Old Dave's Just Gurgling Along

"Edema" is big word. I have been swollen, mainly in the legs, but edema must be a whole nother subject. Since my first Torisel treatment a week ago, they have pulled nearly four liters of crappy yellow fluid out of my belly and it appears we may be on the way to do it again. And we just did it Friday. Blame Torisel. Before beginning that treatment, I looked it up on the Internet, checked out the side effects. Edema was one of the top two. No big deal, the old man figured. Besides, considering my situation not all that bad to have the balls of a stallion. But noooooo. This edema is all in the belly. Before I went in Friday for drainage (just after a Toricel treatment), I had difficulty eating much of anything, operative word "much." The fluids were pressing so hard on the bowel that I could be overwhelmingly hungry but only able to eat a few bites. Here it is Monday and I am already headed in that direction.

So what's the deal? Take Torisel, get emptied, week after week for the rest of my life. Hell, I would rather have Sutent back. Well, not exactly true, but last week I had so much fluid on my abdomen that it was putting pressure on my chest, literally shifting around certain bone structures. And I have a very unhappy feeling I am heading that way again...and it is weird to feel the bones in your chest shift around a bit, really weird.

And it doesn't hurt, just uncomfortable, truly what I would image pregnancy would be like. That's something, balls like a stallion and pregnant as I can be. Today my belly is at about four months. History proves proper, come Wednesday I will have to be deflated and most likely again Friday. Worse, not much I can do about it. I did decide, on my own, to cut back on the fluid I normally take, but seems to be making no difference. And there seems to  be no other reason for the edema except Torisel. Kidney and liver working just fine, thank you very much.

On the other hand, who am I to complain. I beat both pneumonia and C-diff over the last two weeks and compared to that, not much to say about a little swelling. OK, a ton of swelling. And do you know what the Torisel site says about controlling it. Not a word. And everybody suggests I drink more fluids rather than fewer, though I don't quite understand that. Hell, I could be drowning from the inside out and here I am tossing another 60 ounces of fluid on the problem. Then again, with so many of these fluids backing up in the belly, I literally could find myself in another dangerous round of dehydration. H'mmm, could we call this a true Catch 22.

So when Sherry gets home I will share my 3.2 ounces of food with her and feel completely full. What a diet. But no hurting feet, terrible diarrhea, sudden retching and all that loss of energy. But man, would I like to lie down just once and not gurgle.

Oh. the perils of Pauline. Next time, don't stop the train.

Comments

[Sandi]

Hi David -- Sure wish I could wave a wand and have that dang fluid stop - like RIGHT NOW! I am here to cheer you on --- GO David!
Sandi

[Manuel Lopez]

Hey, don't "agitated" or you'll work up a "lather". Just kidding, and hoping all this passes real soon for you Dave, and with no lasting bad effects. I'm praying for you Buddy.