Just a little post of good news. It seems hard to believe that my partner Rick will be having his 16th chemo treatment of Oxaliplatin, Epirubicin, and Xeloda on the 21st of March of 2008. We passed the one year mark of diagnosis Stage IV, non-operable gastric cancer on February 1st, 2008. (Who would have thought, huh?) Just one observation about our last treatment, our oncologist told us we will have to stop the Epirubicin at the 18th treatment, due to increased risk of cardio-myopathy. We sure don't need heart problems on top of Gastric Cancer, right? Still on the same drug regimen as when we started chemo almost a year ago, minimal side effects and still feeling great. No mets detectable by CT scans. Almost to the point of not really feeling like he could be ill. After the 18th treatment, we will just stop the Epirubicin and continue on with the Oxaliplatin and Xeloda. She tells us really we are in uncharted territory, as he has outlived ALL of the gastric patients she has EVER treated. Don't ever let ANYONE tell you or your loved one that you must succumb to this terrible disease in a specified period of time. While everyone is different, with God, Love, Family, Peace and something to look forward to, you can have excellent quality of life while you are here on this earth with this nasty cancer. Just wanted to let any of you on Epirubicin know about the 18th treatment limit, as this was the first we have heard about the heart issue. Hope, and Love and Prayers to all of you making this same journey.
Godspeed,
Scott