#89

Howdy friends and family!

I received the super-secret clinical trial Crisco, errrmmmm, Amitriptyline and Ketamine combined topical today. And I'm patient #89. Shoot dang, it would have been fun to be Patient #99, as in Get Smart Agent 99. Got it?

The label states: Caution: New Drug - Limited to Federal Law to Investigational Use. The 15 tubes are white, super-sealed in three white boxes, which are super-sealed into one large white box. Very clandestine feeling.

To avoid a long trip into Seattle during the rush hour traffic, I asked the research coordinator if the topical could be sent to their satellite office where I received chemo - about 15 minutes from my home. He wasn't sure this could be done as the topical could only be transported by a nurse or doctor or the patient. Wait a minute. The courier transported thousands of dollars of chemo fluids each day, but he couldn't take one overly-white box?

Okay, I understand that Ketamine is a "Club Drug" known as Vitamin K. It's snorted, smoked or injected. Large doses of Ketamine produce effects similar to PCP such as dream-like dissociative states and hallucinations. We are talking large doses of a liquid or powder. For heavens, sake, these are white tubes smaller than a tube of toothpaste, in the white boxes inside an overly-white larger box. I guess if some junkie was desperate enough, they could club the courier over the head, steal the topical and rub the contents of all 15 tubes on at once for a buzz. But why couldn't the junkie do the same to the nurse or doctor? I'll stop now . . .it just hit me weird.

A bright yellow slip of paper fell out of the overly-shite larger box, stating "ALERT! When seeking emergency medical care for any reason . . . . You must bring your Study Medication with you to any Health Care Provider." Now that's a little scary.

I completed about 10 pages of peripheral neuropathy intensity and sleep questions. I will have to complete the same or similar survey at the end of each 3 weeks of using the topical. I'm excited about the possibility that this will help alleviate the burning ring of fire toes.

Going to the satellite clinic, I had the opportunity to talk with the crazy oncology nurse. We talked about my port coming out May 15 and mentioned that I could skip the port flush scheduled at the end of April. Yippeee! I so hate getting injected with the Lidocaine several times around the port, then doing gymnastics with my arm or coughing to get the port to take or receive fluids.

When I first started chemo back in October, I brought up the idea of putting the finger nails into cold water to minimize the nail loss. This nurse thought I was reading too much on the Internet, never heard of it. After showing her my nails today I stated I should have at least tried the nails in cold water - what would it have hurt!? Her colleague - a new nurse - said she recently attended training where this was talked about and the results were great. Surprise, surprise!

Sooooo . . . for those going through chemo right now, just do it. Don't give a flip if your nurse or doctor has never heard of this! It's your body, take control of your treatment. What could it hurt?

I was able to do the two hour lunch break three days this week and it has made a difference already! I can get through the afternoon without dragging. My employers should be happy because I feel more productive. I'm not pre-cancer energy, but it's a start. And I'll take it.

I'm walking in the Relay for Life on May 15th and asking friends, family and anonymous peeps to help me reach my financial goals by donating $10 . . . just $10. Come on, you can do it! Just click on this link and it will take you to my home page to donate. Plus you get to see a pic of Baby Posh Spice. Thank you so much for your help!!!!

I hope the sun is shining in your area of the world. There is much to be thankful, isn't there? God bless!

~Renee

Welcome to Cora and Alli, two new Journey Supporters!