Harvest Completed

Today was my last day of harvest. My total for the 4 days was 4.7 Million. Added to the 7.5 million from last month, I now have 12.2 million stem cells.

The collection process this time has been harder on my body. I've had to have blood twice, platelets twice, magnesium twice and potassium once. I'll begin to feel better after a few days.

We were at the center from 7:30am until 6pm today. After collection, a unit of blood and a unit of platelets, I had the catheter removed from my neck. So, I am much more comfortable.

Will have blood tests early Monday, see the doc around noon and hope to go home on Tuesday for a couple weeks.

Thanks for checking in and for the prayers.

HI, CHARLIE!!

Third Day Of Harvest

Harvest from yesterday was 1 million cell, so I have a total of 2.8 million for 2 days. The estimate for today is 1 million, but hoping for a bit more. I had to have more magnesium and a unit of blood today.

I felt a lot better today, so that is a praise. One more day of harvest, see the doctor on Monday and hope to go home for a couple of weeks on Tuesday.

Second Harvest Day

I harvested 1.8 million stem cells yesterday, which was more than the estimate. Today's estimate was 1.2 million.

I had to have platelets, magnesium and potassium today. After we got back to the apartment, I started breaking out in a few hives and took a couple of benadryl. No more broke out. I was probably having a reaction to the platelets.

I'm also having some stomach problems. Who knows what's causing them. Things could be much worse, so I'm thankful.

First Day of Harvest

I had the first harvest session this morning. This lasts for about 3 1/2 hours. Will know how many stem cells we got when we go back in the morning. An estimate was 1.4 million. We're hoping for at least that many or more.

The catheter is still a bit uncomfortable, but not really painful today. My main problem today is a headache, probably from the growth factor injections.

Praise and A Long Day

The insurance company did approve the Mozobil to be used to help me make stem cells. I got the first injection this afternoon and will start collection early tomorrow.

After lunch, they put a different catheter in my neck. This one is much more uncomfortable -- actually painful right now. Hope it's better by morning.

Thanks for your prayers concerning the approval of the Mozobil.

Weekend

Nothing new here. Have been going to the center twice a day for the growth factor injections. White counts are still rising. Hope to learn tomorrow that my insurance company has approved the use of the Mozobil again.

Will Need Mozobil

Although my white counts are rising, I learned today that I will need the high powered drug Mozobil for stem cell collection. This has to be approved by my insurance company. They approved it when I was here for collection in March, so we hope they will do so again. However, this is a worry.

I was able to stop all antibiotics today.

Thanks for checking in.

Counts Going Up

My white counts are continuing to go up, so I hope they reach the point where stem cells can be collected soon.

I'm hoping that this is the last day/night for the IV antibiotics. All the cultures have been negative.

Count Rising

Today was a calm day at the center -- no fire alarms!

My white counts continue to rise, which is great. All the blood cultures have come back negative, so the fever must has been from the mouth sores. Thankfully, they are gone!

Feeling Better

The mouth sores are so much better, so I'm feeling better in general. My white counts were up a bit more today.

We had a bit of excitement at the center this morning right after I sat down in a treatment chair. The fire alarms went off and the building had to be evacuated. We all had to go to the parking garage, but were allowed back in the building after about 30 minutes.

When we returned this afternoon to get my second growth factor injection, fire trucks were all around again. A different building in the complex had been evacuated. Have no idea what was going on.

Loss Of A Friend

Our friend Gwen from Tennessee lost her battle with cancer last night. She's now at home with the Lord and free from pain. Please pray that God will comfort her family.

Better This Afternoon

They think the fever I've had is a result of the mouth sores from the chemo. "Just in case", they have me on two strong IV antibiotics.

However, my mouth seems to be getting better. So, hopefully, mouth problems and fever will both disappear quickly.

It looks like my white counts are beginning to recover, which is a good sign.

Running A Fever

This morning at 8am I went in for an injection and blood work. We decided to wait for the test results "just in case". Turns out I needed 2 units of blood, as my hemoglobin was only 7.5. No wonder I was feeling so tired and out of breath. The advanced practice nurse also ordered more tests, as my temp was a bit elevated. However, she really thinks the temp is the result of my badly irritated mouth. She told me
she think my counts are beginning to turn around and head up, which is good news.

Around 8pm I checked my temp and it was 101. So had to contact the doctor on call. He had us start an IV infusion of an antibiotic they had given us "just in case". We did that, so I hope it will take care of whatever is causing the fever. They'll check me out good at the center in the morning.

No Playing With Knives

My platelets were pretty low yesterday, so George banned me from using any sharp knives in the kitchen. They were even lower today, so I received a bag of platelets late this afternoon.

My mouth is a bit better today, as the medicated rinse is helping. I'm having some bone pain, including my skull. This is a side effect of the growth factor injections used to raise my counts.

I'm not complaining, as it will all be worth it if I can harvest more stem cells for use in the future.

Thanks so much for your comments, emails and prayers.

Feeling Sort Of Yukky

As a result of the chemo, I've developed a very sore mouth and throat. They've given me two mouth rinses to help, and have told me when my counts come back up the mouth problem will disappear.

Also, with my blood counts so low, I just feel "yukky". Hopefully, the counts will start rising tomorrow.

Another 2 Shot Day

I've felt some better today. My counts are going down quickly, which is what they are supposed to do. Maybe today was the "bottom" and they'll start climbing tomorrow.

Wednesday

Oops! Forgot to post to my blog on Wednesday. After a bounce on Tuesday, my counts dropped Wednesday. This is expected. Hopefully, they will bottom out quickly and begin to climb toward the point where the harvest can begin.

In the meantime, I'll be going to the center twice a day for the growth factor injections. Since the growth factor causes your marrow to increase white cell production, it makes your bones ache. It's not too bad, and medicine takes care of the pain.

Another Day

Counts were higher today, so not sure what that means as it's much quicker than before. Will see what tomorrow's numbers bring.

I'm feeling some better, as the effects of the chemo are less as the days go by.

2 - A- Days

Today I stated getting growth factor injections twice a day to try and get ready for another stem cell harvest when the numbers rise enough.

Still feeling a bit yukky from the 4 days of chemo and had to bring two potassium infusers home with me tonight since that is low. You fix one thing, it messes up something else.

Pray that our friend Gwen will be able to go home to Tennessee tomorrow for a week. She really needs the break.

God Bless,
Dotty

Black Bag Gone

I got rid of the black bag today, but after 4 days of 24 hour a day chemo, was not feeling well. Plus I was very low on phosphorus, so after 4 hours at the center came home hooked up to a bottle of phosphorus -- it just ran out, so unhooked it. Am feeling some better, so it must have helped.

Will start the growth factor injections twice a day tomorrow. Hopefully, they will work quicker this time and I can get to harvest sooner.

Thanks for checking in and for the prayers.

One day of chemo to go

I should be rid of the "little black bag" of chemo by 3pm tomorrow. I'll then start growth factor injections twice a day on Monday. Hopefully, my counts will quickly rise and I can do the next harvest.

Please pray for our friend Gwen here in LR, who is still having major health problems.

Thanks for your prayers.

2 down, 2 to go

Two days of chemo behind me and 2 to go. Feeling pretty well.

The weather has been beautiful in Little Rock, with trees and flower blooming everywhere.

1 Day Down, 3 To Go

I have one day of chemo behind me with 3 to go. We were at the center for 3 hours today. My sodium was low, so was told to eat a lot of salty foods. Some of the chemo drugs can cause sodium to drop.

Not feeling too bad, a bit fuzzy headed and some fluid retention. Hmmm -- more salt will make the retention worse. Thankfully, I'll get rid of the bag on Sunday.

Chemo -- Hurry Up And Wait

I think the treatments you get at MIRT are cutting edge and the nurses, tech, etc. are wonderful. However, the "waits" are terrible. My appointment for chemo this morning was 8am, so we got to the center at 7:30. I was finally called back at 9:15 for blood to be drawn. Was told they had to wait for results to come back before chemo could be started. Was called back again around 11:30, had a 30 minute infusion of a steroid (dexamethasone) and then the "little black bag" was hooked up to the catheter in my neck. This little bag will be with me around the clock until about noon on Sunday. It contains the 5 chemo drugs I'm receiving.

After all that, we returned to the apartment and I took a 3 1/2 hour nap!

Please pray for our friend Gwen who is having treatment here for myeloma and another cancer. She is having some problems and would really love to be able to go home for a couple of weeks. Pray that the problems will resolve and she'll have that time at home.

Thanks for checking in and for your prayers.

"Let Me Bite Your Neck"!!

First thing this morning, I had to have a triple catheter put in the juggler vein in my neck. The people in the unit who do this procedure are great. This catheter will be used to infuse the 6 chemo drugs I'll be getting for the next 4 days -- 24 hours a day. Needless to say, I will be glad when Sunday arrives and this part of the treatment is over.

I saw my doctor and she said she is giving me reduced dosages of the drugs because of my small size and medical history of polio. Please pray that this dose will kill the myeloma and stimulate stem cell production. Also, pray that I'll avoid any infections or other complications.

Back In Little Rock, Process Started

We arrived in LR yesterday -- what a day to spend Easter! We moved into the same apartment we'd had before, bought groceries and put everything away.

Had to be at the clinic at 7:30 this morning for bloodwork and a bone marrow biopsy. After the biopsy, for which I had taken some meds, I came back to the apt. and I slept for about 4 hours. Since my white counts were good and high, we went to I-Hop for an early supper -- yummy French toast.

Tomorrow I see the doctor, have a catheter "installed" in my neck and hopefully start the 4 days of chemo.

Thanks for checking in on me!

Back To Little Rock

George and I will be leaving Sunday Morning for Little Rock. I have to be in the clinic at 7:30 Monday morning for blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy. Tuesday I see the doctor, have a catheter put in my neck and possibly start the 4 day, 24 hour chemo. Not looking forward to that.

We will be staying in the same apartment, so that is good.

My Brother Chuck

After a year long battle with a number of cancers starting with lung cancer from 40 years of smoking, my younger brother Chuck went to be with the Lord yesterday. We will all miss him so much.