Numbers Update

I went to the cancer center this morning for a complete blood count. All of my cells are slowly recovering but at least their doing it on their own. After this stem cell transplant my body seems to be recovering better than all the times in the past. Which is intriguing considering what my body has been through, I'm surprised that it can still make it's own cells. And that's a good thing since my body does not react well when I receive blood or platelets. I usually receive Tylenol and 50mg of Benedryl to prevent hives that swell up my whole body.

I haven't received my marker numbers yet but Thursday I will be going back in for another complete blood count, so by then they should have the results back on the cancer count. Til' then,


JMHJ

Headed for Pa.

Well, Lord willing I'll be headed back to Pa. somewhere around two or three o'clock. Everything so far seems to be going to plan, or so called plan anyway. The plan right now is that my Aunt Sharon will pick me up and take me home. All my numbers seem to be OK, but I did need magnesium and potassium this morning. If it's anything like the first stem cell, my oncologist will take my marker numbers tomorrow when I go see them in Gettysburg. But we'll see, things seem to change a lot. Talk soon,


JMHJ

Fever over 104.0

I have been planning on posting a lot sooner but I've been pretty sick the last week. On Monday i started to get sick but it didn't really kick in until Tuesday afternoon. By then the fever was up to somewhere over 104.0 and climbing. It finally broke Thursday morning sometime around 3:30 to 4:00. I couldn't tell you if it even went any higher than that, that was just the last number i heard them say before i lost consciousness. It was a little more under control by Wednesday morning, and finally woke up soaking wet Thursday morning around 4:00. I pray the Lord continues His mercy upon me and i do not spike another fever before my wbc start to go up.

Tomorrow is the start of our sabbath so it will most likely be after that before i post again. Lord willing, my wife is to be here Friday evening, and my parents sometime Saturday afternoon. Of course my parents will leave Saturday evening and my wife will keep me company until Sunday evening. I praise the Lord for the visitors that He has given me both times I have been down here at UMMC. Talk soon,



JMHJ

Receive Stemcells today

Well I received my stem cells today. It was all around a pretty rough day. I was nauseated most of the day and tired even more of it. They gave me my stem cells around 2:00 and it took probably about an hour or two. It went well except this time the veins in my legs hurt, it felt like the muscles were cramping up.

Stem cell sounds like a big deal but it really isn't. Their frozen when they get here, thaw them into an extra large syringe, then just push them into your port, or vein or whatever. The only real side effect is that it taste like tomato soup from the preservative they put in the stem cells. Which you can also smell in the room while they are injecting them.

My father and aunt showed up today. Gave me someone to talk to in between dozing in and out.

I feel pretty worn down, I'll try to write later on this week but if it's anything like the last session it's going to be pretty rough until next Wed. or Thur. Talk soon.



JMHJ

Going back in / Second day chemo

As according to plan right now I will be going back in for treatment on Friday between 11:00 - 3:00. Lord willing it won't be any worse than the first time. I don't know if the treatments will be the same or not given that I will have a new doctor.

Last weekend I started to have pain in my back again but then it went away. It reoccurred last night bad enough for me to take pain reliever for it. I pray it's just from the work I've been trying to do to get things caught up before I go back in. But we'll see.


Sorry for the delay, this was to be posted on Thursday but never made it due to trying to get things caught up. Moving on.

The ride down on Friday was unbearable, and by the time I got situated in my room it was most likely the most pain that I have experienced so far. The pain went from my bottom left side to the top of my left shoulder blade. It took 90mg of IV morphine, laudanum, and Oxycontin to get rid of the pain. After they got the pain under control, which took until about midnight, they got me started on the chemo. The first day went well as usual, but the second day has been rough unlike the first round. I pray that the third is no worse than the second, but I'll see tonight.

On a better note, this is the last dose of this round, then Monday is my rest day.After that they insert my stem cells back into me on Tuesday. And if it's anything like last time at the end of the week the pain starts, but we'll see.

They did an MRI on me when I got here and seem to think that the pain was caused by the deterioration in my spine, probably due to the chemo, certainly not what you want to hear. But still waiting to see what my bHCG marker is to tell whether its the cancer or not, but we'll see.

Well obviously the homestead in on hold once again but we did get the chicken coop almost completely done thanks to Bob a brother up here and my Dad.








Sorry about the pictures, just learning how to do it, but it gives you the general idea of whats going on. Lord willing, talk soon,


JMHJ