Meeting With New Oncologist, Friday Dec. 30, 2016

I met with my new oncologist last Friday to go over treatment.  I chose to change oncologists because this one was a lot closer to home, right next door to my radiation oncologist and has a working relationship with my other doctors.

After going through my history and a brief exam we discussed treatment.  I told him I was already set to start radiation and just need to get my chemo plan so that they could be started in tandem.  He recommended Cisplatin which would be administered via IV.  I asked him about Erbitux being that was what my ENT recommended.  He told me that he didn't feel there was enough evidence of it being as effective as Cisplatin.  That was kind of a bummer to me because I was looking forward to a more mild form of chemotherapy with fewer side effects.  However, I also want the most effective treatment available.  I want this to be done and done for good.  So I agreed to proceed with Cisplatin.

We went over the treatment and side effects and then I had another meeting with the nurse manager detailing those side effects.  Nausea and vomiting, of course.  Sensitivity to sun, loss of hair and appetite, diarrhea, constipation, neuropathy.  They gave me guidelines on what to do depending on what I experience and at what point to call them.

I was also told this used to cause kidney damage, back in the 70's, until they discovered that that could be averted with substantial hydration.  They're going to hydrate me during the treatments but prior to and after I have to drink 96 oz. of water a day.  I'm not a big water drinker to begin with so that much water is going to be a challenge.  I get to a certain point and I just start feeling water-logged.  Anyway, it's got to be done.  I certainly don't want kidney damage.

I'm going to be doing 3 sessions spaced 3 weeks apart.  Each session is 2 days, 4 hours per day.  I start this Thursday and Friday, Jan. 5th & 6th.  I'm going to try and work from the chemo room otherwise I'd just be sitting around for 4 hours.  I already checked and they have wifi and power and my boss OK'd it.  So we'll see how it goes.

That meeting was pretty overwhelming.  I was really hoping for the Erbitux, that and everything I have to do on top of the chemo as far as monitoring my bodily functions was a bit much.  But right now I'm feeling optimistic.

I did a test run on whether I could drink that much water today and I succeeded. I just keep thinking about all the people who went through this and not only did it but are now cured.  I keep focusing on positive thoughts.  I just have to make it through this and I'll be cured.  I can do this!