Many sources have suggested that Nadine’s proximal paresis might be a side-effect of her chemotherapy. Indeed, nerve damage is highly likely with Eribulin. I’m wondering why none of the doctors in the Katharinenhospital ever mentioned this possibility. Instead they came up with many other hypotheses none of which could be comfirmed by any of the tests taken. Okay, they were mainly focused on her breakdown, but nevertheless…

Nadine still has her problems with moving and is using a walking frame for stability right now. She is also bemoaning unspecific and changing pain in her left leg.  I hope this is all due to Eribulin which is meanwhile replaced by Capecitabin. It is said that these side-effects wear off after a while and the new substance is not know for causing this kind of damage. We’ve got an appointment with a neurologist towards the end of the month who will hopefully be able to help her in short an long term.

One of the sources that mentioned nerve damage by chemotheraphy is an interview in Zeit Doctor, an online ressort of German newspaper Die Zeit. If you do understand German you might want to read what three different kinds of doctors have to say about cancer and cancer treatment:

Zeit Doctor: Krebs lehrt uns viel über das Leben

I already told you that we didn’t make it to the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona in spring. Last year, we met friends from Munich there and shared a nice time. They went again this year and were so kind to gift Nadine the annual festival mug afterwards. She is now using it for drinking her homeopathic calendula tea on a daily basis.

Until a short time ago, we were hoping to visit the Primavera Club Festival instead. This is a smaller version of the festival that takes place in several venues in the city center end of October. There you can see a handful of newcomer bands each evening for three days in a relaxed an non-crowded atmosphere.  But Nadine’s breakdown spoiled this plan too.

Even though her doctor allowed us to do whatever we want to do, there isn’t much sense to the idea right now. Medically speaking, Nadine is suffering from a proximal paresis in her left leg, which makes a city trip impossible. She is walking stiff, unbalanced and insecure with hills and stairs being almost insurmountable obstacles. The origin ist still unknown, but the doctors in the Katharinenhospital do not relate it to the problems in her head. Next week, we’re trying to get hold of the results from the test of her nerve liquor and will go and see her family doctor.

After an almost sleepless night we went to see Nadine’s doctor this morning. He told us that the situation is very very serious, what we were already expecting after the pictures from the last magnetic resonance theraphy. The results of the other examinations weren’t available yet, but they aren’t crucial compared to what’s going on in Nadine’s head anyway.

The situation might be very serious, but isn’t  hopeless. There was consent among the members of the tumor conference to try Capetcitabin, a chemotheraphy that can be administered orally. Four pills a day for two weeks are followed by a break of one week, then the whole cycle will be repeated four more times. After that, in January, the next staging examination can be conducted. So all our hope is on Capetcitabin now, which is also known under the brand name Xeloda, to break through the blood-brain barrier and cause positive effects in Nadine’s head.

There are no restrictions to everyday life. We can go wherever we liket to go and do whatever we want to do, as long Nadine has enough power and is capable to. How fit she will be in the near future is hard to predict, because she is still suffering from some effects most likely related to her breakdown. So we have to wait and see – which is what we always have to do in any respect…