I got a New Drug!!

Huey Lewis and The News once sang:
"I want a new drug One that wont make me sick One that wont make me crash my car Or make me feel three feet thick.
I want a new drug One that wont hurt my head One that wont make my mouth too dry Or make my eyes too red.
I want a new drug One that wont go away One that wont keep me up all night One that wont make me sleep all day.
I want a new drug One that does what it should One that wont make me feel too bad One that wont make me feel too good.
I want a new drug One with no doubt One that wont make me talk too much Or make my face break out."

On Friday I got a new drug before Chemo...it's called "Emend". It's an anti-nausea drug that works on tricking the brain into not sending the "puke" signal to the rest of my body. It's a 3 part drug. One the day of Chemo, one the day after and lastly one on the following day.

So far it has kept the extreme nausea I felt last time away!

We met another Dr in the practice when went for my dose on Friday. "Dr B" exlained how Emend works and wondered why I didn't get this drug on my first dose. It would have improved things dramatically two weeks ago. He also discussed another drug I should have had to assist and protect my lone kidney with that first dosage of chemo because the first dose of chemo has the biggest kill.

He motioned with his hands a width of a loaf of bread...he said "Imagine this is the amount of cancer to be killed. The first dose kills the most" and he moved his hands closer together. "That first kill of cancer cells creates the largest amount of dead cells that need to leave the body, and how do they leave the body? thru the kidneys"...Uh KIDNEY. This was his point, the drug he was telling me about would have helped get my one kidney thru the process of ridding me of these dead cells. He was amazed I wasn't on that drug.

He saw no point in starting me on it now since my kidney apparently did an AMAZING job by it self and now with less cancer to destroy the amount of cells passing thru my kidney would a be less each time going forward.

I began to wonder about why Dr L didn't go over these things with me and that maybe Dr B was just a drug happy prescription writing kind of dr. He wrote me a script for the Emends with 5 refills so I can feel as good as I do today over the next 6 treatments.

I am only slightly dizzy with almost no nausea to speak of. A HUGE difference from my first go 'round.

I skipped my Neulasta shot today and slept in. The office called and told me to come in on Sunday instead. I've been really tired these last couple of days having been up really early for my Port insert surgery on Thursday and early for yesterday's Chemo...I needed the extra sleep. I was gonna wait to get the shot on Monday but Denise at the office said Monday would be a little too far away. So Sunday it is.

I can't complain with this last round of chemo. I'm taking it easy and listening to my body and thanking God somebody came up this new drug. If only I had it in my system 2 weeks ago. When I next touch base with Dr L I'll ask him about these things. Maybe he knew my kidney was in great shape and could handle the first kill of cells? Maybe he doesn't like prescribing Emend? Maybe he's nuts?

Only Dr L can tell me why.

But Dr B expressed his thoughts about the anti-nausea drugs I do have now (as previously prescribed) "chasing" the nausea once I have it...Emend cuts it off before it happens. Makes sense to me.

So far I'm happy with it.