One thing that is true about MD Anderson is that not all
days end up as they originally were scheduled. In fact, that happens quite frequently. You just learn to go with the
flow. It’s best, however, to
remember to put a protein bar or your favorite snack in your tote bag. I forgot yesterday.
My original schedule was going to be quite simple. 11:30 labs. Go get lunch.
1:30 BMB (more on that later).
2:30 Dr. Shah. It takes
about two hours for labs to be processed, so this schedule was going to allow
plenty of time for the labs to get to the BMB folks and to Dr. Shah.
Well, that would be too easy. I got a phone call from Dr. Shah’s office while I was
waiting at the lab asking me to come straight to their office once I was
done. OK… the labs won’t be ready,
but it’s not my call. The wait had
been especially long because it was a Monday. Always long on Monday.
Then since they took my PICC line out, they have to use my actual veins
again. I have really small, wiggly
veins that often do not want to cooperate. Today was one of those days. After trying very diligently once, then trying the little
hot hand packs, she wrapped my arms in hot towels and left me there to bake for
a while. Finally, just when she
was about to think that the second stick wasn’t going to work either, it
took. Fifteen vials and we were
good to go. They are a patient,
loving team up on the 8th floor!
So around the corner, I check in at Stem Cell. I get my paperwork but need to go to
the bathroom before getting my vitals.
I don’t know what happened, if I was just tired or tripped up or what,
but I fell in the bathroom. No one
was in there to help, so I just got myself together and got back in line for my
vitals. My mom saw that I was
upset. My BP was 140/103…yes that
is high for me! They kept asking
to get me a wheelchair or take me to the ER…. I was fine. I
just hurt my bum and knocked the wind out of myself, which I don’t have a lot
to spare these days. They got me
to my exam room and the PA came in who was much more calm. However, she asked me how long I had
had the runny nose, and I said since I fell in the bathroom and it made me
cry! Doctors really don’t always
think of the obvious!
Only a few of my numbers had come back yet, but they were up
from last week. Of course, I had
expected them to be up because of the neupogen shot. My interest will be next week’s counts when I haven’t had a
neupogen shot. She said that
because of the number of weeks out from receiving the T-Cells, my body should
start to begin to find its way back to normal. It is difficult to compare because of the variety of cell
numbers given to the variety of trial members. So we wait.
Some of the blood taken today was to do the flow cytometry
test, which is the big test that takes a long time to get the results that can
detect residual levels of disease and identify disease relapse. It also assesses my donor
chimerism…percentage. So it will
be exciting to hear that news.
Dr. Shah also let me get off my Levaquin, the anti-bacterial
drug. These are all very potent
drugs, so to be able to get off of them a little at a time is a good thing.
So after determining that I had indeed not injured myself,
she decided on more blood work for Tuesday out at MDA The Woodlands to check
for a wide variety of possible viruses and also do a workup on my thyroid to
try and figure out why my fatigue is getting worse instead of better. Hurray for The Woodlands! They use really small needles!
That led us to our final appointment on Monday. Bone Marrow Biopsy. Actually, it was downgraded to Bone
Marrow Aspiration. I have NEVER
only had an aspiration, so I chalked this one up to making up for falling in
the bathroom. For those who may not
know the difference between the two, or may not know what it is at all… A bone
marrow biopsy removes a small amount of bone and a small amount of fluid and
cells from inside the bone (bone marrow).
A bone marrow aspiration removes only the marrow. The process starts the same in that you
get a deadening shot (ow!) in your backside, but I can attest now having had
them both, the biopsy is much more intense! No need to put it on your bucket list if you don’t need
to. However, my backside is still
indeed sore today. Neither is a
walk in the park!!
Thankfully, mother drove back to her house where we finally
ate and I took a nap before driving the rest of the way home. No one would have wanted me on the road
that afternoon!
So even on rough days, there is hope. We wait expectantly for news from these
tests. We wait expectantly that
tomorrow there will be more strength.
We wait expectantly to hear the words “remission”!
In the morning, LORD, you hear
my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait
expectantly.
Psalm 5:3
For I hope in You, O LORD; You
will answer, O Lord my God.
Psalm 38:15
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