Update from today's 2nd visit with Medical Oncologist

David:

I have read that DARK Chocolate (my favorite kind) is actually good for you.

Maybe that news is too good to be true?

Mel

David:

Additionally, it is supposed to be good for you.

Recently, we have been eating brussel sprouts. A lot of salt and butter makes it almost palatable (but also counterproductive to the idea of eating healthy).

Had one of my Omaha Steaks tonite. Delicious. Every 2-3 weeks I indulge.

Mel

thanks for the info, bronson, the jury is still out on whether I will try it or not. Got mixed feelings about taking on another med.

An,

Me too, thanks

Thanks, Leroy, and good luck as you approach your proton treatment. Be real interested in how that entire process works for you. With your posted stats, looks like that might be a good fit for you.

David

thanks, daslink.

i tried the dark m/m's, they are ok, but i much prefer high quality chocolates. but in a pinch, i will eat any chocolate in reach or foolishly left about.

david

142 - haven't heard of those, but sounds yummy for sure, will have to look at some of my local stores. in the last year for some reason, for the first time in my life, milk products like milk shakes, ice cream, etc, seem to trigger my insides. was never a problem before
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Sunday Night Update

The pain issue is getting better under control. The source of the pain isn't improving, but I am being compliant with what my new doctor has suggested. I take from 3 to 4 Loratabs a day, instead of the 1 per day I was choosing on my own. At the first sign of pain, I take the first, then the doctor wants me to take them at 4 hour increments instead of the six hours I was doing on my own.

I will be glad when I see the Ortho doctor soon, just to get a professional opinion on whatever is the true source. While the doctor doesn't think its directly cancer related (which is good news at this point), he strongly feels that its the result of everything I have been through in the past 3 years, combined with the chronic faitgue. So far, nothing has helped in that department, its an every day thing that I have to deal with. I can not plan to do anything physical or enduring after about 3 PM each day, because that wall of fatigue still hits me hard and fast like a train on a schedule.

I make myself go to the Oncology Rehab twice a week, because I know that without that, I would further add to my woes. They are very patient there, after 1 1/2 months or so, I am still at the most basic level with them, and some days, its all I can do to get through a 45 minute session.

Like the good doctor has said several times, its not the cancer directly that has left me in such poor health, its been the treatments and the attempts to arrest the cancer. Three years ago, that was about a month before my dx, I was a pretty strong and healthy person, having already beaten a potentially deadly cancer three times running, and was at the peak of my career game. My entire world has been shook upside and down, my mind fully accepts the seriousness of my cancer situation, but is still having trouble accepting the physical changes in my life and body. I will be 59 in a couple of weeks, would have never dreamed in a million years that I would be in this situation.

But when I look around me, I can see many others much worse off, so one has to be careful for what they wish for. We may all be playing the same game called PC, but each of us has a different deck of cards. All we can do is make the best of it, and never lose hope or courage.

David in SC

P.S. Youngest son and I attempted to go sailing Saturday afternoon, but when we got to the park at the lake, they were at 100% capacity for parking. There was no where to setup the boat, let alone have a place to park my car and trailer. So instead, he went swimming while I hid in the shade of the trees to watch. If I remember, SC has the 3rd highest amount of personal boating registrations in the entire U.S.

BuilDoi,

Thanks. Doctors are people too, and they have their own personal opinions about meds and/or supplements, based on their education and experiences. What I like about my new doc, is that he seems balanced in his views, I don't see any extremes in his thinking.

Oh, I know dark chocolate is good for me, known that for years, I always gravitated toward the dark, even as a kid. Most candy bars off the shelf have so little real chocolate in them, so I tend to stay away from them. I really love good dark chocolate, but not the super high cocoa % ones, like from German, Italy, and Austria in particular. I love the German bars that have a thick center of marzipan.

On the doctor part, probably a mix of all your answers.