"Middle of my last week" update

Okey dokey. I have gotten tons of love from my blogging peeps who have or had the hodge recently. They have shared their post-hodge plans and they range from the rough (more treatments then I am having and/or radiation) to the uneasy (too early a scan showing some weird anomalies) to the great (quick scan, all is good, go forth young person). With this feedback I feel better. Although I would prefer to have a scan done quickly after next Thursday (and then have my port remove). I also don't want to do anything to "jinx" it and now have proper perspective on what is more important.

I am feeling good and my belly and taste buds are back on-line. I am noticing hair growth again on my hands and other areas where it was lost. Sweet. Now if I can work on some eyebrows :)

I got some really cool news at work today. I was given an end of year award they give to only four people (out of hundreds) which includes a trip to Puerto Rico (YEAH!). I was really happy and also a little embarrassed, but that's how I get. They surprised me by getting my wife there when they announced it. Really cool. In the past six months, I have taken 1 day per treatment (10 in 2007, 1 so far in 2008) and at least 7 others for scans, port and biopsies. I have tried to stay as engaged at work as before and in some cases tried to overcompensate. I was really worried about not being as available as I should be or causing a greater load on others. It was nice to just be put in for the award and then, to be one of the winners....unbelievable. Working through this has been very theraputic. If I wasn't feeling good, it actually distracted me by keeping me busy. I'll "lower label" this post "reasons to work through treatment".

#11 in the books. One to go.

So we talked with Dr. Houck and found out the following:
- After my last treatment in two weeks, we won't see him for three months.
- No radiation like the plan was all along.
- Prior to that appointment, we will have a PET/CAT scan done.
- I will need to come in once every 30 days or so to get more port flushed.

My WBC count was 2200 this time, which is inline with the past. I feel better from that cold.

Today I pretty much slept through the entire time. My wife and I look like total mooks in there with our laptops on. Just about everyone in there is 55 or older and we look like complete marks for. I was really sluggish today and my belly wasn't doing well, so I just laid up stairs.

Sandy, Mary Jane: What are the plans your Drs have for you (outside of the radiation) for when they will do a follow up scan?

Jon

Middle Appt Update

Well,

Although my WBC was an all-time high, I was pretty fatigued all of this weekend. Could have been the holidays, could have been the eternal cold I have. I wake up EVERY morning and spend the better part of 2 hours clearing my nose. This is after getting up every two hours in the evening to figure out how to sleep in order to continue to breathe. Yesterday marked the "as long as there are no surprizes, I only have 3 weeks until my last treatment". I have #11 next Thursday and then #12 two weeks after that. Then I would presume (I will find out next Thursday for sure), that I would get another PET scan. Should that be good, we would then schedule the surgery to have my port removed. I wonder if they will let me keep it :)

I hope everyone is having a great Holiday.

Normal wear and tear after treatment #10

Well, #10 is all done and there are just 2 more to go. We'll have a PET scan after the last one and then schedule my port to be removed should everything continue to look clean. Apparently I would need to come in every month or so for a flush of it until it did get removed, and I don't want to see that infusion treatment room ever again.

Jan 17 would be my last treatment now unless something pushes it back.

I am feeling ok. Took some Ibuprofen (headache), Docusate Calcium (to stay ahead of the constipation) and a Kytril to chill my belly. Trying to load up on fluids and get through the weekend so I am in good shape for x-mas.

Merry Christmas everyone.

I am calling shenanigans on the deal...

Well, I am getting treatment today (YAAAA!). However, my white blood count was 6.7 (6700 per mm3). That is well within normal range. So that's good. However prior to even getting chemo for the first time back in August, my WBC was 4.7. So some how in 1 week I went from 1.7 to an all time record for me of 6.7. I wonder about those results. Either way, I am getting treatment, so that's good news.

I would like to use this time to send some shout outs to people:
- Jamie at More Adventures (link over on the right). He's at the start of his deal but is a 1A, so he has that going for him. Long road ahead, but it goes quick.
- Sandy at the Lymphorama (link =>) is going through radiation and having some effects from it. I wish she didn't have to go through that during the Holidays. We are thinking about you girl.

Jinx, kibosh, whammmmmy..

I should have expected this. My last post stated "1 month to go", three total treatments. Then on Monday evening I contracted a terrible stomach bug which put me down for 24 hours. At that point I knew there was a pretty decent chance my #'s would look like junk come today, but I thought I would give it a try. Sure enough, I was 1700 on my WBC's and 350 on my ANC (absolute neutrophil count). The first number isn't great, but the last number is definitely trash. Here is a good link explaining what low counts mean and what is good/bad.

Regardless, I have been pushed back a week. I am not upset about it, like I said, I expected it a little and I have been extremely fortunate to not run into (knock on all things wooden) any major illness setbacks during this. Especially in light of the fact that I am not taking Neulasta or Neupogen.

We'll see what next week looks like.

On a good news front, Georgia M. from Pennsylvania, is a reader whose husband Ray was diagnosed a few months ago. They got results back from a recent scan showing no activity and significant shrinking of nodes. Stuff like that cheers me up and I know it will help him push through the rest of treatment. We are thinking about you Ray.

Countdown is on...

Jan 10th, as of now, would be my last treatment of the newly "AVD". 32 days from tomorrow. I have three treatments left with my next coming this Thursday the 13th. I have been doing well with my side effects lately. The fatigue and nausea haven't been real bad, I have noticed some hair growth in areas where it was gone and I haven't experienced any of the belly issues or hot-wing mouth like I had in the past. Some of these are because of what I do to prevent them after treatment, some are just occurring on their own. Either way, the last 5 months have gone by quickly and the treatments get here sooner and sooner it seems. With Christmas and New Years right around the corner, there will be even more distractions to make the time fly. Here's to one more month left.