First Ixempra yesterday

My oncologist was wavering about giving me the Ixempra for a couple of reasons. She was at the breast cancer conference last week, and heard some anecdotal evidence where folks getting the 3 weeks on, 1 week off dosage (which is new and not yet "approved) had extreme fatigue as well as the usual side effects (nausea, hair loss, peripheral neuropathy). The way they put it was "too tired to blink". She wanted me to go to another treatment with a mixture of 3 drugs, two of which would be delivered 24x7 via a pump and a PICC line. There were a couple of other choices, too, one of which was an oral chemo, but with my tendency to vomit, she thought that was out of the question.
Basically, my view is that quality of life is not as important right now as extension of life. I want this drug to reduce the tumors immediately because that is the biggest threat to me and the size of my liver is in fact causing more quality of life problems right now. So I said, let's try the Ixempra and see how I do with it. So far, so good. I still am having the PICC line installed tomorrow, because they are having more and more problems accessing my veins each time.
On a more positive note, the clavicle infection seems to be clearing up. I have much greater range of movement in my arms/shoulders, and I have resumed the reduction in the fentanyl patch. Originally I was at 200 mcg, spent a while at 150 mcg, and have now moved to 125. I figure that in 5 weeks or so, assuming that everything goes ok, I will be off the patch altogether.

Long time since last post, I know

But I am uncomfortable at the computer, and have not had anything positive to post. Here's an update, in a nutshell...
a) I had a biopsy done of the infected area. They chose not to use any anesthesia for it, so it was excrutiatingly painful. Anyhow, it's a pseudomnas infection & I'm on Cipro for the next month.
b) I have had some progression. My liver tumors have enlarged the liver to the extent that even I can feel it and the stitch is back, inhibiting my ability to breathe deeply or even yawn without pain. The liver enzyme numbers are close to what they were when I was diagnosed in April.
c) I will start a new chemo - Ixempra - if my liver #s are good enough, Navelbine if they are not, and hopefully that will start this week or next.