They say don't sweat the small stuff... but sometimes the small stuff is out to get you.

I have a giant cancerous tumor in my chest and I almost get capped by a multivitamin?  Seriously?

 

Let me explain.  I arrived to get my chemo (the good stuff) and after a couple of days they then re infuse your stem cells.  I had three bags - it was two but apparently I had so many white cells in the mix they added another bag.  This would be impressive (and apparently good) except the re infusion made me a little nauseous so the extra bag was not as appreciated as might be expected.

 

I got nauseous because the preservatives that store your stem cells and white blood cells smell and taste like creamed corn while being re infused.  This apparently lasts for a few days but luckily I only smelled it during re infusion (those around me however, not so lucky).

 

Anyway, after that you start to head down the road of feeling crappy. I will admit that this process really kicked my ass (compared to the previous chemo or radiation treatments). 

Your blood counts are dropping (red blood cells which increase fatigue as they get lower, white blood cells and neutrafils which indicate your immune system, and platelets that help clot the blood) and that makes you feel worse.  This also can lead to secondary symptoms such as dryness in the throat.

 

This is where the multivitamin comes in.  They were providing a series of medicines to take orally to help while my immune system was shut down - anti biotics, anti virals, vitamin K, etc.  They also provided a horse pill that they called a multivitamin.  The thing was huge.  Anyway, I started having throat issues earlier than most and on Day 2 I choked on the multivitamin.  In fact I could not breathe.  I managed to shift it but it was still stuck in my throat and causing considerable pain. This aggravated my throat issue and I was not able to swallow. I was not able to swallow anything and so did not eat or drink for 9 days.  I hate to say it... but I may have post-pill traumatic syndrome.

 

Anyway, that is the story of how I almost got taken out by a multivitamin.  Let's just say that going forward, I will be looking for the Fred Flintstone gummy bear multivitamins.

 

Good news is I am starting to swallow again (slowly) and my blood counts made a VERY rapid recovery (platelets, white blood cells and neutrafils - red blood cells (for fatigue) will take at least 3 months to recover) so that I should be going home tomorrow.  This will include me trying to drink 2L of fluid a day and eating what I can (so far watermelon, cooked carrots, apples and applesauce and soup).

 

I look forward to seeing my kids (who I have not seen in 2 weeks) and just settling in at home.

 

More to do after this of course and no testing for a couple of months to see how I am doing but in the meantime, I will continue my dietary restrictions, see the shaman once I am feeling up to the travel, and generally try and get healthy again.  I have a ways to go to rebuild muscle and energy levels. 

 

If you want to see me, I will start seeing people again around Tuesday (I want the weekend to be family only).  While I do have an immune system and I do like visitors, lets continue the no visiting if you are sick or were recently around someone who was sick.  I will not be attending any large group events for a little while (at least a month, maybe two) so please do not take it personally. 

 

Call me if you want to visit next week.

 

All the best,

Rob

I may be down but I can still type - too bad for you!

Welcome to the town of AssKicked - population: me.

 

In keeping with the results, I will spend the next 5 minutes of the e-mail groaning.

 

I am currently neutropenic - I have no immune system (Neutralphils are 0).  I had to get an infusion of platets as I dropped below 10.  I am hovering on the edge of getting a transfusion of red blood cells (currently 79) but have remained the same for 3 days.

 

These are the bad days - I should be better in about 5 days.  Thanks for all the well wishes, and offers to visit but I am not looking for any guests until Friday at the earliest,

 

I will probably be in the hospital for the weekend and if I am lucky, I will be out by the 30th or so.

 

The nurses and staff and the patients for that matter are all great.  The only issues are that you get poked and prodded constantly when you are asleep so to get 3 - 4 straight hours is a rare and precious commodity.

 

Short and sweet as I should go puke or give blood or something.

 

All the best,

Rob

Stop! Hospital time! Do, do, da do

Short and sweet.

I was admitted to PMH yesterday to start my stem cell transfer.  I am on the 15th floor, in room 728.

Guests are limited to 2 at a time so...

Let me know when you are coming if you want to visit.

Let me know if there are going to be more than 2 of you (there are lounges we can go to - but not in the room with that many guests).

Do not come if you are sick, are maybe starting to feel sick, think you could be sick, were exposed to someone who was sick etc.  I do like guests but not only is my immune system compromised but so is my 70 year old roommates so I do not want him or I to get ill.

One final thought - apparently doctors do not appreciate it if you self medicate. 

I got a friend to give me a script for an antibiotic on the 26th of December as I was getting sick and I know that they are proactive about ensuring it is nothing serious when you are in my situation.  While this was the right call, apparently not going through proper channels was a no-no.  Handslap number one.

I was then told off for stopping my Fragmin (low dose blood thinner) despite it being the requisite number of months because I just did not renew my script.  Yes, I was going to have to go off the meds when I was in the hospital but the 2 weeks that I was off prior to that I should have been on (supposedly).  Handslap number two.

So... tell your doctors EVERYTHING that is bothering you or strange or different, do not self medicate (even if you are right), do not poke the doctor bear with alternative medicines (do them, but do not flaunt it).

Cheers,

Rob

Stem Cell Collection - yet another skill for my resume

Much like the Leafs winning 3 of 4 after an 8 game losing streak... the OPTIMISM is back!  Start planning the parade, there has been some GOOD news.

Stem cell collection went swimmingly.  This was a big step as no collection, no transfer; no transfer, no luck...

I had the day's high, 309 million stem cells per unit, and as such was able to collect in just over two hours (compared to the average of two to three days).  Based on the attempts to pregnancies ratio, all other numbers are similarly high.  Booyah!  I am a manly man!

Anyway, the stem cell collection is done so step one is completed.  Now we just need the radiation to shrink the house guest who will just not go away a few cm and we are set.

Radiation starts on Monday and I am looking forward to it.  I will be happy to just get rid of some of these secondary symptoms that are, while not life altering, annoying to have on a daily basis.  The cough, the phlegm, the itching, the night sweats, the day sweats, the headaches, the fast heartbeat, etc, etc.  I sound like a Nyquil commercial.

Anyway, some positive news so I thought I would share.

Cheers,
Rob