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Doxorubicin for Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Sarcoma

Doxorubicin, The Red Devil in VDC Chemo for a rare soft tissue Sarcoma cancer.



When I saw the Doxorubicin, I thought of that woman, in the IR who was so distraught about her son. I started to get that sense of seeing myself coming and going in the caregivers and family of the other patients. 

This chemo can be toxic to the heart, there is a lifetime limit of doses. I was told 6 doses for Mathew. I suppose when you are hoping for a year or two of survival, long-term effects of treatments is a secondary concern.  I wasn’t afraid of it yet. It wasn’t until I saw how Mathew reacted to this chemotherapy and thought about the potential for cardiac toxicity.

It was a long day, Mathew slept as much as possible. I read, drank coffee, and went to get us something to eat from the cafeteria. 

When the treatment was through, I packed up the rolling bag and pushed Mathew in the wheelchair out to the valet to bring our car. On the way home Mathew complained about his chest hurting and could hardly put together two words. It was as if he had gone 10 rounds with a heavyweight boxer. Like he was punch drunk. Overtime whenever he had this chemo I was afraid his heart would give out on him. It wasn’t until months later when I asked Dr. Reed that he told me that if that any heart damage would be several years away.

I was the only person who went with Mathew for these treatments, the only person who saw the horrible side effects. 


Since watching Mathew go through these procedures and treatments with the knowledge his time was limited under the best case scenario, I can’t imagine complaining about any pain, sickness or discomfort.

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