I'm starting chemo tomorrow instead of next week. Here's why:
It's a little hard to tell what's going on in this picture. I have to admit that it sort of looks like I'm grimacing or grunting. You also might think the roundness of my face is due to distortion from the camera lens. Actually, I'm not making any faces and there's no camera lens distortion - my face and my neck are just really really swollen/bloated. The tumor is restricting blood flow from my head, neck and arms back to my heart. It's also causing a constant acid reflux/heartburn type feeling somewhere between my stomach and my throat. I have to confess, it's not very comfortable. And the doctor is a little concerned.
So, we're starting chemo tomorrow in order to alleviate those symptoms. Eventually, I'll have a catheter/port installed in my chest so that I won't have to get a new IV hook-up for every treatment. But at this point, I'm too swollen for them to try and install the port. So, I'll go old-fashioned IV style tomorrow. I've had no fewer than 8 different IVs/needles poked into my veins in the last week - so what's one more, right?
I toured the "chemo" room today and was pleasantly surprised. The chemo room was in stark contrast to the oncology waiting room. When I first walked into the oncology office last week, I have to confess it was a little depressing. There were no windows, the lighting was low and everyone in the room looked old and sick - you know, like they were dying. The chemo room on the other hand is full of windows and was bright and sunny.There's a whole bunch of recliners lined up along the wall and there were various people sitting in them receiving their chemo treatments. Most of them were either reading books or typing on laptops - nobody looked miserable or deathly ill. My understanding is that the anti-nausea drugs are really good these days and it's quite possible that I won't vomit at all during the next 4 months. I wouldn't mind that.
So anyhow, I'm excited to get the ball rolling tomorrow (11:30am). See you on the flip side...
4 comments:
Wow buddy. I like how you aren't smiling or anything... you look tough. Also, the shaved hair helps, I've got the same look going. The open wound on your chest helps too. Good luck with the chemo man. Take a laptop! Thanks for the updates. We are still praying for you. Glad you got your diagnosis, finally.
--Nick (and Lindsey)
Best of luck Jared. We're keeping you, and your little family, in our thoughts.
It's probably the toughest you've ever looked. Like, if I saw you in an alley, I'd grip my wallet as I walked by.
Good luck with it all. We're sure you'll dominate.
I'm glad I look tough - I tried to focus on my toughness as a redeeming quality as I posed for that shot knowing that odds were not in my favor of making the cover of GQ.
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