July End Update

Well, here is the end-of-July-update:

Cathy was gone for a long weekend recently (all by herself, to visit Napa Valley and bestest friends in Oregon) and Matt told me, on the way to the airport, that he thought he was going to be able to go a whole MONTH without a dr. appointment - yippee. We got all excited...However, unfortunately it is not to be. The neuropathy is getting worse and as such, Dr. Oa, our medical oncologist, wants him to see and get more tests by a neurologist, to be sure to rule anything other than that which is a side effect of the Cisplatin (which Matt is pretty sure it is). Matt has an appointment with a new neurologist next week - argh.

This neuropathy is really weird, and really sucks. Last night it was so bad Matt couldn't open the Advil bottle - which he really needed as his fingers were so painful (like a bunch of bee stings) he couldn't sleep. Ouch. It also creeps into his elbows, knees and sometimes, now, shoulder joints. We understand this is somewhat typical of a side effect of Cisplatin specifically and of chemo in general, but it sure is no fun.

Its weird; it seems like our life has been organized/unfolding by "quarters" (3 months at a time): a quarter of surgeries, a quarter of treatment, a quarter of mouth issues, and now it looks like a quarter (actually, two quarters as it started really at the end of treatment in March) and maybe even more?! of dealing with neuropathy.

Sigh. We are still taking healing thoughts; send 'em Matt's way?!