Today: More of the same. He's been discovering new pains in different places (mouth, neck, rib). The winner so far is the one that happens when his salivary glands are activated. The first bite of every meal today involved some wounded expressions. Leo told me it wasn't my cooking, but I wish it was - I could fix that... Still Leo says that he (maybe, kind of, not really sure, but possibly) feels (a touch) better than yesterday. That's a plus! And we're not discounting any of those. 

Other pluses: 
1. The side effects could be worse and often are for other types of chemo
2. Side effects are a lot better than cancer
3. Right now he's too distracted to remember that his new wedding band is uncomfortable and annoying. Also that it represents shackles on his manhood. Yes!

Hello

Hi there! This is the first post for Leo's treatment blog.

Today we went to Memorial Sloan-Kettering (MSK) for Leo's first chemotherapy treatment. We didn't know until yesterday that we would be starting today, but it was great to get going so quickly after the wedding. Go away, cancer! 

The process took about 3 hours during which Leo was hooked up to an IV and given ABVD. We were in our own little room with a recliner for Leo and a chair for me. They did their best to keep him comfortable, propping up his feet, bringing him ginger ale, and covering him with a blanket that had been warmed up in a special machine (I want one). Nurse Alice took care of us and explained everything that was happening as she switched drips and injections. We asked a lot of questions, watched some TV, did a crossword. Leo ate a ham sandwich. 

We're now back at home and Leo's doing fine. He's sleepy from the Benadryl they gave him, but that's about it. It sounds like side effects might begin tonight or tomorrow, but we've gotten medication to manage them, and we'll get more if we need them. More on side effects when they occur.

Here are a few things that we learned recently: 

1. Trial: Leo has agreed to participate in a study for patients with advanced stage Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Our doctor recommends the trial for people like Leo with favorable HL, meaning he has few of the risk factors that are associated with the disease. Being in the study doesn't change his treatment/timeline or require more tests. 

2. Timing: Leo will receive ABVD chemotherapy every other week on Thursdays (next one on 1/19) for the next 6 months. After 2 months, there will be a PET scan to see if the cancer is responding. If it isn't, he may have to switch drugs, which would extend treatment by a month. 

3. Radiation: We're still not sure if it will be necessary. Regardless it won't happen in the next 2 months. 

4. Bone marrow biopsy: Leo had one yesterday. According to him, it wasn't as painful or scary as you might think. It did feel "weird" though. Next week we'll know if the cancer has spread to his bone marrow. Whether it has or not won't change his treatment. 

5. Sushi: Leo can't eat any while he's being treated. Doh. I guess I'll refrain out of solidarity. Oh Leo, the things I do for you...

That's all for now. More soon.