Available By Email

I originally started this blog to keep family and friends updated about my treatments and tests. I hadn't intended for it to spread beyond that, but it did. I grateful for that because it has given me the opportunity to reach out to other people in situations similar to my own. I enjoy having this blog and would like to continue with it, but I can't guarantee that I'll post every day (except in the month of November, but that's a topic for another post).

About once a week, I either get an email asking me if I'm doing okay because I haven't posted or a friend or relative mentions that I haven't update my blog - this usually includes a mention that they check it daily. I know that I didn't post much over the summer (I did spend 32 days in the hospital) and my posts this fall have been sporadic. The good news is that you don't have to check for updates daily. I have a subscription service that will email you my posts. All you have to do is sign up by entering your email address in the box on the right and make sure that you can receive emails from CCSucks@gmail.com (this is my personal account). You'll have to confirm your subscription and you can do so when receive an email with the following text from confirmations@emailenfuego.net:

You recently requested an email subscription to The Latest from Colon Cancer Sucks Ass. We can't wait to send the updates you want via email, so please click the following link to activate your subscription immediately:

http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailconfirm...

As soon as your subscription is active, FeedBurner will send a daily email
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If you did not request this subscription, or no longer wish to activate it, take
no action. Simply delete this message and that will be the end of it.

Posts are emailed the day after they are posted. To those of you who already have subscriptions: I moved my blog over to the blogger beta site yesterday and that is why you received an email with a bunch of posts. To those who have signed up, but never confirmed membership, I will email you once I've deleted your subscription and you'll need to sign up again.

Feel free to keep checking the site for updates if you'd rather not receive them by email.

Thought For The Day (because I couldn't find a good post about it):
Is Fergie singlehandedly hurting the feminist cause (and cracking the already damaged self-esteem of adolescent girls) with songs like "My Humps", "London Bridge", and "Fergalicious"?

What Goes Up Must Come Down

I am indefinitely on hold for my next chemotherapy treatment. As I posted here, my platelet count has been running low, not dangerously low, but too low for treatment. The normal range for platelets is between 150,000 and 400,000. On the 16th, my count was 75,0000. By the 24th, it had climbed to 93,000. Unfortunately, by Thursday, it had dropped to 83,000. In order to received treatment, my platelet count has to be at least 100,000.

My oncologist has assured me that the treatment delay isn't a big deal. Since we're not treating any visible disease, an extended dealy will not have the same adverse effects as were possible when there were visible active tumors.

On Monday, I will go back in for more extensive blood tests to see if we can pinpoint the cause of my lower platelet levels or at least eliminate any potential problems. Most likely, it is just due to the amount of chemotherapy I have had this year combined with major surgery. According to my research, it is a known potential side effect of the drugs I have received.

I'm not going to worry about it. There's nothing that I can do to elevate my platelets and I don't believe that anything is seriously wrong (at least nothing new). My white cells and hemoglobin are just under normal levels. I'll just wait and see what the numbers are on Monday.

Daily Link:
I can't wait until I have the chance to see this!

Jumping Through Hoops

Among the projects that have been taking up my time is my application to graduate school. It's been so long since I applied to college that I had forgotten the amoung of work that goes into an application. I took the GRE last week. I think that I did pretty well although I don't have my exact percentiles or my essay scores yet. In between classes and appointments, I have been working on my personal statement (or taking a daily spelling test - I know, I'm a nerd). It's a lot of work.

I've also been working on the financial aspect. If I get into the program, I'll need a way to pay for it. That's a lot of work too.

I'm still waiting to hear back about my blood test results... will I be able to start my next round of chemo soon? Stay tuned to find out!

Link for Today:
Ben Stiller Pillow
Disturbingly realistic. . .

Conversations With Myself

I finished my first round of my new chemotherapy two weeks ago today. I'm supposed to take the pills twice a day for two weeks and then I get one week off.

But wait, Christine, shouldn't you have started the second round a week ago?

That's quite an astute observation. Yes, I was scheduled to start the second round last Wednesday; however, my platelet count was low so my oncologist recommended that I take an extra week to recover.

But wait, Christine, doesn't that mean you should start the second round today?

Wow, you are an observant one, aren't you. Yes, I should have started the second round today; however, I had a blood test done yesterday and lo and behold, my platelet count is still low.


But wait, Christine, when will you get to start the second round? I don't like it when they mess around with your carefully planned schedule.

I'm not sure why you insist on starting with "but wait, Christine" every single time you open your mouth, but I do appreciate someone understanding how much I hate having my schedule messed up. At this point, I do not know when I will start the second round. I have to go back in tomorrow for another blood test.


But wait, Christine. . . oops, sorry! Habit. You really are an amazing person to put up with all of this crap.

I know.


Link for the day:
Bad News Hughes Diary of Manly Adventure

Quotes for Today

"I think makin' bacon is the first step toward unity."

"The biggest room in the house is the room for improvement."

"Mr. T believes in love people."

-Mr. T on his new TV Land show I Pity the Fool.

Time Flies

I can’t believe that it’s October already. There was so much that I wanted to get done in September and almost as much that I didn’t manage to get done.

I have started taking classes at a local community college. I’m trying to get a few more social science and lab science credits to round out my undergraduate education. I’m applying to a master’s program for next fall. These classes are much more work than I had anticipated and I am taking a full load (12 credits).

I’m still healing from my surgery in July. There is still a hole that hasn’t healed yet from having the infection lanced in August. My energy level is getting better, but I started a new chemo on Wednesday so that might be the end of that. I switched to a pill form called Xeloda because my research showed that it was better tolerated and with classes and the GRE, I just can’t be out of commission for three days every other week.

I want to thank everyone for their concerned emails. I have a few more crazy weeks, but by November I should be able to post more regularly. Until then, I’ll do what I can.