12/11/13 – WOW,
it is already 2 weeks since my stem cell transplant. On one regard it feels
like it was yesterday but now that I am home and I am feeling very comfortable
with my surroundings, it seems like it was a long time ago.
Yesterday I
received, what I believe was, my last dose of Rituxan. Going forward I will
need to be at the John
Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center
every Monday and Thursday for the foreseeable future. The transplant team need to keep on top of how i am doing. My counts need to be constantly monitored being there is a chance that they will go up and down over the next
few months. In addition they will be checking me for any number of things that my arise and take whatever appropriate
action is necessary.
Speaking of
counts, they did go up again yesterday. My white blood cell count was 3.5. I am
closing in on normal which is between 4 and 11.
Another
important count that will be monitored closely is my platelets. They are also beginning to climb. On the day of my
release they were at 46 and yesterday they were 115. The normal range for
platelets is 150 to 400.
I guess I have one other update. Yes, my hair is
starting to fall out. I had thought after 18 days in the hospital that maybe it
wouldn't happen but the nurses always said "give it a couple of weeks and it will
fall out." Well they were right. Now I just have to decide when it’s time to shave
it all off. In the scheme of things, it’s only hair. After all I have been
given to gift of life. What’s better than that?
My next appointment at the Cancer Center is Friday,
December 13th.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the
bones.
Proverbs 17:22
More to
come…
2 comments:
Glad your home Rich, Pedro
Hey Pedro,
It is GREAT to be home.
Thanks!!!
Rich
Post a Comment