Platelets were thankfully up to the 125 range, which permitted a timely readmission for Round 7. I am hoping to get discharged over the weekend, and back to our own home and bed. Can't wait. I have had 6 bags of Cytoxan on this round, so the nausea is coming on with full force... but the great news is that will be the last time I receive that drug! No more Cytoxan!
Here is a pretty staggering recap of what we've come through thus far:
172 days since diagnosis
132 days of chemo
8 weeks in the hospital
40 trips to Emory Winship cancer clinic
1 Emergency appendectomy
2 trips to the ER
12 vials of frozen future Smartt babies (well... Stuart's contribution at least)
2 ports (in chest; nice matching scars!)
1 brain reservoir (for chemo directly into the cerebrospinal fluid ventricle)
8 intrathecal (spinal/brain) chemo treatments
7 blood transfusions
8 platelet transfusions
1 Atrial Fibrillation with a chemical shock to get heart back in normal rhythm
1 bone marrow aspiration (may need more)
1 lumbar puncture (with 8 unsuccessful lumbar jabs)
10 days of severe spinal headaches
320 steroid pills
7 types of chemo
24 bags of Cytoxan over 72 hours
8 bags of Vincristine
4 bags of Adriamycin over 48 hours
4 bags of Methotrexate over 48 hours
8 bags of Cytarabine over 64 hours
10 different antibiotics, 4 of which I take twice daily every single day I'm at home
4 PET/CT scans
1 really bad STAPH infection with a 104+ fever for 4 days straight
2 quilts and 1 lamp for every hospital stay
1 Season of Lost (1st season on DVD)
1 Season of American Idol.
5+ months of missed work
$300+ spent on parking
Unexplained fever spikes and night sweats
Hours and hours and hours of waiting
Large amounts of Rice Crispies and Gatorade
Too many vomits to count
Endless packing and unpacking...washing, folding and repacking
Many friends I never knew would be such amazing friends
So many caring nurses and great doctors
So many more courageous, beautiful people fighting cancer
Enormous change in both Candace and me - we are forever changed
Ceaseless prayers offered up on our behalf
Great supportive family (blood and church)
May is a special month for us: we both have 32nd birthdays, our 6th anniversary, Mother's day, and the 4th anniversay of Candace's mom passing away (5/25/05). We have so much for which to be thankful... and we are!
Thanks for sharing with us!
Our Brand Is Crisis (2015)
8 years ago
3 comments:
GREAT report, kids. You are so very inspiring. Happy May; why not celebrate the whole month! You have a wonderful love story and I marvel at the change in your lives.
You are starting to sound like your old self...throwing out all those numbers and stuff. If only you had that in an Excel spreadsheet...or do you?!
Post a Comment