I'm back!

I probably shouldn't have left you all hanging with that last blog because many think I'm still dog tired and not up to much at all. I am getting better. I forgot to mention in my last blog that after my transplant I also had a platelet transfusion (because I had low platelets). While the transfusion was dripping through my IV I noticed it wasn't my blood type. I mentioned it to the nurse but they told me it wasn't the "whole" blood, only the platelets and not to worry. Good thing because the bag was half empty already. I also had a high fever the whole time I had the runs and the nurses were always trying to bring it down. I told them I didn't feel like I had a fever - they were amazed at that.

Anyway six days after coming home I had to go back to London for a check up. I did blood work and an hour later the results were in. I'm always amazed at how fast they get the results because the cancer floor alone deals only in blood work for results and there are hundreds of people coming in a day doing blood work. In the appointment with my doctor they said my blood work was good and the white cell counts were the same as any healthy person. A normal white count is between 4 and 7 1/2. Mine count was 7.2. They said I was normal and could fight off a cold like any other person. I said, "what's normal, cancer free?". They said "we can't guarantee that we got every cancer cell". When I got home I told Pete and the kids that I was normal. The kids cheered and asked if they could tell their teachers for prayer request. I said ,"no not yet, it all seems a little fast". Two days later I went to my family doctor and asked what normal meant. All he said was only God knows if the cancer is going to come back. I know that too. He also said I didn't look skeletal like some of his other cancer patients coming out of the hospital. I said "I know I thought I would lose a lot of weight too, so I ate a lot before going into the hospital that way I could live off body fat for about a week in case I lost my appetite". He just laughed and suggested I write a book, it would be quite funny. I was still hesitant about telling people that I was normal because I wasn't sure myself if that meant remission yet or not.

Two weeks after coming out of the hospital I went back to London to get my permcath taken out. A friend brought me and it was only going to take about half an hour. I was brought into a room that looked like a recovery room with four beds along each side. I was told the doctor would be coming soon. When the doctor came I asked if he could talk me through the procedure. Next thing I know the nurse closes the curtain around us and we are all ready to take this thing out! I said, "we are doing this right here?". When I had the permcath put in there was stainless steel all around me with bright lights and a multitude of monitors. Now there was a little bed with a beige curtain wrapped around the nurse, doctor, me and a small tray of tools! Talk about being nervous! The doctor was getting ready to start when I thought to bring up the topic of freezing. He said, "this permcath has been in for four weeks so there is a possibility that tissue may have grown around the tube in my chest. If it's tough to pull out than we'll come in with heavy freezing". I said, "hey, I know, let's do the freezing right now". The doctor just rolled his eyes like I was just prolonging everything. Finally he said,"fine, but it's really going to prick you and than sting like crazy". I thought, alright - at least I know what to expect. After bathing my chest in the famous pink iodine he came with the needle to freeze me. I felt a small prick and nothing else. He gave me three needles on one side of the tube and three on the other side and actually pointed it straight down! I thought there has got to be a lung there or something vital down there, but all was well. The doctor had an expression like I should be in pain, but I have had more needles in my life - the way he talked I figured it would be something to worry about. Anyway, I just looked at a spot on the ceiling and the doctor starting pulling on the tube (he forgot to take out one of the stitches). I felt a lot of tugging and pulling again. Every time it got a little stuck he came with a little scalpel and then started pulling again. I wondered how anyone would do this without freezing. When it finally popped out it made a suction noise and gushed with blood. The tube still held the shape of a "j" (from going over the collar bone). The doctor left and the nurse stayed and kept pressure on the wound. It looked like a bullet hole, mind you I've never been shot before. It bled through the bandage, so I had to have a big dressing on it. A week later it closed (no stitches) and now I'm left with a scar. Finally I can take a normal shower without having to wrap in Saran wrap!! Such simple pleasures we take for granted.

On November 10 I went to the hospital in Owen Sound for my monthly IV. That is the drug that takes the calcium floating around in my blood and sticks it to my bones again. After the IV I met with my oncologist and talked about how things were going since leaving London. My bones had been hurting again especially in my hips and lower back. I didn't have bone pain for two weeks before London and the first week in the hospital - I felt great, but now the pain was back again. I wasn't too worried though because I knew the chemo was going to eat away at the marrow in my bones. The way I figured it all was that the pain would only be temporary. The oncologist didn't like that I had pain as bad as I was saying. I would wake every hour because my hip would hurt and than I would have to roll over again for about an hour until I would wake up from the pain of the other hip. This would go on all night. She gave me some break through pills for the pain. She also thought it could be from the chemo and wanted me to keep an eye on the pain for the next month. I asked her what normal meant - did it mean I was in remission? She looked at me and said, "you've been in remission since September". I guess it was the steroids that took care of that. She said we couldn't harvest you if you had been full of cancer! Makes sense I guess, but maybe they could have mentioned that a couple months ago. So it's official - I'm in remission! I asked the oncologist if there were any other types of steroids and she said "not really". I said "steroids aren't really good for relationships" (they made me very moody- lots of ups & downs). She told me she knows they are awful, she has a patient who just tried to commit suicide. She also said my body did well with just the basics (steroids & transplant) and that we haven't even gotten into the "goodies" yet. There are so many drugs we haven't tried and if the cancer does come back than I might even be able to have another transplant because I'm so young. Anyway there are still options, it sounded encouraging.

At home I still get help everyday, but now I join in with the chores where possible. We get meals every other day and Pete still drives the kids to school in the morning. He has been plowing lately, but still manages to come home for the kids. We have lots of snow up here and already one snow day.

Next week already I go for my monthly IV and the first week of January I go to London for a check up with the radiation doctor. That is just to see if the pain has gotten better or if I need more radiation anywhere. From now on I get checked every three months with blood work and MRI's to see if I'm still healthy. As time goes on the appointments get further between.

Anyway I should go now, the kids are home. Thanks for the continued support from every one in every way.

Love from Pete, Sharon, Natasha, Heather & Shaun