[9-10-08] BMT Calendar

[10:12am]
     Finally! My BMT calendar has been drafted! So, without further ado, here it is:

September
   15th: (9:30) To the ITA for labs, cxr, ekg. (11am) To Clinic E to meet with Doctor. (2:00pm) To the ITA for catheter and self-injection class.
   16th: (2:30pm) Teaching for transplant class (bring caregiver). ***Nothing to eat or drink after midnight.***
   17th: (?:??) Catheter placement.
   18th: (9:00am) To unit E1 overnight for Cytoxan. Admit
   19th: Discharge home with caregiver. Begin Neupogen and Antibiotics.
   20-23rd: Neupogen at home.
   24-28th: Neupogen at home. Visit Stanford daily for labs.
   29th: Apheresis. May take 1-5 days.

October
   10th: (2pm) To Clinic E for labs, cxr, ekg. (3pm) To Clinic to meet with Doctor.
   14th: (10:00am) Begin Continuous IV heparin. Administer Gemcitabine, Navelbine on outpatient basis.
   15th: My birthday!
   19th: (10:00am) 10:00 Administer Gemcitabine, Navelbine on outpatient basis.
   21st: (9:00am) Admit to BMT ward. Administer BCNU.
   23rd: VP-16
   25th: Cytoxan
   26th: Sister's due date.
   27th: Transplant!
   28th: Recover for next 2-3 weeks.

     That's it so far! The calendar is a bit sparse at places, but at least I know when everything is going down. Worrying about when everything is going to take place is the worst! So, even if it's not as aggressive as I'd like, at least I don't have to worry.

     Speaking of which, I was thinking about something. Sometimes, I think this whole BMT process is geared toward 80 year olds. All the precautions and "mandatory caregiver" stuff... seems a bit excessive at times. Sure, the infection guidelines I can agree with. But, I can certainly inject myself with Neupogen after a wee dose of Cytoxan, and I'd like to think I can maintain my catheter throughout. Also, their estimates for recovery times seem quite high. Makes me think their system isn't geared for the young.
     Then again, maybe I'm just weird. I do tolerate chemo pretty darn well.

     For example, when Dan and I were visiting one of the nurses at Stanford... Her role was to explain, again, just what was going to happen in the following months. At one point, the conversation went something like this:

   Nurse: "...and you'll have to wear the HEPA mask whenever you are outdoors. This is because of all the dust and dirt that you would kick up when you are outside. You should try to stay away from the dust."

   Dan: "What about concrete?"

   Nurse: "Yes, I would much rather Austin walk on a concrete path than a dirt path."

   Dan: "No, I mean concrete dust. Like the kind found in construction, when you're mixing 'crete."

   Nurse: **pause**

   Austin: "That should be okay, right? Because the bacteria found in natural dirt isn't in commercial products, right?"

   Nurse: **Looks at both of us really oddly**
     "Er, yes... I suppose that would be safe, but you shouldn't be breathing too much of this sort of dust..."


     I love that. I mean, here I am, 10 days after my third cycle of ICE and feeling great! Great enough, in fact, to have re-tiled a kitchen, installed a stove/oven, and installed a new sink. Chew on that, cancer. :P

*** PS: ***

     By the way... If you have a persistent cough and you have no cough syrup, why not use the numbing mouthwash instead? If your throat is tickling and causing you to cough, why not try to numb it with the mouthwash?
     One could easily lie down, pour in some mouthwash, and let it sit for a while at the bottom of your throat.
     Bad Idea. That is, unless you're ready to do laundry. You have a persistent cough, stupid. :P

Just a cautionary tale...