[10:55am]
I forgot: this is supposed to be Christmas! This is what I've been looking for: BMT Fantasyland, where you can just sit back, take your pills, and have your cancer melt away. Nothing is further from the truth.
Everything in here is a little battle. Taking your pills in the morning without vomiting is a battle. Fighting to get your anti-emetics is a battle. Just surviving all this is a battle.
I've come out of the ICU with some battle-damage: A few more scars (one from a removed catheter), an IV placed in my hand, and a weird three-pronged catheter in my neck. Then I was sent home, to the BMT unit. Two transfusions later, I'm feeling a little more energetic, but still I am feeling persistently nauseated. I guess that's how things go around here: a battlezone and a balancing act.
I just hope it gets better. Unrealistic, I know -- but this is putting my body through quite an ordeal. I can't wait to see Liz :P
[2:30]
We started the Cytoxan about an hour ago. Back then, the prospect of more chemo was faced with a good deal of dread. I had nausea and quite an upset stomach -- I couldn't fathom things getting any worse... But, like a good little boy, I took my pre-meds and started the chemo and fell asleep.
I woke up feeling great! I mean, not normal great, but the difference between then and now was profound. So, I'm eating and writing on my blog! Eating cheetos and chicken noodle soup! I haven't eaten like this for days -- it's great! I'm joyful.
Hmmm... On another note, I think I can feel the mucositis starting to creep in -- it not like sores, it seems, but a general sensitivity in the mouth. After my meal of cheetos and soup, it feels like I just had a bunch of Jalapeno peppers... Right now it is just interesting to notice, I'm sure it'll become a huge problem in the future -- they all say it does.
Health Status: Blood Pressure is up, and I have normal temp! Woot!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
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9 comments:
Good to see you posting and ranting. It does the body good to let it all out. Good for you!
This is the fight of your life and you are deep in the trenches right now. Keep on fighting, balancing, and ranting - you're going to win the battle and the war!
Same here! I'll be at Stanford tomorrow afternoon. :)
No matter how tough it is, just keep in mind that every day, hour, minute, second is just that little bit closer to getting out and being cancer-free.
Wishing you less nausea!......Vx
This is Tante Theresa. Gotta love the popsicles during chemo. The lemonade ones seemed to do the best trick. Glad to hear you are feeling at least a little better Austin. Hang in there.
Austin,
There are many, many people in that hospital room with you, cheering you on, and wanting to bear some of your pain and discomfort for you. Don't ever forget that!
Love,
Tante Laurie
Woot! sums it up
Medicare and other private insurers are not going to be paying for care due to preventable infections (specifically catheter infections) and hospital errors in the future. See http://www.jsonline.com/business/33672439.html
Hey Austin
Do you think they could prescribe a Relief Band for your nausea. I had one and it worked wonders.
http://www.reliefband.com/whatisit.html
...which doesn't seem entirely fair, since despite the best efforts, the infection rate will never be zero. I saw nothing which would imply that Stanford was in any way responsible. In fact, the decisive way they handled the crisis was admirable.
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