Sleep. It's funny how you really don't miss something until it's gone. Call it Insomnia, pain, nerves, whatever you want. All I know is that I am slowly going crazy without sleep. At night I get roughly two to four hours. Now I know some people are thinking, "I get to sleep that amount at night, what's the big deal?" The big deal is that with my sickness I need as much sleep as I can get. Anyway, I hope that tonight my pain is at bay and I can get something.
Yesterday, Travis and I made the trek to Northwestern University in Chicago. It's literally downtown Chicago (off of E. Huron St..) so it's a pretty nerve wracking drive. At the hospital yesterday I only had to fill out a few things and pick up my pills that I needed to start my Clinical Trial, finally. When we were talking to the nurse she told us of the side effects and other things we should watch out for. She checked my hands and feet to make sure I didn't have an lesions or callouses. For some reason this medicine likes to cause callouses which I find odd. Once I got the okay that I was clear, we got my medicine and we got out of there, but not before we stopped at one of the restaurants for some food. We were super hungry so we got some soup and sandwiches.
At home I took the medicine like they told me. The medicine is four little pink pills called Regorafenib. They are designed to inhibit the tumors' ability to make blood vessels thus creating more tumors. I seriously hope it works because yesterday the nurse told us the result of my last CT (I had last week) and she said that all of my tumors grew a CM since the CT before that. She also said they found some new tumors in the lining that is between your ribs and lungs. I was a little upset but at least it was only a CM and yes I was upset that I have even more tumors, but *knock on wood* I haven't had any problems breathing or anything so I am not too depressed about it. For the trial I have to go back to Chicago go once a week for four weeks and then once a week for two weeks and then I think once a week for six weeks. Like I said, I hope it works.
Last night when I was trying to sleep I had the hardest time getting comfortable. I am still sleeping out on the recliner but my legs are so swollen then when I put the legs up there is so much pressure pushing on my legs that they hurt. Travis woke up to me crying and he came by and started to rub them in hopes that is would help. It helped a little but then the pressure came right back. I fought with it all night.
I got a phone call today from the hospital that is doing the pain management procedure and they told me that tomorrow's pain management trial is cancelled because they are still waiting for insurance to give the okay for them to do it. I don't see what the big deal is, all they are going to do is inject Morphine into my spine to see if it takes away the pain I have. If it works then they want to install a pain pump. Insurance companies irritate me so bad. They will pay for medication (most of the time) that could cost in the thousands but they won't okay a little procedure. Whatever.
Well I have to end this here because my back is starting to hurt and I don't want to be in any more pain than I am already in. I will maybe write again tomorrow, but we will see if anything goes on, otherwise the next day. Tootle loo. (~_^)
Yesterday, Travis and I made the trek to Northwestern University in Chicago. It's literally downtown Chicago (off of E. Huron St..) so it's a pretty nerve wracking drive. At the hospital yesterday I only had to fill out a few things and pick up my pills that I needed to start my Clinical Trial, finally. When we were talking to the nurse she told us of the side effects and other things we should watch out for. She checked my hands and feet to make sure I didn't have an lesions or callouses. For some reason this medicine likes to cause callouses which I find odd. Once I got the okay that I was clear, we got my medicine and we got out of there, but not before we stopped at one of the restaurants for some food. We were super hungry so we got some soup and sandwiches.
At home I took the medicine like they told me. The medicine is four little pink pills called Regorafenib. They are designed to inhibit the tumors' ability to make blood vessels thus creating more tumors. I seriously hope it works because yesterday the nurse told us the result of my last CT (I had last week) and she said that all of my tumors grew a CM since the CT before that. She also said they found some new tumors in the lining that is between your ribs and lungs. I was a little upset but at least it was only a CM and yes I was upset that I have even more tumors, but *knock on wood* I haven't had any problems breathing or anything so I am not too depressed about it. For the trial I have to go back to Chicago go once a week for four weeks and then once a week for two weeks and then I think once a week for six weeks. Like I said, I hope it works.
Last night when I was trying to sleep I had the hardest time getting comfortable. I am still sleeping out on the recliner but my legs are so swollen then when I put the legs up there is so much pressure pushing on my legs that they hurt. Travis woke up to me crying and he came by and started to rub them in hopes that is would help. It helped a little but then the pressure came right back. I fought with it all night.
I got a phone call today from the hospital that is doing the pain management procedure and they told me that tomorrow's pain management trial is cancelled because they are still waiting for insurance to give the okay for them to do it. I don't see what the big deal is, all they are going to do is inject Morphine into my spine to see if it takes away the pain I have. If it works then they want to install a pain pump. Insurance companies irritate me so bad. They will pay for medication (most of the time) that could cost in the thousands but they won't okay a little procedure. Whatever.
Well I have to end this here because my back is starting to hurt and I don't want to be in any more pain than I am already in. I will maybe write again tomorrow, but we will see if anything goes on, otherwise the next day. Tootle loo. (~_^)