Hello Everyone-
Just a quick update- My bloodcounts were good on Wednesday so my chemo went ahead Thursday. My next chemo will be next Thursday the 5th. Some dates for next procedures have changed but I'll update those when I have more energy and my 'official' letter with dates from the hospital.
One new additional date is a CT Scan on March 11th to see if the four chemo's have put me into remission to read me for the SCT...fingers crossed everyone!
I am not certain why the are doing the scan after the 4th and not the 5th chemo but that question arose after my last meeting with my Dr's so I'll ask them the rationale next Thursday.
That is it for now.
Thanks for your support and with warmest regards-
Carey
Hello Everyone!It has been quite a week - one I will wish never to repeat. I feel rather epic this week so I will begin with "Whence last you joined me here at the blog' I was shaky but on the 'upswing' so to speak after re-hydrating. Late on the Wednesday however I started to develop a cough and by Thursday we were calling in to my med team as I was maintaining a fever of 101 and anything over 100 in my new world is a no-no.So, I was prescribed an antibiotic and began that immediately. On the Friday I went into the hospital for more fluids but was still running a fever that steadily increased into Valentines day - another call into the med team on Saturday and a 2nd antibiotic was prescribed to take in tandem with the 1st one. Should have been overkill right? Nuh-uh. By Saturday evening instead of a great dining experience @ my brother-in-laws (Happy Birthday Mike - I bet Pete forgot to call you on Wednesday, huh?), I was running a fever over 104 through the night and alternating between drenching the sheets and freezing to death. As much fluid as I was trying to get into me, the fever was taking it away at a far more rapid pace. I was awake for most of the night with the cough and difficulty breathing and by the time Pete's alarm went off at 6am I was so on fire I asked Pete to draw me a cool bath and I crawled in to the bathroom to get in the tub with some tylenol. The bath and the tylonel worked to cool me down for a few hours but by early afternoon my fever was back up again to 103 and my breathing was laboured so with Pete working my Mom and Aunt took me to emergency that Sunday afternoon.The moment @ emergency reception that I told them that I was pre-stem cell transplant, they took a tact and care protocol with me that I can say would rival any top class care facility in this country or the U.S. Now, granted, there was 'no room at the Inn' so I spent three days on an emergency stretcher in their resuscitation room (isolated) instead of a hospital room but other that, I can only praise the doctors and nurses (other than 1, who I shall refrain of speaking of) for their skill, compassion and true caring for me. As I just said above, I was bad off enough to be kept in until Tuesday, I was badly dehydrated as well as riddled with some infection so they IV'd me immediately and pumped 5 bags of fluid into me back-to-back-to-back (etc.) plus IV's of antibiotics every 8 hrs plus continued fluids. I was discharged Tuesday afternoon and placed on new doses of the same antibiotics as pre-hospitalization, just higher doses, until next week.So, what does this mean chemo treatment wise? Well, I saw Dr. Fraser and Carol yesterday @ Juravinski and they are slightly delaying my next chemo. I will go for blood tests again next Wednesday and if my counts have rebounded and my chest is clear (cough/wheezing gone) then we will proceed with chemo on that Thursday. Otherwise they will cancel and defer me to the following week, which will bump everything by about a week in the calendar but c'est la vie.Must say, despite the actual DAY of valentines being a total write-off (Pete and I aren't super mushy about that stuff anyways - you know us) I have to say it was a great week to see once again how much I am loved. Beautiful cards with thoughtful messages, roses from Pete, sweet cards/drawing from my son, - love was all around me.Today, I was at a followup appt with one of the hospital doctors @ his office and in walked one of the nurses from the hospital with her son. Her name is Sheila and she hugged me in that waiting room and genuinely cared -what a great capacity for caring from a total stranger, amazing. Her son may be going through some medical problems so as you are so kind to say a prayer or think a good thought for me -please think of her and her son as well. She is the type of lady who deserves some good karma.Thank you all for reading and supporting and Happy Valentines Week-Carey
Hello everyone!
I'm going to cut to the chase on this one - I had round two yesterday and can now check my 1st cycle off (round 1+2 = 1 cycle)!
My Sunday and Monday were pretty low. When I went in to the hospital for my blood counts on Monday I was quite dehydrated, shaky, faint and nauseous - which was all my own fault for not keeping up on my fluid intake. No excuses, it was just hard to drink when I was feeling bad so I didn't. Anyone reading this who will soon be on this journey - drink your fluids!!!
My Dr. ordered an extra IV bag (of fluids) for me for Tuesday after the chemo and I forced drank and drank until then despite myself and by after my chemo was feeling much better. I still have to go for another fluid infusion on Friday but have been ordered to drink-drink-drink or else they will make me get home-care to come in daily to IV fluids - and I don't want that.
Well, this is the day after the Cisplatin (The "P") and I got up and had some toast but now am feeling a little shaky so am going to sign off after this next paragraph and rest (Almost all I do now).
I just wanted to add a blog mention to my Mom Pat and mother in law Claudia. They have been cooking for Pete and I now since the 1st chemo and have taken care of our every need. Even more than our culinary needs - Hayden is so wrapped in their love, he is doing just great. Thank you.
Keep well everyone, take care,
Carey
Hello my blog followers (hehehe!)!
Just over these past few days I have come to realize how many people are checking out this blog for updates and I thank you all for your interest and support!
Treatment #1 was Tuesday and it was a long day. We had to get to the hospital by 8am so it was any early day but we were prepared with our bags full of (for me) magazines, books, writing diary, i-pod and granola bars and (for Pete) various snacks and all his study material for his captain's test coming in late spring (Go Pete go!).
As I said, Tuesday was long. Juravinski is a beautiful updated cancer facility but its partnered hospital hit its prime a couple decades ago a least - ambiance is not a consideration BUT the nurses were friendly, efficient and the room was not filled so Pete was able to sit with me the whole day. The only 2 nasty bits were, as usual, they could not find a decent vein in me so they blasted a few more in my hands (I am dreadfully curious about what they will do this Tuesday!) and one of the chemo drugs (The "G") was particularly 'spicy' so it burned going in for most of the time but again the nurses were compassionate and wrapped my arm in a warm and heavy blanket to relieve some of the sensation.
We finished up before 5pm but after getting enough pharmaceuticals to make a junkie proud over @ Juravinski were weren't home until after 6.
That night I was okay - able to eat a nice dinner and then...CRASSSSSHHHHH! Between the nausea, anti-nausea meds, kidney protection drugs, pain meds, steroids, etc. I have been in a blur until yesterday. On Saturday I was feeling tired but able to get a good decent shower and out of the house for an afternoon visit to the in-laws (Happy bday Derek!). It was good to get out for those hours as I had not even been down the stairs since Tuesday and my walls were closing in on me.
Today is Sunday the 8th and I am feeling okay. The weather looks fantastic so we are even going to try and get a walk around the block - something short to see how it goes. It's hard to describe yesterday and today. I am not sleepy anymore -just so very tired and distracted mentally - like I have chemo-ADD or something. My thoughts are fragmented a bit...it could be the steroids. My doc did mention they could effect your thoughts rolling around in your head (as in flickering from one to the next at lightening speed or zoning into my own dimension!! :) ).
Monday is my bloodtests and Dr.'s appt. to determine if my bloodcounts are high enough to get my next treatment. I will know if this coming Tuesday in 'a go' then.
Listen, to everyone, I have received so many kind emails and words of support and it is really helping me rally through this! Thanks - thank you.
Now, to get my lazy bum away from this computer and get dressed for that walk!
All the best to you all -merci.
Carey
