"I" Can Do It

Boy, do you remember when your small children said "I can do it" and it resulted in a mess? Well, I had to go to town Wed. for bloodwork at the local cancer center. George wanted to take me, but I told him that "I could do it", as he needed to catch up on some things at work. Sooo, I took myself to the CC, Target and Kolh's.

Each time I would have to get my electric scooter from the back of the Jeep. That's not a problem, as it has a little hoist that does all the work. However, I have to reach up and pull the back hatch on my Jeep down. After not having done that in 5 weeks, the muscles in my back revolted. I've been on pain meds and muscle relaxers since. It's a tiny bit better this morning, but I can tell it's going to be another day in the recliner for me.

Home

We arrived back home in Longview around 2 this afternoon. Other than being very tired, I feel okay.

Anyone want to come over and unpack all this "stuff" that came home with us?

Starting Over

Afraid I didn't get the news I wanted this morning when I saw the doctor, although I was really expecting what she said. We will be going home tomorrow 2 weeks and then come back 4/4 for more chemo and another try at stem cell harvest. I only have enough right now for one transplant, and it's important to have enough for another transplant at a later time if needed.

Needless to say we're very disappointed, as it looks like we'll be living in Little Rock from April 4th until sometime in June, with maybe a week back home sometime in May.

Would appreciate prayers for strength & health to go through all this again.

Finished with harvest

It has been a long 4 days of harvest. However, I ended up with 7.5 million stem cells. The doctor in the collection center told us that is a good number for a "hard collector". Now, I've collected Depression Glass, vintage jewelry, etc. for years. George has often called me a compulsive collector. But, now I've learned I'm a "hard collector"!

I'll see the doctor on Monday and we hope to be back in Longview Tuesday.

Our daughter told us the "lawn fairies" had appeared yesterday and now the lawn doesn't look like a local cow pasture. Thanks so much to Bill, Buddy and Sharon. Love you guys!

Please keep my brother in your prayers as he fights a very serious cancer.

3rd Day of Harvest

As we had anticipated my cell collection went down to 1.2 million today, for a 3 day total of 5.4 million cells. This would be enough for 1 transplant, but would give me no cells for another transplant in the future. I have one more collection tomorrow.

I had to have another unit of blood today and potassium. I don't think I mentioned that I had to have a unit of platelets and magnesium yesterday. It seems the collection procedure depletes your blood and electrolytes.

I will see my doctor Monday morning to discuss further plans. I may come back in several weeks to try and collect more stem cells. If all goes well Monday, we hope to return to Longview Tuesday.

Must tell you something funny. Earlier this week we met a couple from eastern
Tennessee -- Darlene and Harvey. He is being treated for myeloma, too.
Yesterday at the center where they collect the stem cells I was put in a
hospital bed in Rm 1. Later that day I had an email from Darlene. The
subject of the email was "Harvey is in your bed!". Of course, after I
left the center, the bed I was in became Harvey's.

Another funny: Okay, this is ARKANSAS -- big LSU rival. Yesterday our
nurse, who is a big Arkansas fan, found out George and I both graduated from LSU. She stepped into the open area and yelled, "Any nurse here willing to treat an LSU alumni"? You should have heard the laughs.

Second Day Of Harvest

Didn't do quite as well with the harvest today, just collecting 1.7 million cells. Have also found that the process really leaves me tired and weak. After a light lunch, I slept for 2 hours before having to go back to the center for the 2 afternoon injections.

I'm thankful for having collected 4.2 million cells so far. With 2 more days to go, hope to get many more.

Harvest at Last

I had my first harvest of stem cells this morning -- 2.5 million. That is half what we were hoping for. I'm sure I'll have to be harvesting for the next 3 days. Please pray that I can get at least 10 million total, if not more.

My brother Chuck was hospitalized today. Would appreciate prayer for correct diagnosis and an effective treatment.

Thanks for the prayers and support.

Plan in Motion

This morning the catheter was implanted in my neck. They just used a local anesthetic to place it. Afterward, I thought no big deal. Then the anesthetic begin to wear off. It is a bit painful, so have been taking pain meds for it.

I received the first injection of Mozobil late this afternoon. When we arrived at the center, the orders for it weren't in my file. It took a nurse 1 1/2 hours to finally get the orders so I could have the shot.

So, if counts are good in the morning, I'll start the stem cell harvest.

Plan Still On

As of this minute tomorrow's plan is to place the catheter in my neck and give me the high powered injection to cause more stem cells to grow. If all goes well, they should be able to start the harvest on Tuesday.

Please pray for my brother Chuck who has very serious health problems.

If I Had Hair, I'd Be Pulling It Out

It's been one of those days. This morning we were told I'd start receiving Mozobil injections in the afternoons today, Sat. and Sun. to try and increase my stem cells. This is a powerful drug that is used when the regular stem cell mobilizers don't work well.

This afternoon when I told the nurse I was supposed to get Mozobil today, he said there were no orders for it. Evidently plans had changed, but no one let us know.

New plans: Stay with the old drug until Monday afternoon when the Mozobil will be added to the mix. I am supposed to have the catheter put in my neck Monday morning. We assume this means they will start stem cell collection on Tuesday, IF my stem cells co-operate.

It looks like we'll probably be in Little Rock a few days longer than we'd originally thought.

Thanks so much for your prayers and comments. The comments are very encouraging.

Better Results & A Serendipity

Good news, as my counts were up a bit today. We're hoping the higher dose of growth factor is going to do the trick with the stem cells.

After being in the apartment or at the myeloma center for 3 weeks, we decided to drive out to Pinnacle Mountain State Park on the western side of Little Rock. We went to the visitors' center and from the back deck looked out over the Arkansas River and a beautiful valley. We learned that most of the neat features of the park can only be accessed by hiking in. Boy, does that leave me out.

Here's where the serendipity come in. Serendipity: When a person accidentally stumbles upon something fortunate, especially while looking for something entirely unrelated.

When we were going into the visitors' center we saw a woman hiker talking on a public telephone. As we came out I said hello to her. She stopped us and explained that she had just finished hiking the Ouachita Trail -- 223 miles through the mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma -- runs from Talimena State Park in Oklahoma and ends at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. She asked if we could give her a ride into Little Rock to a hotel where she could spend a night or two, have a shower and repair her tent. She assured us she was not "dangerous".

We said we'd be glad to give her a lift and even knew where a La Quinta Motel was located. She told us she lives in California and has hiked long trails all over the US. It was a treat listening to her talk about her adventures. Her day job was also interesting -- she paints sets for movies and TV shows. Thus the serendipity!

BTW, her nickname is Marmot. Now if you don't know what a marmot is, you haven't been to the mountains out west. Marmots are large rodents (also called whistle pigs for the sound they make) who live in the western states. I started to just tell you a Marmot had hitched a ride with us!!

Not much new today. Counts are about the same as yesterday. Hope to see some improvement tomorrow.

Well, I was hoping that when I went to the center this afternoon I'd get good news from the blood tests that were done this morning. However, that was not to be. My red and white blood counts had actually dropped a little, and I'm still not producing enough stem cells.

They increased the dose of the growth factor injections. The nurse said to expect more bone pain from the increase. In fact, more bone pain means the marrow is working overtime and producing more cells. So, please pray for me to have more bone pain and stem cell counts to rise.

Not Today

Although my blood counts are nearing normal levels, tests show that I'm not yet ready for the stem cell harvest. They will be doing this test each morning. Hopefully, tomorrow's results will be better.

Pulling My Hair Out!

I'm sure you've used the old saying that you "feel like pulling your hair out"!! Around 4am this morning I woke up with my scalp itching like crazy. So, I started scratching and came away with a handful of hair! Yep, the chemo finally caught up with my hair.

A nurse had told me you get rid of the itching if you pull the hair out rather than shaving it off. So, I'm gradually pulling it out. If it's not all gone by bedtime, I'll probably shave off any remaining. I do have plenty of little caps to wear.

Now I just need pointy ears, slanted eyebrows and I'd look like a Vulcan lady on Star Trek!

My white counts continue to rise, which is great!

Beautiful Day

It's a beautiful, sunny day in Little Rock, made even more so because my blood counts continue to rise. A harvest Monday or Tuesday is becoming more of a possibility.

Our excitement for the day has been a trip to Kroger -- I stayed in the car and washing clothes.

My friend who was undergoing tests has been diagnosed with myeloma. Please pray for correct and successful treatment for her.

Counts On The Rise!

Tests this morning showed that my white counts are definitely on the rise, which is great! The APN who is following me said at this rate they will probably "install" a central line in my neck on Monday and start the harvest Monday afternoon or Tuesday. Time to get this show on the road!

Since my hemoglobin was still low this morning, I received a unit of blood. This is a first for me. As it went into my vein, I wondered about the person who donated it.

Thanks so much for all the prayers. Please continue to pray for no infections and a really good stem cell harvest.

Transfusions and Maybe Turning A Corner

Today's blood tests showed that I need a couple of units of blood because my hemoglobin is much too low. Hemoglobin transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, so if it's low you feel short of breath and very tired. I'll have those transfusions in the morning.

An encouraging note: My white blood counts were a tiny bit higher than yesterday. Hopefully, that means I've already hit bottom and am now on the upward swing!

Please pray for a long time jewelry buddy. She has had health problems this last year, and now the doctors suspect they may have been caused by myeloma.

It's a beautiful day in Little Rock with the sun shinning and the temp in the 50's.

Still Waiting

Results from yesterday's and today's tests show my white counts are still at the bottom. Hopefully, tomorrow will bring better news.

Side effects of the growth factor injections I'm receiving can be headaches and all over bone pain. This hit me yesterday and has continued. The nurse said that is an indication that the drug is working. Perhaps tomorrow we'll see some results of that "work" with improved counts.

House Arrest

That's what I've been under for several days -- house arrest! Except for going to the infusion center at MIRT, I'm to stay in the apartment. We even called the apartment office and told them we did not want the apartment cleaned this week, as we don't want anyone else inside. We're doing our own cleaning.

When we do go to the center, I wear the mask and we try to sit as far from other people as possible in the waiting room.

My white count from yesterday's results was non-existent. I'm hoping tomorrow morning when we get the results from today's tests, we'll see a turn around and things moving up.

I do appreciate the comments some of you are leaving on my blog. They are always a boost!

Low Counts Are Here

Boy, when I got my blood test results from yesterday's tests, I was shocked. My white counts were almost non-existent! We had to take a class on how to give me an IV antibiotic in case I have fever at night. Being able to do this would save a trip to the emergency room. So, we took the class and came home with the antibiotic, syringes of saline and heparin, etc. "IF" I should run a fever, I'd first call the doctor on duty to get his okay for the IV. Hopefully, this will not be needed.

I'm feeling okay. Wearing that mask all the time I'm away from the apartment is not fun. It makes you feel like you can't breathe. But, that is a minor inconvenience.

As always, your prayers are so appreciated. Do continue to remember our friend Gwen Simmons who is in the hospital here in Little Rock with myeloma and a second cancer. She was to start a very strong chemo today.