Round 2

Just a quick update – Thank you all for your cards, visits, prayers and assistance. These posts are for you.

For the past few nights my sleep was messed up due to a side effect of the last round of therapy – joint pain in both upper legs and hips. The doctor theorizes that the bone marrow stimulant drug may be causing the bones and joints to ache from so much activity. Another possible culprit is the broad-spectrum antibiotic which has an acknowledged side effect of tendinitis or muscle pain. At night I couldn’t lie in any position more than a few minutes before the aching began on whatever joints or muscles were bearing any weight load. After three nights with little sleep, the Benadryl I.V. they gave me at the start of treatment this morning really knocked me out. I’m happy Roslyn was there to make sure things went well, especially while I was passed out.

Today was the first day of my second round of treatment. I got the same infusions that I got during the first round. I had a different and less severe allergic reaction to the immunotherapy portion of today’s treatment. I got red, itchy rashes on the front of both thighs, each as big as the palm of my hand. This delayed treatment an hour or so as we waited for the rash to subside. Otherwise, the first day was uneventful. I hope tomorrow goes well, too.

The infusion room has other patients coming and going throughout the day. Unlike mine, most infusions take just a few hours or less. So many people are coming here, fighting diseases in this place. It seems depressing at first, but when you look closer, you see people that are taking up their personal fights for freedom and survival. You also see loved ones accompanying the patients, expressing their love through service and patience. Feelings of love and support permeate the room.

The next few days will probably be rough as the fresh drugs do their work on the cancer cells. I’ll be back to drinking lots of water and probably having those flu-like symptoms again. But as my dear daughter reminded me today – I’m almost 1/3 done with these infusions. I cannot wait for the freedom that being done will bring.