Visitors. - Thursday, March 15, 2007
Day 108 – Round 3, Cycle 2, Day 3 (Wed, 3/14/07)
I had three visitors yesterday, at different times. Thanks GP, RD, and RR for stopping by. It helped the day go by more quickly. Visitors are always welcome. Other than that it was a pretty routine day in the hospital for me. For me, that means getting up between 7 and 8, getting dressed, eating, setting, walking, watching TV, eating, setting, etc. etc.. going to bed. I never use the bed during the day.
Chemo-wise – I finished up the Methotrexate Wednesday, and started the Ara C at 9:30pm. I expect to be here until Saturday morning.
More Lasix today to try to keep the water retention under control. Good news and bad news about the Lasix — I get lots of exercise, but not much change in scenery!
I’m feeling fine, the Lord continues to bless me with few side effects, and I thank Him for that.
Food report — Hospital food hasn’t gotten any better!
Sleep report — I did take one sleeping pill last night; slept some better, but my IV pump kept beeping for some reason so I had to keep calling the nurse to get it fixed. Was able to get back to sleep awards, but still sleep was interrupted.
That’s it for this day. Thank you for your prayers, emails, cards, and phone calls. God bless you all, and may God bless me, and my family, and the medical team on my case.
Another day! - Friday, March 16, 2007
Day 109 – Round 3, Cycle 2, Day 4 (Thu, 3/15/07)
Well, Thursday was just another day, and I guess that’s okay. Food is rapidly becoming less appealing, at least here in the hospital. Last night at supper, it was almost more than I could think about. Stomach was a little queasy, but we made it through the meal and the night okay. One of my sons reminded me that it was the same last time through this cycle.
They’ve been weighing me each morning, and this morning I had picked up 5 pounds of fluids yesterday (Thu) so the Dr L is doubling the Lasix dose for today (40mg vs 20mg), so that’s why the blog is a little later today — interruptions!
My last chemo finished up about 11:30 this morning, but they will continue to monitor me throughout the day. Scheduled release will be Saturday morning sometime, hopefully early.
That’s it for this day. Thank you for your prayers, emails, cards, and phone calls. God bless you all, and may God bless me, and my family, and the medical team on my case.
Home for Breakfast - Saturday, March 17, 2007
Day 110-111 – Round 3, Cycle 2, Day 5-6 (Fri-Sat, 3/16-17/07)
Made it home this morning from my chemo treatments in time for breakfast. Verna has gone to get me some medicine — always something.
Unless something exciting happens, that’s it for this day. Thank you for your prayers, emails, cards, and phone calls. God bless you all, and may God bless me, and my family, and the medical team on my case.
No news is good news - Monday, March 19, 2007
Day 112-113 – Round 3, Cycle 2, Day 7-8 (Sun-Mon, 3/18-19/07)
Things are progressing okay. Saturday and Sunday my stomach was still a little queasy, but today it has settled down.
Went to Dr L’s office this morning to get a shot of Neulasta, and have an appointment to see him on Friday.
Slight “metallic” taste in my mouth — been asked in the past if I had that; now I do — oh, the joys of chemo. Appetite was non-existent on Saturday, but has pretty much returned to normal now.
Still taking Lasix to reduce water retention. Think I’ll not take it tomorrow — just to see if it’s really having an effect. Swelling has come down in my right hand — and I can start to see my knuckles now.
That’s it for this day. Thank you for your prayers, emails, cards, and phone calls. God bless you all, and may God bless me, and my family, and the medical team on my case.
Taking one day at a time - Thursday, March 22, 2007
Day 114-115 – Round 3, Cycle 2, Day 9-10 (Tue-Wed, 3/20-21/07)
My voice has transitioned to a “raspy” voice, and my energy is going down. I expect that means that my hemoglobin is getting low. I expect that by this weekend (will see Dr L Friday) I’ll get another blood transfusion.
Metallic taste that I mentioned in my last report is continuing.
To delay treatment or not. I still have a week and a half to make a decision. It needs to be 4 weeks, 3 weeks, or none at all — otherwise it messes up some other plans I have. Obviously, the protocol allows for no delays, but Dr L has said he’d give me up to two weeks off. Sounding more like no time off. Problem with that is that I’ll be in the hospital during Holy Week, but out (with Adriamycin attached) for Easter.
Did make it to Lenten services last night (Wed) and the meal beforehand.
That’s it for this day. Thank you for your prayers, emails, cards, and phone calls. God bless you all, and may God bless me, and my family, and the medical team on my case.
Blood counts have gone south! - Saturday, March 24, 2007
Day 116-117 – Round 3, Cycle 2, Day 11-12 (Thu-Fri, 3/22-23/07)
Went to see Dr L on Friday. Not surprisingly, my blood counts are all low, so Friday at noon I went to BCC for an infusion of Platelets. I’m also scheduled to go back Sunday at 8am to get some red blood. Tried to change the time on that so that I could attend church, but they told me I was lucky to get in at all — they had a cancellation, so I guess I’ll have to miss church.
Also, in talking with Dr L, I think the decision has been made that there will be no time off between this cycle and the next one. This means that I’ll be in the hospital during Holy Week. But, he said that during the last two cycles we skip the Rituxan on Monday, so I go into the hospital on Monday and get out a day earlier. It also means that my treatment will be done on May 12th. Praise the Lord.
There will be no CT scan or PET scan next week. Dr L said that based on the previous one, there is no reason to do it now, but he does still plan on doing it at the end of round 4.
So, how do I feel? Still lacking energy (probably because of the low hemoglobin); still have numb fingers and toes; water retention is pretty much gone; voice is almost back to normal; metallic taste is still present, although I’m getting used to it.
That’s it for this day. Thank you for your prayers, emails, cards, and phone calls. God bless you all, and may God bless me, and my family, and the medical team on my case.
Got a bonus at the Blumenthal - Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Day 118-120 – Round 3, Cycle 2, Day 13-15 (Sat-Mon, 3/24-26/07)
As I sit here to write this, I don’t remember Saturday at all, but hey, I’ve got Chemo Brain!
Sunday I was at the Blumenthal Cancer Center. Arrived at 8:00am (the first patient there). I was expecting to get 2 units of red blood. When they looked at my paperwork, they said the doctor said to do blood tests, and if need be, give me some more platelets. My platelet count had only gone from 13 (Fri) to 18 (Sun), so after they gave me the red blood, they also gave me one unit of platelets. I left at 1:45pm (the last patient out).
Today I had an appointment with Dr L, and of course some blood test beforehand. Platelets had jumped to 44 (should be min of 135). Red & White blood are still very low.
I’m doing okay, but certainly not as good as I was after earlier rounds. Just one more round to go.
That’s it for this day. Thank you for your prayers, emails, cards, and phone calls. God bless you all, and may God bless me, and my family, and the medical team on my case.
I’m doing okay for now - Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Day 121-122 – Round 3, Cycle 2, Day 16-17 (Tue-Wed, 3/27-28/07)
Went in for some blood testing this morning, and my white blood count has gone from 0.2 to 11.8 (4.8-10.8 normal). That’s good and means that my body can fight off infections on it’s own now. Red blood is still a little low, as is hemoglobin, but up from the weekend. Platelets are still low (42 vs 130-400), but my body is now producing them, so they’ll be up by Friday when I go back.
I’m still lacking energy, but think that’s just the way it’s going to be until this chemo is finished. (6 weeks and 4 days, not that anyone is counting).
That’s it for this day. Thank you for your prayers, emails, cards, and phone calls. God bless you all, and may God bless me, and my family, and the medical team on my case.
Strength is getting better - Friday, March 30, 2007
Day 123-124 – Round 3, Cycle 2, Day 18-19 (Thu-Fri, 3/29-30/07)
Gee, my strength is getting better — it must be almost time to go back to the hospital!
Today, I went back to Dr L’s office for some more blood tests. Whites, Reds, Hemoglobin, and Platelets are all getting a litter higher. Whites were already too high, but hey I’d rather have too many than too few. The rest are still below minimums, so hope they keep increasing.
GIT has been fine for the last few days, so I guess it’s time for more chemo. While I’m not looking forward to the next 6 weeks, I certainly am looking forward to not having any more chemo after 6 weeks from now. I hope these next two cycles fly by quickly.
Also, some asked about my metallic taste — it disappeared several days ago, and I guess I forgot to mention it.
That’s it for this day. Thank you for your prayers, emails, cards, and phone calls. God bless you all, and may God bless me, and my family, and the medical team on my case.