[9-22-08] Cytoxan Victory! ... Catheter Worries

[11:40am]
     You heard it here first, folks: Operation Cytoxan is a go!
     Making it here, to this point, has felt like the admissions process into a prestigious university... Like a student waiting for a final exam to be graded, I waited today for my x-ray results. If they are good, I get it. Simple as that. And I got in.

     But there was more to it than that, of course. All the tests and exams and appointments to get into the BMT program... they're a part of this too. Since there'd be no Cytoxan unless they actually planned on going through with the BMT.

     So, here I am, in the bed, getting hydrated. It's great to put this catheter to use! And the beds here, they are beyond comfortable... I'm talking *space-age* mattresses. If you get up, to reposition yourself, the mattress automatically finds the points on your back with the greatest pressure and "softens" them. Points with the least pressure are "filled." The end result: ultimate comfort.
     I'm going to sleep well tonight.

     I have a roommate named Nick -- he has Myeloid Leukemia and has already been through the Allogeneic transplant. He's here for other reasons, something about liver problems.
     Anyhow, he seems like a cool guy. He's around my age. We just talked about movies, video games, and more video games. Kinda reminds me of T.J.


[12:30pm]
     I just got my lab results back:
      WBC: 3.6
      Neutrophil %: 65.5
      Hemoglobin: 9.8!
      Hematocrit: 28.3
      absolute neutrophil count: 2360 (Not neutropenic)

     This impressive thing here is my hemoglobin is at a record low of 9.8! My previous lowest was at 10.8, near the end of Stanford V. At that time, I was exhausted! Climbing up a flight of stairs left me very winded.
     So, why then am I feeling pretty energetic? Has my body just gotten used to low oxygen being delivered?

     My hematocrit is low as well. At 28.3, I am just 0.3 higher than the value required for a blood transfusion. My nurse tells me I may receive one at the end of the night.
     Sheesh! You'd think I have something wrong with me, or something. Blood Transfusion? Bah, I'd be fine without one. Well, maybe not... ::visions self when hemoglobin is at 6:: Maybe it's best to prevent that.

[2:40pm]
     Earlier, they performed the following procedures:
     1: Drew blood from catheter
     2: Hooked catheter to saline IV pump

     Now, my nurse comes in with the pre-meds (with 30 mins. to chemo), and she notices that there is no blood return with the catheter. She tries and tries... no blood return. Now she's sending for someone else to check.
     I hope they do not have to perform surgery again, and delay chemo further. Chemo: So close, yet so far away. ::worry::

[4:37pm]
     Nurse came by and tried again to no avail. Then she tried this thing called TPA that is supposed to remove any blod clots or anything. 30 minutes later...still nothing. Now she's getting a doctor. ::more worry::

[4:53pm]
     Nurse just came in and told me that she was going to administer the chemo peripherally; I'm going to get stuck by a needle. Stupid catheter. All this work to clean it and maintain it for nothing. She's scheduling an appointment with radiology surgeons to fix it... says it will probably be non-surgical.
     But still: More appointments, more procedures, more stress. At least I'm getting chemo. But now I have to stress about getting this catheter in order so that apheresis isn't delayed. Also, what about the neupogen? I've got to get that by tomorrow, but I don't even know if Walgreens has it yet.

::stress::

[10:57pm]
     Chemo is done and I feel great! No nausea or anything. The dose was 8.5g -- a little less than I expected, but still good. My new nurse got the catheter working after asking me to cough a few times. It looks like my catheter will be difficult for the next few months. *sigh* Oh well, at least I got my IV needle out.

Nite!