February 5, 2009

Yesterday's labs
Date------Day----WBC----ANC--------Hgb--------PLT---- Transfusions
24 Jan---144-----3.3----2700---------8.4----------34----------------N/A
25 Jan---145-----5.9----4320---------9.0----------28----------------N/A
26 Jan---146-----4.5----3100---------9.1----------37------------N/A
28 Jan---148-----2.7----1100---------10.6----------64------------N/A
30 Jan---150-----2.8----1000---------10.4----------85------------N/A
2 Feb---153-----36.4----31700--------10.6---------131------------N/A
4 Feb---155-----3.9----????-------9.9-------160------------N/A

Talk about a bounce in my numbers. The Neupogen shots did their thing, but as you can see as soon as I came off of them my counts dropped just as drastically as they rose. Fortunately my ANC has not dropped below 1,000 so for now I can stay off of the shots. My labs will be drawn again on Friday. I was too drugged up to ask for my detailed lab report before I left the hospital yesterday to get my ANC. If I had to guess it was somewhere in the 3,000 range.

Yesterday was a very long day at the hospital, they drew my labs & then Marc & I went back to the Bone Marrow Biopsy room. They pre medicated me with Ativan & something else about a half hour prior to the procedure which really relaxed me. Marc was great throughout the whole thing. he gets squeamish with blood & needles unless it is horror show, so I was real proud of him he didn't want to take any pictures but I wanted him to so he did. He actually got a picture of them aspirating the bone marrow that is pretty cool. After that I had an EKG done then we saw my Dr. She ended up taking me off the VFEND (an antifungal medication that is generally used to treat serious, invasive fungal infections), the Avelox (an antibiotic agent) & the Fluconazol (an antifungal drug used in the treatment and prevention of superficial and systemic fungal infections) but told me to hang on to what I have left. She told me fungal infections can sometimes take moths to clear up so I am a little confused as to why she took my off the antifungals.

We also talked about the hormone shot that has thrown me into menopause I am due to get it again & I told her I wanted to try to go on without it, for various reasons. The weight gain I have put on since I got the shot 3 months ago has been driving me nuts. The hot flashes & sweats are ridiculous. If I am going to go back to work & be successful, it will make it that much harder to get through the day constantly dealing with that. My Dr. did double up my Neurontin, so I have to go to the Pharmacy later & get the prescription filled, I was to out of it yesterday to do anything.

We talked about me going back to work & in my mind I see at the end of the month. Well she does not think so... I am so irritated because I just want to be well & get back to the way my life used to be a large part of that is my work. She scheduled me to go back in on Friday to get a resting MUGA test done to assess the pumping efficiency & motion of my heart. All of the results should be good along with my Biopsy results, which should also be back by Friday. My researcher told me that she needs the results to be at less than 3% not 5% like I had thought before. She did mention that if the results are not less than 3% the next step is a Bone Marrow Transplant not more chemo. I am pretty confident I am going to be at 1% or less so I am not even going to think about that. After all that was done I had to go down to radiology for a Chest X-Ray & we finally got to go home.

If all these tests are good (they have already scheduled me) I will be starting my third phase of treatment, Maintenance Chemotherapy with Decitabine, starting on Monday. I was not expecting it so quickly but my Dr. was confident that I could do this. This phase of Chemotherapy is the Clinical Trial Portion of my Treatment. All next week Monday through Friday I will be going in & getting Chemo. the bonus is at least I get to come home each night it is all out patient.

So like I said earlier I had high hopes of being back to work by the end of the month. My Dr is saying no, April or May & I said bull are you going to pay my bills for me? So hopefully I tolerate this first round well & when I see her again at the beginning of March she will change her mind & at least consider letting me go back part time & work on building back up to full time.

Today my backside is a little sore but no pain no gain right! I have done real well tolerating my pain since I got out of the hospital so I do no intend on breaking my steak of no pain meds unless of absolutely need to/ I was worried I would get addicted because the whole time I was in the hospital 2 weeks ago they had me on a lot of pain meds for 8 days straight. So I am happy to report that I have not needed any since except what they gave me during the Biopsy yesterday.

That’s a lot of info for one day huh? Well I posted my new slide show from yesterdays adventure. Tonight is Paige's last game, Marc is going, it is against Madison Plains a huge London rival, I want to go but I don't know if I can handle the bleachers that long. We'll see.

Click this link to view a slide show of the Jan 2009 Sledding adventure withthe kids! http://s524.photobucket.com/albums/cc324/Sandittie1/Jan%2009%20Sledding/?albumview=slideshow



The 445 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron is hosting a Blood Drive in honor of MSgt. Sandi Golden-Vest on Saturday, Feb 7, 2009 from 8:00am-1:00pm. Please go online & register for this is you are able, last I heard from the Unit there were only 2 people registered for this event.

Site: American Legion Post 526
526 Legion Lane
Fairborn, OH 45324
Site phone: 878-3831

Contact on Arrival: Major Kimm Sandusky (1-513-678-2715 ) MSgt Joseph
Drake (George Copfer, Post Commander )

While you are waiting you can become a Bone Marrow Donor as well, no appointment is necessary for this & there is no cost associated becoming a registered Bone Marrow Donor on this date at this location.

Beginning registration for the blood drive is 8:00am. Appointments are recommended; blood donors are asked to make an appointment by going to our website: www.donortime.com click on Find a Drive and use sponsor code: 986 Last Registration: 12:50pm
***Community Blood Center will provide juice and cookies and a t-shirt to all
blood donors.

Please go online & register if you are able to participate, Per my Unit members as of yesterday there were only 2 people registered for this Blood Drive.