Just a quick update... It's day 15 and it looks like I'm starting to engraft, finally! I'm still neutropenic but at least there are a couple of neutrophils now floating around in my body and hopefully they'll get busy and start dividing like crazy so I can get back out into the world (without being paranoid). All my other counts are starting to come back too which is good. One thing I'm a little worried about is my LDH count. It's at 266 which is higher than normal and sometimes an indicator of cancer activity. I'm researching to see what the relevance is of this pertaining to Hodgkins. My P.A. Claudia said the increased level could be from the engraftment process (LDH "I think" measures cytokines which is a byproduct of cell division). So that seems to make sense as my cells are dividing at a rapid pace as result of the stem cells engrafting. We're going to keep an eye on it and I'll try not to worry.
So, other than feeling tired most of the time, I doing pretty well! The little palpable node that is under my arm is still very small, almost gone (whereas before, it was about the size of a coffee bean). My chest is feeling better, my back is feeling pretty good and I don't have any pain in my posterior rib which has the lytic lesion. I think this transplant is doing the job they want! That said, I found out the plans for my next transplant. Unfortunately, they have me slated to receive my TBI (total body irradiation) for 4 days starting on Christmas Eve! I'm trying to get it moved up at least a week but apparently they're really booked up. So if this doesn't change, I can look at it two ways; I can bitch and moan that I'm going to be spending Christmas Eve and Day getting nuked from head to toe or I can look at it as the greatest Christmas present anyone can get, a chance at a cure! I think I'll choose the latter attitude as there's nothing I can do about it and bitching and moaning isn't going to do me any good anyway... How's that for "staying positive" ;)
Forgot to mention, picked up my frozen holiday meal today! Including the ham and turkey plus potatoes, rolls and canned veggies they threw in a pumpkin pie! The box has to weigh 25-30 lbs. The plan is to freeze it until my Mom gets here and have a holiday party with some friends. Hey, there's another positive about getting TBI over Christmas; I'll have a chance to enjoy a holiday meal without feeling like crap. Life is good!
So, until next time, I hope everyone reading this has a great Thanksgiving!! Oh and by the way, go Lions! (I have no shame...)
3 comments:
Keep up the spirits and just sleep as much as you want Chris. You're already so far along that soon you'll be looking back and it will all be just a memory. Here's to your new immune system and all the good things it will bring for you!
B
Yay to weird Christmas presents :P !!!!
Great attitude, Chris - Christmas is such a strange time of year that heightens all the emotions, but really it is just another day - after you're done with all these treatments there'll be plenty other holiday celebrations :)
Happy Thanksgiving............Vx
Hey Chris,
Happy Thanksgiving!
Just checked my old lab results from day 12 of my first transplant. My LDH level was off the charts high -- 2376 u/l (normal being 297-537). I guess we're probably using different scales. Just double check with your transplant doc and see what they say.
I was extremely tired right after my first SCT too. You'll gain it back in no time.
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