Yep, that's me. A criminal mastermind. At least according to the binga-heads! It all began with dinner a few nights ago. There was a really delicious spin on chicken noodle soup. (Build a traditional chicken soup base with celery, onions, and carrots gently sautee'd in olive oil with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock, bay and thyme. Make meat balls from chicken or turkey sausage with some added beaten egg, bread crumbs, chopped parsley, and grated parm. Bake at 400, turning every five minutes are so til nicely browned and add to your broth. When almost ready to serve, add fresh or frozen tortellini stuffed with cheese. And there you have it....a special version of chicken noodle soup!) Anyhow, in trying to make a salad to live up to the soup, I decided locally grown cukes and zucchini/squash (Have you seen those? Super cute with top half yellow and bottom half green like a zucchini Easter egg?) sliced very thin and crunchy with a mandolin, lightly dressed with a lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon dressing would be just the thing! So, I am slicing away, when...you guessed it...squash does a flip and no more finger prints or finger pad to my right pinky finger. The bleeding was prolific. The pain was impressive. Rosie was an awesome nurse. And trying to get an area of nothingness on the tip of one's finger to heal has been a challenge. But...according to the kids, I need only repeat the process nine more times and I will be the best thief ever! A real criminal mastermind! Not on your life! For my next jewel heist....I'll just wear gloves!
But, I guess that's just the way of it. A yummy dinner. A little less ease. Mixed results. Sadly, something many cancer patients know all too well. A melanoma internet acquaintance fought and struggled to get into an arm of my anti-PD1 trial in Tampa...sans vaccines, thank goodness! Travels from Utah. Has three young boys. But, after three months of treatments every two weeks finds that while a couple of tumors shrank, others grew. Mixed results. Not the worst scenario, perhaps. But, not what you ever hope to hear....and not usually good enough to keep your place in a trial.
My friend Jonathan seems to be doing very well on his ADC trial in Nashville. Tumors shrinking on scans. A really wonderful thing. But...his life is rudely puntuated with weekly trips from CT to Nashville, TN! And the nonexistent side effects? Not so nonexistent with tiredness, leg pain, diarrhea, hair loss. When mentioned, like the good rattie he is...not a surprise. "Oh, yes. We have seen that. Try this. Do that. Perhaps we will adjust things should the symptoms continue." So? Once again, affirming my lack of trust in most providers when describing side effects as minimal...simply because THEY have not experienced them! Mixed results.
As for me. I feel mostly very well. Arthralgias have pretty much abated. The mucositis with mouth and tongue lesions, bleeding gums, and tender lips has not improved. I figure with no more meds, it's got to get better sometime, right??! Mixed results.
And don't misunderstand. I fully realize how very lucky I am. NED for 2 years, 10 months is nothing less than amazing post brain and lung mets with a diagnosis of melanoma for ten years now. There are few melanoma patients who wouldn't be thankful to be in my shoes....irritated mouth and all.
Lucky, huh? Did you appreciate your 'luck' today? Take it from a criminal mastermind...there are often....mixed results. But, I will keep working to see them improve...for all of us. - c
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