Slow Down!

A week ago Wednesday, Ed had the 6th chemo round and decided that it might be better at this point if he had it every three weeks instead of every two weeks.  After a difficult go round getting to talk to the oncologist, that has been agreed to.  The doc pointed out that hardly anyone gets past eight cycles of oxaliplatin in any case because it is just too toxic for a longer run.  At that point, patients move to maintenance chemo (which would be just 5FU, leucovorin, and avastin, I think).  However, we read a recent report of a study in which they found that  avastin alone worked as well in terms of length of survival.  So, Ed and the doc will talk next month further about where to go when maintenance is the issue.

The lab numbers continue to be pretty good, but he has lost more weight.  So more food or denser food or something is the order of the day.  It would appear that the three week cycle might work better for this since there is some offputting quality to eating when everything has a metallic taste (from the oxaliplatin).  The neuropathy is less this week than it has been (although that may be partly a function of the weather being warmer).  The fatigue also, as far as I can tell.

Last week, the day after the chemo, we went up to the log house in B.C. with Shelly, Chiara, and Toni (my son and some of his family) and spent the weekend.  Ed was slowed down somewhat, as usual immediate post-chemo, but he mowed the meadow paths (with some help from Shelly) and went kayaking one afternoon with Chiara and Toni, which was more than I did.  We returned to Washington on Monday, and the next day, he flew for a couple of hours. 

At this point, my daughter Caitlin and granddaughter Lydia have been here for almost a week and tomorrow we are going into Vancouver to see what Science World has to offer.  It's all good.  And the carpet is laid, and Ed has completed the tiling in the kitchen, although he is still working away at installing the gas stove/oven in the Orchard House.  And the weather has perked up.  The strawberries are being picked and eaten by us instead of the raccoons, and we got the first and, so far, only ripe raspberry.  Caitlin and Lydia have installed my borrowed electronic piano/keyboard and we'll see if either of us figures out how to play piano.