Columbus and the Valley

Side Effects

With my 800mg dose today, I’m five days into my first month of oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor, Votrient. Thursday afternoon, I was driving down the road near the John B. Amos Cancer Center and because I just didn’t feel right, I whipped in to see if I could get someone to check my blood pressure.

199/95…..uh oh!

Nurse Tammy delivered this reading to Dr. Pippas and he wanted to see me. Hypertension is a common side effect of Votrient. But with one kidney, I can’t really afford to allow my blood pressure to rise unchecked. Dr. Pippas called my nephrologist, Dr. Raj Alappan, and they decided to prescribe 5 mg of Norvasc to try to control my blood pressure.

I absolutely hate to have to add another daily drug, but I’ve got to try to remain in control of my body’s systems and not allow any of them to tilt out of control. The risk of having a chronic disease like kidney cancer is to keep things as balanced as possible and to try to maintain a healthy immune system. If one major system tips, then the whole thing can spiral out of control and I’d be in trouble.

The other interesting thing Dr. Pippas said to me on Thursday is that Votrient would likely cause some changes in my fingernails. That has begun to happen. The nail beds look a bit different than normal and there is a slightly red rainbow-shaped stripe on each of my nails just above the nail bed. Some of them also have a little indentation right above that red stripe.

I’ve experienced the most highly-predicted side effect of these drugs. Diarrhea (I never know how to spell this word. I always have to look it up.). Thursday and Friday, I had excruciating headaches, probably due to the elevated blood pressure. My headaches have subsided, but yesterday and today I’ve had some nausea to deal with.

All this sounds uncomfortable, and it is, but all-in-all I think if we can control my blood pressure, I should be able to get through this. I just feel pretty lousy all the time.

I’m going to be soon and I’m planning on tomorrow being a better day. I’m going to shoot photos at Columbus Regional Medical Foundation’s Gingerbread Jubilee tomorrow at the RiverMill Event Centre.  If you’ve never been to that event, you wouldn’t believe the amount of pandemonium that can ensue when you’re in the presence of several hundred children who are hopped up on sugar.

The kids will be having an absolute blast. So will the photographer. It is the parents who will look like they’ve been whipped. Such a fun event!

 

CT Scan Day

Mike's Hydration Station

Here I am again. I’ve had my three full doses of sewage for this CT scan. There’s nothing like the smell of Mucomyst in the morning! I also have drunk both bottles of the contrast barium stuff. I did some research and discovered the mocha flavor is the most palatable. I concur. I added a short squirt of chocolate syrup to mine and put it in the freezer for a while before I popped it open. It has ice crystals in it. Think of the best milk shake you have ever had in your life. It was nothing like that.

It tasted more like something that might have been expressed from a recently dead animal. But, I got it down. One last night and another one this morning just a few minutes ago.

My God, we can put a man on the moon and we can’t figure out how to create better tasting things that we’re forced to drink for a medical test. Someone needs to get on that.

The people up here at the John B. Amos Cancer Center have taken such good care of me. Despite what you might think, this is such an upbeat place. The caregivers have hearts of gold and the people who come here for treatment respond to that caring treatment by putting on their game face and putting the good fight that is required if you want to bring cancer to its knees. If you ever have a chance to see the remarkable things that are being done here, don’t miss the opportunity for a tour.

The Columbus Regional Medical Foundation along with many, many sponsors including presenting sponsor, Synovus, has raised a record $315,000.00 for the John B. Amos Cancer Center. I helped raise that money and I’m also a beneficiary of the donations from local corporations and individuals as a cancer patient. Next year when someone gives you an opportunity to participate in the Celebrity Classic just go ahead and reach back and get out your checkbook. There is no better cause in our community.

My scan is done now and I’ve settled back into my chair over in the infusion area at the JBACC. They left a light on for me. I’ll be here for at least 2 more hours as these fluids I’m taking on wash the contrast dye out of my system. I got a little piece of good news while I was at the Medical Center. When they checked my creatinine before the scan it was 1.4! That is as good as it has been since well before my surgery last June. This is exceptional news and proof that when you take the time to name your kidney it will respond by being all it can be. Positive self expectancy! Remember that when you’re running your children down. They will become whatever label you give them when they’re young.

Man, I hope Millionaire is doing well down at Troy! I can’t wait until he gets out of school and can support Jill and me.