Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer - the long winding road it has become

[BigDL]

Just got back from Doctors office.

Sounds like the 14cm tumor has shrunk down to 10cm.

 

They can’t find a trace of cancer in my blood, and that freaked the Dr out a bit, as we can see the tumor he “touched” the tumor but my bloodwork came out clean

 

He is taking me off the Oxyplatin due to the effects I am having (I can’t write my name anymore and fine motor skills are shot) and will get a port for the chemo pump, so no more chemo pills. The chemo pump will just be an adjustment to get used to.

 

The doctor just needs one more bloodwork up for genetics. That will take about 2 weeks to get the results

What a great bit of news. Thinking a lot about you and your situation. Hope the news continues to get better and better

[Darko]

Fantastic news on the shrinking! Hope it's a sign of getting rid of this! 

 

Stay strong and kick it's ass! 

[King_Crispy]

Great news.

I wonder if the cannabis is the reason the tumour is shrinking? Your thoughts Cois?

[IMPACT]

Very good news, keep on fighting.

[Cois]

Great news.

I wonder if the cannabis is the reason the tumour is shrinking? Your thoughts Cois?

It might be.

I was advised not to smoke weed but to continue with the CBD oil and THC Oil.

Will see in the next few weeks what happens.

But so far I have more trust in the CBD/THC oil than the chemo meds, but that is just because of the pain from the chemo

[CatzSpace "frail"]

That is Absolutely Awesome news.

May things only get Better and continue to Improve.

 

So Happy for you and your family.

God Bless

[Fred van Vlaanderen]

Happy news!!

[Darko]

Are you able to share how you're taking the oil? 

 

Under the tongue? With your coffee? 

 

Does it affect your cognitive abilities at all? 

 

 

It might be.
I was advised not to smoke weed but to continue with the CBD oil and THC Oil.
Will see in the next few weeks what happens.
But so far I have more trust in the CBD/THC oil than the chemo meds, but that is just because of the pain from the chemo

[Cois]

Are you able to share how you're taking the oil?

 

Under the tongue? With your coffee?

 

Does it affect your cognitive abilities at all?

Sure.

The oil is taken sublingually. You can use your gums as well, but under the tongue works best and lessens the taste as well.

Used to take it with Honey but taking 3 drops CBD in the mornings and 3 drops CBD and 3 drops THC before bed time at night.

You can drink coffee afterwards as it has a funky taste. You do get flavored CBD drops that works well enough, but that is only 450mg of CBD per bottle of 15ml.

 

The CBD helps with the anxiety of the whole episode. I stopped taking my Urbanol as the CBD works better.

 

On the cognitive side I am 100% on the CBD. I will not recommend the THC during the day. THC gives you the high feeling that some people crave, but I hate the feeling. And I have an IT Company that gives me an odd job now and then to help me get money in, so I need to be 100% and able to drive to see clients.

Just to give an idea, I am on Morphine 10mg as well as Tramadol 50mg for the pain of the tumor pressing against my bladder and other things inside of my body. I have used 10ml of the Morphine mix that I had for 3 months now. I had severe hallucinations and stoped using it. I will however use it again if the pain increases to 10 out of 10 (I am on pain level 6/ 10 to 8/10 and have not reached 10/10 yet although I have been close to it last week). The Tramadol I use at night to be able to sleep as the pain can keep me awake. I can’t use the Tramadol or Morphine while driving or seeing clients (when I had a job) because of the side effects of the two drugs (they are both schedule 5 pain meds) the New Oncologist said we can rather try a sticker for better pain management as it has less side effects compared to Morphine and the Tramadol. Morphine and Tramadol gives me severe headaches as well.

 

I am also vaping CBD. Got some Koi and another local brand. The local brand works better than the Koi brand due to the price. You can get 800mg of Cannabis CBD for the price of 250mg of Hemp CBD for less than half the price. And both bottles are 30ml.

Edited April 17, 2019 by Cois

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Sure.

The oil is taken sublingually. You can use your gums as well, but under the tongue works best and lessens the taste as well.

Used to take it with Honey but taking 3 drops CBD in the mornings and 3 drops CBD and 3 drops THC before bed time at night.

You can drink coffee afterwards as it has a funky taste. You do get flavored CBD drops that works well enough, but that is only 450mg of CBD per bottle of 15ml.

 

The CBD helps with the anxiety of the whole episode. I stopped taking my Urbanol as the CBD works better.

 

On the cognitive side I am 100% on the CBD. I will not recommend the THC during the day. THC gives you the high feeling that some people crave, but I hate the feeling. And I have an IT Company that gives me an odd job now and then to help me get money in, so I need to be 100% and able to drive to see clients.

Just to give an idea, I am on Morphine 10mg as well as Tramadol 50mg for the pain of the tumor pressing against my bladder and other things inside of my body. I have used 10ml of the Morphine mix that I had for 3 months now. I had severe hallucinations and stoped using it. I will however use it again if the pain increases to 10 out of 10 (I am on pain level 6/ 10 to 8/10 and have not reached 10/10 yet although I have been close to it last week). The Tramadol I use at night to be able to sleep as the pain can keep me awake. I can’t use the Tramadol or Morphine while driving or seeing clients (when I had a job) because of the side effects of the two drugs (they are both schedule 5 pain meds) the New Oncologist said we can rather try a sticker for better pain management as it has less side effects compared to Morphine and the Tramadol. Morphine and Tramadol gives me severe headaches as well.

 

I am also vaping CBD. Got some Koi and another local brand. The local brand works better than the Koi brand due to the price. You can get 800mg of Cannabis CBD for the price of 250mg of Hemp CBD for less than half the price. And both bottles are 30ml.

 

My wife hated the Morphine too, used to hallucinate badly.

Would also alter her mood from being super happy and chatty to becoming very withdrawn. Its nasty stuff.

Her mood on CBD was always good, it's amazing stuff!!!!!

Glad you are finding a good balance, every person is different afterall.

[Darko]

Thanks for the reply! I appreciate it. 

 

Fingers crossed for you. 

 

 

Sure.
The oil is taken sublingually. You can use your gums as well, but under the tongue works best and lessens the taste as well.
Used to take it with Honey but taking 3 drops CBD in the mornings and 3 drops CBD and 3 drops THC before bed time at night.
You can drink coffee afterwards as it has a funky taste. You do get flavored CBD drops that works well enough, but that is only 450mg of CBD per bottle of 15ml.

The CBD helps with the anxiety of the whole episode. I stopped taking my Urbanol as the CBD works better.

On the cognitive side I am 100% on the CBD. I will not recommend the THC during the day. THC gives you the high feeling that some people crave, but I hate the feeling. And I have an IT Company that gives me an odd job now and then to help me get money in, so I need to be 100% and able to drive to see clients.
Just to give an idea, I am on Morphine 10mg as well as Tramadol 50mg for the pain of the tumor pressing against my bladder and other things inside of my body. I have used 10ml of the Morphine mix that I had for 3 months now. I had severe hallucinations and stoped using it. I will however use it again if the pain increases to 10 out of 10 (I am on pain level 6/ 10 to 8/10 and have not reached 10/10 yet although I have been close to it last week). The Tramadol I use at night to be able to sleep as the pain can keep me awake. I can’t use the Tramadol or Morphine while driving or seeing clients (when I had a job) because of the side effects of the two drugs (they are both schedule 5 pain meds) the New Oncologist said we can rather try a sticker for better pain management as it has less side effects compared to Morphine and the Tramadol. Morphine and Tramadol gives me severe headaches as well.

I am also vaping CBD. Got some Koi and another local brand. The local brand works better than the Koi brand due to the price. You can get 800mg of Cannabis CBD for the price of 250mg of Hemp CBD for less than half the price. And both bottles are 30ml.

[Cois]

Got my first treatment last week at Wilgers hospital. Folfox with a chemo pump (FU5).

 

Got a letter from the medical aid. Doctor wants to get me on another treatment to try to kill the cancer, but small problem is that the medical aid will not cover the total amount due to the cost of the treatment. So the 8 sessions of Folfox will be paid, but the additional treatment will be only partially covered and then we have a 20% copayment of about R7000 to pay out of pocket.

 

So it was a huge hit on me today. I am emotionally broken.

 

I can’t find a job. I am doing odd jobs where I can, but it is still killing me a bit. I applied at SAGE, got a reply, sorry, job has been re advertised twice since then.

Applied at Intercare, got rejected.

Applied at a few IT companies, rejected.

I applied at Academia last week and have an interview next week Thursday, so hope for the best. At least then I will not lose my car and other things, but selling my bicycle (ridden less than 200km’s) is inevitable.

 

I should have started my treatment 2 weeks ago on Monday, but did not have a port, so few hours later I was wheeled into theatre for a port install. Nursing staff wanted me to stay overnight, but I requested to go home. Doctor came to see me and sent me home against the protests of the nursing staff. The next morning at 08h15 I clocked in to get my Chemo treatment started. Was quite an adjustment to get the chemo via the port and not via IV. Got a few very painful injections as well, one right into the gut area that hurt like nothing I have felt before.

The Chemopump was also something new that had to run for 46 hours.

 

When they started treatment and when I went to remove the chemo pump, I started shaking a bit, and the staff took immediate action. I am now on a beta blocker to help with the shakes.

 

So it has been hectic these past few weeks.

 

I have yet to register for UIF, but between public holidays, interviews, job hunting, Chemo Sessions, days where chemo knocks me on my ass, hospital visits and waiting in cues at Dischem, it is tough.

Went to Bronkhorstspruit to register, but after waiting 3 hours and a severe bout of an upset stomach I had to leave (that and every person that decided to push in front of me because they deem the number system as a non working system (10 people with numbers were helped in the 3 hours I was waiting there), and can’t seem to get uFiling to work and can’t get hold of their helpdesk. I have spent 90 minutes holding to get help today and was unable to get assistance.

So just proof that it is yet another failed system brought to you by the anc

[Dexter-morgan]

Got my first treatment last week at Wilgers hospital. Folfox with a chemo pump (FU5).

 

Got a letter from the medical aid. Doctor wants to get me on another treatment to try to kill the cancer, but small problem is that the medical aid will not cover the total amount due to the cost of the treatment. So the 8 sessions of Folfox will be paid, but the additional treatment will be only partially covered and then we have a 20% copayment of about R7000 to pay out of pocket.

 

So it was a huge hit on me today. I am emotionally broken.

 

I can’t find a job. I am doing odd jobs where I can, but it is still killing me a bit. I applied at SAGE, got a reply, sorry, job has been re advertised twice since then.

Applied at Intercare, got rejected.

Applied at a few IT companies, rejected.

I applied at Academia last week and have an interview next week Thursday, so hope for the best. At least then I will not lose my car and other things, but selling my bicycle (ridden less than 200km’s) is inevitable.

 

I should have started my treatment 2 weeks ago on Monday, but did not have a port, so few hours later I was wheeled into theatre for a port install. Nursing staff wanted me to stay overnight, but I requested to go home. Doctor came to see me and sent me home against the protests of the nursing staff. The next morning at 08h15 I clocked in to get my Chemo treatment started. Was quite an adjustment to get the chemo via the port and not via IV. Got a few very painful injections as well, one right into the gut area that hurt like nothing I have felt before.

The Chemopump was also something new that had to run for 46 hours.

 

When they started treatment and when I went to remove the chemo pump, I started shaking a bit, and the staff took immediate action. I am now on a beta blocker to help with the shakes.

 

So it has been hectic these past few weeks.

 

I have yet to register for UIF, but between public holidays, interviews, job hunting, Chemo Sessions, days where chemo knocks me on my ass, hospital visits and waiting in cues at Dischem, it is tough.

Went to Bronkhorstspruit to register, but after waiting 3 hours and a severe bout of an upset stomach I had to leave (that and every person that decided to push in front of me because they deem the number system as a non working system (10 people with numbers were helped in the 3 hours I was waiting there), and can’t seem to get uFiling to work and can’t get hold of their helpdesk. I have spent 90 minutes holding to get help today and was unable to get assistance.

So just proof that it is yet another failed system brought to you by the anc

Not nice to be in your position but chin-up, you are an example to all of us.

[ChrisF]

Cois BEST wishes for your treatment !!

 

HOPE you get sorted with a job.

[Brother Brett]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you Cois. Keep your mind strong and soldier on pal.

[Cois]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes.

 

Think the one word that got to me in all this was that the treatment is non curative. But I know that I can be healed, but still not nice to see that after spending R350000 it is not to cure but to hinder the spread of cancer