The Last Chemo

Day 4 of the transplant chemo, the last day of chemo for me...forever! Hopefully, I can expect to start to feel a little better every day in terms of the nausea and "punyness", but my counts will be still on the downslope until Nancy's stem cells kick in.. sometime around 7-10 days after I get her cells this Thursday the 14th, Bastille Day (still looking for some French flags). Thanks for all the positive vibes good thoughts and prayers.

Phil

MC Here...

Phil's nurse had never had a request from a patient to wait until he went running first before she started the transplant chemo. She said that was a first. He's not allowed to run for a while, just walk around certain areas with a mask on until his counts come up and he can tolerate it. He mentioned he'd "rather do strenuous exercise than do sick" but is glad for once he's inside and not out in the DC humidity and heat. His main challenge is, of all things, eating. For a guy who lives to eat, that's a big change. No chocolate even, except an occasional milkshake which he never knows if it will sit well. Nausea with a big N but thank goodness no V keeps him feeling puny and really down the first day or two. Then there's the medicines to counteract the toxic effect of the toxic effects of the other drugs and of course the chemo. Almost over. His favorite (NOT) is getting lasix to keep him peeing and up all night every hour. Focusing on anything for very long is a problem as he likes being totally alert so he tries to keep reading, or listening to music instead of doing the flight simulatoe or playing his guitar. His spirits are better then the first couple of days due to seeing the end in sight.

My challenges have been not taking a wrong turn on streets that NEVER go straight (I'm walking) and it's impossible to go around a "block" in this neighborhood near NIH (National Institutes of Health; getting the computer in the room to work,, sorry about that, hence no blogs for a few days. The computer person was nowhere for 4 days; and sending any mail from the house where I'm staying. I think I fixed that one. Now figuring out how to get the laptop to connect in his room is still an unsolved mystery......dialing rules lesson #5. Phil didn't really feel like typing for a while. I'm behind on emails as well but am working on that. Ah yes, a little heat on the back from the backpack after I arrive here and at the house. And now we wait for Nancy's cells to be infused Thursday.