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Yup, I've been pretty sick and with the seasonal change that comes with this Northern New England October, I was pretty sick but still couldn't be sure if I had a cold or a flu bug coming on or if I had a recurring chest and or sinus infection brewing again. But mostly Sue and I was hoping that this demon Thymic carcinoma cancer was rearing it's ugly head for another one of the cycles to the next level again.
I still remember like yesterday how much I wanted to put on as many late season miles as I could on my 2003 Ultra Classic Harley. My goal was to turn the odometer reading over 100,000 miles, but missed it by a mere 300 miles. The 800 pound two wheeled beast has become a bit much for me. Not only for me to ride two up, but even solo, especially with my legs that have become weaker than I can ever remember. You'ld have to smile and maybe laugh while seeing me get on the old Tuna Boat. Just lifting her off the jiffystand was no small feat. Last May when I bought my brand new 2012 Harley Triglide (mid-night rainbow) because I thought it might be the best way that Sue and I would add many more enjoyable miles in the wind like we have for just shy of forty years together. We managed to clock over 3500 miles during the five month riding season in the mountain and lakes region of New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Mass. We failed to pull off any 10,000+ miles road trips that were the highlight of our riding season.
Well, Back to a point, humm, oh, yup..before I forget. Sutent... I think I stated in my earlier post, but may by not. Anyway, Last October I was sick enough to think that the trial med Sutent might be worth a try. So, I proceeded with Sutent at the Vermont Veterans Hospital. My dose was 50mg, that seems to be the normal dose to start at and also had the normal plan of one pill a day for 28 days followed by 14 days without the med and repeating again the same. Well, like I said above, in October I was sick, very sick. So my Onc Doc gave me a heavy duty five day anti-biotic followed with a fourteen day lesser anti-biotic. That put me into November and I was still pretty sick. My plan was to wait until after Thanksgiving to start the Sutent with the hope that I'd be finished with my the sickness that I had been fighting. part of that same plan was that I wouldn't have Sutent side-effects if I were to get any at all. A great plan, even if I say so myself! lol But My great plan falled. I was still sick and didn't feel Any better by Thanksgiving, so Sue went to have Thanksgiving at my son's home with him, Amy and their four boys and my daughter Sarah and her two boys went there as well. A full house to say the least. I was home in bed all that day, right where I had been for going on weeks.
Because so much time had pasted I decided to start the Sutent the day after Thanksgiving even though I was still sick. My plan then was by starting the med then I would have my first 28 day cycle of Sutent before Christmas and the I hopefully would feel better enough to spend time with my kids and grandkids for the Christmas and New Year week. Well, I didn't feel any better going into the first week of the med but Sue and I were still hopeing for the best. By the start of the second week I had so many mouth sores I couldn't count them all. It got so bad in just a couple of the following days I couldn't eat or drink and the sores that were more like razor blade cuts than typical round sores. Wow, did they hurt. Sue called my Onc Doc and he said come right up. It turned out, I had a new battle front to deal with, "Trush". I was given a couple of large bottles of stuff called swish and swallow. this med and I went home together. At least it didn't taste bad. The next day my lips and nostrils were cut up in the same way and bleeding too. My tongue and my throat were swollen as well. Oh, I was still sick too. lol The next day I had the same kind of razor cuts at the other end of my system as well. That same end hadn't even gotten over the weeks of diarrhea. A+D ointment and tucks became my flank while fighting that battle.
Sam