This Pilgrim's Progress

Blood Clot

I'm still fighting off the flu.  I think I'm mostly over it, but still have some chest congestion and a cough.

Today went in for labs and scans. My metabolic and CBC panels came out great, no problems. This afternoon, found out that they detected from the CT scan a blood clot where my venous catheter used to be.  My doctor prescribed an anticoagulant and Debbie gets the pleasure again of giving me two shots a day. Later I can go to a pill form, but I have to take some sort of class (?) first.

They haven't finished analyzing the PET scan yet, but we'll get the results Wednesday. That scan will pretty much tell us if the cancer is gone or not.

I see my UCSD oncologist Friday and I guess we'll find out what's next in the on-going adventure!!

Soli Deo Gloria!!

Good News

I went in for my routine blood panels (cbc and metabolic) today. The results were very good, all counts are up.  The nurse coordinator said that I could probably get my catheter removed this week (yea!!!), and she was going to schedule some scans for next week.  I have an appointment to see an epidemiologist Friday to check on my flu.  I think it's starting to go away, but it's a gradual thing.

So blood counts are going up, and I'm starting to kick the flu! Praise the Lord!!!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Day + 25, Flu still here

I still have the flu, but I think the medications are starting to work. My chest congestion and coughing is less and I'm able to get a pretty good night's sleep. I still get some coughing "jags" going every once in awhile, and it always sounds awful!! I wouldn't recommend trying to visit me while I have this flu, I'd hate to give it to anyone else.  Thanks to everyone for y0ur faithful prayers and support.   Heidi is at Oberlin for a chamber music camp for 3 weeks, so it's real quiet around here.  Andrew is working a lot for his uncle so he's often not around.  It's sometimes just me in the house holding down the furniture!!  I am getting a lot of reading done. I'll publish a list of the books I thought were the best.

Please continue to pray for my niece, Brittany Wnek and her family. She is still experiencing pain in her legs and tailbone after her operation to remove the tumor in her head.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Day +22, got flu

Went in for another lab test yesterday and afterwards saw my doctor at UCSD Moores Cancer Center.  Good news is I'm doing pretty good. My counts went down a little bit but looked pretty good. I mentioned the cold/cough that I had, and Dr. Ball checked my chart to see what they had done at the BMT ward.  One of the tests for flu came back as positive, but the result wasn't until 6/30, so I was already checked out. But no one had called me to let me know that I had the flu. Dr. Ball wasn't pleased,  but he got on it right away and they gave me a prescription for Tamilflu and Rimantadine.  Hopefully that will help me kick it.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Always Tired

I had a good weekend, being home was the best part.  I'm still feeling pretty tired most of the time, so I do a lot of napping. Still have the congestion, don't know if it's hay fever allergy or a cold. I did sleep with the Hepa filter on all night and that seemed to help. I'm taking an anti-viral (along with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal pills) med, but I think it only protects against the herpes virus.  Anyway, I just need to be patient and take the naps when I need them. 

Heidi ran in the triathalon Sunday and did very well. The chain fell off her bike on the transition, but she was able to get it back on and ride the bike portion with no other problems. She said she felt real good on the run and still had plenty of energy.  I didn't go of course (I need to avoid crowds), but Debbie did and enjoyed watching Heidi race.

My birthday was Saturday, and it was kind of nice to have made it through another year!!  I don't feel 57, but I guess I do look it!  Anyway, I'm looking at each additional year as a wonderful gift from the Lord. The weekend was warm and beautiful. Sunday morning I sat outside on the porch and read a devotional, and felt very blessed to be alive.

Soli Deo Gloria!!

At Home

Well it took all day yesterday, but finally they released me to come home. It felt great to be home and to sleep in my own bed.  I've got a bunch of medication to take, and that's still taking a toll on my digestive system.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Get to go home tomorrow

The doctor just came by. He said I'm doing very well and I'll probably be able to go home tomorrow!!!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Day +13

Had a very good night. Today my white blood cell count is 5.0. I'm hoping the doctor will decide to let me go home today. Trying to get back to eating solid food, but the stomach is still pretty touchy.  Did some laps this morning. It's now just a waiting game.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Day +11 White Cell count is 0.9 !!!!

Praise the Lord!!  My WBC is 0.9 , which means the stem cells did their job of rebuilding my bone marrow and I'm now producing white blood cells.  This is the main indicator of how your immunity system is doing. Now it's just a matter of time to wait until the counts are sufficiently high enough to send me home. I also have a nagging and painful cough that I need to get rid of, and my electrolyte balance needs improvement.

But it feeeels sooo good to be on the down hill side of this journey!!!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Happy Fathers Day!!

The last few days have been pretty tough. I finally figured out the pattern though.  Each fever lasts  2 to 4 hours. Depending on when they did your labs, you may get antibiotics. If your fever goes above 102 they give you tylenol. When your head starts sweating is when the fever has broken. Of course all of this wipes you out.   The fevers are caused by what the stem cells are doing to rebuild your bone marrow. But they can't tell a bad fever from from a good fever, so thats the reason for all lab tests and antibiotics. So it's again an endurance contest, putting up with the fevers while the stem cells do their thing. Then you have things like a flakey hvac system, rampant diarhea to keep it even more exiciting.

Hope everyone has a great Father's day!!

Soli Deo Gloria!!