One Year Shot

Last week's follow up with my oncologist also included a milestone, one year enrollment in the PRESENT study. It also meant time for more shots. Now as the proud owner of one side effect in the study and an updated consent form coming my way, there was another change to my study treatment.

As I have previously documented my response to the shots seemed to continually increase with every sequential shot. The last time (minus the fainting) I also had to take benedryl. Well, the amount benedryl I previously took to control the swelling was considered a Toxic Level 2 response. "Huh?" Was my response as the oncologist was explaining this to me. The research RN (whom is very diligent) spoke with the study organizers about this and it was deemed that I needed a dose reduction.

I had just been told my scans were clean and I had started to relax. Then she said "dose reduction". I started to protest. "But, I never had induration greater than 10 cm!". My oncologist explained that the reduction of dose would be in the immune booster portion that they inject, because that was more likely what was causing all the inflammation. She let me know that the peptide (if present, unknown in a double blinded study) would not be reduced. Phew.

3 out of the 4 shots hurt. The first 3 were like 30 second bee stings. The fourth one didn't hurt at all. I still made the research RN nervous and sat on my hands to make her feel better. Also during the injections I found that I feel better if I hold my breath and attempt to to pull my diaphragm into my rib cage. It's weird, but it totally works for me. 

24 hours later, I was not sure that a dose reduction had helped or that it might not be the peptide causing the reaction. My leg was swollen. So swollen you could see it through my slacks and it looked like I had a quidriceps instead of a quadriceps. The induration (thickening of the skin) wasn't bad though.

48 hours later, I was pretty sure the research RN and oncologist were genius'. The swelling went way down and my quid was a quad again. And my thigh was now only partially red and translucent white (it's baseline).

72 hours later and just a small amount of induration at each of the shot sites. And I was able to go for a run. Happy day.

Maybe it was because I saw We Will Rock You the night before, but this was the song in my head for my run. Except I only know the words to the chorus. But you still got to love Queen.