How did you react?

Blue Koi, bone scan, CT scan, David Emerson, iodine allergy - July 15, 2009

In this case I broke out in hives!

Today I had a follow up bone scan and C/T Scan. Like everything else with this disease, it all takes time.

At 1:00pm I was injected with a radioactive isotope in preparation for the 4:00pm bone scan. Not much to the prep other than accessing my port and injecting me with a syringe they take out of a lead container that contains a warning symbol for radioactive material. It’s kind of ominous.

Immediately after the injection I spent the next hour drinking a “creamy vanilla” mixture in preparation for the C/T scan. This scan was approximately my 4th or 5th in the last four and a half years. It’s a relatively easy process that seems to have gotten easier over the years. My memory isn’t the greatest but I do remember that the first few times the liquid was dreadful and it seemed to take a lot longer to consume, or perhaps it’s just that the wait used to be longer after consuming the liquid. Anyway, after I finished drinking the required dose I was immediately escorted to the scan room. The C/T device is not like the scanner you see on TV or in the movies. It’s like a gigantic donut. I lie on a table that slides me in and out of the donut hole. Before the scan starts however they injected me with some type of iodine that reacts
with the “Creamy vanilla” liquid in order to make ‘areas of concern” light up on the scan. I can tell when they begin the injection, as I feel a weird warming sensation in my lower abdomen and bowels…lovely!

Today, shortly after the injection I started feeling a little itchy but thought it was the chigger bites from recent rounds of disc golf. As it turns out, I was was having an allergic reaction to the iodine and started breaking out in hives. I didn’t put two and two together until they were done and I was back in the waiting room with Mary. I told her I was itchy, she pulled up my shirt and discovered a few hives on my stomach. I returned back to the procedure area and the doc, the nurses and techs knew right away what it was and 50mg of Bendryl took care of everything. The only problem was the Benadryl wiped me out and I needed a 45 minute nap when I got home. Also, now anytime I need a C/T I’ll have to take Prednisone (steroids) the day before. Hopefully, it’s low dose and at least my knees will feel good for a day! We were surprised that I had an allergic reaction, as I’ve had numerous scans previously, and I never had a problem. The doctor explained that one’s immune system can be altered after going through chemotherapy, so we will assume that’s the case.

Mary and I had 90 minutes to kill before the bone scan so we ran out to one of our favorite places to eat, the Blue Koi. Ever since chemo my favorite dish at the Blue Koi has never tasted quite the same. I am glad to report that today it was great once again! We both enjoyed the meal and our time together mid-afternoon.

The bone scan was routine: lie on the table and 45 minutes later, you’re on your way. After receiving the Benadryl, I think I might have dosed off for most of the procedure and my ride home as well!

I’ll pick up the CD’s tomorrow and we’ll review with Dr. V on Monday.
~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m not sure where this thought came from today, it may have been the murder/mystery I was reading or the article on Elizabeth Edwards from an old dog eared People Magazine, but I was thinking two things; I think Mary and I are doing a pretty good job of living a “normal” life. I’m not sure what normal looks like anymore, but my guess is there is some semblance of it in our day to day lives. That makes we happy.

The other thing I was thinking is I am grateful. Grateful for what you may ask? I am grateful for all the time God has blessed me with since this happened. So many people in this world die quickly, unexpectedly and without any warning. I was just reflecting on how lucky I actually am!

5 hours of pain followed by 90 minutes of pleasure!

Advanced Prostate Cancer, Blue Koi, David Emerson, PSA, University of Kansas Cancer Center - March 31, 2009

First and foremost, PSA: 36.36, down a fraction from last month.

It’s all about stability right now and this was great news. I was pretty worried before the appointment.,

Overall yesterday’s visit to the cancer center was a great big drag! As usual we arrived at 8:30 for labs, then our meeting with Dr. V, and then it was off to treatment. On a normal day we would have been done and on our way by 11:00am. Everything was proceeding as expected until I checked in at the treatment center at just before 10:00am. We waited, and waited and finally were called back at 11:40ish. One thing led to another and it turns out we didn’t leave until 1:15pm, nearly five hours later. I’m not sure what the issue was? Too many patients, too few nurses, but it was frustrating! Oh well, I’m just hoping it was an anomaly.

Mary and I were famished at that point so I agree to have lunch with her at the Blue Koi. The history on the Blue Koi is this; it was one of our favorite places to eat until last summer. We would go there for lunch everytime I had treatment or doctor appointments. However, after about my third or fourth chemo treatment, I couldn’t eat it anymore. It tasted horrible. It was a shame that the one thing chemo had to ruin was my ability to eat at one of our favorite places.
So yesterday we returned for the first time since last summer. The result? All is well, it was wonderful, again!

After lunch I returned home and finished some work for a few hours before my next appointment, my massage. Mary had given this to me for my birthday back in January. This was only the second time I had a massage. Te first was over two years ago in Tucson. This time it was quite a bit longer, but I have to tell you, the 90 minutes went by like five! Bottom line, I slept like a baby and am feeling good today!

The simple things.

Advanced Prostate Cancer, Blue Koi, Lupron, Zometa - February 26, 2008

Another month has passed. Another doctor appointment, another blood draw, another shot of Lupron, another infusion of Zometa and another lunch with my wife.

As boring and repetitive as the medical portion of these monthly sojourns may sound, there is one portion of the day that repeats it self each month which is something that I absolutely love. You see, Mary and I always have lunch when we are through. We always go to the Blue Koi. We always split an order of steamed chicken dumplings and an order of black bean chicken.

Long ago we stopped looking at the menu, it was just time wasted. We talk, we eat, we laugh and eventually, I go back to work.

It’s the simple things……

I no sooner clicked the Send button to post this entry and the phone rang with Dr. H on the other end. The current PSA level is 29.4 (Down from 36.2 on January 28th).

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers!!!!!