Before the War

A little joke for the David Letterman Fans. So my main Doctor, Dr. Nevill, the head of the BMT/Leukemia department, and the new Department Fellow just finished meeting with me to give me the news. The bone marrow results show normal levels of cellular development, and no current signs of cancerous growth. Again, this is just a preliminary result, and there may still be cancerous cells. There will be another bone marrow biopsy in the near future, as well as most likely another round of Chemotherapy on an outpatient basis. So, depending on how my night goes, and how the numbers are tomorrow, and how the Boys are doing, they may be sending me on my way soon.

So, the number are in, and still not up. The White are holding at 0.6, the Red went down to 74, and the platelets were down to 11. 74 means time for a refill. The platelet cut off is at 10, but since blood was coming platelets came in as a bonus. There was no reaction this time - probably due to the pre-injection of Benadryl and Coritzone. I am feeling ok, but very tired, and I spent most of the day in bed today. Sonja and AJ came in for a visit, and had Sonja had a big day planned out for him here, but it seems that whatever little bug that was affecting Dexter made it to AJ, and the poor guy was totally bagged when he arrived. He had developed a fever on the way in, and as a precaution, we didn't have any contact. The visit didn't last long as such, but at least we got to see each other. No results from the biopsy yet. I will keep everyone updated. Looks like I will have an ok view for the Canada Day Fireworks if they are high enough to make it above the skyscrapers.

So, the morning kicked off with a Bone Marrow Biopsy just after 9:30am. Due to some confusion in the order of operations, I wasn't given the Morphine and Adavan (Happy Pill) until a few minutes before the procedure was to start. Not wanting to wait any longer, I said to "Git'er Done". Mistake. -- Insert Samuel L. Jackson saying 'Oww' in a 'Snake on the Plane' kinda way, with lots of curse words -- Anyway, it's done. They didn't hit a nerve this time, so I was able to stand up in about 2 hours. There is only a dull pain in my arse now. Results should be tomorrow, or the next day. Here's hoping. Tonight I noticed that my Beard is starting to fall out - A lot. I also noticed that I had some hair come off my head when I gave it a light tug. This is about when it hits, and I hope it goes quickly so that it's not too patchy. Numbers today were White 0.6 (unchanged), Red 81 (down from 83), Platelets 16 (down from 20). Still not good enoug...

So, Sonja is on her way home, and I should be renewed for a few days without her. Saturday was a pretty rough day. The blood counts were the lowest ever in the morning, so that meant that I would be getting a blood and platelet transfusion today. The platelets came first, and about 30 minutes into it I started to get very itchy. I have been pretty itchy around my waist area for a few days due to low platelets and the Anti-Fungal drug they give me, but this was way worse. It was something they told me to look out for, so I let the nurse know. I was definitely having a minor reaction to the platelet transfusion, so they gave me some benadryl and steroids to fix it up. Damn it was itchy, and I couldn't scratch because my low platelets would cause a lot of bruising. Anyway the benadryl and steroids helped calm it down and away, but knocked me right out. Slept most of the afternoon until Sonja and Dan (Sonja's Dad) arrived. I will be getting the drugs now before any future tran...

Sonja's here for tonight, so I am not getting as much computer time ;) I will post more tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure that everyone who was waiting on the Popsicle Status had an update. I am sorry to say that the popsicle arrived in one frozen piece. It didn't have much life left in it, and I wound up finishing it by scooping out the stickless broken pieces from the container after if failed to break into two complete sticks. There was no spillage, or exciting destruction, so there was no need for a picture. I guess I was too excited to have a mess, so Murphy did me in.

An uneventful day, but there is still time left. Mom had a good long sleep in the guest bed/chair. I was a little tired so turned in just before 10pm. This turned out to not be such a great idea as my internal clock decided I had just about enough sleep around 4am. I was tossing and turning from 4 to 5:30 until I just got up and started doing some computer stuff. The only bad thing about getting up early is that breakfast doesn't come any earlier, so I have to wait until 9:30 to get food. There's always Junkfood - Breakfast of Champions, and hospital patients. Today was my first day getting my "Alternative" menu choices. It's amazing how they can even make Jello taste bad, and how thin a layer of Strawberry Jam they can put in a jam packet. As a guide to how exciting my life is here, I delayed this post until my Dinner arrived so I could share the juicy details with you. As expected, Vanilla Ice Cream comes half melted. I did enjoy the cold nugget at the centr...

Mom arrived at the hospital this morning. She is going to spend the night here, and then head out for Abbotsford tomorrow. She managed to visit the mall a few blocks from the hospital twice already ;) Feeling pretty good today again. Last night was a bit icky in the gut, but that went away. There were also some muscle cramps last night on my side. Normally it wouldn't be an issue, but with the low platelet counts, the muscle damage can be undesirable. The hickman line is pretty sore, as they way it's installed they have to put a lot of effort into the cleaning, and that irritates it a lot. The nurse secured it good and tight so it shouldn't move around as much in my sleep tonight. Tomorrow morning I will be getting my first "Alternative" meal. It's still going to be gross, but hopefully gross with Jello and Strawberry jam. Counts today were White 0.7 (up from 0.6), Red 81 (down from 83), and Platelets 12 (down from 18). I will probably be getting a tran...

Nothing much to say - an uneventful day. Yay ! No nausea today that I needed drugs for. Just some minor ickyness after eating that I managed to dispatch "Chuck Norris" style. Started and finished reading the parody book 'The Truth About Chuck Norris' (Thanks Melissa & Loren) today. That's the kind of day it's been. Too out of energy to do anything constructive, but feeling too good to sleep the day away. I think I will try and stay on the straight and narrow, since I don't think I would enjoy jail. I guess I am a little concerned that the Chemo didn't do a good enough job. I think I should feel a LOT worse. I am certainly not going to loose the 50 lbs I was hoping for by July. Another failed diet plan. Dinner was Teriyaki Chicken and Rice. It was something I was actually looking forward to, and was able to eat it all. Tasted like shit, but at least it all got down and stayed there. Today - Yes, Today, not last week, a lady introduced hers...

God Bless Wendy's and Father-in-Laws who live closer to VGH. Just a little update, as Sonja mentioned, I am now in a single room, just next door. I am up late today, fuelled by feeling much better due to a Double Bacon Cheeseburger Combo meal that Sonja's Dad did an emergency run to get for me on Monday night. Monday was pretty bad - Fathers day had kinda wore me out, and then not being able to eat much on Monday had pretty much done me in. I think I had slept most of the day. The mere thought of hospital food was itself making me sick. Once it arrived, it was usually a challenge to open the lid without dry heaving (no food to barf anyway). I was pretty sure that I would feel beter if I got the needed food, and Dan had offered, and he pulled through, and even though it took some control to eat it safely, I was able to eat half the burger, and most of the fries. The coke was just a calorie bonus. I guess finally having a "full" stomach put me into quite a quasi slee...

To all you dad's out there - love your kids, and enjoy them while you can. There was a lot of activity at the hospital today for Fathers day, my Neighbour included. I woke up feeling pretty good, and gave Sonja a call in the early morning so that she could bring the boys in for a visit. I was able to eat a bit of breakfast this morning, but the hospital food is really getting to me. The snack foods are keeping me going. I'm hankering for a KFC toasted twister sandwich, and small fries, but the location of a KFC, parking, etc. would make for a soggy snack by the time it made it up. Counting down the days till I get out though !! Sonja brought in a McDonalds one on the sleep over night, but I seem to be having a taste issue with rancid canola oil (most resturaunts don't change their canola often enough, and if you have bitter tasting food, that's why). I'd think a subway sandwich would be ok, but then I remember Tarrie getting real sick from eating one once. I can...

All in all Friday wasn't too bad, I had some heart problems Wednesday morning (tight chest pain, and some radiating in the arm). It was early in the morning (4am) after a vomit ride, so I was half asleep during the event. I mentioned it to the nurse, and that set off a flurry of activity that culminated on Friday. They had seen some "ensyme" markers that showed some heart distress, but couldn't find anything else wrong. The chemo drugs can cause issues with the heart muscle. So, to be on the safe side, there was a lot of Cardiologists visiting me on Friday, and a Heart Ultrasound, and some drugs, etc. All terribly exciting for the doctors. I just wanted to sleep. I am having a big issue with food of late - The thought of the next meal being dropped off makes me ill. I havn't had to vomit on a full stomach yet (thank god), but I am sure it will come. I always feel better after I vomit, or maybe it's just that it's so bad, that the aftermath feels bet...

Wow. Today was nasty. Tossed and turned most of the night, and then barfing in the morning. Nothing to come out, just there to taunt me, and let me know who's boss. Then there was the tightness of the chest, and some pain in my arm. Well, that started a flury of activity. ECG, blood work, etc. ECG looks good, there were some blood signed that the heart might have been in distress. They will be putting me on some drugs to help my heart mellow out just in case. It's all fine now, but they are being on the safe side. Tired. So very tired today. I slept most of the day, and I am only now getting into doing some stuff on the computer. Catching up with work, blog, etc. I don't have my totals for today, but the platelets and red blood cells mean I will probably be getting a transfusion tomorrow. I got to have a shower today - Yippie ! My last bag of the nasty "Red Koolaid" of death was today, so only the one Chemo drug left on tap. Still a potent brew at that, bu...

Giggity Giggity Well, not much to say about today - I had a DAMN good sleep for a change. My neighbour wasn't die-ing too badly last night - Thank god for him. I hope he had a good sleep too. Sonja made it in to visit today, and bring me much needed supplies, clothes, food, and my toiletry bag (Toothbrush, Paste, Deodorant, etc. ) which turned out WAS in the car when we first came. It was nice to spend some time with her instead of just looking at this georgous view, writing software, and listening to tunes (to block the noise of my neighbour). No nausea today, yet (knock on wood). Just started dinner (Roast Pork, Rice, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy) The breakfast's need some serious work, but the lunches and dinners are not too bad. No metal knife with dinner tonight - I guess they think I might decide to end it all by slowly knawing away at my wrist with a butter knife instead of just unhooking the installed valve to my juggular vein. Of for that matter, just stayed home ;) It...

Ok, so here I am. In the hospital. Chemo starts today. I was up late (about Midnight), and did a lot of tossing and turning through the night. Woke about 5am, since that is when Dexter seems to be getting us up lately - hehe. The nurse noticed that I was up and I let him take the blood work for the day then. He also prepared and hooked me up to the Chemo Bag (The saline bag that will have the Chemo drugs injected into it later this morning). He. Both nurses so far have been dudes. Where are all the hot nurses everyone was telling me about ? I had looked up "Hot Nurses" on the internet before I got here, and I was all ready for some of that ! Turns out that there is a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" kind of policy about Cell Phones, etc. here. They actually have a Wireless Internet Port on this floor. It's a pay one, and worse then the Rogers stick I have, but still - it specifically states in the patient guide that there is NO wireless internet. I am in a...

Ok, so Friday was supposed to be: 8:00 AM Show up and hospital - Get blood taken 8:20 AM Get RVG (Heart Scan) to make sure heart is OK for chemo. 9:00 AM Get platelets for Hickman Line insertion 11:30 AM Get Hickman Line inserted. That's how it went until 11:30... Hickman Delayed Hickman Delayed, 2 PM ish now Hickman Delayed, 4 PM ish now 4:45 They're here to take me to get my Hickman installed. 5:15 They take me into the OR 6:30 They wheel me out to recover, get dressed, and send me on my way. Because I was going to have surgery at 11 AM, they told me not to eat or drink after 6AM. So, I was a bit hungry and thirsty 12 hours later. Worst of all was that since it was late on a Friday, everyone who was anyone at already gone home. I was awake for the procedure, but can only hear, so best I can figure is two med students were left kicking around, and they were given the task. The task of slicing open my main neck vein, shoving in a tube down toward my heart, and then shoving t...

Thursday, June 5th. Go to clinic to see about my cough, out of breath, and bruises. Go to Blood Lap get bloodwork done, go to Imaging Lab, get X-Ray done. Get a call from Blood Lap doctor at night - Not a good sign. He has pulled some strings and got me an appointment to see a specialist at VGH Friday at 9am. Friday, June 6th. A very long day at VGH, Bloodwork done, given a transfusion of Red Blood and Platelets. Told that there is a 95% chance that I have Leukaemia. Monday, June 8th Bone Marrow Biopsy. Ouch. Wednesday, June 10th Diagnosis. I have Leukaemia, AML, Inversion of the 16th chromosone. This is actually good news. It responds well to Chemotherapy. There is hope. Blood Transfusion, Red and Platelets