Chemo deferred.

The phone rang last Wednesday evening, just about this time. It was from a nurse at the oncology center in LA.

Paul: “Hello?”
Nurse: “This is [name redacted] from Dr. [name redacted]’s office. I’m glad we caught you in time.”
Paul: “Hi. In time for what?”
Nurse: “Don’t drive down here for your chemo tomorrow. You have to wait at least another week.”
Paul: “Why?”
Nurse: “Your blood test results are out-of-bounds.”
Paul: “Is it my iron?”
Nurse: “No –your CPK level is too high.”

My CPK level? How could that be? I haven’t eaten at a California Pizza Kitchen in almost five years.

Paul: “What’s a CPK level?”
Nurse: “Just a moment.” (Discussion ensues with someone in background.) “It’s a muscle enzyme.”
Paul: “What was my reading?”
Nurse: “Three Two Nine.”
Paul: “3.29?”
Nurse: “No. Three Hundred Twenty Nine.”
Paul: “What’s the normal range?”
Nurse: “24 to 195”
Paul: “Hmm. My muscles have been sore.”
Nurse: Speaking with someone in the background again -- “He’s experiencing muscle pain.”

Now, to me anyway, there’s a big difference between pain and soreness. But I’ve come to learn that nuances that seem important to me don’t always seem to resonate with medical personnel. I decided not to drill deeper into the issue of soreness versus pain.

Paul: “So what do you want me to do?”
Nurse: “Repeat the blood test in a week and we’ll go from there.”
Paul: “What if the parameter is still out-of-bounds?”
Nurse: “Then you’ll have to wait another week and repeat the blood test again.”

So I’ve enjoyed a one-week mini-vacation from the tri-weekly chemo regimen and I feel spectacular! The best I’ve felt in a year. I just received the results from yesterday’s repeat blood test: my CPK level has fallen to 56. So the vacation is over and it’s back on the chemo again for 24 hours tomorrow and Friday. Trabectedin – it does a myxoid liposarcoma body good.