The 4th Round of Sutent

The fourth round of chemo is a mile marker for many cancer fighters. That fourth round usually is followed by a second or third set of scans to mark the diseases regression or progression. Also, the fourth round is usually when a lot of chemo's are changed in dose or changed completely.

Daddy is in the midst of his fourth round of Sutent. However, his sixth round of chemo all together because his first chemo failed him. The last round of Sutent was terrible when it came to side effects. The mouth sores were unbearable. Daddy found it so hard to eat that he lost enough weight that his wedding ring and claddaugh ring easily fall off now. The fatigue was so great that Daddy would only get out of bed to use the bathroom and to occasionally come to the dinner table. He broke out in what is called Sutent Rash, as well as shingles. Chemotherapy lowers your immune system, the shingles were a million times worse due to this, I will spare your gag reflexes and leave it at that. Daddy is in a lot more pain these days as well, I have to help him lift his legs into bed, and he can't help but moan as I do. He has to catch his breath and let all the pain subside once he gets into bed before I can put his blankets over him. I think this is what breaks my heart the most...






This round of Sutent will be followed by a set of scans. Last set of scans showed that Daddy's cancer was stable, no new growth. With how much pain he has been in, I do not think we are going to be getting those same results with next month's scans. I am just happy that the second week of December will mark a whole year with my Daddy that doctors said I wouldn't have. A whole year being kidney cancer warriors, our lives have changed... Completely.

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