Day 2 of chemotherapy was as uneventful as the first day on Friday and that's a good thing.
It was also a much shorter day as I didn't get the four-hour drip of Rituxan, so I was in and out in just over two hours.
The downside to the day was the fact I had just started to bounce back from Friday's drip and almost felt "normal."
Over the weekend, I battled fatigue, nausea, neuropathy (tingling in the hands and fingers) and some mild pain.
Sunday kicked my butt. I had a hard time managing the symptoms throughout the day and then I woke up on Monday feeling much better, until I realized my next dose was just a few hours away.
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| Jenny! |
Upon arriving at the hospital, I was pleased to learn Jenny was going to be my nurse. She was one of my two primary nurses 10 years ago when I first dealt with Mantle Cell Lymphoma.
I can't begin to tell you how comforting it is to know I'm going through this again with many of the same people who were there for me the first time. Starting with Dr. Friedman, who I have the utmost confidence in, and Jenny and Suzanne, who I may not see based on my treatment schedule, these are great people who do their best to make you feel comfortable in the most uncomfortable of situations.
It's very beneficial both for my mental health and because they remember the issues I dealt with the first time around and are prepared for what we might encounter this time.
For instance, Jenny knew I had issues with the Rituxan and Benadryl that caused my legs a lot of discomfort.
She talked with Dr. Friedman and they determined I'd get a dose of Ativan prior to the Benadryl to offset those effects. It worked well and I had no issues the rest of the drip, which included just 10 minutes of Bendeka and a Velcade shot.
I felt much better leaving the hospital than I did on Friday when I received the long drip of Rituxan. I wasn't as light-headed or dizzy. I did again have the "leg shakes." For some reason, I've been very weak in the legs lately.
Paulette and I returned home to find a nice surprise at our door. My sister had dropped off Dickey's BBQ for dinner, which worked out well considering Paulette had a work meeting and we weren't exactly sure how we were going to feed the kids--seems they have eat!
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| Dickies BBQ |
At home, I was able to relax on my recliner with the dog, who seemed to believe she is the patient and forced me to rub her belly.
I also received another surprise in the mail.
My niece Alex--Paulette's sister's daughter--is a kindergarten teacher in Virginia. She had her class create another Book of Happy Thoughts!
We're all big Notre Dame fans so the cover is decked out in ND logos and inside are the drawings the kids created with a quick note of encouragement.
I love the encouragement...and Da'Quarius, I AM going to dunk on you...as soon as my legs stop shaking!
Here's a look at more of my favorites from the book:
The other good news I received yesterday was a call from Dr. Boughan's office downtown. She scheduled my CAR-T consult for Monday, which means that process is going to get underway soon.
First, we'll schedule the induction (the cell collection) and then the consolidation (when they return the modified cells to my blood to fight the disease).
Collection should take place over a couple of days at University Hospital's Seidman Cancer Center downtown. Again, that process is very similar to the stem cell collection I did 10 years ago. They simply draw blood, pull out the stem cells and return the blood to the body.
After collection, they'll take the cells and modify them in the lab.
UH is unique. Most hospitals using the CAR-T therapy use a commercial lab in California to modify the cells. UH does that in-house, which shortens the amount of time between induction and consolidation.
When scheduled, the consolidation could take as little as 12 days in the hospital up to a few weeks.
After I'm released from the hospital, I'd be closely monitored for 60 days with daily blood draws and evaluation.
UH requires its patients to be within 40 miles and one hour of the hospital or the patient must stay at Hope Lodge, which is across the street from the hospital.
We're just under 37 miles and about 55 minutes, so I'm not sure if I'll get to come home or stay at the Hope Lodge. I'm sure we'll discuss that on Monday.
Today, I'm feeling pretty well, aside from the neuropathy and shaking. There is some fatigue and a cough as my blood counts begin to change due to the chemotherapy.
I was hoping to get out to cover a baseball or softball playoff game today but based on my current state that isn't likely to happen.
If the pattern continues from Round 1, I'm assuming tomorrow will be the worst day for the side effects. Maybe I'll get out on Thursday to cover an event. I feel so useless not being able to work.
I know it seems silly, but getting out and doing my thing makes me feel so much better.
First, we'll schedule the induction (the cell collection) and then the consolidation (when they return the modified cells to my blood to fight the disease).
Collection should take place over a couple of days at University Hospital's Seidman Cancer Center downtown. Again, that process is very similar to the stem cell collection I did 10 years ago. They simply draw blood, pull out the stem cells and return the blood to the body.
After collection, they'll take the cells and modify them in the lab.
UH is unique. Most hospitals using the CAR-T therapy use a commercial lab in California to modify the cells. UH does that in-house, which shortens the amount of time between induction and consolidation.
When scheduled, the consolidation could take as little as 12 days in the hospital up to a few weeks.
After I'm released from the hospital, I'd be closely monitored for 60 days with daily blood draws and evaluation.
UH requires its patients to be within 40 miles and one hour of the hospital or the patient must stay at Hope Lodge, which is across the street from the hospital.
We're just under 37 miles and about 55 minutes, so I'm not sure if I'll get to come home or stay at the Hope Lodge. I'm sure we'll discuss that on Monday.
Today, I'm feeling pretty well, aside from the neuropathy and shaking. There is some fatigue and a cough as my blood counts begin to change due to the chemotherapy.
I was hoping to get out to cover a baseball or softball playoff game today but based on my current state that isn't likely to happen.
If the pattern continues from Round 1, I'm assuming tomorrow will be the worst day for the side effects. Maybe I'll get out on Thursday to cover an event. I feel so useless not being able to work.
I know it seems silly, but getting out and doing my thing makes me feel so much better.
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