I am doing pretty well here on East 8. On Tuesday they gave me a unit of platelets because they were way down and then again today they gave me another unit of platelets. I haven't had to get any red blood cells yet, maybe tomorrow, or with lunch maybe not it my stem cells start the engrafting process and start making them for me.
The doctors come to see me each day, but don't spend too long because my situation is boring, just waiting for the stem cells to kick in and take over. Still hopeful of getting out of here by sometime next week if I can keep eating and drinking well enough for the staff here.
In some ways I am pretty lucky that I am locked up inside here with my hepa filters running. Patty is being hit very hard with allergies and has spent most of today taking medication and sleeping.
Not too much else going on, I've been checking out the windows in the hallways and I think we'll be able to see a few fireworks that will be going off on the 4th. Hope you all have have a safe holiday weekend.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
6/26/2011 Here comes the Neupogen agan
It is day 6 since getting the last batch of stem cells. I'm feeling pretty good, but because all my blood counts are lowering, I have been spending a lot of time snoozing for the past couple of days. None of the numbers are low enough to require a transfussion, maybe in a couple of days-don't know.
This afternoon I got my first Neupogen shot again, you might remember it is a growth factor drug that will encourage the stem cells to get where they are suppost to be and hurry up and start producing the cells they are suppose to produce to get the system engrafted and down the road towards building up the numbers to get us out of the hospital and back to the apartment for a while until they kick us loose to head back to Vegas. I'm guessing about a week and a half if the same holds true this time around.
We talked to the kids today to wish Amanda and Matt happy birthday and also talked with Josh for his typical Sunday afternoon conversation. They all seemed to be doing pretty well and we spent the time catching up on things that had been happening with all of us
This afternoon I got my first Neupogen shot again, you might remember it is a growth factor drug that will encourage the stem cells to get where they are suppost to be and hurry up and start producing the cells they are suppose to produce to get the system engrafted and down the road towards building up the numbers to get us out of the hospital and back to the apartment for a while until they kick us loose to head back to Vegas. I'm guessing about a week and a half if the same holds true this time around.
We talked to the kids today to wish Amanda and Matt happy birthday and also talked with Josh for his typical Sunday afternoon conversation. They all seemed to be doing pretty well and we spent the time catching up on things that had been happening with all of us
Friday, June 24, 2011
6/24/2011 Happy Birthday to Amanda and Mathew
Not too much going on these past couple of days. They take labs everymorning about4:00 am and then sometime during the day they give us the results. The blood cell numbers are starting to drop to where within a couple days I will probably have to get transfussions of some kind,whether they are red blood cells, white cells or platelets.
Happy Birthday to Mathew (today) and Amanda on Sunday, they are both doing some travelings and hope and pray they travel safely. They are both in Coral Canyon tonight because of their committments.
The doctors and nurses are working pretty well with us to act on the nausea before it becomes too bad. I still have some issues during the middle of the night and first thing each morning when I have an empty stomach, but their great to give me what I want - when I want them.
Patty is still here with me tonight to keep me company and help get me things as I need them. I can't imagine what I would do without her and all her love and support. Kimberly came up and saw us today and went to lunch with Patty. I think they had a good time.
I'll write in a few days, thanks for all you thoughts, prayers, love and support.
David Pectol should be back home tomorrow after serving his rotation in Afghanisatan, we are so grateful that he is returning safe to all of his family. We are unfortunately going to missing Jacob's baptism, he's been ready for quite some time, but was waiting for dad to come home.
Happy Birthday to Mathew (today) and Amanda on Sunday, they are both doing some travelings and hope and pray they travel safely. They are both in Coral Canyon tonight because of their committments.
The doctors and nurses are working pretty well with us to act on the nausea before it becomes too bad. I still have some issues during the middle of the night and first thing each morning when I have an empty stomach, but their great to give me what I want - when I want them.
Patty is still here with me tonight to keep me company and help get me things as I need them. I can't imagine what I would do without her and all her love and support. Kimberly came up and saw us today and went to lunch with Patty. I think they had a good time.
I'll write in a few days, thanks for all you thoughts, prayers, love and support.
David Pectol should be back home tomorrow after serving his rotation in Afghanisatan, we are so grateful that he is returning safe to all of his family. We are unfortunately going to missing Jacob's baptism, he's been ready for quite some time, but was waiting for dad to come home.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
6/22/2011 Now it's a waiting game
I got the stemm cells put in on Monday June 20, So I guess that's my new Birthday or "Zero" day to keep track of in the future. Everything went well with the stem cell insertion and now we are just waiting for everything to do it's thing and run it's course so my body can have it's reaction and start building back up for discharge in a couple of weeks. My numbers are still high enough that we aren't talking transfusions yet, but it's bound to happen later this week if what happened last time holds true.
Patty's been great, she comes up and sits with me. We take some walks around the East 8 Wing and say hi to some of doctors, PAs, nurses and CNAs that we know and have treated us. I didn't ask Patty tonight before she left, but I think the creamed corn smell propably gone now.
We are trying to play around with my meds to try to get the nausea under control during the middle of the night, that seems to be the worst time me, but tonight we're trying a couple of other things. It is a struggle to eat and/or drink very much this past couple of days, but we'll get through it.
Hope everyone is enjoying the great summer weather that is finally hitting us, we hope you're all safe and well.
Patty's been great, she comes up and sits with me. We take some walks around the East 8 Wing and say hi to some of doctors, PAs, nurses and CNAs that we know and have treated us. I didn't ask Patty tonight before she left, but I think the creamed corn smell propably gone now.
We are trying to play around with my meds to try to get the nausea under control during the middle of the night, that seems to be the worst time me, but tonight we're trying a couple of other things. It is a struggle to eat and/or drink very much this past couple of days, but we'll get through it.
Hope everyone is enjoying the great summer weather that is finally hitting us, we hope you're all safe and well.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
6/19/2011 Chemo Down - Stem Cells come tommorow
I was admitted on Friday like I was suppose to. On Friday (Day -3, number 2) I was given my first dose of the Melphalan Chemotheraphy and then yesterday on Saturday I got the second dose of the Melphalan given to me. I made it through pretty well both Friday and Saturday and was doing well today until just after lunch when I got some nausea. Other than that propblem today, I had a pretty good day. Patty came up this morning and stayed for a while and then went back to the apartment for a while and then came up again later this afternoon and just left a few minutes ago.
So, tomorrow I am scheduled to get the second dose of my stem cells given back to me with will be come my new day Zero (0), the old one was March 24th for the first transplant. It will take a few hours to get the stem cells given back to me and I will remember to get some lemon wedges to smell during the process to lesson the smell, as some of you might remember, the preservative they store the stem cells in smells like creamed corn to most people, but different smells to some other people. Last time the lemon wedges worked very well for me only caught a few whiffs of the smell at times over the next couple of days.
Not too much else to share tonight, Happy Fathers Day to everyone out there, I had as good as I could have with calls from the kids. I (or Patty) will keep you posted later this week and let you know how things are going. Until then thanks for all you prayers and support, I really believe it helps.
So, tomorrow I am scheduled to get the second dose of my stem cells given back to me with will be come my new day Zero (0), the old one was March 24th for the first transplant. It will take a few hours to get the stem cells given back to me and I will remember to get some lemon wedges to smell during the process to lesson the smell, as some of you might remember, the preservative they store the stem cells in smells like creamed corn to most people, but different smells to some other people. Last time the lemon wedges worked very well for me only caught a few whiffs of the smell at times over the next couple of days.
Not too much else to share tonight, Happy Fathers Day to everyone out there, I had as good as I could have with calls from the kids. I (or Patty) will keep you posted later this week and let you know how things are going. Until then thanks for all you prayers and support, I really believe it helps.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
6/16/2011 Back in Salt Lake again
Well, here we go again. We left Las Vegas fairly early on Wednesday morning 6/15 and spent most of the day making our way up the I-15 corridor. We stopped in St. George to see Bruce, Chris and Tyler for a while and then Patty had to go the Kohl's for a work errand. Then we went to Coral Canyon and picked up a couple of items to bring up with us. Then we hopped on the freeway and made it to Cedar City where Patty had to make a work stop at the Smith's there. Then we had to drop something off at Bruce and Cara's house in Parowan before meeting Mom, Dad and Mike in Beaver for lunch. It was good to see Mom, Dad and Mike in Beaver and we hope that Beverly gets over what's ailing her right now. Then we hopped on the freeway again and other than a quick stop in Nephi to change drivers made our way the rest of the way to Salt Lake.
We met Mr. Tanner at the front door to the Parc Towers building at the Gateway - this is the same building that we rented in before although this time we're on the 7th floor instead of the 10th floor we were on last time. The apartment is pretty nice and although very similar to the other one we had, it's a little bit bigger and wider that our previous one. We don't look west towards the freeway and railroad tracks this time, we actually look south towards the next door building, it's much quieter at night.
This morning we got up, I had to eat early because of the anesthesia I would be getting later today. Our first appointment was at 10:45 at the BMT (Blood and Marrow Transplant) Clinic to check in at give labs, go over my current status and update my medical information. Then we went into a conference with Dr. Hoda so we could discuss what is going to happen and sign the consent forms to let it happen beginning tomorrow. We got done with them about 12:15.
My next appointment wasn't until 2:00 this afternoon so Patty and I went to Smith's and did some shopping to get her through the next week or two. Then we went back to the hospital and checked in with the imaging department to get my Central Line put back in. We showed up at a little before 2:00 (which was when my appointment was) and sat in the waiting room for about a half hour. Then they called me back to what they call the recovery room, but it's also the preparation room. . They got me ready and then for about the next two hours, we waited for them to ready to take me into the surgery room for the installation. Finally they took me into the surgery room and got me on the table and prepared for the surgery. The surgery is not too hard, but they use some pretty fancy equipment that allows the doctor to see where the artery is in real time so they can place the line tube in exactly the proper location since they have to thread it and hit it at the right location otherwise there is some danger because of the artery they place it in. Then they took me back to the recovery room and they had to watch me for well over an hour before they would release me.
Tomorrow morning we will go back to the hospital and they will admit me once again to the 8th floor east wing to begin the process that will start with the Melphalan Chemo treatments on Friday and Saturday.
I'll try to write again this weekend and let everyone know what's going on with us. I want to wish everyone a happy Father's Day and hope everyone's having a good summer. So until then, thanks again for all your support.
We met Mr. Tanner at the front door to the Parc Towers building at the Gateway - this is the same building that we rented in before although this time we're on the 7th floor instead of the 10th floor we were on last time. The apartment is pretty nice and although very similar to the other one we had, it's a little bit bigger and wider that our previous one. We don't look west towards the freeway and railroad tracks this time, we actually look south towards the next door building, it's much quieter at night.
This morning we got up, I had to eat early because of the anesthesia I would be getting later today. Our first appointment was at 10:45 at the BMT (Blood and Marrow Transplant) Clinic to check in at give labs, go over my current status and update my medical information. Then we went into a conference with Dr. Hoda so we could discuss what is going to happen and sign the consent forms to let it happen beginning tomorrow. We got done with them about 12:15.
My next appointment wasn't until 2:00 this afternoon so Patty and I went to Smith's and did some shopping to get her through the next week or two. Then we went back to the hospital and checked in with the imaging department to get my Central Line put back in. We showed up at a little before 2:00 (which was when my appointment was) and sat in the waiting room for about a half hour. Then they called me back to what they call the recovery room, but it's also the preparation room. . They got me ready and then for about the next two hours, we waited for them to ready to take me into the surgery room for the installation. Finally they took me into the surgery room and got me on the table and prepared for the surgery. The surgery is not too hard, but they use some pretty fancy equipment that allows the doctor to see where the artery is in real time so they can place the line tube in exactly the proper location since they have to thread it and hit it at the right location otherwise there is some danger because of the artery they place it in. Then they took me back to the recovery room and they had to watch me for well over an hour before they would release me.
Tomorrow morning we will go back to the hospital and they will admit me once again to the 8th floor east wing to begin the process that will start with the Melphalan Chemo treatments on Friday and Saturday.
I'll try to write again this weekend and let everyone know what's going on with us. I want to wish everyone a happy Father's Day and hope everyone's having a good summer. So until then, thanks again for all your support.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
6/7/2011 The plans are made
We got the word from the LDS Hospital that everything is set. We will be doing the pre-admittance testing at Dixie Hospital on June 9th and then on the 16th we'll meet with the staff at LDS Hospital, get my Central Line put back in and then on Friday June 17th I'll get admitted and they will start the Chemo treatment so that on Monday or Tuesday they will do the second transplant and I'll begin the recovery period after that.
Hopefull I can respond to this go around as well as I did the last time, if I can it will minimize the time we have to be in Salt Lake.
We will keep everyone informed, and most likely Patty will make some of the posts for at least the first couple of weeks.
Hopefull I can respond to this go around as well as I did the last time, if I can it will minimize the time we have to be in Salt Lake.
We will keep everyone informed, and most likely Patty will make some of the posts for at least the first couple of weeks.
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