Round V - Platinum

I'm now in the 5th round of chemo. It's been a while since my last entry. My blogging was postponed due to the severity of round four which by far produced the highest level of poisonous suffering this body has ever endured. It really took two weeks to get past round four. Reasons:

1) Extreme Chemo Mouth: A nasty yellow tongue lasted for two weeks forcing me to need to have something in my mouth all the time. I've had to use my tongue brush 3-4 times a day to peal off a thick yellow substance that continuously formed on my tongue. My saliva tasted metallic. I returned to eating meats as it helped strengthen me, and helped my taste buds react - but there have been no lasting effects to remove chemo mouth. Two glasses of red wine each night also helped numb my tongue and my senses, but only temporary. Citrus upset my system and caused vomiting. Ginger helps. Food has not tasted the same at all. I'm most fond of red wine these days...

2) Hi-Level Neuropathy: Imagine dental floss wrapped tightly around your hands and feet, your finger and toes with little barbed wire jagged edges. Imagine this sensation simply arising in your body because of a breeze, or wrapping around your face because of a cool wind, or touching a cold object… or simply using your hands to type of play a piano - the highest level of 'pins-and-needles' imaginable was delivered with round four.

3) Shadow of Death: This medicine makes me feel like I'm dying. It's been killing me. My life force, my prana, my energy is completely wiped out overtime I do chemo, and round four threw me over the edge.

With tears in my eyes I brought my case to my oncologist yesterday; desperate to find an alternative path to treating my condition. We reviewed the situation and concluded we remove one part of the medication - the platinum. At this moment of writing I am connected to my chemo pump, in my 32nd hour of the chemicals being dripped into my body, and for the first time since walking this path I'm able to function. I still feel ill, but I'm not bedridden. I'm sensitive to cold, but I'm not hyperneuropic. My tongue is still producing a funky substance, out the metallic taste is gone. Most important, I don't feel the shadow of death draining my life force away. I'm out of bed re-engaging with my life.

That's the report for today. Thanks for reading.