I’m sitting here at Kaiser Franklin in the infusion center receiving round 16 of chemo. It still sucks. I’m feeling the effects of chemo longer after each infusion as the toxicity builds up from continuing treatments. I’m still crying often but trying to fill all the time in between with laughter.
I had my labs done yesterday and was a little freaked out. My CEA numbers(cancer proteins) have been climbing up slowly the past 3 times I’ve had my labs. The numbers are still low considering what they were when I was diagnosed and before surgery, but it’s not the direction I want them in. I met with my oncologist before my infusion today and discussed the situation a bit. He’s not very concerned right now and thinks we should stay the course – 2 more infusions and then a scan.
I’m worried that I’m plateauing and that my cancer is going to stop responding to treatment. I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get there but my worry isn’t going away. I don’t have a lot of faith that my lesions will decrease in size enough for another intervention. I feel like I’m dying and don’t have a ton of time left. I’m continuing to fight but also really trying to get in as much as I can right now while I’m still here.
I’m fully vaccinated with my Covid shots and have begun traveling a bit. I visited friends and family in Los Angeles and had a vacation weekend with my wife in a city I’d never traveled to before – New Orleans. Both weekends were great and made me feel alive, helping to forget or at least put on the back burner for a few fleeting moments my fight against this disease.
I’ve got a lot of travel and visitors coming up in the calendar and will continue to make plans for more. My time will at some point prove more limited than I’d hoped for but I will strive to fill up my time before that moment comes with as much as I can, while I can.
Please keep up your positive thoughts. energy and prayers for me. They do me a world of good and I’m eternally grateful for you all.
Much love,
Matt
Butchie Beats Cancer 