Chemo tomorrow

Tomorrow is my Cyclophosphamide (Chemo) day. So I must remember to start taking my anti-sickness drug tonight with the others so that I’m not ill tomorrow.

 

What have I been up to today

The answer is nothing too exciting!

We nipped out to town again today to buy the small tables we saw yesterday at Habitat. Apart from that we have just had a lazy day at home.

I have been looking into Social Media and doing a bit of reading to update my skills …. you never know when they might come in handy!!!

Social Media is going to be the biggest advertising medium for 2010 or so the Social Media Gurus would have you believe.  If Pepsi are anything to go by, they could be right. Pepsi who have advertised at the Super Bowl for the last 23 years have decided to have no adverts at the 2010 event and are spending $20 million investing in Social Media campaigns. read more

It might be worth looking into …. a little bit of social media might be good for you.

Bone Marrow Transplant

At my last visit to the hospital I found out a little bit more about the Bone Marrow Transplant I will be having.

I will be having an autologous transplant. Which basically means they will be using my own bone marrow and transplanting it back into me.

More information can be found on the Macmillan site

An overview though is that they:

Extract bone marrow from me, probably from the hip using the same procedure they used to test if I had Myeloma (hopefully not as painful this time around as the Myeloma is reduced). During the process they take out some of the bone marrow.

They may put the bone marrow through a cleansing process (purging).

I will have High Dose Treatment – which means they kill all of the myeloma and the bone marrow in my body.

Then they re-insert the cleansed bone marrow back into me via a drip.

 Risks of high-dose treatment
Extract from Macmillan site

The main problems occur during the time when your bone marrow is recovering. This is when you could have possible life-threatening infections and bleeding. Your doctor will take into account your age and your general health when considering high-dose treatment for you. The upper age limit is usually 65–70. This is because the intensity of treatment increases the risks of severe side effects or of dying from the treatment after that age. High-dose treatment can sometimes be given to people over 65–70, depending on their general health and the risk of the cancer coming back.

This treatment is both physically and emotionally demanding. You may need to stay in hospital for up to four weeks or longer, and there will be times when you feel very unwell.

You need to weigh up the benefits and risks of this treatment, including the possible side effects (especially serious infection or bleeding). It is important to discuss this in detail with your doctor and your family and/or the transplant counsellor at the hospital.

New Year Cancelled

I was supposed to be visiting my brother Nigel for New Year, but after considering various things, I have decided it is best to cancel. As I wont be on the Dexamethazone this week it means I will be feeling very tired again, which isn’t a good start. That and coupled with the fact that I will be having my Chemo on Thursday I don’t think I will be in a fit state to drive over to Yorkshire for a few days. Especially as the weather isn’t good at the moment. I was really looking forward to going, but I think it would be a bit stupid to push myself to go under the circumstance. There is a point where I have to say to myself that I can’t do the same things I used do while having the treatment. I have spoken to Nigel and he understands completely and doesn’t think I should push myself to go and wants me feel better. I’m sure we will have other times when we can get together for a good catch up come the new year.

A Visit to Town

Yesterday was the end of my four day cycle of Dexamethazone, which means that today is likely to be the last day I feel like coping with everything. The Dexamethazone makes me feel ok and I don’t feel tired when I’m taking them. So I took the opportunity to go into town for a bit of a break and get at least some exercise after eating far too much over Christmas.

I did forget though that it was Bank Holiday and the start of the sales! So it was very busy. We took a look around some shops and went for a walk down to Habitat to have a look at some coffee tables, didn’t buy one, but have seen one or two we like.

Not sure how I will feel tomorrow, I will let you know.

James on Guitar Hero

James stayed at our house over Christmas and his Birthday on Boxing Day. Here he is demonstrating his skills on Guitar hero. Playing Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits.

Don’t forget!

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Christmas Day

Feeling ok my plan to feel better on the Dexamethazone has worked so I'm having an alright Christmas day. Dinner went to plan as well and everything was cooked ok and on time. As usual we all ate too much. James and Steven enjoyed it as well.

Christmas pudding didn’t go as planned though … we couldn’t find the brandy sauce that we bought so we had to improvise. Charito has a good idea to use some hot milk with Baileys & Caramel. It worked to a treat. In fact I think I liked it better than the brandy sauce.

Charito is very tired as she stayed up till 5am talking to her family in Peru. In Peru they celebrate Christmas at 12am and have there meal then as well and open all of their presents and stay up all night. As Charito couldn’t be with them this year, she used the web cam and spoke to her family all night and then got up at 8am with me, James and Steven. So very tired indeed. Last year we spent Christmas in Peru so I know exactly how busy it is over there and what they all get up to … Very crazy and busy all night. Fireworks in the streets and lots of parties.

Hospital Cycle 3

I’ve been to the hospital this morning to discuss the progress of my treatment. Dr Lee has changed some of the tablets I’m on after talking the the issues I have had with the Septrin and rash. The results from my blood test are looking very good still. The Myeloma is responding well to the treatment still my paraprotein is reducing still leaving only the good bits and my blood levels have risen again to 10.1 The highest it has been since starting the treatment.

I was gong to go on the nebuliser today to have the Septrin that way, rather than in tablet form. However as it is nearly Christmas and there is a risk of having side effects that could effect my breathing he has decided not to give it me this month and to start it on the 13 January my next hospital visit.

To make sure the rash doesn’t come back Dr Lee has stopped me taking a number of the tablets I’m currently taking and change one of them to another type that is a lower dose. He said basically anything that ends in the letters –zole has a risk of giving you a rash. So he has stopped the following.

• Fluconazole
• Septrin (co-trimoxazole)
• Lansoprazole – changed this to a new lower dosage alternative

I still have to continue with the three main tablets, the CTD

• Cyclophosphamide (chemo)
• Thalidomide
• Dexamethazone

The ones they have stopped are to manage the side effects of the main treatment, so I have to watch out for certain things, but nothing to be overly concerned about.

As well as the CTD I will continue with:

• Tinzaparin injection (daily)
• Ondanestron (anti sickness when having the chemo)
• Bonefos (for the rest of my life to strengthen the bones)
• New alternative to Lansopraz (can’t remember the name of it)

I picked up my prescription for the third cycle and dropped it off at the pharmacy. With it being Christmas as well as complicated prescription, I have left it with them and picking it up tomorrow, rather than wait around for two or three hours while they get it all ready.

So fingers crossed I should be ok over the next few days and be able to enjoy Christmas.

Imitation of a snake!

I have started to shed my skin just like a snake. Now that the rash has nearly completely gone, the after effects are that my skin is peeling. Everywhere where I had the rash, which is nearly all over my body, the skin is flaking and peeling off. The pic is of the top of my arm, but it is the same all over my back and chest. My face is pealing as well but I’m putting cream on my hands and face to reduce it as much as possible.