The Starting Gun Fires and they’re off….

Hi All, So as of 10:00 am this morning I was officially done with my first treatment of Chemo and able to store my new fashion accessory/weapon holster in the closet for a little less than two weeks. So far I really haven’t hit too many major side effects (which could still come for another day or so.) The only really weird one is cold sensitivity caused by the Oxaliplatin drug. Basically I can’t touch or drink anything cold, otherwise the area I touch it with petty much gets pins and needles for an extended period of time. The other stuff like nausea I have medication for and will just tough it out as it happens.

I did find out however that they officially changed my chemo treatment from the aggressive FOLFIRINOX  (5-FU, Leucovorin, Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin) to what sounds like a slightly more standard treatment of FOLFOX Avastin (5-FU, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin, Avastin.) Speaking with my nurse Nikki we think this may be due to the scans that I talked about in this blog (A Small Victory Before….) and so they can always break out the big guns as a back up plan. It always feels good to know there is a back up plan.  This also means that I no longer have to go in tomorrow for the white blood cell booster shot which means another day off from the hospital for me =-P.

Ok, enough with the “sciencey” stuff, just know the Big C is in his corner getting a couple stitches above the eye while I’m pushing the water bottle away because I’m fresh and ready to go for round 2. Also, “Team TJ” for the Get Your Rear in Gear 5K is really starting to explode and I am beyond impressed with the outpouring of support. I just want everyone to know that it may be my name on the team, but this goes to benefit everyone out there as Colon Cancer is the #2 Cancer Killer behind Lung Cancer and kills about 55,000 people in the US every year. So please keep forwarding this:http://events.getyourrearingear.com/site/TR/Boston/General?pg=team&fr_id=1072&team_id=1231 to your friends, co-workers, family, whoever you think may support the cause and even the people you think may not, you may be suprised. Let’s Build an Army bigger than GYRIG has seen before and beat this thing once and for all.

Much Love – Teej

p.s. I totally should have photoshopped bigger biceps and deltoids in there…. not getting any more MGH nurses by my bedside like that. Goodthing, I have the GF.

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