Whacked Out in the Predni-Zone
Loud music, lots of snacks, dancing around and trying to remember what I'm doing when I go from room to room to get something... or do something... or what was it???
Tomorrow is the 5th and last day of prednisone for this round. Can't wait til it's over. I feel like if you tied a string to my toe, I would follow you around like a helium balloon...
Tomorrow is also my son Steve's 21st birthday. Happy Birthday, Steve! I'm going to see him next week instead of tomorrow when I'm zoned out. It's a better plan, but I'll miss him tomorrow.
I'm going to Jack's so he can watch over me and make sure I don't do anything too radical. This will be the first time he's seen me in the predni-Zone. Is he ready for this? I've been told I'm quite entertaining but he may find it a bit alarming too... or maybe not. He's got his own wacky side.
Wednesday, April 16, 2003
So-So Counts, but Chemo Anyway
My counts weren't that great, but Dr L said we were going ahead anyway.
WBC 2.6 (neutriphils only 0.7)
HgB 11.5 (That's actually an improvement.)
Platelets 31 (slight improvement over the 22 from last week)
The good news was that a lot of the surface lymphoma is gone. Now we have to work on the deeper stuff, in the pelvis especially since that's blocking the kidney. I started chemo yesterday and am back in the predni-Zone through Saturday. Have to skip Passover this year. I'll be going in for my Neulasta shot later this afternoon and then back home to wait out the effects of the prednisone. Yuck.
My counts weren't that great, but Dr L said we were going ahead anyway.
WBC 2.6 (neutriphils only 0.7)
HgB 11.5 (That's actually an improvement.)
Platelets 31 (slight improvement over the 22 from last week)
The good news was that a lot of the surface lymphoma is gone. Now we have to work on the deeper stuff, in the pelvis especially since that's blocking the kidney. I started chemo yesterday and am back in the predni-Zone through Saturday. Have to skip Passover this year. I'll be going in for my Neulasta shot later this afternoon and then back home to wait out the effects of the prednisone. Yuck.
News From Last Friday
I'm in "Oh, sh*t" mode here.
My latest CAT scan results were pretty dismal. Essentially, disease
progressing in chest, abdomen and pelvis. The doc says it's worse
than he thought it would be, and he grounded me from family stress.
HA! Like that is about to happen.
In any case, we are going to try one or two rounds of the full chemo
(Rituxan + CVP) that I was taking last fall. If it works fast
enough we'll stay with that. If not, we may have to go to something
stronger like, VP-16 (etoposide?) with Rituxan, I think. Not
looking forward to that.
This is the first time I've had the problems with pleural effusions
and with hydronephrosis. Those are the most emergent problems for
right now. That's what has to get resolved fast to hopefully avoid
more permanent problems. If it doesn't resolve relatively quickly,
I might have to have a stent put in the ureter (if I'm remembering
terminology correctly). Don't want to have to do that either...
I see the doc and am scheduled for treatment on Tuesday morning,
unless my counts are REALLY bad. If they're just medium bad, we're
going ahead anyway, since this can't wait.
I'm at my boyfriend's so he can take care of me for the next few
days. Thank God for Jack! I am feeling so blessed that he has come
into my life and that I'm not going this alone this time. After 10
years of doing it alone, I don't know if I could do it again on my
own. Jack's been great. He's very worried though.
I feel pretty crummy. Swollen abdomen and pressure on my stomach
and diaphragm are making me a bit uncomfortable. Also getting these
results hasn't exactly lowered my stress level. The doc said he
thinks I'll do all right over the weekend, because he is on call,
and I only have problems when he's gone...
I'm in "Oh, sh*t" mode here.
My latest CAT scan results were pretty dismal. Essentially, disease
progressing in chest, abdomen and pelvis. The doc says it's worse
than he thought it would be, and he grounded me from family stress.
HA! Like that is about to happen.
In any case, we are going to try one or two rounds of the full chemo
(Rituxan + CVP) that I was taking last fall. If it works fast
enough we'll stay with that. If not, we may have to go to something
stronger like, VP-16 (etoposide?) with Rituxan, I think. Not
looking forward to that.
This is the first time I've had the problems with pleural effusions
and with hydronephrosis. Those are the most emergent problems for
right now. That's what has to get resolved fast to hopefully avoid
more permanent problems. If it doesn't resolve relatively quickly,
I might have to have a stent put in the ureter (if I'm remembering
terminology correctly). Don't want to have to do that either...
I see the doc and am scheduled for treatment on Tuesday morning,
unless my counts are REALLY bad. If they're just medium bad, we're
going ahead anyway, since this can't wait.
I'm at my boyfriend's so he can take care of me for the next few
days. Thank God for Jack! I am feeling so blessed that he has come
into my life and that I'm not going this alone this time. After 10
years of doing it alone, I don't know if I could do it again on my
own. Jack's been great. He's very worried though.
I feel pretty crummy. Swollen abdomen and pressure on my stomach
and diaphragm are making me a bit uncomfortable. Also getting these
results hasn't exactly lowered my stress level. The doc said he
thinks I'll do all right over the weekend, because he is on call,
and I only have problems when he's gone...
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