Gettin' this party started!

First, sorry for the absence. I was temporarily shut out of my gmail account, and couldn't post. Second, we've met with a Radiology Oncologist and a Medical Oncologist, and are very, very pleased to report that Joe starts intense Chemo on Monday. Monday! We left the meeting with the MO thinking it would start end of June/early July, which did not feel good. Not only does he start on Monday, but they're giving him a more intensive regimen than was originally planned. I suspect this was due some pressure from our friend/Colorectal Surgeon Andy Vorenberg. Bless that man! Seriously: next time you need a Colorectal Surgeon, he's the one to call. ;)

So, for the next few days, we're in high gear- moving Joe's stuff into the house (he broke his lease with his very understanding landlord), getting this work schedule straight, and... I guess that's it. Just getting ready.

His initial chemo drug will be FOLFOX for a week, followed by 5 weeks of radiation in concurrence with Xeloda , and while the administration of Folfox sucks (a few days in the hospital tethered to an IV), the side effects of Xeloda are way less than the chemo given to breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer patients. Those cause the horrible nausea, hair loss, and weight loss that I think we most associate with Cancer. Xeloda side effects include diarrhea (Joe's got that handled!) and fatigue.

Monetarily, everything has been remarkably and surprisingly covered so far, but we learned today that Folfox, which he'll get for 5 weeks, costs about $3,000 per MONTH. Ouch.

As always, thank you for your love, support, and feedback. Be well!