No chemo today

I went in for labs, to see my doctor, and to get my 6th and final chemo today. I told the Doctor that I had some minor tingling (neuropathy) in my right foot and some fatigue. It wasn't anything that I thought to be a big deal, but thought he should know. He decided based on the the last CT Scan that showed stable, but not a decrease, that another treatment might not prove to be beneficial right now, but could impact quality of life issues, so he called it off. If the cancer stays stable for a long period of time (6-8 months) he might re-introduce it. He feels that we have gotten the benefit we hoped for and now it is time to enjoy a treatment holiday. I will go back in 8 weeks for Labs and a CT Scan. If things have progressed at that point, we will look at a different chemo or more likely, Abiraterone. So I am on a wait and see right now. Hopefully the chemo will continue to stabilize things and we can have a somewhat uneventful summer this year. FISHING AWAITS!!!!

All my best!

Brian.

What to do when life is normal...

This is an interesting development. We are in our new home. The Extreme Makeover is almost complete, just down to a few items and then tinkering. My 6th and final (for now) chemo cycle is on Friday. I have been feeling good, with just a little fatigue, but nothing that is changing my lifestyle much. I will be losing my Health Insurance at the end of the month, which seemed traumatic at first, but hopefully is worked out now. So how do you restart the normal? It seems like it has been a journey to this clinic or that, this treatment or that, and living in different places with different family members forever. Really it has only been a year and a half. And while I appreciate, really appreciate, all the family and friends that have stepped up and opened their homes, wallets, and hearts, it is so good to finally be home. I see it in my kids and my wife and I feel it in myself. I have learned so much since this began and I feel like it has prepared me for when the craziness settles down and we try to make a normal life again. As I thought about that today, it scares me a little that I don't know what to do. Good thing I have a wife and 2 kids that I can devote my time to. I love that we can focus on our family and our kids and let cancer move to the back of the bus for awhile. That doesn't mean that I can change my routine or forget about it, but it is nice to put the focus on family instead of disease again. I hope and pray that we continue to get news that keeps me at least at "stable". And I pray for those that don't get to hear that news. I feel peace today. That's good. I pray for peace for you today, too.