Abraxane Chemo and on to Germany

Worry is the darkroom in which negatives are developed.

~ church billboard in Colorado




The Abraxane treatment did not go as well as I had hoped, got very sick after the last treatment.  Was pretty well bed ridden for 8 days then started to improve.  Lost a lot of hair in the process.  My stamina and ability to go for a walk has also diminished.  It also meant that getting ready for the trip to Germany was a bit more pressured as things got left to the last minute and squeezed in between my usual infusions, coffee enemas and saunas.  Came across the photo of the cat sleeping when I was spending a lot of time in bed and felt very in tune with the comments,  I was very busy at a cellular level.  Great photo and comment for anyone going through chemo or serious disease or treatment.  Brings a smile to my face every time I see it. It's always good to see the humour.

The other problem with the Abraxane is that it does not seem to have been that successful.  Although it is guess work at the moment.  Certainly the pain has reduced but the cancer markers which reached 1554 have only come down to 1120.  The oncologist said this can be a good thing as ones that come down very quickly do not necessarily stay down.  Not sure if this is true or he is just trying to reassure me.

We are now in Germany.  The flights were uneventful but tiring.  We had plane changes in Bangkok and Madrid which went smoothly.  We had booked a hotel at the airport because there is also a train station right there and thought it would be good to get a night's sleep before the train journey to the clinic.  We were certainly glad we did that.  Gave us a chance to start to get the time difference under control and to rest.  Also got the train tickets the afternoon we arrived so knew when we needed to leave and found a nice little restaurant that served yummy broccoli soup and also we could choose our own ingredients in the morning for breakfast and a take away lunch.  Much cheaper than eating in the hotel.

The train trip was fine other than having to change trains twice. Not much wait between trains but a bit of a pain with the luggage.  The trip lasted about 2 1/2 hours and the last 1 1/2 hours in the same train was very nice.  The train had very big windows and after traveling through some nice flat country side with intermittent villages we headed into the hills and up into the Schwarzwald.  Often there would be mountain streams we followed and lovely little villages with typical old German buildings.  We caught a taxi from Freudenstadt to Hallwangen and our apartment.  The apartment is a flat beneath a house where the owners live.  It is quite a common method of holiday accommodation in smaller tourist areas in Germany it seems.  Generally cheaper than hotels and it means you can do your own meals which is a big saving and allows a healthier diet.  The apartment is lovely with a loungeroom, kitchen/dining, bedroom and bathroom.  All rooms except the bathroom face south onto the garden and we get the sun coming in when it shines. The owners are very nice,  friendly and helpful.

Hallwangen is up on a hill overlooking a valley which is quite pretty except for an ugly factory in one spot.  I guess it is good for employment in the area.  We can see Dornstetten and Freudenstadt in the distance but mostly verdant meadows and some patches of forest.  The clinic is right next to the forest and I am hoping to be well enough to do some walking in these beautiful pine woods.  The weather is colder than we expected 3C to 12C  degrees and today the wind has sprung up to make it feel colder.  There has been rain forecast for the time we have been here but we have only had some today although it has looked very threatening at times.  We have had some sunny periods and the spring bulbs are flowering in the gardens we pass on our walk to the clinic.  Tulips, mostly red and yellow, daffodils and hyacinths as well as pansies and other flowers I don't know the name of, very pretty in any case.

After unpacking on the 18th we headed to the clinic and met the doctor on duty who is Australian with a German background so fluent in both languages.  Really nice doctor who seems to be very competent.  My usual doctor is in Dusseldorf setting up a research centre.  They keep in touch via phone.  In any case we worked out my treatment plan and I started treatment the next morning with a Removab infusion.  This is an 8 hour infusion that in the past has made me very ill so I stay overnight at the clinic in one of their hospital rooms.  It all went well in that I had a 'good' reaction.  This involves getting a high fever (upto 40.4C) but feeling freezing cold and shaking like a leaf for almost an hour.  Then nausea, headache and itchy skin.  All more or less controlled by more drugs.  I slept well that night with the help of a pill but was a wreck the next day (yesterday).  Too sick and tired to eat or read so just dozed all day.  The good thing about treatment here is that they consider all the body functions so infusions are given to support the circulation, liver and nerves.  This does not happen in Australia with chemotherapy and I think it should.  We caught a taxi back to the apartment at about 4 pm as I was too sick still to walk back.  Managed to eat a banana and have some tomato soup with a little rice in it.  Got through the night quite well, woke up a lot and sweated profusely but otherwise ok.

Feeling much better today and managed to walk to the clinic for further supportive infusions including Hepamerz and Glutahione for the liver,  Alpha Lipoic acid for the nerves, Fishoil for inflammation and assist detox and Magnesium which was a bit low.  Lots of blood taken at various times to check all is well and see progress.  Also got laxatives as the anti nausea treatment causes constipation.  Might have a coffee enema tomorrow.  It is 1 pm and hoping to leave in the next half hour and have lunch at the apartment and may get a start on my new embroidery that I brought along.

The plan is to have another two Removab treatments about 5 days apart and if I am recovering well maybe have some days off from the clinic between treatments.  I will continue with back physio on Monday probably unless I have the day off then.  Want to have plenty of supportive treatment so I am well enough to enjoy the holiday after treatment but would like to have some days off if this does not compromise my wellbeing.

Surviving and thriving

Linda