Another cancer challenge

Ed and Eddie at a benefit

Unfortunately, we learned this week that the lower-level, maintenance chemo treatment that Ed began in January (which was supposed to suppress any further growth/spread of tumors) has not worked.  The nodes in his lungs from the metastasized colorectal cancer have continued to grow and multiply. The only thing this chemo drug was doing was causing his skin to break out in intense acne-like rash from the top of his head to his waist.  The good news is that it appears the cancer has not yet spread beyond the lungs.

Beginning next Thursday, he will once again begin a multi-month regime of the highly toxic, 3-days-every-two-weeks chemotherapy (FOLFIRI).  These treatments will be similar to what he was on last year (treatments that in fact did diminish the cancer to non-detectable levels).  However, the drug that has caused the extreme neuropathy in his hands and feet will be substituted with a drug that will have different side effects (probable loss of hair, increased diarrhea, etc.).  If this combination works after 4-6 months, then he will be on an ongoing subset of the same drugs for maintenance, as long as they work.

What this means in terms of day-to-day life is a return to some of the things we had to do last year:
- No unpeeled, raw foods in his diet.
- Asking any friends/family who have runny noses from colds, fever, etc. to avoid contact with him.
- Avoidance of extremely large crowds (like Giants baseball games, unfortunately).

We will continue, as we did last year, to go to theatre, opera, and ballet as much as we can (avoiding the 3-4 first days of each two-week sequence).  He plans to continue work except for Day One of each two-week sequence.  We hopefully can make a few weekend trips in the off weeks of the treatment.  Our oncologist wants us not to cancel at this point our August trip to Europe.  If the treatments are working as they did last year, we might be able to pause treatments for a month to make the three-week journey.  That is the goal she is working toward.

And so what can you do?  Just continue your good thoughts, prayers, drumming, meditating, or whatever works for you.  Ed appreciates it all.

We know we are not the only ones among our and your friends/family facing these kind of life-changing events with uncertain futures.  Together, we will all bond for strength.

In the meantime, we are making each day count to the max.  Slowing down is not yet what we plan to do on most of those days.