I had a blood test Monday and I have been anxiously pacing beside the telephone, practically begging Nurse K to call me. I had been warned at the lab that, since additional tests were being made, especially M-spike, the tests would take longer to be evaluated and reported to Dr. Hema.
Nurse K just called. My hemoglobin is now 12.7, up from 12.2. That's a great improvement. The normal range, depending on who you read is 13 or 14 to 18. I am rapidly approaching normal!
The M-spike reading was 1.07, down from 3.16 in October. A person in remission would have a reading of zero.
Last October, the IgM reading was an alarming 5120 versus a normal range of 60-263. Today, the level is 1520. That's still a high number, but shows tremendous improvement!
Today's weight: 174.
All of these signs point to great improvement and trending towards remission. My overall health and energy bear this out. I feel better now than I have in several years.
Needless to say, I am very happy. My adorable wife is very happy. I resume treatments on January 4 and hope that my numbers will continue to improve.
What a wonderful Christmas gift I have received!!!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Round Two
My second round (of six!) treatments is complete. These treatments take place every day for five days, then four weeks off, then every day for five days, etc. My adorable wife and I traveled to Big City every day this last week and I had an hour or so of infusion. They leave the IV in my arm for three days and remove it at the end of treatment Wednesday; a new IV is inserted Thursday, which remains until treatment is finished on Friday. Yes, gentle readers, that means you get to sleep with a sharp needle in your arm four nights out of five. Just part of the price you pay for lymphoma and its treatment, I suppose.
I had another very sad moment in the infusion room; I saw a young couple, in their 20s, I'd guess. The young woman was in the chair being fussed over with great care and compassion by the nurses who work the infusion therapy room. The man was in a visitors chair acting the part of the caring, compassionate partner.
I actually left the facility in tears.
It's one thing to get a cancer diagnosis at age 66, when you have lived a very full life, spent many years married to the love of your life and have lived long enough to hug your grandchildren. It's quite another to get such a diagnosis at, say, age 25, when much of your whole life is yet before you. For her, it will be quite different from what she and her partner hoped for. I am praying that she will have an early remission and a long life.
I am doing quite well. My health and energy are just great. My weight is steady at 172 and I hope I have not created a gravy biscuit monster! My next blood test is in two weeks, instead of one week, because Dr. Hema is so impressed with my progress. I will have a respite from treatments until January 4. All the better to enjoy the holidays!
I hope you will all enjoy the holidays, too. Hug each other from me. We never know what the future holds and I am quite sure you can not overdose on hugs!
I had another very sad moment in the infusion room; I saw a young couple, in their 20s, I'd guess. The young woman was in the chair being fussed over with great care and compassion by the nurses who work the infusion therapy room. The man was in a visitors chair acting the part of the caring, compassionate partner.
I actually left the facility in tears.
It's one thing to get a cancer diagnosis at age 66, when you have lived a very full life, spent many years married to the love of your life and have lived long enough to hug your grandchildren. It's quite another to get such a diagnosis at, say, age 25, when much of your whole life is yet before you. For her, it will be quite different from what she and her partner hoped for. I am praying that she will have an early remission and a long life.
I am doing quite well. My health and energy are just great. My weight is steady at 172 and I hope I have not created a gravy biscuit monster! My next blood test is in two weeks, instead of one week, because Dr. Hema is so impressed with my progress. I will have a respite from treatments until January 4. All the better to enjoy the holidays!
I hope you will all enjoy the holidays, too. Hug each other from me. We never know what the future holds and I am quite sure you can not overdose on hugs!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Back to chemo
We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with our younger son, daughter-in-law and twin grandchildren. Our Thanksgiving dinner was awesome! It was great to have a respite from the treatment room and weekly blood tests in order to spend time with family.
Now it is back to the treatment room for the next round of treatments. Dr. Hema was very encouraged with the results of the blood tests that were previously taken, as well as the test taken before today's chemotherapy. He said that there is no doubt that the chemo is doing what it is intended to do: kill lymphoma! My overall health, energy and weight all support this.
My adorable wife and I will be going to Dr. Hema's office again Tuesday through Friday. Thankfully, these are short treatments, taking about an hour. However, any field trip is an excellent excuse for a big lunch in Big City!
Today's weight: 171.5!!!
Now it is back to the treatment room for the next round of treatments. Dr. Hema was very encouraged with the results of the blood tests that were previously taken, as well as the test taken before today's chemotherapy. He said that there is no doubt that the chemo is doing what it is intended to do: kill lymphoma! My overall health, energy and weight all support this.
My adorable wife and I will be going to Dr. Hema's office again Tuesday through Friday. Thankfully, these are short treatments, taking about an hour. However, any field trip is an excellent excuse for a big lunch in Big City!
Today's weight: 171.5!!!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Another great report!
Nurse K, who is becoming my new best friend, called a few minutes ago with the results of yesterday's blood test. My red and white blood counts, which had been abnormally low, are both now normal! My hemoglobin is now 12.2, up from 11.7 last week. It is getting very close to the low end of normal for an older male, which is 13 or 14, depending on which resource you read.
All this suggests that the lymphoma, which has been negatively affecting my overall health, is being stopped!
No blood test is required for this Monday, but the following Monday, November 30, it's back to Big City for the next round of treatments.
More good news: today's weight was 170! Yippee!!! I might actually skip desert tonight.
All this suggests that the lymphoma, which has been negatively affecting my overall health, is being stopped!
No blood test is required for this Monday, but the following Monday, November 30, it's back to Big City for the next round of treatments.
More good news: today's weight was 170! Yippee!!! I might actually skip desert tonight.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
A very good report
Nurse K, who is Dr. Hema's nurse, called today to report that the results of my Monday blood test were in and very good. She said the white blood count was slightly below normal but no where near the danger area. The 'danger area' I believe, refers to such a reduced immunity that every passing germ is a very dangerous threat. She also said my hemoglobin is now at 11.7, up from 10.9 just a week ago.
These results suggest that the fludarabine treatment is being tolerated very well. I hope it is having the desired effect; the eradication of lymphoma. Having gone through the agony of rituxan and its side effects, and no real improvement, I can only be cautiously optimistic. Dr. Hema and I passingly mentioned a third therapy, Zevalin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zevalin
It is, as Wikipedia says, currently the most expensive drug available given in a single dose, costing over US$ 24,000 for the average dose. I hope you will keep paying your taxes so that Medicare can take care of me!!!
These results suggest that the fludarabine treatment is being tolerated very well. I hope it is having the desired effect; the eradication of lymphoma. Having gone through the agony of rituxan and its side effects, and no real improvement, I can only be cautiously optimistic. Dr. Hema and I passingly mentioned a third therapy, Zevalin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zevalin
It is, as Wikipedia says, currently the most expensive drug available given in a single dose, costing over US$ 24,000 for the average dose. I hope you will keep paying your taxes so that Medicare can take care of me!!!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
A common cold
It seems that one of the characteristics of fludarabine, the chemotherapy I am currently taking, is that it increases the risk of opportunistic infections significantly. I believe this means that any old germ floating around will be killed by you, the gentle reader with a robust immune system, but will thrive in me, with a greatly weakened system.
I reported a scratchy throat and a woozy stomach which emerged almost as quickly as the first round of fludarabine was administered. It has progressed to what seems to be a common cold. I have had a cough, the usual sniffles and no fever. I have been monitoring my temperature throughout, since it is an indicator of more serious illness, especially influenza. So far, no readings above normal. I am on schedule to receive the flu vaccine in a week, although the H1N1 vaccine has not appeared in my particular corner of South Carolina quite yet.
I seem to be recovering from the cold normally.
I received a copy of the latest blood tests and about half the readings were abnormal; either too high or too low. My old pal hemoglobin, which ought to be in the 14-17 range, was 10.9, down from 11.2 a month ago. I have not heard from Dr. Hema, so I assume it means that, although my numbers are lousy, they are not unusually lousy for a guy with lymphoma undergoing chemotherapy.
Small consolation, isn't it!?
My spirit remains high. Dr. Hema and I and the entire team have to find and implement the solutions to this problem. We can and we will. It's just a matter of time.
I reported a scratchy throat and a woozy stomach which emerged almost as quickly as the first round of fludarabine was administered. It has progressed to what seems to be a common cold. I have had a cough, the usual sniffles and no fever. I have been monitoring my temperature throughout, since it is an indicator of more serious illness, especially influenza. So far, no readings above normal. I am on schedule to receive the flu vaccine in a week, although the H1N1 vaccine has not appeared in my particular corner of South Carolina quite yet.
I seem to be recovering from the cold normally.
I received a copy of the latest blood tests and about half the readings were abnormal; either too high or too low. My old pal hemoglobin, which ought to be in the 14-17 range, was 10.9, down from 11.2 a month ago. I have not heard from Dr. Hema, so I assume it means that, although my numbers are lousy, they are not unusually lousy for a guy with lymphoma undergoing chemotherapy.
Small consolation, isn't it!?
My spirit remains high. Dr. Hema and I and the entire team have to find and implement the solutions to this problem. We can and we will. It's just a matter of time.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Five down, my first blood test and new symptoms
The first round of every day treatments, out of six rounds, is done. The treatments only took about an hour each, however, the treatment facility is on the farthest, from us, edge of Big City. It is therefor a three hour process to get there, get a treatment and get back. Inevitably, there are other errands to run and so it's really half a day!
I had the first of three weekly blood tests but have not yet seen or heard the result.
I have developed three symptoms. First, I got a scratchy throat. At first, I thought my reduced immune system had admitted a cold or flu, but it doesn't seem to be getting much worse or much better. I hope it is not the flu, especially of the H1N1 variety. I have not run a fever.
Second, I have a funny red rash on my forehead and, to a lesser extent, on my cheeks. My adorable wife has spread on lotions which seem to do little to alleviate the rash. They do feel cooling and I certainly enjoy having her loving care!
Last, I have episodes of indigestion that don't seem to respond to any massive amount of antacids. Fortunately, it only seems to happen after I eat...
These symptoms are a good deal less uncomfortable than the symptoms post-rituxan and so I can and will endure them fairly easily.
I regret that my dear sister P and bro-in-law D have spent some of their visit watching me deteriorate. I felt just fine as they were arriving and never felt that I would suffer any symptoms at all. I suppose that one of the lessons of lymphoma is to expect the unexpected.
I had the first of three weekly blood tests but have not yet seen or heard the result.
I have developed three symptoms. First, I got a scratchy throat. At first, I thought my reduced immune system had admitted a cold or flu, but it doesn't seem to be getting much worse or much better. I hope it is not the flu, especially of the H1N1 variety. I have not run a fever.
Second, I have a funny red rash on my forehead and, to a lesser extent, on my cheeks. My adorable wife has spread on lotions which seem to do little to alleviate the rash. They do feel cooling and I certainly enjoy having her loving care!
Last, I have episodes of indigestion that don't seem to respond to any massive amount of antacids. Fortunately, it only seems to happen after I eat...
These symptoms are a good deal less uncomfortable than the symptoms post-rituxan and so I can and will endure them fairly easily.
I regret that my dear sister P and bro-in-law D have spent some of their visit watching me deteriorate. I felt just fine as they were arriving and never felt that I would suffer any symptoms at all. I suppose that one of the lessons of lymphoma is to expect the unexpected.
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