The Medicine Man
March 5, 2009
While waiting for the Pink Lady to come take me out,The Medicine Man came into the room and introduced himself.Peter Ungaro explained that I had stage 3 cancer and it would be advisable to take some of his medicine.Like the colonoscopy,I had heard all the negative stuff about this crap too,so this idea didn't make my day.However dying anytime soon didn't sound so hot either.So we agreed that I'd give it a whirl and let him do his stuff.I'd soon find out he was one of the top ten oncologists in the USA.Why I was getting the Red Carpet treatment,I had no idea.Now I firmly believe it was because The Lord is my Sheperd!
Well a few days later Tom Clancy installed a portacatheter below my left clavicle,and a month or so later the fun began.Lee Anne was my first nurse and she made it a breeze.I'd heard all the bad stuff,but the worst side effects I had was a little diarhea,loss of appetite and weight loss.I continued driving a cab during the process most of the time and only laid out when I had bad diarhea.The first six sessions were a piece of cake,and I actually enjoyed the nurses and a free massage everytime I went.The dietician tried her best to fatten me up with Boost and Ensure samples,and Marinol,but all to no avail.I was losing 4-5 pounds a week.
After twelve weeks,Ungaro decided to cut my dose so I could eat again and regain my weight.On dose number 7 I ate like a horse and regained about 7-8 pounds,so we went back to the full dose on #8.This is when I found out why people dreaded chemo.For the first three days after taking the pump off,I only crawled out of bed to use the head.Thank God it was at the foot of the bed-RV,ya know.Wifey and me thawt I was a goner for sure!
After 5 days,Wifey took me to the Zimmer Clinic for a little picker upper.They fed me vitamins and minerals thru my portacath and begged me to shovel down whatever I could stand.Mom bought me milkshakes every day,and candy and cakes and anything else I agreed to eat.Let me tell you now,if it weren;t for my wife,I would have died.She was a pure tee champ thru it all and I was extremely abusive.I could feel my mind beginning to change for the worse.The enjoyment of a new experience was beginning to wear thin!
By the time it was time for dose #9,I decided quality of life was better than quantity.I called them and quit the chemo.Ungaro was a little disappointed,and maybe fearful for me,but very understanding.So it was agreed I would have the usual checkups and scans to make sure nothing new cropped up.
I recovered fairly fast and got on back to enjoying life-driving a cab,eating high fat sugary microwaved junk food,surfing the net and loving Chloe,the love of my life.In between all of that,I';d occassionally be nice to my best friend,Wifey!
In a few months,I felt as if I';d never had cancer.The3 only thing that ever made me sick about it was that last session of chemo.I was one well blessed guy!
Well a few days later Tom Clancy installed a portacatheter below my left clavicle,and a month or so later the fun began.Lee Anne was my first nurse and she made it a breeze.I'd heard all the bad stuff,but the worst side effects I had was a little diarhea,loss of appetite and weight loss.I continued driving a cab during the process most of the time and only laid out when I had bad diarhea.The first six sessions were a piece of cake,and I actually enjoyed the nurses and a free massage everytime I went.The dietician tried her best to fatten me up with Boost and Ensure samples,and Marinol,but all to no avail.I was losing 4-5 pounds a week.
After twelve weeks,Ungaro decided to cut my dose so I could eat again and regain my weight.On dose number 7 I ate like a horse and regained about 7-8 pounds,so we went back to the full dose on #8.This is when I found out why people dreaded chemo.For the first three days after taking the pump off,I only crawled out of bed to use the head.Thank God it was at the foot of the bed-RV,ya know.Wifey and me thawt I was a goner for sure!
After 5 days,Wifey took me to the Zimmer Clinic for a little picker upper.They fed me vitamins and minerals thru my portacath and begged me to shovel down whatever I could stand.Mom bought me milkshakes every day,and candy and cakes and anything else I agreed to eat.Let me tell you now,if it weren;t for my wife,I would have died.She was a pure tee champ thru it all and I was extremely abusive.I could feel my mind beginning to change for the worse.The enjoyment of a new experience was beginning to wear thin!
By the time it was time for dose #9,I decided quality of life was better than quantity.I called them and quit the chemo.Ungaro was a little disappointed,and maybe fearful for me,but very understanding.So it was agreed I would have the usual checkups and scans to make sure nothing new cropped up.
I recovered fairly fast and got on back to enjoying life-driving a cab,eating high fat sugary microwaved junk food,surfing the net and loving Chloe,the love of my life.In between all of that,I';d occassionally be nice to my best friend,Wifey!
In a few months,I felt as if I';d never had cancer.The3 only thing that ever made me sick about it was that last session of chemo.I was one well blessed guy!
Posted by John W..