Counts still low...

It has been several days since my last post. I have been feeling pretty good this week (so I thought) and felt like the 2 units of blood I received on Sat were going to get me back to acceptable levels. Today, I had a blood test and they were still very low. In fact, they are lower than they have ever been. I think I need a refund on the blood from Sat. My doctor sent me back to the blood bank for a unit of platelets as my HGB count was 3..... it should be between 200 and 400. Also, I am quarantined for several days as my WBC is at 0.2, which is pretty low. I am thinking that I am going to feel better tomorrow as I have no where to go but "up". :-)

We have lots going on these days at home as Daniel is preparing for a school play where he is a munchkin (Wizard of Oz). They have been working on this since Sept and will be fun to see all the pieces all come together. He will have 3 performances and I hope to make the one on Saturday. Sandra's training for the marathon is getting more intense every week and she is doing a great job. Walking every day several miles and 8-10 on Saturday. It is encouraging to me to see her commitment and dedication to something like this. She is not a big athlete, so this is a big challenge.

That’s all for now. I'll post again when my counts are up...hopefully this weekend. Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement so far. I can see the ending in sight and just have a month to go till I can finish chemo.

Sunday

This past week has been a pretty good week regarding my recovery period from cycle 4 chemo. My blood counts typically bottom out Thur - Sat and that is what happend this week as well. Friday, my doctor recommended another 2 units of blood. So, Saturday, I went to Plaza and got 2 units. That process went very smooth and I can already feel better as a result. The main reason I needed blood was my HGB was 7.7 and the RBC was 2.44. The Red Blood Cells are what take oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. When you are low on RBCs, just simply walking across the room makes you winded. I had a hard time just walking around the house most of the week and Friday and Saturday was the worst. I still feel pretty tired and run down, but I know that I will get stronger as this week progresses. So far, I have not had any fever, so no infections at this point. The white blood cells is the other big issue. WBCs fight infection and a normal person has between 8 and 12....Mine was 1.0 on Friday. I take a drug everyday to help my body produce more WBCs and I know they will go back up rapidly on Monday and Tuesday.

Today the weather has been so nice. The temp reached the upper 60's with plenty of sunshine. I know much of the country is fighting the cold and snow, and it is nice to have weather like this for a few days in Fort Worth.

Sandra's Marathon training update

Sandra has been training for her Marathon now for the past month and has made great progress. This weekend she does an 8 mile walk! She is doing a great job! Please pray for her as the next month will be very challenging on her physically in building up the miles.

Her fundraising is also going well. She is at 70% of her goal and I know she will reach 100% soon! Recently, there have been numerous contributions from my "extended" family at SAP America (my current employer http://www.sap.com). Mary Sibley has communicated to many people at SAP about Sandra's Marathon challenge and they have responded in stellar fashion! SAP also has a matching program so those contributions will have a doubling effect! Thank you SAP and Mary for all the support during this time.

I know many of our friends and family have also contributed and we are grateful to all of you as well. It is a financially difficult time of the year for many people and your contributions are very much appreciated. Sandra and I are so excited about raising money and awareness about Leukemia and Lymphoma and the money donated to this organization goes a long way in supporting that mission.

Her website is located here: http://www.active.com/donate/tntntx/sandratanner

Home a day early...

I finished cycle 4 on Sunday afternoon and after my Methotrexate levels were confirmed, I was able to go home around 3pm. This was a great blessing as it is always better to be home than in the hospital!!! I am now just trying to get over dizziness and I also have some pain in my arms which I have never experienced before. I am not sure what is causing it, but will ask the doctor today about what might be causing it.

I also now begin the downward slide down to low WBC/RBC counts. I should bottom out around Friday and will hopefully not need any blood.

In the middle of cycle 4 at Harris

I should be finished with this round on Sunday, but will most likely not go home until Monday or Tuesday. I am feeling very good at this point with little or no side effects. I seem to have much more energy than last round and am hoping my counts will not drop as far during next week.

I can really see the light at the end of the tunnel these days and am focused on getting through the next several weeks. I will be going to Houston in 2 weeks for more restaging tests which should give us another indication of the progress of the chemo.

Starting cycle 4

Today starts the beginning of my cycle 4 chemo treatements. I take one chemo drug (Rituximab) today in as an out-patient, then check in tomorrow to the hospital for the rest of my chemo. I should be in the hospital through next Tuesday. This round will also take my blood counts down at the end of next week.

I am feeling very good these days and am hopeful my round of chemo will go smoothly.

I'll give everyone an update at the end of the week.

Counts back to normal...

I am happy to report that after my tests on Wed, my blood counts are back in the normal range. I am feeling much better. I really know that getting the 2 units of blood really helped me a great deal.

I have been asked several times about how people can possibly donate blood on my behalf. Apparently, you can donate blood and designate it for my use. Even if you are not the same type, it can be banked in my account and used if necessary.

Based on my current chemo schedule, it is very possible I will need at least another 6 units over the next 6 weeks (2 units the week after my chemo cycle). If this is something you feel strongly about, then it would be a great gift. I know many people cannot donate blood for various reasons and I personally have not given in many years.

All of you have already done so much for me and my family so far, so I am reluctant to post this, but everyone has been encouraging me to share my needs, so this is what I have done.

Again, thanks for all your support and prayers. I only have 3 more treatments so far, and am hopeful that I will make it out with no issues.

My current chemo (all at Harris Methodist Fort Worth) schedule is as follows:

Cycle 4 - Jan 16 - 22
Cycle 5 - Feb 6 - 12
Cycle 6 - Feb 27 - Mar4

2 pints please...

After feeling great on Friday morning, I went downhill in the afternoon. I typically get lab work done on Friday afternoons and this Friday was no different. The results showed my Red cells very low. This is why I have been so short of breath. Your RBCs carry oxygen to your body so you can function. When you have few RBCs, you body struggles to keep the oxygen supply up to stuff. Well, it got the best of me and while I was in the clinic, I had a fainting spell and almost passed out.

As a result, they decided I needed 2 units of blood to boost my system. I went into the Plaza center on Saturday morning and got 2 units of O negative blood. It is amazing to me how this can work. Several hours later, I was feeling much better.

Today, I have way more energy and can tell a big difference. There is power in the blood!

I am hopeful that this week my counts will rebound quickly and I can get back to some normal activity. I am still in an "at risk" stage for infection, but that should subside as my counts rebound.

Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement this past week.

Feeling great today...

It's amazing what a few days makes. I feel great today. After earlier in the week being so rough, I have rebounded significantly today. I have been able to do quite a bit today around the house and some at work.

I will be entering the low cell count period (Friday - Monday) today through the weekend, so I will be vullnerable to infection as always, but am hopeful I can make it through without any hospital visits.

Just as a review. I am half-way finished with my chemo treatements. I started on Nov 14th (cycle 1) and I just finished on Jan 1st (cycle 3). I have 3 more cycles to go which come at 3 week (21 day) intervals. This will put me finished with chemo somewhere at the beginning of March. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Cycle 3 - home at last...

It has been several days since my last post and I know many of you have wanted an update as to my status. My last update was so positive based on my good news of the good test results. I felt so good the first part of my treatment last week based on that news. However, the chemo finally took it's toll on me over the weekend and through yesterday (Jan 2nd). I have had some of the roughest days so far. All my energy has been zapped from my body and also have had much nausea. The Zophran has been working pretty well, but it is still not 100% effective.

I am finally back home now and will hopefully start to feel better, but right now I am staying pretty low. more later...