Handling My Treatments Beautifully

I can not tell you how much I appreciate all the thoughts, prayers, and support I have received from all my family and friends. I really believe that all the prayers are working. My treatments are progressing nicely. Things are looking and feeling better every day and there truly is a light at the end of the tunnel.

9/24/08 – I had some tests today that will show how my treatments are progressing. I should get the results in a couple of days.
9/26/08 – I had an appointment with Dr. Goy where I had a check up (my blood counts were all normal) and received my out patient Chemo Therapy which is the beginning of my next treatment cycle (cycle 3 = 2A).

Also I received GREAT news today. According to Dr. Goy, I am handling my treatments beautifully. I am at a point where I am almost in full remission. In addition, my tumors have been greatly reduced in size. All this after only two treatment cycles. Of course I know there is more work to be done and only 100% remission can be considered a complete success, but I am almost there. With another 4 to 6 cycles ahead of me I am confident I will be as good as new.
It is a great feeling to see Dr. Goy and his staff so happy with my results. More importantly they are truly happy for me and my family. With a rare decease like Mantle Cell Lymphoma, I can not tell you how lucky I am to have such a great doctor so close to my home. People literally travel from all over the world to see him. I can thank God that he is only an hour away from me.

Tomorrow I will check into the hospital for my outpatient chemo therapy. Although chemo cycles vary by patient, by cancer, by treatment type, etc… my treatment cycles span 21 days and looks like the following:

• Day 1: Outpatient Chemo - The first day of the cycle I receive outpatient chemo therapy. This lasts about 3-4 hours and then I get to go home.
• Days 2-6: In the hospital - The next 4 to 5 days I spend in the hospital receiving chemo therapy treatments
• Days 7-21: Home Care, Recovery and Follow up - Over the next 15-16 days I will take an array of medications and average two office visits per week. The key is checking my blood counts to make sure all is well. If my counts are off my caretakers will react by taking necessary actions (transfusions, additional medications, additional stay in hospital, etc…). Over these 15-16 days at home I have experienced the following:
• I feel pretty tired my first couple of days home with me regaining my strength each day.
• While I am home it is expected that around days 10 through 14 (of the 21 cycle) my white blood cell counts will drop (this is supposed to happen). This means that my immune system is weak and I need to stay away from germs, bacteria etc… until my counts are back to normal. During this time is when I should avoid being in contact with other people.
• My counts should return to normal between days 15 and 17. My guess is this will vary with each cycle.
• Once my blood counts are back to normal we start planning for the next cycle.

More to come…


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