Posted December 30, 2023
Health update: I keep thinking there isn’t much to report, but I guess there are a few things. Bob and I are in Tulum for a few days, then stopping in Florida to see Bob’s mom. I woke up today with terrible vertigo; this is the worst it’s ever been. I’ve had very, very brief episodes before: during scuba diving when clearing the pressure in my ears, and when running saline through my head with a Neti pot. I woke up during the night with bad congestion in half of my head, so I’m pretty confident it’s an inner ear situation. I took a Benadryl and went from not being able to open my eyes without spinning wildly to sitting up and comfortably working on my computer, so I’m definitely on the mend. Plus, we Googled some prescription drugs for vertigo and Bob picked them up at the Mexican pharmacy, what could go wrong. Don’t feel too badly for me; I am lounging in bed and looking at the ocean.
I’ve been on Ozempic since July. The Mayo endocrinologist recommended it as I essentially have metabolic disease, and all conditions will benefit from weight loss. I was pretty excited – the loophole I’ve been looking for my whole life. I’d settled comfortably into the reality of my body, and feel pretty good about it; but yet, when offered the magic shot, I’m definitely taking it. I thought that on Ozempic I could eat whatever I want, whenever I want, and be skinny!!!! Well, no. I kept eating like “normal” and nothing really happened. I kept titrating the dose up, and what eventually happens is that you lose your taste for food, and eating too much makes you feel unwell. So yes, there’s fairly regular low-grade nausea, but the weight starts coming off. Once I got with the program and adjusted what and when I was eating, everything improved.
Ozempic started prior to liver carcinoma 2.0, and I asked if it made sense for me to continue with the Ozempic, and the answer was yes. When I was first diagnosed this time around, I pledged off sugar. That didn’t take. I’m now focusing on everything in moderation. We’ve found a personal chef (which sounds sickenly bourgeoise), as recommended by our gardener (worse). She makes a week’s worth of food and delivers on Mondays. (I’ll put the most recent menu in the comments so you can understand why we’re so deliriously happy that we found her.) There are always ingredients for bowls, a couple different main dishes, sides and a paleo dessert. We’ve canceled our Sun Basket meal kits, and stopped ordering delivery, and that balances out the cost. This means I know exactly what I’m eating, know it’s as much organic as she can source, and it’s exclusively whole foods: grains, vegetables, lean proteins. Turns out that when I’m regularly eating what I’m supposed to be eating, any negative Ozempic side effects disappear. So the weight is coming off, slowly, as it should.
In other glee/guilt news, I got out of jury duty. I’d kicked that can down the road last year when I was summoned during liver cancer 1.0, so I couldn’t push it back any further. And it was true that I had an infusion during the time of my last possible window of service. My oncologist wrote me a note and I was released. I am a little bit sad, as I was kind of interested in how the process works. And I feel guilty for shirking my civic duty. Getting out of jury duty is just one of the amazing perks of having cancer! I made up for it by watching Jury Duty on Amazon, which was an absolute delight and made me very happy.
I’ve now had three immunotherapy infusions, with no side effects. And I continue to have no cancer symptoms and feel 100% great – better than “normal,” actually, as my diet has vastly improved and I’m starting to cut some bulk. Infusion Day is, at worst, a tiring inconvenience. The two drugs I receive each take 30 minutes to run into my vein, but the entire process still takes 3 hours from start to finish. I need to do blood and urine tests when I arrive, then there’s sitting around waiting for those results, followed by starting a line which sometimes goes smoothly and others involve a bit of discomfort and extra poking. As the drugs are hooked up, they need to be double checked by someone else, so there is waiting around for that person to come by. I just sit in a recliner and chat on the phone or work on my computer or make Bob go get some tea. Not taxing, just tiring.
I’m still seeing the Chinese medicine doctor weekly for acupuncture. He prescribed ginseng, which must be powerful medicine given how god awful it tastes – and I like bitter things. I have assorted other low-key additives like mushroom powders and liver tonics and other things I throw into my smoothie in the morning.
Bob is killing it in the domestication department. He’s become a kitchen cleaning fairy. Granted, there’s not much involved, as we aren’t really cooking, but there are still dishes and lots of containers in the fridge to manage. He “makes dinner” most nights: get containers out of fridge. Put food on plates. Microwave (or toaster oven or air fry or stove top). Done.
We’re in Mexico right now, and our departure from the house was by far the smoothest it’s ever been: I usually start freaking out about undone tasks just as the Uber is arriving and we’re already 20 minutes past our targeted departure time, and I’m angry and sweaty and frazzled before we even get to the airport. Bob anticipated and handled all needs, and even carried my luggage out. He is a dream husband and everything I’ve ever said to suggest otherwise is still absolutely true but the point is he’s evolving.
We’re back to Mayo on January 10 for new scans and to meet with the Mayo oncologist. He said not to get too worked up if the tide doesn’t seem to be turning at this stage; it’s still pretty early to see how/how much the immunotherapy is working, or if it’s working. I guess we’ll find out! Still very surreal to have a significant medical problem with absolutely no perceptible manifestation it’s happening.