Maybe near the end of a bad spell

One of many possible side effects of my chemo is diarrhea. I had been keeping it under control by a combination of Imodium and a prescription codein pill which has a normal side effect of constipation. Monday, 4 June 2007 I began a period of frequent, uncontrollable diarrhea that the medication just wasn't phasing. It has continued through today, 13 June 2007.

This week the oncologist cancelled chemo for the week, assuring me that one week off wouldn't hurt, but letting it get worse til I need 3-4 weeks off would be a setback. In the meantime he's got me off the Imodium but has given me a pain patch that has a side effect of constipation and combined that with another specific prescription drug that directly and primarily fights diarreha, plus the codein. Last night I slept 6 straight glorious hours without having to run to the restroom, for the first time in over a week, so I think we're starting to get it under control. I still have diarrhea, but less frequently, and hope to be "solid" again by this time tomorrow or the day after.

In the meantime, they've had me in for the last two days, plus tomorrow just pumping potassium/salt water directly into my veins at 3 liters per day, just to rehydrate me. On the other hand the dryness in my mouth and throat, plus "thrush" on my tongue and throat, apparently dulling my tastebuds to an extreme degree, has limited my dietary intake to liquids (Ensure, Cup of Soup, etc.). Between the diet and the diarrhea, I've lost weight very seriously. We expect I'll be able to resume chemo next Tuesday and hopefully begin to be able to eat normally again to start gaining weight again. I hope in 3 or 4 weeks to be back up to a minimumly healthy weight again. By then we'll just be 2 months from the end of this 6-month round of chemo and I'll be off it until or unless it mutates and begins to grow again. As soon as the chemo ends I'll start on an alternative diet and supplements that make gigantic and implausible claims to cure cancer in 2 months. But it's cheap and harmless at worst and it's the only thing left to do but sit around waiting for death or a miracle, so I'll give it a shot and see what God will do.

Thanks for your continued concern and prayer. At this point, even the oncologist and the naturapath agree that it's my best hope of a cure so keep praying and believing for a literal miracle.