Ok Now What (Day 8)

April 15, 2016

It's been a heck of a week.  It took pretty much all of last weekend to digest the news and mentally start to deal with having cancer.  Wednesday I got to meet the Oncologist (Cancer doctor) and surgeon.  Lots of Harvard degrees between those two, along with the Harvard medical student shadowing them.  Both doctors were of the opinion to do chemotherapy first to shrink the tumor then do surgery.  So here's what I learned about the scary word 'chemotherapy' - I will be receiving a type of chemo called "dense dose" chemo every two weeks x 8 visits (ie 4 months).  This chemo is a nasty mix of two chemicals nicknamed "AC," the "A" blocks DNA production and repair having a greater negative effect on rapidly dividing cells like cancer cells (or hair folicles) and the "C" stops cancer cells from replicating.  Next we switch to another chemo called "T" that slows or stops cell division or keeps enzymes from making the proteins needed in order to grow.  As if that wasn't fun enough, AC is given in an IV for 2 hrs, T is given in an IV for 3.5 hrs.  With T you also get a benadryl shot prior to minimze any allergic reaction.  And prior to both you get labs to confirm your blood cell count is within safe levels to recieve the chemo, and you can take a relaxant.  So not only are you pretty well drugged up before, and during chemo, you also get a booster shot the next day to stimulate white blood cell growth to keep your levels safe.  Of course with chemo there are side effects that also are managed with medicine like sleeplessness, nausea/vomitting, and mouth sores.
Sign me up coach!  Good lord what have I gotten myself into.

I still have to go in for an EKG (baseline my heart function), an MRI (see if it's penetrated the chest wall), and a CT scan (another look at the cancer) to confirm everything and the recommended treatment plan. As of now I start chemo on May 3rd, two days after my birthday.  The docs were kind enough to let us postpone it until after the kids birthday party and Mom's birthday visit to Fenway to watch the Sox beat the Yankees (hopefully).

With a plan ahead I was able to break the news to more family, friends, and co-workers.  I let my boss know, who notified several of the VPs I support.  We are looking for a quick backfill.  I also let my team know, and Pratt & Whitney, a few friends, and my parents.  The one on one conversations are killer - so much new information plus the shock, and trying to stay composed, and not get them any more worried than they need to be.  It is very exhausting.  Will tell the rest of the family and friends in an email which may seem impersonable but a good way to take some of the work off me and still keep them informed.

A friend once said God only throws at you what he knows you can handle, so he must think I'm pretty damn tough.  Cancer get ready to get your butt kicked.  For good.