Monday, June 1, 2009

6/1/09

So far, so good. The end of this chemo cycle is next week. Then there's a big ol' two week gap before the last chemo cycle begins. What a luxury!

They actually build this gap in to the plan. Most often, people get off the schedule because of reactions to medicine  (or non-reactions), or treatment problems, or whatnot. It's pretty rare to actually be ON SCHEDULE! The doctors were a little non-plussed today when talking to him about the next cycle because they're not used to this whole 'on time' thing.

Anyhow, KD has this two week gap, then he starts the last real chemo cycle which lasts 8 weeks. The first three weeks is kind of rough because he has a few IVs and shots and pills all right in a row. Then it mellows out a bit. After that 8 week cycle, he'll go into 'Maintenance' for about 2 years, which is where he takes some pills and gets tests once in a while, but they're basically just watching to make sure the cancer doesn't come back.

And .. (drum roll please) ... he due to go back to work on July 6th! It probably won't be full time because, well let's face it, he just doesn't have it in him to work a full day yet. But he'll be back in action and causing trouble in no time. Yes, he could take longer and go onto long-term disability, but if he does that, company policy is that he would be technically terminated and have to 're-apply' for his job later on (which they would be holding for him). I don't understand it all but it's basically the simplest route to retaining his job and benefits with the least amount of red-tape and arguments.

Don't get me wrong. Phillips/Invivo has be absolutely fantastic about his situation, and even the health insurance company we have is remarkably workable and decent. And all of the doctors have been incredible. The only way this whole thing could have gone any better so far is if he had not gotten cancer to begin with. Really amazing.

For now it's pretty much down to the hum-drum of waiting. A little chemo here, a blood test there, sitting in the clinic for a few hours, feeling tired from a night class, and having to avoid all foods with tomatoes in them. Otherwise we're just waiting for the 'M'-word. By the end of August sometime we may get that last crazy announcement.  "Now you're going into the maintenance cycle." I know it doesn't sound that exciting on its own, but it will be a huge accomplishment deserving for fireworks, a brass band, and at least one B-list celebrity speaker.  We'll see what we can do for a party :-)