This is my first day of simply recovering, after having had stem cells infused for 2 days. I felt pretty queasy this morning, so I spent a while in the clinic with some IV Zofran and Ativan. I’m not sure what caused this to happen, since I felt fine on the way to the clinic. [...]
Filed under: Cancer, Duke, Durham, Myeloma, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | 1 Comment »
Even though I’m still having more stem cells infused today, it’s still called day +1. Yesterday was uncomfortable. I believe it was a reaction to the preservative, DMSO. I felt a great deal of pressure and discomfort in my chest while the stem cells were being infused. Luckily, there are fewer to do today.
I’m keeping [...]
Filed under: Cancer, Duke, Durham, Food, General, Life, Myeloma, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | 5 Comments »
This is day 0, the day on which I’ll receive some of my stem cells. I’ll get more tomorrow, too.
They’re getting ready to do it soon, it appears.
Something I had (maybe chemo?) gave me terrible indigestion last night and this morning. I also had a bad headache. I didn’t sleep very well, so [...]
Filed under: Cancer, Duke, Durham, General, Life, Myeloma, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | 1 Comment »
There’s no turning back now. I had my high dose melphalan today. If they just sent me home right now, I’d probably die from an infection in a matter of days. The chemo is myeloablative. It kills the bone marrow. My stem cells will be infused over the next 2 days. I don’t [...]
Filed under: Cancer, Duke, Durham, Life, Myeloma, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | 1 Comment »
We got the apartment and are settled in, sort of. Everything’s not put away yet, but soon will be. We were thinking out loud about how great a place this would be to live, IF we were 25 years old. Nothing’s better than home. This is a 2 BR/2BA apartment with a kitchen, living room, [...]
Filed under: Cancer, Duke, Durham, General, Life, Myeloma, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | 1 Comment »
Today I should be getting a 20 minute infusion of melphalan, preceded by 1/2 hour of chewing ice chips. I’ll have ice during and after as well, as a means of trying to avoid mouth sores from the chemo. I’m not sure when we’ll start. I’m supposed to start at 9:00, which is only a [...]
Filed under: Cancer, Life, Myeloma, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | No Comments »
In 30 minutes I’ll be leaving to head up to Duke to start the SCT process. Today I’ll see the doc and have an EKG and some tests. Then I’ll go check in to the housing that’s been arranged for me. I sure wish I lived close enough to do this at home. I’ll write [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | 2 Comments »
This is a picture of what my skin looks like around the catheter that was placed almost two weeks ago. It’s from the adhesive pulling skin off when I change the dressing. Now I’m using a gauze dressing with paper tape. I hope it heals soon. I really do like the [...]
Filed under: Cancer, Life, Myeloma, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | 3 Comments »
This is all the stuff that was either being pumped into or out of my Hickman catheter. The bag of yellow stuff is platelets. The red bag contains my stem cells. There was also calcium, saline and other fluids. Normally, I’d have studied the label on every bag, but I don’t know why I [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | 1 Comment »
I’m not going to lie. the Neupogen shots can cause bone pain. It’s not pleasant. I have percocet to take, and have had a few today. This bone pain isn’t like anything I’ve felt before, except when I had those 10 days of Neupogen shots before. It’s the result of the crowding of the [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, News, Treatment | 4 Comments »
The apheresis process causes a reduction in platelets, so I’m going to get some before I’m sent home for the day. I’ve never had any blood products before. I just received 2 Tyelnol caplets and one Benedryl caplet. The platelets will be here in about 10 minutes. I’ll take a picture so [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, Treatment | 2 Comments »
This will be my last day of apheresis. We’ll end up with just enough stem cells for one transplant, instead of two, which is what we were shooting for. I will have spent 18 hours in the chair and some more hours waiting for lab results.
One thing I noticed yesterday was that the check [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, Treatment | 3 Comments »
When I got to Duke this morning, I was attached to the machine for a second day in a row. Another 6 hours. Boy, is that boring! By the end of the day, I still didn’t have enough stem cells, so I’m going again tomorrow. I hope that will be the last [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, Treatment | 1 Comment »
I’m here at Duke, waiting to see if I’m ready to start apheresis today. I had my blood drawn at about 7:30. At 9:30, they’ll have some counts back. If they’re high enough, I can start. If not, I go back home and come back tomorrow. I don’t have as [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, News, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | 2 Comments »
It’s been inexcusably hot here lately. This picture is from yesterday afternoon. Today is supposed to be better, although the forecast still indicated a high of 101 F. I don’t know if it will get that hot though, because it’s only 88 F at 1:00 PM. Temperatures are supposed to be in the [...]
Filed under: General, Life, News, Pinehurst, Southern Pines | 2 Comments »
Martha let me know that there were only 5% plasma cells in my bone marrow, according to the report generated from the bone marrow aspiration done on Monday. That’s the lowest I’ve had since dx. It was 60% then, and was 6% in May when I was at the Mayo Clinic. Before [...]
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I’ve been injecting Leukine in preparation for stem cell collection. As is usual for me, I’ve searched the web for as much information as I can find about it, and found this comment from the Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cyberfamily web site to be disconcerting:
Leukine (Sargramostim) Similar to Neupogen, Leukine also stimulates the production of [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, Stem Cell Transplant, Treatment | 1 Comment »
I had a bone marrow biopsy Monday. I have to say, it was the best one I ever had. That sounds weird, I know, but it’s true. I was told to take a few percocet tablets beforehand and I had some IV Ativan. I don’t remember the trip home.
It’s been HOT [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, Treatment | 4 Comments »
Before I started my last cycle of Velcade and Doxil, I had blood drawn at Duke. Since then, I’ve had no treatment. I’ve been waiting to undergo high dose chemo and stem cell rescue. These are the values from the last two reports.
July 2, 2007
M-spikes: 0.20 + 0.14 = 0.34 g/dL
IgA: 534 [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, News, Treatment | 2 Comments »
While I was on Doxil, I got some promotional items. One of them was sun screen, which is pictured here. I used some today, and looked on the back of the bottle. It says, "DOES NOT CONTAIN DOXIL." I hope you’re as easily amused as I am.
Filed under: Cancer, General, Humor, Life, Myeloma, Treatment | No Comments »
Today I’m at Duke for tests to make sure I’m healthy enough to undergo high dose chemo. I did this last year at WFUBMC, but didn’t go through with the SCT at that time.
Right now I’m waiting to have an EKG. There’s one person in line ahead of me.
This morning I woke up [...]
Filed under: Cancer, General, Life, Myeloma, Treatment | 4 Comments »
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