5 days after #5

Have spent 5 days doing steroids, and started white-blood-cell-building shots (8 days).  Major discomfort is steroids keeping me up at night and return of hacking cough intermitently all night.  Last steroid intake was yesterday, so sleeping should start improving.  My theory is that chest cough is remant of cold caught 6 weeks ago.  I think I get a short healing period during 3rd week.  So, I should heal my chest congestion up week after next, just before #6.  Otherwise, I will still be able to pyhsically plug along with window repalcement project starting this weekend....so I can still get around. Looking forward to heading for California to see new grandson the Monday after #6!

Processing Infusion #5

Had #5 on Monday.  Got started by 9:00 AM.  They give me a bunch of pills for side effects, including the first batch of steroid and some benydryl.  Then I get IV drip of Rituxan for 90 min, followed by 1/2 hr drip and nurse "push" of the three other drugs.  I was done by 12:30.  On the drive home back to Pagosa, the benedryl purts me in la la land for about 4 hours. Then the steriods kick in and I I become jitteRy guy for the rest of the night.  The third week reall seems to have restored me to about 90 percent.  The intense coughing due to bronchial tube restriction has subsided. I requested and received an inhaller just incase.  I'm starting back on the one shot per day for 8 days of the white blood cell building drug. We've got some snow and cold in Pagosa till Friday, so Roberta and I will hunker down and watch the World Series (grew up in Trenton, so I'm a life long Yankees Fan).  I feel good!  (If your starting this or know someone, don't forget to use Biotene mouthwash daily, it's great)

Getting back to normal after #4

This is week 3 after infusion #4. I go for #5 next Monday.  Side effects status...........  I had quite a chest congestion last week.  This week I seem to be SLOWLY getting rid of it.  I'm down to a nusance cough that develops when I talk at length.  I stopped in Albuquerque for chest X-ray and consulation last week when I took Roberta down for her flight out to Alabama. X-rays showed clear lungs.  Dr did not alter anything.  Leads me to think I may be developing mildly chronic lung passage condition that may hang on till I'm totally thru with chemo.  With my urging, the doc has decided to go ahead with 8 infusions.  I don't think there's much data on whether 6 or 8 makes a difference for my flavor of cancer.  Since I seem to be handling it well, we decided to go for it.

So, we'll see how  the lung condition goes after next week.  The bone ache in left foor has 95% disappeared. This was a reaction to the neupogen type injections that I take for 8 days post-chemo.  I am developing a very slight tenderness in my gums...hasn't affected eating yet. I haven't lost a pound since starting ( I got the best cook and bottle washer !).   There are a couple of other minor things ....  All of these infirmities just seem to take a LOT LOT longer too heal.  

October/November will speed by. Roberta's son and partner had a baby boy 2 weeks ago and I am a new grandpa TODAY!!  My daughter, Laila, lives near Sant Cruz, CA.  We'll be taking the pop-up camper out for Thanksgiving!

Fourth Infusion

I caught a 48 hour cold on Wednesday before infusion #4.  ended up with slight chest cold, but got about 85% better before Monday infusion on Oct 5th.  Early morning PET scan indicated that tumor "uptake", ie activity had been reduced by about 75%....good news!  Doctor is still mulling whether to go with 6 or 8 infusions.  My 5th infusion will be October 26th, and #6 will be November 16th. We head to California to see Laila's new baby on November 23rd.

A week after infusion, I seem to be plagued with chest congestion, which keeps me up at night.  Taking TheraFlu to help.  ALSO, I was surprised to wake up on Saturday with a severe bone pain in the arch of one foot.  Limp, Limp.........  Taking non-asprin pain reliever seems to pretty well, enough to allow me to continue remodeling job of changing out the windows for a customer.

Final shot of neupogen type drug today (build up white blood cells).  It will be interesting to see if bone pain goes away by end of week.