Day One is winding down and I’m going down with it. But not in a bad way.
We arrived early and got checked in – like checking into a hotel you don’t want to be at. It all went smoothly – in fact I got the same room (an isolated single room) that I had when I first arrived last year. My phone and PC even reconnected to the wifi without any help from me. We got some info about what was going to happen and approximately when it would happen. Having a catheter port installed, starting treatment that evening, jumpstarting my treatment. Shoulders still tense, but at least the wheels were motion.
Then the nurses came. Two students and a registered nurse, there to measure me, weigh me and stick me. Four needle holes and three cotton balls later they had their blood and I knew that I had gained more weight than I should have. But in hind sight that is a good thing because now I am better prepared to fight my fight and I won’t be quite so scrawny when I’m finished. But I will try not gain quite so much next time, because I’m not planning on doing this again.
Enter the Doctor
A nice guy. Very positive. Starts out by explaining the process … this kind of chemo and that kind of pill combined with this chemo and another type. May and her medical brain sucked it all in while I tried to look like I was understanding, while not drooling on myself. Anyway – bottom line – the big guns are coming out now – Treatment will be kind of the same, but kind of different, combo of pills, shots and chemo – works better than whatever they gave me the first time. (but this treatment isn’t approved for first timers, only us veterans) – All that will be followed up by a transplant – not sure if its a bone marrow transplant or a stem cell transplant (or if there is even a difference between the two) -But a transplant, which should reset me. (This is my understanding of things -if you’d like to know what is really going on, please contact May)
Treatment should be a little shorter than last time, but recovery longer.
But none of it will be starting until tomorrow because today’s timeline was scraped do too scheduling conflicts, so I’ve been reading instead.
So after a week of misery and being on edge I (we) can finally sink the shoulders and exhale. Now I’m tired. It’s pitch black here in Norway by 4:30 pm, so I’m generally ready to go to bed by 7:00 – I might just do that tonight. Barring any further delays, it’s catheters and chemo tomorrow. I’ll let you know.
I guess if you are back reading this blog you know my situation.
I’m headed back into the hospital for a new round of chemo treatments tomorrow. I suspect it will be a repeat of the last round but with the added bonus of a transplant at the end -stem cells or bone marrow or whatever they transplant. Although, honestly I’m not sure. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow when I get to the hospital. I’ll keep everyone posted.
I’ve known for almost a week now and have been doing a lot of processing and questioning during that time. I’ll share some of those questions and ponderings in a few days but first I need to get settled in. There are plenty of loose ends to tie up at home and work before I even get to the hospital. Then there are things like ports and IVs and hospital rooms to sort out upon arrival.
In the past week I think we’ve managed to assemble to troops and once again there are people all over the world praying for me. I am grateful for everyone who is praying for me, thinking about me and wishing me well. I’m going into this ready for a fight and expecting a full recovery this time. I still believe that God has a plan for this and that He’ll get me through. For better or worse I have a better idea of what to expect this time around – I’m not looking forward to it but I know I can get through it. It’s a long hard road to get there but I can beat it again. Hopefully by spring I’ll be back on my feet and getting healthy.
So sit back. Enjoy the blogg. Laugh, cry, worry and rejoice.
Love you all!
I am finished. We went to the final control for this phase and I got the all clear. My immune system is back and I can start socializing and going to stores and restaurants . Soon I’ll have my catheters and tubes taken out and life will slowly start getting back to normal.
I would like to thank you all for your encouragement, prayers and well wishes. I am so grateful to God for bringing me through this and being with me every step of the way. And a special thank you to my wonderful wife and kids who suffered through this summer with me and to those who cooked, and fed us. Thank you so so much.
This concludes the voyage as I am now cancer free. I won’t update about how or what I’m doing but will occasionally post about my progress and how my recovery is going.
Thanks again for coming along on this ride.
The doctors sent me home yesterday. My blood numbers (number of blood cells and various other things in my blood) aren’t as high as they should be to be released but I was otherwise healthy and taking up valuable real estate as there were 7 patients camped out in beds in the hall way. (one of the down sides to socialized medicine).
So here I am ready to recover and get back to normal life. Yesterday I signed up for a physical therapy group for people who finished their cancer treatments. It should be a busy fall with doctor visits and controls, physical therapy, counseling and all the other stuff I need to do to get back to normal.
On the bright side
This is really about as bright as it gets. This is what I have been working and hoping for for the past three months and here I am. Thank you God!
It’s Sunday morning and I am stilling sitting my hospital room waiting to be healthy enough to be sent home. I’m not there yet, but it’s not far off. My immune system is building up day by day and I can go home on “leave” for a few hours today between my antibiotic infusions. (about 5 hours at home each day). I’m really looking forward to that.
Other than that there isn’t really much going on, which means no new problems or complications. That’s always a good thing.
On the bright side
I’m so close now I can taste it. In the meantime it’s so nice to be able to go home and see the family and eat home cooked food.
I finally got the word today that my immune system is coming back online. My white blood cells have doubled since yesterday. It is still minimal but at least it is going up and not down.
Other than that I am super bored. Being in the hospital when there is nothing really wrong with you leads to some long, boring days. The walls are white, the floors are grey, no curtains, no pictures, no colors. Luckily I have a TV but I can only watch it so much a day. I can restore a car, remodel a house, cook a Michelin dinner, hunt, fish and supply my family with meat through the winter in the wilderness.
Sadly my mustache has started falling out. I hope it grows back, who knows, maybe even thicker and darker.
On the bright side
I should be heading home in a few days, once my blood cells are up to a healthier level.
Last night I got a slight fever and that meant that it was time to go back to the hospital.
So here I sit and wait. I’m as healthy as I was yesterday, but the combo of fever and no immune system means that they have to keep a close eye on me, especially after what happened last time.
Hopefully it will be no longer than a week. Once this hospital stay is over I have another checkup / bone marrow test at the university hospital (outpatient procedure) and then I am home free. I see the light at the end of tunnel it just feels like it’s slow getting to it.
On the bright side
I’m safe here. I won’t get corona and they have me on antibiotics to fight off any infections. It might be boring but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Well, I’m still home. I have no functioning immune system but I’m not sick either. I won’t be admitted until I have a fever. Hopefully I won’t get a fever and won’t have to be admitted.
So I just sit here at home, lazing about being careful not to put myself in harm’s way. I watch a lot of TV, read, eat and sleep. I look forward to being finished with this final down phase and concentrating on getting myself back to normal. I will be good to see people again and rebuild my strength.
On the bright side
This whole experience has gone quickly and hasn’t cost us much money at all. Our greatest expense thus far has been parking at the hospitals. I’m not singing the praises of socialized medicine, but I pay those taxes anyway and and thankful that when it was my turn, things went smoothly. God is good.
That’s right, I’m still at home. I am too healthy to be admitted. I’ll have to go back for another control on Thursday and then probably M, W, F next week. They will be keeping an eye on my until all my blood levels are on the rise and my immune system is back up and running. Hopefully no more than 10-12 days. I don’t know if I can avoid the hospital for that entire period but it does happen…
On the bright side
Tonight my son gets his second dose of the vaccine and my teenage daughter gets her first. May and the oldest are already fully vaccinated. I’m the odd man out in the family as I have not been vaccinated at all. Hopefully this fall.
The last few rounds of chemo went fine and I am now home eating and drinking and being merry. I go in for blood tests and a control tomorrow, which may end up with me being admitted to the hospital again. But that is a good thing. With covid blowing up again over here and memories of blood poisoning fresh in my mind, the thought of being at the hospital is a little bit comforting. I love being home, but for the next 10-12 days I’d rather be safe than sorry. The hospital is only 20 minutes away.
Being home has been wonderful. I relax and eat. We have had great food and lots of quality time. I’ll be glad when I’m home on a permanent basis.
On the bright side
My mustache is still coming in and now I’m getting a fuzzy beard growing in much thicker than anything I’ve had before. Its like the chemo has awakened dormant hair follicles on my face.
