Up until now, side effects of radiation and chemo have been blessedly mild, but things are definitely starting to ramp up. Over the last few days, Mike has been absolutely WIPED. He’s more tired than ever, everything tastes metallic, and he barely has an appetite. The silver lining – he has an amazing nurse at SCOA (South Carolina Oncology Associates) that actually picks up the phone when I call (which is a MIRACLE), and she jumped into action right away to get him some meds to help pep him up a bit.
His spirits are still high, as always. He’s been such a freaking ROCKSTAR throughout this entire ordeal. Always positive, always optimistic. I’m not going to lie – I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t handle this with the grace and resilience that Mike shows up with every single day. Even as his side effects are starting to really kick his ass, he still takes it all in stride, remains patient, and keeps his eye on the ball. “Only 4 more treatments,” he said this morning. Who’s counting, right? Officially his last day of treatment is July 10. He gets the holiday weekend off!
He is looking forward to some respite from all of this, but I’m starting to feel a sense of apprehension. We have a three week wait until we know what the MRI says – has the treatment worked? Is there anything else concerning popping up? Then we’ll head to Duke to get another second opinion on maintenance treatment. They may change nothing – but the win there is that if this awful tumor dares to pop back up, he will be an established patient with a neuro-oncologist, and we’ll be able to bypass all the red tape that I have no doubt would otherwise stand in the way of his being considered for clinical trials.
The waiting game is excruciating. We’ve been here before, and while it’s still tough, we know the drill. We’ll get through it again – TOGETHER. In the meantime, we hold on to the small wins, the moments of laughter, and the unwavering strength Mike continues to show. One day at a time. Moment by moment. Every single day. Just like Mike does: with strength, humor, and heart.
Thanks for being with us on this journey. We’ll keep you updated!