Yesterday Alan saw his oncologist and found out that his 5-year survival rate is now up to 87.1% from the 50-70% he was given before starting treatment. Soon he’s going to go through another 6-month round of chemo, stronger doses of different stuff. This will boost his survival rate up another 4% to 91.1%. So now I can officially tell him to stop whining and start hogging attention for myself.
I just hope he handles the new meds as well as his last round of chemo. I remember when he started taking those everyone kept telling me to brace myself for a sluggish, sickly, completely helpless Alan. But actually he barely had any side effects, didn’t lose any hair and didn’t lose his appetite. This new one is called Xeloda. Has anyone ever been on it?
Good to know alan is recovering, Like all chemotherapeutic drugs, Xeloda also has some sise effects but again like all others, these side effects are severe in older ppl, in young patients it has milder side effects and that can be managed easily. But it varies greatly from patient to patient, but since alan tolerated previous chemotherapy well, i dont think there should be any problem with Xeloda.
i'm so glad he's doing well! cancer is a hard thing to battle with and those percentages are very uplifting! congrats to you both for staying strong.
It is so good that his survival rate is going up. That's what you want. Hope he handles the second round as well as the first. Good luck…
I have not been on it, but I think if he hasn't had any side effects, it should be fine with the Xeloda. He's recovering and that eases me because I've created a space for you and Alan in my heart xD Your writing takes me into your life and I feel like I'm almost a part of it, watching from the side lines and rooting you and Alan on.
Before you know it he will be up and running, healthy and hopefully fatter (In a good way) than ever before!
So happy to hear the good news. I don't even know you guys (KNOW you know you. You know.), yet I'm thinking nothing but positive thoughts. ♥
Good luck to Alan as he continues this fight. Chloe's right, I don't even know you, but I send my best wishes! ~Lynn
That is great news, happy dancing here in Australia. I just stumbled across your blog and love it.
a positive attitude and hopeful outlook can take you further than anything else! you guys seem to be quite successful at this…keep it up and God Bless!
We may not know each other personally but my well wishes for Alan (and for you) are sincere. Your posts always touch me in one form or other. Wherever the photos were taken it looks like a beautiful place.
Those survival rates, in percentages down to the tenth, are rather sobering, even if they're going up! I don't have experience with that drug (you can read side effects on line if you wanted to on rxlist.com) but here's one piece of advice you probably already know: try to get Alan as strong as possible before he starts the new med; if he can build up strength and a little weight, it'll make the next course a little easier. Feed him well!
Thanks for your comments on my blog–it was fantastic to have someone read my posts! And, don't be too afraid of teenage aliens because you get to enjoy the first dozen years with them as your baby!
That place in your photos looks beautiful and peaceful! I'm glad Alan's getting around and enjoying things! I'm also glad you'll be getting some attention, too! 😉
I found a forum for people with that type of cancer and they have threads about Xeloda on there.
Yay, it looks like Alan's doing well! Please tell him I say hello.
Btw, where did you take those lovely pictures?
Thank you all whom I don't KNOW know but whom I feel like I know and have been so positive and supportive through all this cancer shmancer business.:)
ThankYou — brilliant idea to google xeloda. I just did a quick search and man some of the posts are frickin scary! One man starts his post with "Xeloda killed my mother. She died on December 27th, 2007, ten weeks after starting a Xeloda regimen." However, she was 83 and had a secondary cancer as well. Unfortunately, it seems not too many 25 year olds write about their experience with xeloda. :/
Jfer — we're at Almaden Lake 😀 Have you been yet? I really love it. In the summer they have paddle boats you can rent.
I'm sorry.But why you spread out ur personal matters? Keep it to ur self and be proud. Where are you from?
I also did't like the description of ur blog title.It doesn't much.
..underwares,horses,writing..
thks
Hi Katia,
well, I guess that's the thing about personal blogs is that they tend to get quite … personal. I will have to give that a try someday, not talking about anything important going on in my life because that sounds interesting. I suppose I could start writing about someone else's life or posting daily pictures of my favorite ponies. Also, I'm sorry you didn't like my blog title, but you can read my "About" page to get a better sense of me and my blog and where I'm from, but then again, it's all just personal stuff anyway…
Hey Sobrina,
happy dancing here in NZ as well. I am so glad things are going better for you and Alan. Been lurking meaning to comment for a while but I felt compelled to by Katia's sniping.
Why not put what's happening for you out there? You write amazingly well, you're funny, uplifting and a really good person.
Sometimes my dear unknown Katia, people have different ways of coping with fear, why not put such a scary experience as Sobrina and her Alan have been through out there and get support and share experiences?
Good on Sobrina, keep writing and hugs to Alan. I always look forward to reading what you have to say!
Curious Character, thank you 🙂 I'm always so happy to get comments from "lurkers" as I'm always curious who is out there reading! I'm heading over to read about your adventures in New Zealand now!
OH MY GOODNESS! Such WONDERFUL NEWS!
Wow…great response to the hate-mail, Sobrina! Keep on doing your thing. You are such a gentle spirit. I really soak it up from you. You're a great example, an inspiration, an encouragement…You're just a positive wave. And I love it. And that's why I keep coming back.
J.me you are too kind!! Thanks for all the encouragement and your comments. They mean a lot! Hope you are having a fantastic day 🙂