november 9, 2010
"THINGS ARE STILL GOING GREAT!"
Hello,
It's so warm down here this afternoon that a person could wear shorts. I am not kidding. It was about 41 degrees this
morning, but it warmed up nicely.
Most of last week I kind of slept in, by my standards. Due to all the chemo and steroids they had me on and off of. I
am getting back to my early morning routine this week. Which helps out with the hospital schedule. At this point of the
treatment, I get a growth shot twice a day for about 10 days or so. This growth shot causes my body to produce millions
of stem cells. When the time is right, they will collect these stem cells through my catheter or line. They want to
collect about 20 million of those suckers (stem cells). Which is one, of the many good reasons for coming to Little
Rock. The other faculties would only collect 10 million. They will freeze the stem cells, and give them back to me
over two transplants. Which is why they call the procedure a "stem cell transplant". This transplant will cause my body
to function normal, like most of your body systems. My body system currently makes mylemona cells or garage/cancer
cells. So it pays off the beat the huge crowd over to the hospital in the morning, to get the growth shot.
I am still looking for a bar or pub to watch the OSU and Browns game. I haven't really been looking, so I have to get on that. My best guess is that I could be driving home one week Friday. That is Friday November 19, but that is just my best guess at this point. No one know how quick my body will produce the needed stem cells. So I just have to be patient.
Between hanging at the hospital and exploring Little Rock there is never a dull moment down here. I still have my hair. They are telling me that the chemo will knock my hair out about the time I go home. Which is no be deal to me, I will just have to wear a hat, due to the
cold weather. Lets hope by the time I send out a email next week that they are pulling/harvesting my stem cells. Talk to you soon!
Jeff
Hello,
It's so warm down here this afternoon that a person could wear shorts. I am not kidding. It was about 41 degrees this
morning, but it warmed up nicely.
Most of last week I kind of slept in, by my standards. Due to all the chemo and steroids they had me on and off of. I
am getting back to my early morning routine this week. Which helps out with the hospital schedule. At this point of the
treatment, I get a growth shot twice a day for about 10 days or so. This growth shot causes my body to produce millions
of stem cells. When the time is right, they will collect these stem cells through my catheter or line. They want to
collect about 20 million of those suckers (stem cells). Which is one, of the many good reasons for coming to Little
Rock. The other faculties would only collect 10 million. They will freeze the stem cells, and give them back to me
over two transplants. Which is why they call the procedure a "stem cell transplant". This transplant will cause my body
to function normal, like most of your body systems. My body system currently makes mylemona cells or garage/cancer
cells. So it pays off the beat the huge crowd over to the hospital in the morning, to get the growth shot.
I am still looking for a bar or pub to watch the OSU and Browns game. I haven't really been looking, so I have to get on that. My best guess is that I could be driving home one week Friday. That is Friday November 19, but that is just my best guess at this point. No one know how quick my body will produce the needed stem cells. So I just have to be patient.
Between hanging at the hospital and exploring Little Rock there is never a dull moment down here. I still have my hair. They are telling me that the chemo will knock my hair out about the time I go home. Which is no be deal to me, I will just have to wear a hat, due to the
cold weather. Lets hope by the time I send out a email next week that they are pulling/harvesting my stem cells. Talk to you soon!
Jeff
november 15, 2010
"I'M PACKING MY BAGS... GETTING READY TO HEAD HOME"
Hello from Little Rock,
Let me back up a little bit. I failed to mention this last week. After you come off the steroids and the chemo. The cancer patients blood levels begin to drop. Basically, they just killed everything in your system or body. Your blood levels drop, and then they begin to climb back up. So last week, we were all watching my blood levels. Everyday they pull my blood and check my labs. They will check my blood levels everyday that I am in treatment. Now most people will have their WBC (White Blood Cell) drop into something like 0.043 or something similar to that. So we are watching my blood count and it's coming down, but not really dropping. Which can be normal. So I finally end up in the 1.0 something. Followed the next day by a 0.92. So the nurse is telling me that we are finally getting somewhere. The next day I am back to a 1.2 followed by a 3.4 the following day. Ms. Mary (my Mom) is getting nervous thinking that I need to drop lower. But, no one ever said I was normal. So on Friday they tell me that I an ready for collection of stem cells! I will get my new catheter for the stem cell harvesting on Monday. Which is good, things are moving forward. I forgot to tell you when your WBC count hits those lower numbers, you fell like total shit. You have no energy and just feel crappy. I was not in any pain. Just felt real crappy.
Now back to today. So I hit the hospital at 6:45 a.m. We get my growth shot and head home for a very nice breakfast. Made by Ms. Mary. After words, I do my normal routine of watching the Today Show and taking a nap. See, having cancer does have it's advantages. I get woken up at 10 a.m by a call from the hospital. Telling me and Mom to head back to the hospital to get my new catheter put in with a collection following. Which is moving really quickly, which is great. So I head over to get the "bigger hose" put in (catheter). I get this awesome doctor, with great bedside manner. The larger hose has a lot more discomfort than the smaller line. This new line kind of feels like a golf pencil being lodged in your shoulder/neck area. After words we head over to the collection area, to find out that I am a "MEGA PRODUCER" or over achiever. Which is great news! Sometimes, people that have the type of chemo that I had all summer. Their bodies will not produce a
good deal a stem cells. Which causes a problem, but doctors and hospital staff usually figure out something for the patient. I had over 30 million stem cells floating around in my body, and we only need 20 million. They would not pull all 20 million today, because they want the cells in 2 different bags. In case something happens before they are properly frozen. So I return tomorrow morning to finish the collection. Then I get the golf pencil removed from my neck/shoulder area.
On Wednesday or Thursday I meet with the doctor, set things up for my return in two weeks, and head north after that. So we couldn't ask for a better plan of events, over the past three and half weeks.
When I return in early December. They will hit me with a high dose chemo that would bring the Jolly Green Giant to his knees, and have him begging for his momma. They do that round of chemo to kill any remaining cancer in my body. Then they will start the first transplant. From what all the other patients and hospital staff have told me. Sometimes the first transplant goes easy, and the second transplant is tough on the patient. Or visa verse.
I will stop now, and save something to tell you all next week. All the prayers must be working, to make everything go so smoothly for me. Thank you. I did find a great Browns Backer Bar! It was great to watch the Browns game on Sunday and be surrounded by Browns Fans.
Talk to you soon! Jeff
Hello from Little Rock,
Let me back up a little bit. I failed to mention this last week. After you come off the steroids and the chemo. The cancer patients blood levels begin to drop. Basically, they just killed everything in your system or body. Your blood levels drop, and then they begin to climb back up. So last week, we were all watching my blood levels. Everyday they pull my blood and check my labs. They will check my blood levels everyday that I am in treatment. Now most people will have their WBC (White Blood Cell) drop into something like 0.043 or something similar to that. So we are watching my blood count and it's coming down, but not really dropping. Which can be normal. So I finally end up in the 1.0 something. Followed the next day by a 0.92. So the nurse is telling me that we are finally getting somewhere. The next day I am back to a 1.2 followed by a 3.4 the following day. Ms. Mary (my Mom) is getting nervous thinking that I need to drop lower. But, no one ever said I was normal. So on Friday they tell me that I an ready for collection of stem cells! I will get my new catheter for the stem cell harvesting on Monday. Which is good, things are moving forward. I forgot to tell you when your WBC count hits those lower numbers, you fell like total shit. You have no energy and just feel crappy. I was not in any pain. Just felt real crappy.
Now back to today. So I hit the hospital at 6:45 a.m. We get my growth shot and head home for a very nice breakfast. Made by Ms. Mary. After words, I do my normal routine of watching the Today Show and taking a nap. See, having cancer does have it's advantages. I get woken up at 10 a.m by a call from the hospital. Telling me and Mom to head back to the hospital to get my new catheter put in with a collection following. Which is moving really quickly, which is great. So I head over to get the "bigger hose" put in (catheter). I get this awesome doctor, with great bedside manner. The larger hose has a lot more discomfort than the smaller line. This new line kind of feels like a golf pencil being lodged in your shoulder/neck area. After words we head over to the collection area, to find out that I am a "MEGA PRODUCER" or over achiever. Which is great news! Sometimes, people that have the type of chemo that I had all summer. Their bodies will not produce a
good deal a stem cells. Which causes a problem, but doctors and hospital staff usually figure out something for the patient. I had over 30 million stem cells floating around in my body, and we only need 20 million. They would not pull all 20 million today, because they want the cells in 2 different bags. In case something happens before they are properly frozen. So I return tomorrow morning to finish the collection. Then I get the golf pencil removed from my neck/shoulder area.
On Wednesday or Thursday I meet with the doctor, set things up for my return in two weeks, and head north after that. So we couldn't ask for a better plan of events, over the past three and half weeks.
When I return in early December. They will hit me with a high dose chemo that would bring the Jolly Green Giant to his knees, and have him begging for his momma. They do that round of chemo to kill any remaining cancer in my body. Then they will start the first transplant. From what all the other patients and hospital staff have told me. Sometimes the first transplant goes easy, and the second transplant is tough on the patient. Or visa verse.
I will stop now, and save something to tell you all next week. All the prayers must be working, to make everything go so smoothly for me. Thank you. I did find a great Browns Backer Bar! It was great to watch the Browns game on Sunday and be surrounded by Browns Fans.
Talk to you soon! Jeff
december 8, 2010
"BACK IN LITTLE ROCK"
Hello Everyone,
The 12 days I had in Ohio sure went bye fast. It even felt a little strange being at home.
From what I hear, I guess I left northern Ohio at the right time. My sister and I left early Sunday morning. We made it to Little rock in under 13 hours. Which is really good time!
When we headed over to the hospital on Monday morning, it was like heading back to school after a long break. I had to catch back up with all the staff members and all the multiple myeloma patients. The staff and patients become friends and almost family members after spending so much time together. I think my sister thought that I new half the hospital. This morning I have another bone marrow biopsy. To check my cancer level.
Before I left for Ohio I met with my doctor in Little Rock. He explained to me that my cancer level went from a 4.0 to a 2.8. As I recall my grade point average in high school was around a 2.8. So there was a small reduction in my cancer. They were hoping for a much larger reduction, however those numbers are nothing to get excited about. I will under go a much more "enjoyable" (stronger) chemo starting this Saturday. In order for me to move on to my first transplant, after the 4 days of chemo, starting this Saturday. My cancer level has to be at 0.0 or in remission. If my cancer is not in remission, the doctors and staff will use other cancer drugs to make this happen. So I can continue to move forward with my first stem cell transplant. So if I am not in remission, the additional cancer drugs and treatment will prolong my stay for this round of treatment another week. Which is not big deal, Little Rock is a great place to hang out. I just mention this
additional week to try and explain to you how difficult it is for me to try and schedule a visit for guests and caretakers. Due to my schedule constantly changing.
The first week back in treatment is always a slow week. You have tests and get a line placed again. All kinds of miscellaneous things. Which gives me time to sight see in Little Rock. My sister, Christine and I are going to hit several museums and maybe the zoo. I also have dinner plans with another cancer patient and his wife this Thursday. The days and weeks fly bye here with all the treatment and social gatherings.
I almost forgot to tell you that I was able to get back into the same Family Home that I stayed at in October and November. They have the Family Home decorated so well for Christmas that you would think you were in the North Pole.
I am going to let you go know. I have to study for my big test, the bone marrow biopsy that is. I will send out another update next week. Bye then my sister will have left me. My Mom is going to help me finish out this round of treatment. Followed by my weekly "guest" caretakers next year. More details to come! Jeff
Hello Everyone,
The 12 days I had in Ohio sure went bye fast. It even felt a little strange being at home.
From what I hear, I guess I left northern Ohio at the right time. My sister and I left early Sunday morning. We made it to Little rock in under 13 hours. Which is really good time!
When we headed over to the hospital on Monday morning, it was like heading back to school after a long break. I had to catch back up with all the staff members and all the multiple myeloma patients. The staff and patients become friends and almost family members after spending so much time together. I think my sister thought that I new half the hospital. This morning I have another bone marrow biopsy. To check my cancer level.
Before I left for Ohio I met with my doctor in Little Rock. He explained to me that my cancer level went from a 4.0 to a 2.8. As I recall my grade point average in high school was around a 2.8. So there was a small reduction in my cancer. They were hoping for a much larger reduction, however those numbers are nothing to get excited about. I will under go a much more "enjoyable" (stronger) chemo starting this Saturday. In order for me to move on to my first transplant, after the 4 days of chemo, starting this Saturday. My cancer level has to be at 0.0 or in remission. If my cancer is not in remission, the doctors and staff will use other cancer drugs to make this happen. So I can continue to move forward with my first stem cell transplant. So if I am not in remission, the additional cancer drugs and treatment will prolong my stay for this round of treatment another week. Which is not big deal, Little Rock is a great place to hang out. I just mention this
additional week to try and explain to you how difficult it is for me to try and schedule a visit for guests and caretakers. Due to my schedule constantly changing.
The first week back in treatment is always a slow week. You have tests and get a line placed again. All kinds of miscellaneous things. Which gives me time to sight see in Little Rock. My sister, Christine and I are going to hit several museums and maybe the zoo. I also have dinner plans with another cancer patient and his wife this Thursday. The days and weeks fly bye here with all the treatment and social gatherings.
I almost forgot to tell you that I was able to get back into the same Family Home that I stayed at in October and November. They have the Family Home decorated so well for Christmas that you would think you were in the North Pole.
I am going to let you go know. I have to study for my big test, the bone marrow biopsy that is. I will send out another update next week. Bye then my sister will have left me. My Mom is going to help me finish out this round of treatment. Followed by my weekly "guest" caretakers next year. More details to come! Jeff
december 13, 2010
"MY FIRST STEM CELL TRANSPLANT IS THIS THURSDAY"
Happy Holiday's,
I am getting to open one of my Christmas presents early! I will be getting my Stem Cells back on Thursday morning. They tell me it takes about 20 minutes for me to get my cells back. After which they will give me some other drugs to avoid any complications. So I will be at the hospital on Thursday for about 3 hours. They use a special preservative to freeze a long with the stem cells. The preservative has a funny smell to it. So for about a day or two I will smell like creamy corn. So feel free to open up a can of creamy corn when you get home from work on Thursday to enjoy in the aroma. With a little imagination you will enjoying it with me. After the transplant they will follow up with daily blood work and exams for 2 weeks. I meet with my doctor on December 30. After his "blessing" I get to head home for two weeks.
This past Friday I meet with my cancer doctor here in Little Rock. His name is Dr. Nair. Dr. Nair is originally from India. His accent isn't too hard to understand. Dr. Nair is very patient and willing to answer any questions we may have, one after another. Which we all know, most doctors aren't this patient.
Dr. Nair used 3 indicators to move me forward onto the chemo and into transplant. They were the Bone Marrow Biopsy that I took last week. In case you don't know what the bone marrow biopsy is. The take what looks like a wine bottle opener and twist that into you upper hip, just above your butt crack. Once they get to the desired dept they brake off a piece of bone, and do a biopsy on that piece of bone. Also last week I had 2 MRI tests. Which is easy money, I put in a set of ear plugs and fall asleep inside the machine for about 45 minutes. The last indicator Dr. Nair looked at was in the blood. It's called the M Protein. When I left Little Rock 3 weeks ago my M Protein was at 2.8.
So as of last Friday, my cancer level in my bone marrow was 15 percent. When I first came to Little Rock in early October my bone marrow was at 30 percent. My M Protein level was 2.8, 3 weeks ago. Moved up to a 3.1 last Friday. This shows you how fast this cancer grows off the chemo. The MRI test showed a large reduction in the size of the tumors. So based on that information and his medical background, Dr. Nair gave me the green light for the transplant.
Most of the treatment here in Little Rock is outpatient. For the chemo process I get a 1'x 5" black nylon bag with a shoulder strap. Inside the bag they put two different types of chemo, that I am on. Some of you may remember the one chemo is called "Red Devil". The two chemo's together are called "The Red Devil and her 3 Sister's". A patient like myself walks, sleep, and showers with my lunch box. I only have to carry this around till Wednesday morning or 4 days. I friend of mine here in Little Rock had to carry his black bag around for 16 days, wow.
They also have me on more drugs than I can count. One of which, is steroids or speed. Once they pull me off the speed on Wednesday, my WBC (White Blood Count) will begin to drop. At that point I have to be careful to not get sick, since I won't have a immune system. As the WBC falls so does my energy level and drive.
So everything above is good news. After this transplant I will be more than half way through the beginning stages of treatment. After both transplants are complete. I will be on a 3 year maintenance program. Most of the chemo over the 3 years will be given to me on Cleveland. Every 3 to 6 months I will fly to Little Rock for check ups and further testing.
I hope I explained everything okay to you. If you have any questions feel free to call 330-573-8134 or email me. Until next week, take care and have a little creamy corn, and think of me. Jeff
Happy Holiday's,
I am getting to open one of my Christmas presents early! I will be getting my Stem Cells back on Thursday morning. They tell me it takes about 20 minutes for me to get my cells back. After which they will give me some other drugs to avoid any complications. So I will be at the hospital on Thursday for about 3 hours. They use a special preservative to freeze a long with the stem cells. The preservative has a funny smell to it. So for about a day or two I will smell like creamy corn. So feel free to open up a can of creamy corn when you get home from work on Thursday to enjoy in the aroma. With a little imagination you will enjoying it with me. After the transplant they will follow up with daily blood work and exams for 2 weeks. I meet with my doctor on December 30. After his "blessing" I get to head home for two weeks.
This past Friday I meet with my cancer doctor here in Little Rock. His name is Dr. Nair. Dr. Nair is originally from India. His accent isn't too hard to understand. Dr. Nair is very patient and willing to answer any questions we may have, one after another. Which we all know, most doctors aren't this patient.
Dr. Nair used 3 indicators to move me forward onto the chemo and into transplant. They were the Bone Marrow Biopsy that I took last week. In case you don't know what the bone marrow biopsy is. The take what looks like a wine bottle opener and twist that into you upper hip, just above your butt crack. Once they get to the desired dept they brake off a piece of bone, and do a biopsy on that piece of bone. Also last week I had 2 MRI tests. Which is easy money, I put in a set of ear plugs and fall asleep inside the machine for about 45 minutes. The last indicator Dr. Nair looked at was in the blood. It's called the M Protein. When I left Little Rock 3 weeks ago my M Protein was at 2.8.
So as of last Friday, my cancer level in my bone marrow was 15 percent. When I first came to Little Rock in early October my bone marrow was at 30 percent. My M Protein level was 2.8, 3 weeks ago. Moved up to a 3.1 last Friday. This shows you how fast this cancer grows off the chemo. The MRI test showed a large reduction in the size of the tumors. So based on that information and his medical background, Dr. Nair gave me the green light for the transplant.
Most of the treatment here in Little Rock is outpatient. For the chemo process I get a 1'x 5" black nylon bag with a shoulder strap. Inside the bag they put two different types of chemo, that I am on. Some of you may remember the one chemo is called "Red Devil". The two chemo's together are called "The Red Devil and her 3 Sister's". A patient like myself walks, sleep, and showers with my lunch box. I only have to carry this around till Wednesday morning or 4 days. I friend of mine here in Little Rock had to carry his black bag around for 16 days, wow.
They also have me on more drugs than I can count. One of which, is steroids or speed. Once they pull me off the speed on Wednesday, my WBC (White Blood Count) will begin to drop. At that point I have to be careful to not get sick, since I won't have a immune system. As the WBC falls so does my energy level and drive.
So everything above is good news. After this transplant I will be more than half way through the beginning stages of treatment. After both transplants are complete. I will be on a 3 year maintenance program. Most of the chemo over the 3 years will be given to me on Cleveland. Every 3 to 6 months I will fly to Little Rock for check ups and further testing.
I hope I explained everything okay to you. If you have any questions feel free to call 330-573-8134 or email me. Until next week, take care and have a little creamy corn, and think of me. Jeff
december 21, 2010
"NOT POSTED ON WIKILEAKS.... JUICY TRANSPLANT DETAILS"
Merry Christmas Everyone,
Last Thursday was my first stem cell transplant. Everyday leading up to the transplant is counted as -3,-2,-1. The day of the transplant is day 0, and everyday after the transplant is +1, +2, +3. So today is day +4 for me. Normally we eat breakfast at the Family Home and head over to the hospital to flirt with the nurses and get my blood work in the morning. On last Thursday we decided to live large and eat breakfast over at the hospital cafeteria. I had a 9:00 a.m. appointment for my transplant. So we ate breakfast and headed to Infusion Center 4. Which is were they treat all the blood cancer patients. It's located on the 4th floor of this brand new cancer center. All brand new equipment, beds, and chairs. They have computers for patients and family to use. Not to mention the coffee, water, and lots of snacks for hungry patients and families.
Since I will be getting a transplant and not blood work I get a private patient room. Which is a bed, rather than a lounge chair. After they check all my vital signs the nurse comes in and starts a IV of saline fluid and explains the procedure to us. After the IV is hooked up they give me a shot of benadrill and order up my liquid gold (stem cells). They store the stem cells in this big beer cooler down in the basement. They have to thaw them out and delivery them up to Infusion 4. So as the benadrill if almost putting me to bed, the transport staff is hard at work.
The person to give me my stem cells is my awesome nurse practitioner Peggy. Peggy comes into the room with this tiny plastic bag, with a light red kool-aid color. The amount of liquid in the bag looks to be a shot and half of liquor. Peggy tells me that about 4.5 million of my closest friends our in the bag and waiting to joint me. Peggy hooks up a new IV or tube from the liquid gold to me. Peggy then holds the bag up in the air as gravity begins to work. She works the bag so every drop comes out of the bag. Then works the tube so every single drop of liquid was used in the process.
As soon as the red magic get inside of me, this funk nasty gas seems to come rising out of my stomach and I get this nasty, disgusting taste in my mouth. With this not being Peggy's first rodeo, she hands me a sucker and tells me to suck on it. As I do as instructed the taste is covered up by the sucker. The whole transfusion took about 8 minutes. Peggy said that since I only had one bag of cells, the creamy corn smell should be too bad. Patients that get several bags of stem cells get more of the preservative, and have a much stronger smell after the transplant.
They keep me in the private patient room for about 2 hours and watched my vital signs. About every 15 to 20 minutes a nurse would come in and check on me. As well as a blood pressure machine checking me out every so often. After laying there for about 20 minutes I fell a sleep. Waking as the nurse came in. With no complications they let me go about 12:30 p.m.
Compared to all the chemo, line placement, and MRI's the transplant was rather boring. Which is a good thing. Everyday after day the transplant I head over to the hospital to flirt with the nurses again, and get blood work. Checking for colds, flu's, or anything else.
Currently my WBC (white blood count) is in the negative numbers. Which is were the count is supposed to be from all the chemo. They gave me a extra heavy dose of chemo prior to transplant. To kill everything in my body. Even the existing stem cells. So that the new stem cells can move in and start over. I guess it would be like waking up after a nuclear fall out, and you have the place all to yourself. Due to my WBC count being down, I should be feeling horrible, but I feel fine. I am not supposed to go out, other than the hospital. No eating out, or running around town. So that I don't get sick. Since I don't have a immune system. I have a appointment with my doctor, Dr. Nair on Thursday December 30. If my WBC is at 2.0 or higher, and I have no other problems or complications they will let me go home for about 3 weeks.
After 3 weeks, I come back and do the chemo and the oil change all over again.
I guess that is enough for now. I wish you all a wonderful Christmas. I really don't mind being down here for Christmas at all. We are living at a great place. I am being treated a fabulous hospital, and we are going to have Christmas dinner with some friends we met down here. So don't worry about us.
More details next week! Jeff
Merry Christmas Everyone,
Last Thursday was my first stem cell transplant. Everyday leading up to the transplant is counted as -3,-2,-1. The day of the transplant is day 0, and everyday after the transplant is +1, +2, +3. So today is day +4 for me. Normally we eat breakfast at the Family Home and head over to the hospital to flirt with the nurses and get my blood work in the morning. On last Thursday we decided to live large and eat breakfast over at the hospital cafeteria. I had a 9:00 a.m. appointment for my transplant. So we ate breakfast and headed to Infusion Center 4. Which is were they treat all the blood cancer patients. It's located on the 4th floor of this brand new cancer center. All brand new equipment, beds, and chairs. They have computers for patients and family to use. Not to mention the coffee, water, and lots of snacks for hungry patients and families.
Since I will be getting a transplant and not blood work I get a private patient room. Which is a bed, rather than a lounge chair. After they check all my vital signs the nurse comes in and starts a IV of saline fluid and explains the procedure to us. After the IV is hooked up they give me a shot of benadrill and order up my liquid gold (stem cells). They store the stem cells in this big beer cooler down in the basement. They have to thaw them out and delivery them up to Infusion 4. So as the benadrill if almost putting me to bed, the transport staff is hard at work.
The person to give me my stem cells is my awesome nurse practitioner Peggy. Peggy comes into the room with this tiny plastic bag, with a light red kool-aid color. The amount of liquid in the bag looks to be a shot and half of liquor. Peggy tells me that about 4.5 million of my closest friends our in the bag and waiting to joint me. Peggy hooks up a new IV or tube from the liquid gold to me. Peggy then holds the bag up in the air as gravity begins to work. She works the bag so every drop comes out of the bag. Then works the tube so every single drop of liquid was used in the process.
As soon as the red magic get inside of me, this funk nasty gas seems to come rising out of my stomach and I get this nasty, disgusting taste in my mouth. With this not being Peggy's first rodeo, she hands me a sucker and tells me to suck on it. As I do as instructed the taste is covered up by the sucker. The whole transfusion took about 8 minutes. Peggy said that since I only had one bag of cells, the creamy corn smell should be too bad. Patients that get several bags of stem cells get more of the preservative, and have a much stronger smell after the transplant.
They keep me in the private patient room for about 2 hours and watched my vital signs. About every 15 to 20 minutes a nurse would come in and check on me. As well as a blood pressure machine checking me out every so often. After laying there for about 20 minutes I fell a sleep. Waking as the nurse came in. With no complications they let me go about 12:30 p.m.
Compared to all the chemo, line placement, and MRI's the transplant was rather boring. Which is a good thing. Everyday after day the transplant I head over to the hospital to flirt with the nurses again, and get blood work. Checking for colds, flu's, or anything else.
Currently my WBC (white blood count) is in the negative numbers. Which is were the count is supposed to be from all the chemo. They gave me a extra heavy dose of chemo prior to transplant. To kill everything in my body. Even the existing stem cells. So that the new stem cells can move in and start over. I guess it would be like waking up after a nuclear fall out, and you have the place all to yourself. Due to my WBC count being down, I should be feeling horrible, but I feel fine. I am not supposed to go out, other than the hospital. No eating out, or running around town. So that I don't get sick. Since I don't have a immune system. I have a appointment with my doctor, Dr. Nair on Thursday December 30. If my WBC is at 2.0 or higher, and I have no other problems or complications they will let me go home for about 3 weeks.
After 3 weeks, I come back and do the chemo and the oil change all over again.
I guess that is enough for now. I wish you all a wonderful Christmas. I really don't mind being down here for Christmas at all. We are living at a great place. I am being treated a fabulous hospital, and we are going to have Christmas dinner with some friends we met down here. So don't worry about us.
More details next week! Jeff
december 29, 2010
"HEADING BACK TO HOME FOR A FEW WEEKS"
Hello Everyone,
This coming Friday is the big day. My mother and I will be flying home to Ohio. I have been in Little Rock just shy of a month. I will be in Ohio for 3 weeks and then heading back to Little Rock, Arkansas.
On Christmas Day I had a low grade fever. My temperature was about 2 degrees higher than normal. I didn't believe it, and had the nurses take my temperature at 3 different machines. So the fine staff over at the cancer center started me on all kinds of antibiotics to knock the snot out of whatever virus was in my body. The next day my temperature was back to normal, but my blood levels were still showing some kind of cold or virus. So they stepped up the antibiotics a notch or two and my blood levels showing the infection began to drop.
Over the past two weeks that has been the only excitement, which is awesome. Eat, sleep, and head over to the hospital. It is great to be in a position that all I have to do is relax, and let the hospital staff work their magic. I did have to receive blood platelets twice over the past two weeks. They won't give you platelets at the cancer center unless your platelets drop below 20,000. Which is really low, by healthy people's standards. But when you have chemo and other medicines killing everything insight, like the days of the wild west. A person's platelets usually drop. Most of the other transplant patients I have talked to seem to do okay with the transplant, but they tend to have a harder time with the procedure than I did. So I was very blessed, once again.
For some reason I thought that after I went home and came back to Little Rock, that I was going to move right into my next transplant. I met with my doctor yesterday (Thursday), Dr. Nair. Dr. Nair explained to me that I have two more cycles of chemo. Then I have a cycle of chemo before my second transplant. Then next two cycles of chemo with two weeks off between cycles adds up to 10 weeks. Followed by another round of chemo and a transplant. So my treatment will finish up right around spring. Which is good, I don't want this cancer stuff cutting into my fishing and beer drinking hobbies in the summer months.
I am still sleeping quiet a bit. Which is the body recovering from all the abuse from the chemo and the transplant. The days and weeks seem to go bye much faster than one would think. Which is nice, but as we all know life never seems to slow down. As my buddy Mick says, "Time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me".
I hope all of you are putting the finishing touches on your goals for the up and coming year. I guess my only big challenge for this up coming year is to figure out what do with myself, as I continue to move forward. If I am not able to return to the building trades full time, I need to make a long term job goal for the future. Or decide which school to attend in a effort to continue to move forward and enjoy life. While also being a productive part of society. Which is cool, cause a am getting a mulligan in the middle of life. How many people get that option? Not too many people, that I have met over the years.
So be sure to have a Happy and Safe New Years! If you are able to donate blood, do so. It saves the lives of so many people. Jeff
Hello Everyone,
This coming Friday is the big day. My mother and I will be flying home to Ohio. I have been in Little Rock just shy of a month. I will be in Ohio for 3 weeks and then heading back to Little Rock, Arkansas.
On Christmas Day I had a low grade fever. My temperature was about 2 degrees higher than normal. I didn't believe it, and had the nurses take my temperature at 3 different machines. So the fine staff over at the cancer center started me on all kinds of antibiotics to knock the snot out of whatever virus was in my body. The next day my temperature was back to normal, but my blood levels were still showing some kind of cold or virus. So they stepped up the antibiotics a notch or two and my blood levels showing the infection began to drop.
Over the past two weeks that has been the only excitement, which is awesome. Eat, sleep, and head over to the hospital. It is great to be in a position that all I have to do is relax, and let the hospital staff work their magic. I did have to receive blood platelets twice over the past two weeks. They won't give you platelets at the cancer center unless your platelets drop below 20,000. Which is really low, by healthy people's standards. But when you have chemo and other medicines killing everything insight, like the days of the wild west. A person's platelets usually drop. Most of the other transplant patients I have talked to seem to do okay with the transplant, but they tend to have a harder time with the procedure than I did. So I was very blessed, once again.
For some reason I thought that after I went home and came back to Little Rock, that I was going to move right into my next transplant. I met with my doctor yesterday (Thursday), Dr. Nair. Dr. Nair explained to me that I have two more cycles of chemo. Then I have a cycle of chemo before my second transplant. Then next two cycles of chemo with two weeks off between cycles adds up to 10 weeks. Followed by another round of chemo and a transplant. So my treatment will finish up right around spring. Which is good, I don't want this cancer stuff cutting into my fishing and beer drinking hobbies in the summer months.
I am still sleeping quiet a bit. Which is the body recovering from all the abuse from the chemo and the transplant. The days and weeks seem to go bye much faster than one would think. Which is nice, but as we all know life never seems to slow down. As my buddy Mick says, "Time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me".
I hope all of you are putting the finishing touches on your goals for the up and coming year. I guess my only big challenge for this up coming year is to figure out what do with myself, as I continue to move forward. If I am not able to return to the building trades full time, I need to make a long term job goal for the future. Or decide which school to attend in a effort to continue to move forward and enjoy life. While also being a productive part of society. Which is cool, cause a am getting a mulligan in the middle of life. How many people get that option? Not too many people, that I have met over the years.
So be sure to have a Happy and Safe New Years! If you are able to donate blood, do so. It saves the lives of so many people. Jeff