Healthier today …

than I was when I was admitted in to the hospital. Take a at my blook numbers from the day I went to emergency room on February 9th, with those from this past Thursday.

Date
Day
WBC
ANC
Hgb
PLT
Transfusions

10 Feb
Day -3
4.9
147
10.8
25
–

31 May
Today
1.1
264
11.2
68
 

Admittedly, I had a few more white blood cells back then, but remember that nearly every blood cell was [...]

Day 5 – getting ready for Chemo

I could see in my life getting ready for a lot of firsts: first little-league baseball game, first schoool play, first prom. But to say I’m getting ready for Chemotherapy for the first time sounds odd. It’s so random. And yet, I am. The Hickman line helps to deliver the chemo, and the anti-nausea drugs [...]

Day 4 – early evening

So during the day, I spoke with my oncologist. I have Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. I can’t explain how this is different from the other type. We also discussed treatment. The preferred approach today is to give antitumor anitiotics with antimetabolites (chemical similar to the building blocks of DNA but are changed sufficiently from the natural [...]

Day 4 – mid-day update

This morning, had my Hickman line installed. This means no more IV lines on my arms and hands. These are tubes that enter the body through the chest. I have three tubes exiting the hole. It’s not gross at all – it’s all very clean. And it means no special sticking is needed to draw [...]

The emotional (and divine) side of what’s happening

Posts to-date have all been factual, and that’s what I really wanted this blog to be for my family and friends – I wanted to keep them all in the loop, and maybe a little distant from the emotions that swirl around this, because they’re everywhere and they are so intense they are difficult to [...]

How to tell family and friends?

There are still a number of family and friends who don’t yet know.
 On the family side, my father’s side is fully up to speed. On my mother’s side, her maternal side only one cousin knows right now. I don’t know if he’s said anything – I wouldn’t mind if he did, because it really shouldn’t [...]

Early evening update

The HEMONC resident stopped by this evening to let us know that he thinks it’s looking like AML (Acute Myelogenous Leukemia). I can’t for the life of me explain how it differs from the other one, but my impression is that with AML, the treatment options and prognoses are good, although there is still some [...]

Day 3 – early supper time

It’s just about 5pm on East Coast when I started writing this post. After writing the last posting, I was whisked away for a dental exam. Now for those of you who don’t know me – or know me very well – the dentist scares the living daylights out of me. Long story — for [...]

Day 3, first posting

Doctor Kevin just came in to see me this morning. I’m going to get a dental x-ray today to get a better look at the area that’s affecting my cheek. I’m also supposed to be getting the bone marrow test, but he needed to consult the HEMONC (hemotologist oncologist) specialists. (I actually like that acronym, [...]

Days 1 and 2

After I got the call on Saturday, I needed to show my mom around my new apartment, get her acquainted with where the trash goes, how to walk and feed the dog, how the kitchen is organized, etc., and then we headed over to the hospital. I spent many hours in the ER just waiting [...]