Good news! My mouth sore is getting better! Today is the first day I was able to have some solid food - not a lot, but at least I was able to get off my liquid diet. I am sure it will be well by my birthday! I am already thanking God for answering our prayers.
A few nights ago, I prayed really, really hard for my mouth sore to heal, and asked if God would grant me my birthday wish. I have no right to demand anything from the Almighty, but that He would grant my request through His grace and mercy. I was able to sleep better that night. When I woke up at 5am to use the bathroom, I looked at the mirror just to check how my mouth sore was doing. I was shocked at how much it improved in a few hours! I knew that it was God's healing hands that made it happen. Once again, I was overwhelmed by the goodness of God. Thank you all for your prayers! I know that God was moved by our prayers. At that time, I knew my mouth sore will get better in time for my birthday. I got so excited at the prospect of having good food for my birthday that I couldn't go back to sleep. I had visions of good food parading before my eyes - not really, but I enjoyed thinking of all the delicious food I can have again. Yum!
I have been going to my oncologist for my weekly check-up. When my blood count was low, they had to schedule a blood transfusion for me. It takes a few days to get the transfusion after the check-up. That's not a good thing for someone in my condition. Yesterday, I have started seeing the bone marrow transplant (BMT) doctor for follow-up consultation. When the BMT doctor saw that my blood count was low, she ordered a platelet and blood transfusion, and they were able to get it done the afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised to see how quickly they were able to facilitate everything at the City of Hope. The doctor also ordered my blood count to be checked twice a week with potential transfusion if the numbers are low. Right now, the goal is to get my blood count to go up high enough so that I can have my next round of chemo. I am presently considering having my chemo at the City of Hope because of how quickly they were able to get the blood transfusion done. I have checked out their hospital room and talked to some of the nurses there. Although they have smaller rooms than what I am used to, the one I saw was clean and provides enough room for me. They do not have wi-fi, but they do have dsl connection. The only downside is that I have to take whichever doctor happens to be assigned to do the rounds the week I am confined there. It may be my BMT doctor or someone else. That's just the way they do things there. Anyway, I still have time to decide.
Quick update on BMT: the insurance company has approved the cell matching to be done for all my siblings. The City of Hope has just sent out the kits, so we should know if there is a match in about 20 days.
Thank you all for your prayers and words of encouragement. Please continue to pray for my mouth sore, for my complete healing, and for my family and I to stay happy and positive throughout this journey. Also please pray that Rob and I can make the right decision on where to have my next round of chemo, and whether I should have a bone marrow transplant.
Thank you once again and may God bless you and your family!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
10/25/2009 - Mucositis
"Therefore we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. This was the verse that jumped out at me yesterday morning, reminding me once again that the pain will end soon and where to focus my attention.
Mucositis is a common side effect of chemotherapy. It affects the mucosal cells lining the mouth, throat, stomach, and intestines. Chemotherapy destroys the cells quickly and they are not replaced right away. There may be sores in the mouth and throat causing pain and difficulty eating for a week or two until the tissues recover. This is what I am dealing with right now.
Thank you very much for your prayers. I really felt the power of your prayers. When I last posted to the blog, I had a big mouth sore on the side of my mouth, sore gums and sore throat that made it difficult to swallow. The left side of my tongue was swollen due to the mouth sores, causing the line down the middle of my tongue to curve. Interesting, huh? Now, the line is almost straight, and an hourly application of lidocaine has kept the pain under control. I still wake up many times at night to reapply lidocaine so I won't feel the stinging or throbbing pain, but I do get more sleep now. My throat and gums also feel better now. They still bother me from time to time, but not as often as before.
I am more creative with my food intake these days. Some of my latest creations: banana orange wheat grass smoothie, cream of arroz caldo con asparagus soup, pureed duck in chinese herb (si but) soup. I miss having real food, and spend a lot of time preparing food, but it is better and more nutritious than having the boxed or canned soup variety. Besides, this is just temporary. I hope that the sore will be gone by next Sunday - my birthday! It will be tough to really celebrate my birthday without having good food!
One more skill I picked up from mucositis is talking without moving my mouth and tongue much. This minimizes the risk of accidentally rubbing the sore on my tongue against a sharp part of my teeth. The stabbing pain I get when this happens is something I will never miss. Hey! Maybe I can try to be a ventriloquist when this is all over! :-)
The best news is that I do feel much better now in terms of dealing with the pain. It helps to refocus my attention on God and not on the pain. I don't feel so bad about it anymore, and I have regained my sense of humor. I just try to make the most of the situation. I spend most of my day preparing food, brushing and gargling with salt and baking soda solution every time I eat, and applying medication - what fun! :-/
My recent blood test is a little better than the last one, but it is still pretty low. I just had another blood and platelet transfusion on Friday. This time, I was able to have it in the outpatient facility. The mouth, throat and gum sores should heal by themselves in a week or two. However, I would need my white cells to go up for this to happen.
Please continue to pray for my complete healing, for my blood count to go back up to normal, for my sores to heal soon (before my birthday, please!). Also please continue to pray that my family and I will continue to be happy and positive throughout the journey, and that we will not catch any flu, especially the H1N1 (swine) flu. Lastly, Robert is fighting cold, so please also pray that the girls and I will not catch it.
As always, my family and I appreciate all your prayers and support. May God continue to bless you and your family!
Mucositis is a common side effect of chemotherapy. It affects the mucosal cells lining the mouth, throat, stomach, and intestines. Chemotherapy destroys the cells quickly and they are not replaced right away. There may be sores in the mouth and throat causing pain and difficulty eating for a week or two until the tissues recover. This is what I am dealing with right now.
Thank you very much for your prayers. I really felt the power of your prayers. When I last posted to the blog, I had a big mouth sore on the side of my mouth, sore gums and sore throat that made it difficult to swallow. The left side of my tongue was swollen due to the mouth sores, causing the line down the middle of my tongue to curve. Interesting, huh? Now, the line is almost straight, and an hourly application of lidocaine has kept the pain under control. I still wake up many times at night to reapply lidocaine so I won't feel the stinging or throbbing pain, but I do get more sleep now. My throat and gums also feel better now. They still bother me from time to time, but not as often as before.
I am more creative with my food intake these days. Some of my latest creations: banana orange wheat grass smoothie, cream of arroz caldo con asparagus soup, pureed duck in chinese herb (si but) soup. I miss having real food, and spend a lot of time preparing food, but it is better and more nutritious than having the boxed or canned soup variety. Besides, this is just temporary. I hope that the sore will be gone by next Sunday - my birthday! It will be tough to really celebrate my birthday without having good food!
One more skill I picked up from mucositis is talking without moving my mouth and tongue much. This minimizes the risk of accidentally rubbing the sore on my tongue against a sharp part of my teeth. The stabbing pain I get when this happens is something I will never miss. Hey! Maybe I can try to be a ventriloquist when this is all over! :-)
The best news is that I do feel much better now in terms of dealing with the pain. It helps to refocus my attention on God and not on the pain. I don't feel so bad about it anymore, and I have regained my sense of humor. I just try to make the most of the situation. I spend most of my day preparing food, brushing and gargling with salt and baking soda solution every time I eat, and applying medication - what fun! :-/
My recent blood test is a little better than the last one, but it is still pretty low. I just had another blood and platelet transfusion on Friday. This time, I was able to have it in the outpatient facility. The mouth, throat and gum sores should heal by themselves in a week or two. However, I would need my white cells to go up for this to happen.
Please continue to pray for my complete healing, for my blood count to go back up to normal, for my sores to heal soon (before my birthday, please!). Also please continue to pray that my family and I will continue to be happy and positive throughout the journey, and that we will not catch any flu, especially the H1N1 (swine) flu. Lastly, Robert is fighting cold, so please also pray that the girls and I will not catch it.
As always, my family and I appreciate all your prayers and support. May God continue to bless you and your family!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
10/21/2009 - When Things Go Wrong
By God's grace, the second round of chemotherapy at the hospital went well with virtually no side effect except for mild cases of nausea. I went home as scheduled - yehey! When I got home, I was pleasantly surprised when relatives and friends brought delicious and nutritious food to us the next few days. Thank you, Tita Belen, Henry, Nora, Bessie and Cristina! I also received a package of Chinese herbs from my mom that Gina so graciously brought with her from Manila. Thanks, Gina! What a nice homecoming - I could feel the love!
The following day, I got my Neulasta shot at the doctor's office to help my blood count go up. Everything seemed normal, but when I had my blood tested a few days later, all the numbers were low, especially my platelets. It was 4! The normal range starts at 150. My platelets were doing the limbo - how low can you go?
The doctor wanted me to have a platelet transfusion as soon as possible. Although I did not really need a blood transfusion yet, the doctor though it will be a good idea just to have both at the same time. The transfusion should have been an outpatient procedure, but the soonest available slot was not until several days later. The fastest way to get a transfusion in this case was to be admitted to the hospital. Still, the soonest availability was 2 days later. In the meantime, a mouth sore started to develop on the side of my tongue - where it hits my teeth whenever I talk, chew, gargle, etc. Not a good thing!
October 17. Almost everything that could go wrong went wrong that day. I might have missed the notice that October 17 was the National Incompetence Day. As soon as I woke up that day, I had to deal with mistakes made by people who were responsible for my hospital stay and for informing me about it. When I got to the hospital, it didn't help that I got to see the other side of the Huntington Memorial Hospital. I stayed at the old wing of the hospital and got a room with a bed and chairs that were old and scratched, paint peeling off the wall, shower leaking, and of course, without a view. The room was not properly cleaned when I got there, and the bed was so uncomfortable they had to replace it middle of the night. When I complained about the bed, the maintenance person realized that it should have been taken out for repair! The nurse and aide were also in step with the Incompetence Day theme. With almost everything going wrong, I had to do a lot of talking with a growing canker sore on the side of my tongue (ouch!). October 17 was the day I was tested for patience. I wish that I could say that I passed the test with flying colors, but I failed miserably - test after test after test. As my husband put it nicely, patience has always been my Achilles heel. When will I learn to be patient?! Not soon enough! :-)
When things go wrong like they did on October 17, that was when I fully realized how blessed I was that things went so well the last couple of times I had my chemo at the hospital! I guess, sometimes it helps to go through bad times to fully appreciate what one had.
The canker sore has gotten worse since I left the hospital. As of yesterday, I could no longer eat solid food nor talk normally. My gums are tender and sore at night. They kept me awake the last 2 nights. I have a low grade fever and my throat is starting to hurt. I called my doctor this evening to see what can be done. According to the oncologist covering for my doctor tonight, this is about the time when I am susceptible to infections, so start taking antibiotics. Thanks for letting me know! And I thought I was doing so well after the second round of chemo. Lesson learned: chemo side effects can take weeks to unfold, so I should be more careful next time. I have another check-up with the doctor tomorrow. My blood count is likely going to be low again, so they tentatively booked a slot for me on Friday for outpatient blood transfusion.
Please pray that my blood count will go up so I won't be neutropenic anymore. Also pray that my mouth sore, gums and sore throat will heal quickly. They have been keeping me awake at night, that's why I am blogging at this time. I should have asked for your prayers sooner. It would be nice to have a good night's sleep, enjoy food and a regular conversation again! Please also pray that I will not catch any infection, especially flu. The flu season has started in America. So far, the doctor didn't want me to have flu shots because of my low blood count. Please pray that my family and I will not catch the flu, especially H1N1 (swine flu) that has started claiming lives here. I try to be careful and stay away from crowded places, but all it takes is one person to spread it to me or my family and on to me.
Please continue to pray for my complete healing, for my family and I to stay positive and happy throughout this journey, and for Robert and I to have peace with the decision on whether to have a bone marrow transplant. I think it will be better for me to have a bone marrow transplant, but Robert is not convinced that it is the better solution. Also please pray that if I were to have a bone marrow transplant, that they will be able to find a cell match for me as soon as possible.
Thank you once again for your prayers and for persevering with us through this journey. It means a lot to me and my family. I know this journey would have been a lot more difficult for us without your support. May God bless you and your family!
The following day, I got my Neulasta shot at the doctor's office to help my blood count go up. Everything seemed normal, but when I had my blood tested a few days later, all the numbers were low, especially my platelets. It was 4! The normal range starts at 150. My platelets were doing the limbo - how low can you go?
The doctor wanted me to have a platelet transfusion as soon as possible. Although I did not really need a blood transfusion yet, the doctor though it will be a good idea just to have both at the same time. The transfusion should have been an outpatient procedure, but the soonest available slot was not until several days later. The fastest way to get a transfusion in this case was to be admitted to the hospital. Still, the soonest availability was 2 days later. In the meantime, a mouth sore started to develop on the side of my tongue - where it hits my teeth whenever I talk, chew, gargle, etc. Not a good thing!
October 17. Almost everything that could go wrong went wrong that day. I might have missed the notice that October 17 was the National Incompetence Day. As soon as I woke up that day, I had to deal with mistakes made by people who were responsible for my hospital stay and for informing me about it. When I got to the hospital, it didn't help that I got to see the other side of the Huntington Memorial Hospital. I stayed at the old wing of the hospital and got a room with a bed and chairs that were old and scratched, paint peeling off the wall, shower leaking, and of course, without a view. The room was not properly cleaned when I got there, and the bed was so uncomfortable they had to replace it middle of the night. When I complained about the bed, the maintenance person realized that it should have been taken out for repair! The nurse and aide were also in step with the Incompetence Day theme. With almost everything going wrong, I had to do a lot of talking with a growing canker sore on the side of my tongue (ouch!). October 17 was the day I was tested for patience. I wish that I could say that I passed the test with flying colors, but I failed miserably - test after test after test. As my husband put it nicely, patience has always been my Achilles heel. When will I learn to be patient?! Not soon enough! :-)
When things go wrong like they did on October 17, that was when I fully realized how blessed I was that things went so well the last couple of times I had my chemo at the hospital! I guess, sometimes it helps to go through bad times to fully appreciate what one had.
The canker sore has gotten worse since I left the hospital. As of yesterday, I could no longer eat solid food nor talk normally. My gums are tender and sore at night. They kept me awake the last 2 nights. I have a low grade fever and my throat is starting to hurt. I called my doctor this evening to see what can be done. According to the oncologist covering for my doctor tonight, this is about the time when I am susceptible to infections, so start taking antibiotics. Thanks for letting me know! And I thought I was doing so well after the second round of chemo. Lesson learned: chemo side effects can take weeks to unfold, so I should be more careful next time. I have another check-up with the doctor tomorrow. My blood count is likely going to be low again, so they tentatively booked a slot for me on Friday for outpatient blood transfusion.
Please pray that my blood count will go up so I won't be neutropenic anymore. Also pray that my mouth sore, gums and sore throat will heal quickly. They have been keeping me awake at night, that's why I am blogging at this time. I should have asked for your prayers sooner. It would be nice to have a good night's sleep, enjoy food and a regular conversation again! Please also pray that I will not catch any infection, especially flu. The flu season has started in America. So far, the doctor didn't want me to have flu shots because of my low blood count. Please pray that my family and I will not catch the flu, especially H1N1 (swine flu) that has started claiming lives here. I try to be careful and stay away from crowded places, but all it takes is one person to spread it to me or my family and on to me.
Please continue to pray for my complete healing, for my family and I to stay positive and happy throughout this journey, and for Robert and I to have peace with the decision on whether to have a bone marrow transplant. I think it will be better for me to have a bone marrow transplant, but Robert is not convinced that it is the better solution. Also please pray that if I were to have a bone marrow transplant, that they will be able to find a cell match for me as soon as possible.
Thank you once again for your prayers and for persevering with us through this journey. It means a lot to me and my family. I know this journey would have been a lot more difficult for us without your support. May God bless you and your family!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
10/10/2009 - Last day at the Hospital
I have gone through 2 days of chemo, and will start the next one in a few hours. I thank God for making it easy on my body, and I thank you all for your prayers. So far, I only had mild cases of nausea, but they quickly went away, so no vomiting. I also got some rashes that looked like the beginnings of chicken pox on day 1, but those were also gone by the following morning. I am being given medication to fight off chicken pox just in case the virus wants to come out and party - no party for them this time!
As expected, my blood count went down with every dose of chemo. My white blood cells is down to 1.3 (too low), hemoglobin down to 8.3 (blood transfusion again), and ANC down to 0.9 (neutropenic again). These did not come as a surprise. I will get another pint of blood sometime this afternoon. We just have to wait for the blood to be irradiated and whatever else the blood bank does to make donated blood acceptable to Leukemia patients. I will also get my next dose of chemo at 2pm, then the last one at 2am. Then I'm done! Hurray!
I will have to go to my doctor's office on Monday to get a shot to increase my blood count. It is not Neupogen this time, but another drug that is supposed to last for 2 weeks. By then, my bone marrow should be able to kick in and produce the blood cells my body needs.
Yesterday, a volunteer came to our floor to play the harp for the patients. It was so nice of her to carry that human-sized harp around just to lift our spirits up with music. She reminded me of the harpist in Jack and the Beanstalk. She was pretty with long blond hair, except that she was not strapped to her harp. :-) The music was beautiful. The harpist informed me that I can request for volunteers to come and play music when I am in the hospital. Hmmm...I wonder if Yo Yo Ma volunteers when he is in town...
Another blessing I received the last couple of days was Crisitina's pinakbet. I am not a big fan of the dish, but my best friend prepares it so well I am now a fan of her version of it. She was nice enough to bring me some when she was working the last couple of days. Yum!
Of course, the biggest treat everyday was seeing my family at the end of the day. Even just an hour with them is enough to put a big smile on my face. Tonight will be movie night again! We will have dinner together in my room while watching a dvd. We're looking forward to that. But more than that, we are all looking forward to my going home on Sunday. After being away for 5 weeks last time, our family is closer than ever. We spend a lot more time with each other and do fun stuff together like having Wii matches, letting my kids read to me (my little one is a proud reader now), helping with their homework, and just hanging around each other. We do not to take these moments for granted anymore, so we appreciate them more. I hope other families don't have to go through what we went through to appreciate what they have.
Thank you all once again for your prayers and may God bless you and your family.
As expected, my blood count went down with every dose of chemo. My white blood cells is down to 1.3 (too low), hemoglobin down to 8.3 (blood transfusion again), and ANC down to 0.9 (neutropenic again). These did not come as a surprise. I will get another pint of blood sometime this afternoon. We just have to wait for the blood to be irradiated and whatever else the blood bank does to make donated blood acceptable to Leukemia patients. I will also get my next dose of chemo at 2pm, then the last one at 2am. Then I'm done! Hurray!
I will have to go to my doctor's office on Monday to get a shot to increase my blood count. It is not Neupogen this time, but another drug that is supposed to last for 2 weeks. By then, my bone marrow should be able to kick in and produce the blood cells my body needs.
Yesterday, a volunteer came to our floor to play the harp for the patients. It was so nice of her to carry that human-sized harp around just to lift our spirits up with music. She reminded me of the harpist in Jack and the Beanstalk. She was pretty with long blond hair, except that she was not strapped to her harp. :-) The music was beautiful. The harpist informed me that I can request for volunteers to come and play music when I am in the hospital. Hmmm...I wonder if Yo Yo Ma volunteers when he is in town...
Another blessing I received the last couple of days was Crisitina's pinakbet. I am not a big fan of the dish, but my best friend prepares it so well I am now a fan of her version of it. She was nice enough to bring me some when she was working the last couple of days. Yum!
Of course, the biggest treat everyday was seeing my family at the end of the day. Even just an hour with them is enough to put a big smile on my face. Tonight will be movie night again! We will have dinner together in my room while watching a dvd. We're looking forward to that. But more than that, we are all looking forward to my going home on Sunday. After being away for 5 weeks last time, our family is closer than ever. We spend a lot more time with each other and do fun stuff together like having Wii matches, letting my kids read to me (my little one is a proud reader now), helping with their homework, and just hanging around each other. We do not to take these moments for granted anymore, so we appreciate them more. I hope other families don't have to go through what we went through to appreciate what they have.
Thank you all once again for your prayers and may God bless you and your family.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
10/07/2009 - Round Two
My second round of chemotherapy started yesterday afternoon. So far, so good. I had no side effects other than feeling mild nausea this afternoon. Thank God! There are some other new things I am thankful for:
- This round of chemo is simpler than I thought. I misunderstood what the doctor said. I thought I will have two 12-hour sessions each day. The treatment actually consists of only two 3-hour session each day given 12 hours apart. The full treatment will be 3 days given during alternate days. So, if all goes well, I should be going home on Sunday.
- I got a room with a view again! I was even given a choice between a bigger room with the view of mostly trees or a smaller room but with the mountain view. I guess it pays to be nice to other people, because most patients don't get a choice for their room, but the people here knew I like bigger rooms and rooms with the mountain view, so they gave me a choice. I chose the smaller room with the mountain view. There's something about mountains that lifts my spirits (unless there's wildfire going on!). When I see the mountains, it reminds me of the verse "I look to the mountains, and where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.." (or something like that somewhere in the Bible).
- Same room, familiar faces. It was comforting to come back to one of the rooms I stayed in last time, and to see the familiar faces. I have become friends with my doctors, and many of the nurses and caregivers here, so it was very nice to see them again. I really like this place and the people here. After all, this was "home" to me for over a month.
- Things could be a lot worse. Yesterday, a friend told me that her nephew also has the same type of Leukemia as I have, but it took him 10 months to be in remission and be able to get a bone marrow transplant. I am now in remission and can already have a bone marrow transplant once a match is found. That's a huge blessing!
These are just the few new things I am thankful for. I continue to be thankful for having so many people who care enough to pray for me and my family, and send me words of support and encouragement. For my sister who put her comfortable life in Manila on hold just to come here and help us out. For the many true friends and relatives who are more than willing to help in any way they can, even offering to be bone marrow transplant donors. For the things that are most important in life - having known and experienced God's love, family, true friends, joy, peace, and hope. It is true what the Little Prince said, "What is essential is invisible to the eye."
Please continue to pray for me and my family on this new leg of our journey: that I will not have any side effects in this round of chemo; that the kids won't have a hard time with my absence; that we will find a cell match for the bone marrow transplant; that we will make the right decision regarding whether to have bone marrow transplant and that we will have peace with the decision.
Thank you once again for your prayers and for persevering with us through our journey. May God bless you and your family!
- This round of chemo is simpler than I thought. I misunderstood what the doctor said. I thought I will have two 12-hour sessions each day. The treatment actually consists of only two 3-hour session each day given 12 hours apart. The full treatment will be 3 days given during alternate days. So, if all goes well, I should be going home on Sunday.
- I got a room with a view again! I was even given a choice between a bigger room with the view of mostly trees or a smaller room but with the mountain view. I guess it pays to be nice to other people, because most patients don't get a choice for their room, but the people here knew I like bigger rooms and rooms with the mountain view, so they gave me a choice. I chose the smaller room with the mountain view. There's something about mountains that lifts my spirits (unless there's wildfire going on!). When I see the mountains, it reminds me of the verse "I look to the mountains, and where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.." (or something like that somewhere in the Bible).
- Same room, familiar faces. It was comforting to come back to one of the rooms I stayed in last time, and to see the familiar faces. I have become friends with my doctors, and many of the nurses and caregivers here, so it was very nice to see them again. I really like this place and the people here. After all, this was "home" to me for over a month.
- Things could be a lot worse. Yesterday, a friend told me that her nephew also has the same type of Leukemia as I have, but it took him 10 months to be in remission and be able to get a bone marrow transplant. I am now in remission and can already have a bone marrow transplant once a match is found. That's a huge blessing!
These are just the few new things I am thankful for. I continue to be thankful for having so many people who care enough to pray for me and my family, and send me words of support and encouragement. For my sister who put her comfortable life in Manila on hold just to come here and help us out. For the many true friends and relatives who are more than willing to help in any way they can, even offering to be bone marrow transplant donors. For the things that are most important in life - having known and experienced God's love, family, true friends, joy, peace, and hope. It is true what the Little Prince said, "What is essential is invisible to the eye."
Please continue to pray for me and my family on this new leg of our journey: that I will not have any side effects in this round of chemo; that the kids won't have a hard time with my absence; that we will find a cell match for the bone marrow transplant; that we will make the right decision regarding whether to have bone marrow transplant and that we will have peace with the decision.
Thank you once again for your prayers and for persevering with us through our journey. May God bless you and your family!
Friday, October 2, 2009
10/2/2009 - Biopsy Results and Doctors' Recommendation
First the good news: The result of my latest biopsy came out clean! Also, my blood count is coming up nicely on its own. I am no long neutropenic! Thank you, Lord. And thanks to all who have been praying for me. God continues to listen to our prayers and grant our requests.
Robert and I met with the bone marrow transplant (BMT) doctor at the City of Hope on Wednesday, and I had another consultation with my oncologist yesterday. The BMT doctor also had difficulty coming up with a recommendation. Based on a previous biopsy result, I am considered at intermediate risk. Having a BMT will increase the likelihood of NOT having a relapse from 40% t0 50%. The question is whether the 10% improvement is worth subjecting me to the harsher treatment with significant risks of side effects that comes with BMT. The doctor presented the case during their doctors' forum later that day. The doctors' consensus was to proceed with the BMT. This is consistent with my oncologists' recommendation. The final decision will still be up to us, though. Robert and I are having reservations about going through BMT, because we are concerned about the rigorous process and added risk. Until we make a final decision, I will proceed with my chemo treatment(s) and we have also started the process for a potential BMT. The insurance company has to first approve the BMT and testing my siblings for a cell match. We have prayed that the doctors be given the wisdom to come up with the best recommendation that is consistent with God's will. We may just be having a hard time accepting the recommendation. Please pray that we will make the right decision and be at peace with it.
For those who are not aware of what the City of Hope is, it is one of the most advanced facilities in the US for cancer research and treatment. Unlike other hospitals, they only deal with patients with cancer in their facility. They are at the forefront of cancer research, and it is one of the few facilities in LA that can do bone marrow transplant - not all hospitals have the ability to do BMT. They also have some of the best doctors in this field. My oncologist practices in the hospital, but she is not licensed to do BMT that is why I had to speak with another doctor for the procedure. A bonus is that we live very close to the facility. Is it coincidental that our house is somewhere between the Huntington Memorial Hospital (my favorite hospital) and the City of Hope? Maybe God has been preparing us for this all along. Small side note: I was told that Andrea Bocelli was at the City of Hope two weeks ago to sing during the dedication of a statue (of Pope ?) that was donated to the facility. It was a very private event, so not many people knew about it. Hmm...maybe I can be an uninvited guest next time he's there... :-)
Back to the BMT - wish we're discussing BLT here. The BMT procedure is very rigorous. It starts with an intensified chemo plus some radiation treatments to wipe out ALL the blood cells and clean out my bone marrow. The purpose is to create a fresh environment for the "foreign" stem cells. This reduces the risk of having a "graft to host rejection" which is the greatest risk in BMT. If my body rejects the new stem cell, it could lead to many complications, and even death. After the chemo and radiation treatments, they will introduce the new stem cell into my body via IV. I will have to be closely monitored in the hospital for a whole month. After being discharged, I still have to see my doctor twice a week for blood tests, etc. It is crucial to monitor the progress in the first 100 days of the transplant to make sure that the body is accepting the new stem cells. The monitoring eases up a bit after that, but I will still have to take plenty of medications. I get tired just thinking of the whole process. This is a significantly more complicated process when compared to the chemo alternative: 4 more cycles of chemo administered about a month apart and I'm done. Maybe now you understand our concern about going through BMT versus just taking the chemo route. Please pray that if BMT is indeed the course we have to take, that we will have peace with the decision and that we will be physically, emotionally and spiritually equipped and ready to go through it.
My next round of chemo starts next Tuesday. It will have to be done in the hospital because they couldn't find a home nurse that's covered by my insurance and also licensed to administer chemo at home. Although it may seem more convenient to have the chemo at home, I think it is actually better for me to have it in the hospital. I feel safer knowing that I can bother a nurse any time of day if I need any help, and that they can deal with any problems better than we can at home. Another advantage for me is that I will not be tempted to do things around the house when I should be resting most of the time. The next round will consist of 3 alternate days of 24-hour chemo, so I will be in the hospital for 6 days if we include time spent for admission and discharge. I will be given a stronger dose of one of the drugs I was given during the first round. In addition to the usual potential side effects, there is also a risk of having problems with keeping my balance and coordination, and also possible irritation to the eyes. Please pray that I will be able to tolerate the second round of chemo well, and that I will not experience any side effects. Also please pray that Robert and the kids will handle my absence well and that they will be able to visit me everyday at the hospital.
On a lighter note, my sister and I visited the Huntington Gardens this afternoon and had an enjoyable afternoon tea at their Tea Room. The plan was to eat and walk off the calories, but we enjoyed the food and conversation so much that we ran out of time - it was time to pick up the kids at school. Oh well, we'll just have to return another time. My kids felt bad that they didn't go with us, because it is one of our favorite places for family fun. We missed going for picnics during their summer concert series this year because of our trip to the Philippines and then my illness. There is always much to see and do, we always have fun visiting even without the concerts. I promised the girls we will go there again when I feel better after the next round of chemo - that's a good motivation for me to get well soon after the second chemo.
That's it for today. Thank you all for your continued prayers and for persevering with us through our journey. May God bless you all!
Thank you once again for all your prayers and may God bless you all!
Robert and I met with the bone marrow transplant (BMT) doctor at the City of Hope on Wednesday, and I had another consultation with my oncologist yesterday. The BMT doctor also had difficulty coming up with a recommendation. Based on a previous biopsy result, I am considered at intermediate risk. Having a BMT will increase the likelihood of NOT having a relapse from 40% t0 50%. The question is whether the 10% improvement is worth subjecting me to the harsher treatment with significant risks of side effects that comes with BMT. The doctor presented the case during their doctors' forum later that day. The doctors' consensus was to proceed with the BMT. This is consistent with my oncologists' recommendation. The final decision will still be up to us, though. Robert and I are having reservations about going through BMT, because we are concerned about the rigorous process and added risk. Until we make a final decision, I will proceed with my chemo treatment(s) and we have also started the process for a potential BMT. The insurance company has to first approve the BMT and testing my siblings for a cell match. We have prayed that the doctors be given the wisdom to come up with the best recommendation that is consistent with God's will. We may just be having a hard time accepting the recommendation. Please pray that we will make the right decision and be at peace with it.
For those who are not aware of what the City of Hope is, it is one of the most advanced facilities in the US for cancer research and treatment. Unlike other hospitals, they only deal with patients with cancer in their facility. They are at the forefront of cancer research, and it is one of the few facilities in LA that can do bone marrow transplant - not all hospitals have the ability to do BMT. They also have some of the best doctors in this field. My oncologist practices in the hospital, but she is not licensed to do BMT that is why I had to speak with another doctor for the procedure. A bonus is that we live very close to the facility. Is it coincidental that our house is somewhere between the Huntington Memorial Hospital (my favorite hospital) and the City of Hope? Maybe God has been preparing us for this all along. Small side note: I was told that Andrea Bocelli was at the City of Hope two weeks ago to sing during the dedication of a statue (of Pope ?) that was donated to the facility. It was a very private event, so not many people knew about it. Hmm...maybe I can be an uninvited guest next time he's there... :-)
Back to the BMT - wish we're discussing BLT here. The BMT procedure is very rigorous. It starts with an intensified chemo plus some radiation treatments to wipe out ALL the blood cells and clean out my bone marrow. The purpose is to create a fresh environment for the "foreign" stem cells. This reduces the risk of having a "graft to host rejection" which is the greatest risk in BMT. If my body rejects the new stem cell, it could lead to many complications, and even death. After the chemo and radiation treatments, they will introduce the new stem cell into my body via IV. I will have to be closely monitored in the hospital for a whole month. After being discharged, I still have to see my doctor twice a week for blood tests, etc. It is crucial to monitor the progress in the first 100 days of the transplant to make sure that the body is accepting the new stem cells. The monitoring eases up a bit after that, but I will still have to take plenty of medications. I get tired just thinking of the whole process. This is a significantly more complicated process when compared to the chemo alternative: 4 more cycles of chemo administered about a month apart and I'm done. Maybe now you understand our concern about going through BMT versus just taking the chemo route. Please pray that if BMT is indeed the course we have to take, that we will have peace with the decision and that we will be physically, emotionally and spiritually equipped and ready to go through it.
My next round of chemo starts next Tuesday. It will have to be done in the hospital because they couldn't find a home nurse that's covered by my insurance and also licensed to administer chemo at home. Although it may seem more convenient to have the chemo at home, I think it is actually better for me to have it in the hospital. I feel safer knowing that I can bother a nurse any time of day if I need any help, and that they can deal with any problems better than we can at home. Another advantage for me is that I will not be tempted to do things around the house when I should be resting most of the time. The next round will consist of 3 alternate days of 24-hour chemo, so I will be in the hospital for 6 days if we include time spent for admission and discharge. I will be given a stronger dose of one of the drugs I was given during the first round. In addition to the usual potential side effects, there is also a risk of having problems with keeping my balance and coordination, and also possible irritation to the eyes. Please pray that I will be able to tolerate the second round of chemo well, and that I will not experience any side effects. Also please pray that Robert and the kids will handle my absence well and that they will be able to visit me everyday at the hospital.
On a lighter note, my sister and I visited the Huntington Gardens this afternoon and had an enjoyable afternoon tea at their Tea Room. The plan was to eat and walk off the calories, but we enjoyed the food and conversation so much that we ran out of time - it was time to pick up the kids at school. Oh well, we'll just have to return another time. My kids felt bad that they didn't go with us, because it is one of our favorite places for family fun. We missed going for picnics during their summer concert series this year because of our trip to the Philippines and then my illness. There is always much to see and do, we always have fun visiting even without the concerts. I promised the girls we will go there again when I feel better after the next round of chemo - that's a good motivation for me to get well soon after the second chemo.
That's it for today. Thank you all for your continued prayers and for persevering with us through our journey. May God bless you all!
Thank you once again for all your prayers and may God bless you all!
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