Round 2.

This coming Tuesday marks the beginning of the 2nd cycle of my chemo treatments.  Hard to believe it has been 7 weeks since I started the 1st cycle.  I have learned so much during that time.  Not only have I read and learned a lot about Non Hodgkins Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma, I have also absorbed an amazing volume of information about chemotherapy and about a list of chemicals that are hard to spell and even harder to pronounce.  I have also learned how my body reacts to those chemicals and I thank my Lord and Savior that those reactions thus far have been very few and very mild.  What little hair I had has mostly disappeared and I am sure that cycle 2 will finish off what is left.  And I get fatigued relatively quickly, which is always a good excuse for an afternoon nap.  But other than that, and a few days of sores in my mouth, which went away quickly, I am otherwise free of the list of side effects normally associated with chemotherapy.

That is why I can honestly say I am anxious to get started with my next round of treatments.  This cancer will not go away by itself and being sure I am getting regular and timely treatments is my  ticket to getting it into remission.  We will be traveling to Duke on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and the 1 1/2 hour drive, each way, is not especially enjoyable but it does give us time to talk and listen to a few CD's.  Tuesday is the longest day, including blood work, a meeting with the doctor and then about 4 hours getting the actual treatment itself.  For those with degrees in pharmacology, I will receive 3 IV infusions, including cyclophosphamide, vincristine sulfate and etoposide.  Wednesday and Thursday are just treatments days, lasting about 2 hours each and I only receive the etoposide.  Then on Friday I go to a local oncologist to receive a Neulasta shot, which helps boost my white blood cell count.  I top it all off with 4 days of prednisone tablets (Wed through Sat) and that completes the first phase of my cycle, followed by a week of rest.  Now doesn't that sound like something to get excited about?  I can hardly wait to get started :-)  Bring it on!

P.S.  Sorry if I am providing more chemical/drug information than most of you need or care about, but I think there are a few readers who have more than a passing interest in the details.