KARDAS - Accbar Pita

* Chapter 15 *

4 May 1997

4 May 1997

Dear Reader,

This week ACCBAR PITA will probably be a much short chapter -- I really spent too much time on #14 and have gotten really NO semi-lengthy comments on its really multi-facetted international content. I read it so many times and even made a couple of revisions (ex.: instead of Prince Phillip flying in on his ears, I changed it to British Earways -- then you have to think a bit more to connect his floppy ears & the similar-sounding British national airline with how he got to the Awards ceremony). Oh, well, there are also a lot of other references made to things which probably escaped some readers.

Maybe what I expected was

a p p l a u s e

or something!

Perhaps in the next reincarnation!

At least I had fun and at the same time vented some of my very real frustration / anger / helplessness in personal attempts at humour and playing with word sounds/concepts -- which is what really makes any language exciting.

Thursday I had appointments to see the two main doctors handling my case:

1) Dr. Schaebler, the chemo-oncologist -- who said that he did not get a chance to read Chapter 14 too closely. We went over the blood tests done on Tuesday and found that I was still low in my white blood count (though better than the last one), red blood count, hemoglobin and hematocrits -- though they were all better than the last results.

MCH and RDW were high, whatever they are and that means.

He said that he would call the next M.D. before I got to her, about 15 minutes later, to tell her his opinion as to how I am progressing.

2) Dr. Williamson, the radiation oncologist -- who simply does not have the time to read anything because of her work load. She had not yet received a call from the former and left the examination room to contact him.

After asking me how I felt -- which was more than amply covered in #14 -- she did the ole finger exam, after I said that the reason why the cancer was probably not discovered during my previous checkup of about 2 1/2 years ago could be that the doctor's finger was not long enough and that they should genetically engineer l o n g fingers for all family physicians just for this type of digital (not analog) exam. She mentioned that doing it for the prostate is sort of easy because that gland can be manuvered around so as to tactilly position it for an overall check. I did not catch what she said about what she may have noted in the digital probe -- in any case she did not say too much -- except the following:

in case the nasty cancer was not completely gone (which suggests that it was not!) that I might have another one-week round of chemo and radiation as a follow up procedure -- such is in the protocol, apparently -- that 50% of those needing it were " cured " the second time around. B U T that this time the radiation would not cause all of the horrendous side effects which I had to endure the last time. Oh, goody!! Gawd, I can not wait!! She asked me whether I would agree to this 2nd round. I replied, "yes, in principle".

I asked what they did with the remaining 50%, gas them?

So I am scheduled for a second Catscan (meowwwww) in two weeks to see what the results of my treatment were thus far. They then decide what to do thereafter. Then I decide what I want to do.

In todays New York Times there was an article on new biotechnology drugs for cancer treatment in the Business Day (pages D1 & 6), several of which are in the final clinical trials on the "fast track " -- which may not always be the best really scientific alternative! Apparently Cenlocor has a drug called Panorex which is good for colorectal cancer -- with no further details given.

The new drugs, of several different general types (monoclonal antibodies, anti-sense drugs, gene therapy, naked DNA, metalloproteinase inhibitors) are supposed to be well tolerated and have few and mild side effects -- so say the companies which make them, of course!

These, as well as other more effective "pills" will probably be developed after I am dead and gone! Oh, well, one has to c r o a k of something or other, like in a woodland pond with the other spring peepers! I can certainly think of better ways to be demised -- like being devoured by a rampaging herd of carniverous dinosaurs, or falling into a molten lava stream!

So this it for this week. Catch you again next week, same time, same channel.

Bis zum nächsten Mal, hoffentlich (Ger., until next time, I hope),

Sonny

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