Welcome to my Blog!

This was originally intended for those who have AML & stumbled across my blog in their search for information or survivors. I also used this to keep in touch with the real world, my support system was vital in my recovery and I also used it to sustain some form of sanity. I am a realist, and I have learned this has been and always will be a fight for my life. The initial leukemia battle is still here in the archives for all my fellow AML Warriors. There is so much information and no one wants to tell you. If you are just starting your treatment you may not even think to ask questions just because you are so sick. Please checkout my archives but start back in September 2008 and work your way towards today. There is a lot to read and a ton of type-o's, but it is all there the good the bad and the ugly. I challenged the Doc's, I always asked questions and pushed them for answers even if I did not like them. The Docs are not used to that so if you can, I encourage you to challenge them. They need to remember that although you are very sick you are not dead! My Blog content has morphed over the years. It's all about my life experiences, definitely my opinions and the lifelong impacts of the disease that pop up from time to time. I am a Gen Xer & I have a lot to say about everything. Rarely do I hold back or turn on a sensitivity sensor. I post regularly on Facebook nowadays just because it is faster. I welcome your comments, questions or feedback.





Saturday, November 8, 2008

November 7, 2008

For this round tomorrow is...
After 5 Days of intense HiDac Chemo, I am happy to report that tomorrow the 6th dose of Citerabine goes in at 8:00am & by 11:01am I should be walking out of the James & back home to the family! Hopefully in time to catch the OSU game -Go Bucks! I am very pleased to report that other than the bad bout of nausea & vomiting on day 2 my stay for the most part has been without incident, so far I take this a a good sign.


Date------Day----WBC----ANC--------Hgb--------PLT---- Transfusions
3 Nov-----62-----6.4-------4100--------11.7--------187--------- N/A
4 Nov-----63-----7.1-------5800--------11.1---------173--------- N/A
5 Nov-----64-----4.6-------4400-------11.6--------168----------N/A
6 Nov-----65-----4.9-------4600-------10.7--------144----------N/A
7 Nov-----66-----5.9-------5400--------9.3--------128----------N/A
My counts are still doing alright but should start dropping by the end of this week. It sounds like I am going to end up on about 7 different perscriptions for the home recovery phase.

Marcus was able to come up & spend the day with me today, It was good to be alone with him but the weather was crap outside so we could not go out. We pretty much stayed up in the room, I think we both even took a nap at one point.
He looks real good with his new haircut & he finally trimmed down the lamb chops on his jaw a week or so ago, he is looking like the old Marcus. He shaved his head initially for me when I started the Chemo, but I asked him not to do it any more, I like him much better looking like this! He took all the kids out to the clubhouse tonight to eat & play Wii on the big screen, it sounds like they all had a really good time.


For some reason this morning they gave me my Dexamethasone injection at 8:00am & screwed up my premed sequence a bit so I had a good bit of nausea tonight with the Chemo since I only got the Zofran. Luckily I have not thrown up so far I seem to be tolerating the nausea fairly well. I must say my night sweats, cold chills & now hot flashes are getting a little more intense then what they were. I think I can honestly relate to how menopausal women feel, now I think.

I wanted to let you all know that the news clip from the Air Force Times article I put in yesterdays post was informational. Unfortunately there is no way to pin point exactly what causes Leukemia, only risk factors. The military is not covering any of my medical care because I am a Reservist & the cause of my diagnosis has not been proven & more than likely will not be. I personally think it is possible that 10 years of jet fume exposure may have contributed some but I am sure my 15 years of smoking off & on didn't help either. Who knows, it is what it is, for the record I did quit smoking...

FYI: November is National Marrow Awareness Month. Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., has provided an unrestricted grant to cover the cost of tissue-typing tests for potential donors who join online.

This is your chance to join for FREE. What are you waiting for? Join online for free while funding remains. It's easy to join: Confirm you meet basic donor guidelines.

Complete the online registration form. This step will take about 30 minutes. To join for free, you must complete your online registration before November 30 or while funding remains.

Use the kit mailed to you to get a swab of cheek cells. These will be used to test for your tissue type. NOTE: When filling out the application, it will ask you for a credit card number and it will still mention the $52 fee normally charged. Ignore the $52 fee and don't enter any credit card information. On the final page it will show a $52 fee and a $52coupon making your total $0.

JOIN BY CLICKING HERE

I got a new roommate late tonight, she came in around 11pm straight from surgery so my sleep has been real broken ever since, they have been in & out of the room a lot to work on her. She does not have cancer but they took out part of her Pancreas & Spleen so she does not get the Cancer from what I understood from her. Somedays I really feel lucky, what I am going through is not near as tough as some of these other people.

Well that's it for now, I am going to try to get a little shut eye before my last does goes in in a few hours. I will try to post tomorrow or Sunday depending how the day goes.

2 comments:

Aunt Lynn said...

Hi Sandi, hope all goes well so you can go home this afternoon. Debe wanted me to let you know that the director, where she works, has agreed to a blood donor drive in your name and it is going to include both agencies. She was really happy that they agreed to do it for you. Just make sure you & the famiky take all the precautions they tell you to while at home. I love you & we'll talk soon.
Aunt Lynn

Unknown said...

hi sweetheart, i hope you were able to get some more sleep this morning. and that you are home in time for the game.i wish the military would pay for some of the med bills.i seem to remember you being gone for long periods of time on duty and that to me seems like full time dedication,not a reservist. i am sure by there definition i am wrong!in reality none of that makes any difference,the bills will get paid or forgiven and the only thing that truly matters is that you get well.please obey everything they tell you to do.we love you .tell everyone hi and tell marcus i love him very much for being your rock.love, aunt bonnie

Sentimental Journey

2010 Family Pics

Moments in Time

Quotes

~~~~~~~
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body but, rather, to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, "WOoHOo! What a ride!!"
~~~~~~~
Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.
~~~~~~~
Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wiser.
~~~~~~~
If you are never scared or embarrassed or hurt, it means you never take any chances.
~~~~~~~
Ask yourself: "What have I missed out on simply because I was too afraid of what others would think?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I'd rather have 30 seconds of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count; it's the life in your years.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They call me Rooster

They call me Rooster
& Leukemia did not snuff this one!