I think I may have discovered a miracle drug today. Before leaving home for the clinic, I grabbed a bunch of chocolate-covered coffee beans. There’s no medical literature on the interaction between caffeine and interferon, but based on my relatively mild side-effects today, I’d recommend this coffee bean therapy to anyone going through this routine (yeah, not exactly a large demographic). Something was different today, and I might as well attribute it to the world’s most versatile narcotic.
I had no chills today, which were really bad during my infusion yesterday, and no fever like last night, which spiked at 103. So that makes two relatively good days, and one bad one. I’ve been spending my evenings splayed out on the couch watching documentaries and, of course, American Idol. Too bad about Kristy Lee Cook. We’ve gotta get Brooke out of there next week.
My time in the chemo lab is settling into a routine. The nurses are great—friendly, competent, and compassionate. It’s a combination a few of the doctors I’ve seen in recent months could use. They hook me up to interferon, which only takes about 20 minutes to administer, and then they run a liter of saline in through the PICC, which takes another 80 minutes. The saline dilutes the INF and supposedly mitigates some of the side-effects of the drug. I’ll have to explain the coffee bean therapy to the nurses tomorrow. The world needs to hear about this.
I had no chills today, which were really bad during my infusion yesterday, and no fever like last night, which spiked at 103. So that makes two relatively good days, and one bad one. I’ve been spending my evenings splayed out on the couch watching documentaries and, of course, American Idol. Too bad about Kristy Lee Cook. We’ve gotta get Brooke out of there next week.
My time in the chemo lab is settling into a routine. The nurses are great—friendly, competent, and compassionate. It’s a combination a few of the doctors I’ve seen in recent months could use. They hook me up to interferon, which only takes about 20 minutes to administer, and then they run a liter of saline in through the PICC, which takes another 80 minutes. The saline dilutes the INF and supposedly mitigates some of the side-effects of the drug. I’ll have to explain the coffee bean therapy to the nurses tomorrow. The world needs to hear about this.
8 comments:
I see that you're buttering the nurses up, Peter. Btw, that kind of thing ALWAYS works (wink, wink)
Coffee beans, huh? I will have to let Dr. N know...I think we can qualify this as a Christmas miracle, eight months early.
Just checking in. Peets will be glad to know that coffee therapy works. I hope it makes it into the medical literature. Hope today's IF goes well again.
Steve
I really have to question your musical tastes peter....Liz
Publish this! As follows:
Ogle, P. 2008. Assuaging the side-effects of interferon via orally-administered seeds of Coffea arabica encapsulated with Theobroma cacao. Journal of the American Medical Association 67(3):465-496.
Scott L
How great is that? I would add that if a little caffeine is good, a lot is a lot better. Can't wait to hear if it works two days in a row. Then a weekend break. Hallelujah! Yah, all Selma is weeping, but we're proud of our Southern Oregon Idol. Cam
Peter - This just in, there is a caffeine connection here! See KATU news story:
http://www.katu.com/home/video/17859889.html?video=pop&t=a
Scott L.
Dad, I'm glad you've figured out how to add photos to your posts. This coffee bean pic is quite artistic ;)
I like your recommendation on the coffe beans.
I am going to try them to reduce my stress level.
I am glad and encourage to hear your good report on the side effects of the interferon.
I pray and hope to be even better this and the following weeks. All things are possible.
Your hermano y amigo
Josue
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