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.