Let's Talk About Me & Drugs

I, too, am on a clinical trial. I don't get paid for taking the medicing but I do get it free. Each day I take 17 different pills + 5 shots. Most day's I feel like crap and it's not due to any illness but due to the side affects of what I'm taking. The medicine I'm taking with the clinical causes me to have nose bleeds several times a day. I will get a skin rash if I stay out in the sun too long, my blood sugars are difficult to control, fluid will build up in my lungs causing "new-mon-ia" like symptoms, coughing, shortness of breath + a whole lotta other things. I used to be a very active person = hunting, fishing, camping, gardening and a host of other activities. Now I have to take it easy and after any outings I have to rest for a couple of days. With my garden, I'm ok as long as I'm on my tractor but it takes me several days plant and harvest everything. Haven't gotten to do any hunting in the last couple of years due to being in the hospital during hunting season with the "new-mon-ia" and I really miss that. I fish as much as I can but really need someone to go with me. Anyway, life is wonderful.

Nela

I don't wish to make light of what you guys are going through. It used to be said "better living through chemistry", but with all the side effects one has to wonder ???  Because of my wifes illness I've had to learn more about drugs and their side effects than I ever wanted to know.

NELA These drugs with all the side effects are trial drugs????

Do your doctors know this is going on, because that sounds like bad interactions to me, my friend.

Concerned,

Bill

Yep. What she said.

My doctors are well aware of what the drug I'm taking for kidney cancer is doing to me. I keep them well informed and provide daily reports of my blood sugar readings, blood pressure readings and anything else the doctors may need. In November 2012 I was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer and during surgury at M D Anderson Hospital it was discovered that it had spead to my pancreas, lungs and lymph nodes. During the sutrgery my left kidney and the "tail' of the pancreas was removed. I was taken to the recovery room where it was later discovered I was still bleeding inside and was taken back to the operating room. This time my spleen was removed. I stayed a week in the hospital before I was released then told I needed to stay locally for another week before I attempted the 350 mile drive home. After 2 days I went home. When I got home I was very sick, could not eat anything, hurting and just about completly out of it. I was home for 5 days, hurting so bad I could not stand it, when my wife made me go to the emergency room at our local hospital. No way could I have made another trip back to M D Anderson. then. What was discovered at my local hospital was I was still bleeding internally + I was leaking pancreatic "juice" in my abdominal cavity. I was put on a morphine diet and spent the next 8 days not knowing who I was or who anyone else was. After the doctors finally found out what was happening there was nearly 2 liters of fluid drained from my abdomin(sp) and I began feeling better. Through all this I lost nearly 65 pounds and put my wife and family thru hell with worry. Both before and after the surgury the doctors in Houston had told us to not expect more than about 2 years - that was 2 1/2 years ago. All things considered, side affects and everything, I am doing good now. My kidney and pancreas is clear as well as my lungs. There are still signs of the cancer in my lymph nodes but there is no growth I am told at all my scans (treatments) at M D Anderson that everything is shrinking and they are pleased with the results. This medicine I'm taking fior the kidney cancer has a host of side affects and I believe I am suffering every one. I have been on this medicine for 2 1/2 years and that is the longest anyone has been associated with this clinical trial. The medicine is working and doing what it is supposed to do so I'll gladly suffer any and all the side affects that comes with this drug, I am being monitered every 3 months with blood work, x-rays and scans. I provide reports of my daily issues to my doctors in Houston, my diabeties doctor and my cardiac doctor. I still don't have a whole lotta engery and am not able to do everything I want to do but I do enjoy what I do do. I work in the yard, plant a garden each year, fish, hunt, play my music and love my wife, family and friends. I just do it slowly. My biggest problem now is controlling my blood sugars. There is no rhyme or reason to the high and low readings I have other than my medications. I just visited with my doctor and it looks like I may be getting an insulin pump. Might not be a bad thing and since all my ductibles and out of pockek medical expenses are paid up it will be free. And as you can see by the length of this post I do have a lot of free time. Ya'll come and see me.

Nela

Don't everyone get the wrong idea. I'm still active, do a lotta things I wanna do and some I'm not supposed to do. Have my good days and have my bad days but I kinda take them as they come. It's mind over matter - if you don't mind it don't  matter. Sitting here drinking coffee, now, and just as soon as I get full I'm going outside, cranking up my tractor, changing out my cultivator for my middle buster and plowing my garden while the weather is good. Then I'll probally clean out the horse stall if I feel like it, if I don't it'll wait until tomorrow. Working on a couple of new songs for Friday nite (playing out with friends), Before you kill us all by Randy Travis and Mirror Mirror by Diamond Rio. Gotta get the key right for my wife to sing and get our timing down pat. Staying busy is what it's all about.

Bill, come on over.

Nela

Thanks, TF,

Not speaking for NELA of course, but I tend to look at what's wrong with me in a humorous way. Tell me an Alzheimer's joke. I love 'em. Blog is the same way -- light hearted, pissed off sometimes, but never vulgar.

To NELA, Can I bring my guitar? Don't know when we'd make it over to your end. When it's convenient for you, of course and we'll have our own accomodations. I'd also like to see you perform, if that's possible -- you'd be my first Chordie member to visit or see live.

I'm the me I've always been. Just a bit forgetful these days.

Thanks for the song as well TF.

Bill