Wishing everyone an early happy New Year!
So what's been going on in my life?
We had a small scare last weekend... I was experiencing this pain in my side. I woke up with it Friday and it still didn't go away by Saturday. So my doctor thought it would be best if I got it checked out. Even if it was just for my own piece of mind.
They started poking me and they first thought it was my Gal bladder, then my liver. At one point the surgeons sounded like they were ready to remove my Gal bladder! We stayed overnight, and when all was said and done, it turns out the pain I was feeling was just a side-effect of the chemo I had earlier in the week. It causes the liver to become inflamed slightly and hence the pain. By the time I woke up Sunday morning, I felt fine.
Another wonderful thing to report is The Mouthsores Are Healed!!!
at least for now! They shouldn't be rearing their ugly head anytime again soon... if at all!
As for my schedule, it's pretty great. The going pace seems to be 1-2 days of chemo followed by roughly 1-2 weeks of rest. So unfortunately I fear that the updates to this blog will start becoming few and far between.
We're out of the woods now! It should be a coast to the finish line!
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Thursday, December 21, 2006
No News Is Good News!
Merry Christmas
or
::Insert Other Holiday Greeting Here::
As the title states, no news is good news!
My first maintenance cycle has started, and no problems to report!
This year I can say, without a doubt, that I have received the greatest Christmas gift EVER!
All my counts are up, I feel good, and the Doctor says I look great. I'm healthy and I'll be able to spend my entire holiday at home. No trips to Sloan and no backpacks to lug around. Hopefully I can use this time to gain back the 10 lbs I lost during my latest Sloan "vacation." I shouldn't have a problem with that, after all we do have our 7 fish Christmas Eve dinner!! (If you don't know what that is, just ask an Italian)
But seriously,
I am incredibly thankful this Christmas.
The sheer outpouring of love and support that my family and I continuously receive has been incredible. So many people have gone above and beyond and have helped to make this burden easier to bear.
Finally, there is one last omnipresent deity that deserves a standing ovation...
I wouldn't have been able to get through any of this without God. He has surrounded me with the right people, put me in the right place, and given me the physical and mental strength I need to keep going. I am so thankful for His grace, It never stops! It's blessing, after blessing, after blessing!
He truly is amazing... I guess that's why he's God :-)
or
::Insert Other Holiday Greeting Here::
As the title states, no news is good news!
My first maintenance cycle has started, and no problems to report!
This year I can say, without a doubt, that I have received the greatest Christmas gift EVER!
All my counts are up, I feel good, and the Doctor says I look great. I'm healthy and I'll be able to spend my entire holiday at home. No trips to Sloan and no backpacks to lug around. Hopefully I can use this time to gain back the 10 lbs I lost during my latest Sloan "vacation." I shouldn't have a problem with that, after all we do have our 7 fish Christmas Eve dinner!! (If you don't know what that is, just ask an Italian)
But seriously,
I am incredibly thankful this Christmas.
The sheer outpouring of love and support that my family and I continuously receive has been incredible. So many people have gone above and beyond and have helped to make this burden easier to bear.
Finally, there is one last omnipresent deity that deserves a standing ovation...
I wouldn't have been able to get through any of this without God. He has surrounded me with the right people, put me in the right place, and given me the physical and mental strength I need to keep going. I am so thankful for His grace, It never stops! It's blessing, after blessing, after blessing!
He truly is amazing... I guess that's why he's God :-)
Friday, December 15, 2006
Home Sweet Home!!!
Oh man, it has never felt so good to be home!
Finally, After 13 days I finally made it home from Sloan!!!
The last few days have been a bit trying...
It all started with my disappearing cell phone. (We think it somehow ended up in the garbage) Next, they moved me to a different floor because they needed the beds on my (The Peds) floor. To take the cake, I was bumped for an MRI for two days!!
To make matters worse, the floor I was moved to had no internet access. Combine that with no cell phone, and I have been totally incommunicado since Wednesday night. Cut off from the world!
::Sigh::
But now I'm home!
Everything is said and done.
My scans looks great and my mouth is healing nicely.
I couldn't ask for anything more!
Back to Sloan on Monday for the beginning of the end of my treatment!
Next week we enter the final phase of my treatment that will go for the rest of the year. My Doc says that the past three weeks have been the toughest and that it should be all downhill from here! From now on, I'll know what to expect as I will repeat the same schedule every 50 days.
Time for some much needed rest!
Finally, After 13 days I finally made it home from Sloan!!!
The last few days have been a bit trying...
It all started with my disappearing cell phone. (We think it somehow ended up in the garbage) Next, they moved me to a different floor because they needed the beds on my (The Peds) floor. To take the cake, I was bumped for an MRI for two days!!
To make matters worse, the floor I was moved to had no internet access. Combine that with no cell phone, and I have been totally incommunicado since Wednesday night. Cut off from the world!
::Sigh::
But now I'm home!
Everything is said and done.
My scans looks great and my mouth is healing nicely.
I couldn't ask for anything more!
Back to Sloan on Monday for the beginning of the end of my treatment!
Next week we enter the final phase of my treatment that will go for the rest of the year. My Doc says that the past three weeks have been the toughest and that it should be all downhill from here! From now on, I'll know what to expect as I will repeat the same schedule every 50 days.
Time for some much needed rest!
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
I'm Really Bad At This
Wow, I'm really bad at this entire "blogging" thing. A lot has happened recently and I'm sorry I haven't let you guys know about it! Every time I try to write an update there is so much stuff to write about! I look at it all, and just say "Ehhhhh.... Tomorrow"
But here we go!!
Friday
I was pretty out of it and slept most of the day away. As the night approached I developed a fever. This guy was a champ! Through the night my fever went as high as 105!! We were putting ice packs everywhere. We had them on my legs, on my back, on my stomach, under my arms, on my neck, and of course on my head.
My dad tells me later that I was pretty out of it. As I would start to fall asleep I would be making these different hand gestures along with uttering the randomest things.
At least he didn't try to fry an egg on me.
Saturday, Sunday, Monday
The way I see it, Friday night was the turning point with this entire episode.
White Blood Cell Counts:
Saturday - 100
Sunday - 600
Monday - 4,000
That's right!! I am no longer Neutropenic! I am once again a healthy individual.
Today I also went for a CAT Scan.
This is the first scan since the initial diagnosis. ::Crosses Fingers::
all
Tuesday
WBC = 11,000
I also the noticed the Double vision retreat! My vision still feels a little "off" but now I can actually look at someone with both eyes!
Now for the big news... The results of the CAT Scan!
We could not have asked for better results! The report from the radiologist said that everything in my liver, spleen, and kidneys seems to be all cleared up! If that isn't enough, the tumor in my pelvis has also shrunk tremendously! We couldn't' have asked for any better news!
Wednesday
WBC = 13,000
That should be about as high as it goes. We're going to stop the meds that keep the white blood cells rising. We don't want too many :-)
Yesterday, we went for a PET Scan. The PET Scan gives us a more general birds eye view of the cancer in the entire body. The Doctor said that the results here were again, Amazing! Hopefully when I come back next week I'll be able to see the actual images side by side.
Final Thoughts
I've been at Sloan for quite a while now (11 days?), but everything seems to definitely be moving in the right direction. The greatest news of all is seeing how the cancer has responded to treatment after only 43 days. That has brought a tremendous amount of joy and comfort to my entire family.
I'm still dealing with the mouth sores, but the pain meds do a great job at controlling the pain. At this point most of the sores have blistered up, however there are still a few nasty little guys giving me some grief.
At this point we're hoping to get me home for Friday night. I can't wait for that!!!
Thanks for being patient everyone! And besides... Good posts come to audiences that wait! :-)
But here we go!!
Friday
I was pretty out of it and slept most of the day away. As the night approached I developed a fever. This guy was a champ! Through the night my fever went as high as 105!! We were putting ice packs everywhere. We had them on my legs, on my back, on my stomach, under my arms, on my neck, and of course on my head.
My dad tells me later that I was pretty out of it. As I would start to fall asleep I would be making these different hand gestures along with uttering the randomest things.
At least he didn't try to fry an egg on me.
Saturday, Sunday, Monday
The way I see it, Friday night was the turning point with this entire episode.
White Blood Cell Counts:
Saturday - 100
Sunday - 600
Monday - 4,000
That's right!! I am no longer Neutropenic! I am once again a healthy individual.
Today I also went for a CAT Scan.
This is the first scan since the initial diagnosis. ::Crosses Fingers::
all
Tuesday
WBC = 11,000
I also the noticed the Double vision retreat! My vision still feels a little "off" but now I can actually look at someone with both eyes!
Now for the big news... The results of the CAT Scan!
We could not have asked for better results! The report from the radiologist said that everything in my liver, spleen, and kidneys seems to be all cleared up! If that isn't enough, the tumor in my pelvis has also shrunk tremendously! We couldn't' have asked for any better news!
Wednesday
WBC = 13,000
That should be about as high as it goes. We're going to stop the meds that keep the white blood cells rising. We don't want too many :-)
Yesterday, we went for a PET Scan. The PET Scan gives us a more general birds eye view of the cancer in the entire body. The Doctor said that the results here were again, Amazing! Hopefully when I come back next week I'll be able to see the actual images side by side.
Final Thoughts
I've been at Sloan for quite a while now (11 days?), but everything seems to definitely be moving in the right direction. The greatest news of all is seeing how the cancer has responded to treatment after only 43 days. That has brought a tremendous amount of joy and comfort to my entire family.
I'm still dealing with the mouth sores, but the pain meds do a great job at controlling the pain. At this point most of the sores have blistered up, however there are still a few nasty little guys giving me some grief.
At this point we're hoping to get me home for Friday night. I can't wait for that!!!
Thanks for being patient everyone! And besides... Good posts come to audiences that wait! :-)
Thursday, December 07, 2006
The Numbers Are In
WBC is still zero.
Ya know: zip, zilch, nada, naught, nil.
Oh How I love you Microsoft Word Synonyms :-)
Let's see how I look tomorrow.
I'm also going to talk to the doctor... maybe we can raise the dose of the WBC med?
Ya know: zip, zilch, nada, naught, nil.
Oh How I love you Microsoft Word Synonyms :-)
Let's see how I look tomorrow.
I'm also going to talk to the doctor... maybe we can raise the dose of the WBC med?
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
So Much For A Weekend Getaway
Sorry for the lack of updates. I just enjoyed Sloan so much that I decided to stay for the entire week!
"So What Happened?!"
Seems my white cells haven't grown as fast as last time.... No more Superman ::tear::
But it really isn't just that... there's a lot more going on.
Well, does everybody remember those pesky mouth sores? They've been busy!
They get progressively worse each day... and it is not pretty. (Nick 0, Mouth Sores 1)
Saturday
The Doctors started me on my painkillers, but through IV. This brought tremendous more relief then taking the pills. (Nick 1, Mouth Sores 1)
Monday
So, the mouth sores were getting worse, and the painkiller wasn't cutting it (Mouth Sores +1 Point). So the doctors told me about this Pain pump (Nick +1 Point). Instead of giving me an IV Push of the meds every few hours, it injects a smaller dose continuously. If I feel some extra pain, for instance I aggravate the mouth sores, I have a little button to press to give me more. Don't worry, the pump will only allow me to hit the button so many times an hour. :-) it won't let me drift off into comatose land.
This seemed to start doin the Job (Nick 2, Mouth Sores 2)
Tuesday
I like to think of Tuesday as my trip back to the 60's.
Monday night into Tuesday morning I developed double vision.
When I say double vision, I don't mean the occasional splitting of an image.
No Sir!
I'm talking about two crystal clear images from my two eyeballs at all times!
To do anything productive I need to close one eye, and because of my Astigmatism, I always close my left eye. I almost have it trained to close all by itself :-)
The next symptom I'll describe as "feeling the music" I had entered a very funky state of feeling. I felt very out there. Kinda like I should be living out of an old VW bus, wear a headband, and babble things about the "establishment"
Well now, we are building quite the list. We can also add random narcolepsy to this list.
Pretty much, I'll just start taking naps. Here, There, and Everywhere! I could be in a conversation with my dad, and I will slowly lose interest and just put my head down. It's actually pretty neat!
Saving the worst for last. The Painkillers didn't seem to be doing their job anymore. Either that, or the pain was simply getting worse. So we had to make a change!
Wednesday
Wednesday morning we got a hold of the "Pain Team!"
I kid-you-not. There are a group of doctors that are the "pain team." They came in to evaluate me.
We went directly to the pain team, because the rest of my symptoms are all side-effects of the pain med I was on. BTW, I should mention I was also on a super high dose.
They looked into my mouth and just like everybody else, they shrieked in terror. They recommended a new drug to be used in the Pain Pump. No longer wanting to feel like a hippy, I immediately agreed.
By 9:00PM I am only experiencing one hippy symptom. The double vision. The Doctor says that this is a common side-effect of all these pain meds. The medicine is doing an semi-OK job at controlling the pain but hopefully we can work out a better dose tomorrow!
So What About Those Fevers
As I mentioned, when you're nete Neutropenic and you have a fever, the Doctors need to make sure you don't have any sort of infection. So since Friday, They have been taking daily blood-cultures and pumping my full of a bunch of different antibiotics and antifungals.
Today my doctor is pretty confident in saying that the fevers are only being caused by the mouth sores, and nothing else.
"Great, Let's Get Rid Of Those Mouth Sores!!!!"
Well that's the tricky part. In order to get rid of the mouth sores, you need white blood cells. As the white blood cells grow, they will simply just flock to my mouth and begin it's invasion.
(I've actually turned this into a pretty cool battle scene in my head)
So I don't know what's taking those white blood cells so long.
I told them I would treat them to a greatn feast when they declare themselves a victory in this epic battle!!!!
When Am I Getting Out Of Here?
Not sure....
definitely not until I've grown some white blood cells.
I think once I have a good count, and the mouth sores start to heal I should homeward bound!
Until Then... Pray for those white blood cells!
"So What Happened?!"
Seems my white cells haven't grown as fast as last time.... No more Superman ::tear::
But it really isn't just that... there's a lot more going on.
Well, does everybody remember those pesky mouth sores? They've been busy!
They get progressively worse each day... and it is not pretty. (Nick 0, Mouth Sores 1)
Saturday
The Doctors started me on my painkillers, but through IV. This brought tremendous more relief then taking the pills. (Nick 1, Mouth Sores 1)
Monday
So, the mouth sores were getting worse, and the painkiller wasn't cutting it (Mouth Sores +1 Point). So the doctors told me about this Pain pump (Nick +1 Point). Instead of giving me an IV Push of the meds every few hours, it injects a smaller dose continuously. If I feel some extra pain, for instance I aggravate the mouth sores, I have a little button to press to give me more. Don't worry, the pump will only allow me to hit the button so many times an hour. :-) it won't let me drift off into comatose land.
This seemed to start doin the Job (Nick 2, Mouth Sores 2)
Tuesday
I like to think of Tuesday as my trip back to the 60's.
Monday night into Tuesday morning I developed double vision.
When I say double vision, I don't mean the occasional splitting of an image.
No Sir!
I'm talking about two crystal clear images from my two eyeballs at all times!
To do anything productive I need to close one eye, and because of my Astigmatism, I always close my left eye. I almost have it trained to close all by itself :-)
The next symptom I'll describe as "feeling the music" I had entered a very funky state of feeling. I felt very out there. Kinda like I should be living out of an old VW bus, wear a headband, and babble things about the "establishment"
Well now, we are building quite the list. We can also add random narcolepsy to this list.
Pretty much, I'll just start taking naps. Here, There, and Everywhere! I could be in a conversation with my dad, and I will slowly lose interest and just put my head down. It's actually pretty neat!
Saving the worst for last. The Painkillers didn't seem to be doing their job anymore. Either that, or the pain was simply getting worse. So we had to make a change!
Wednesday
Wednesday morning we got a hold of the "Pain Team!"
I kid-you-not. There are a group of doctors that are the "pain team." They came in to evaluate me.
We went directly to the pain team, because the rest of my symptoms are all side-effects of the pain med I was on. BTW, I should mention I was also on a super high dose.
They looked into my mouth and just like everybody else, they shrieked in terror. They recommended a new drug to be used in the Pain Pump. No longer wanting to feel like a hippy, I immediately agreed.
By 9:00PM I am only experiencing one hippy symptom. The double vision. The Doctor says that this is a common side-effect of all these pain meds. The medicine is doing an semi-OK job at controlling the pain but hopefully we can work out a better dose tomorrow!
So What About Those Fevers
As I mentioned, when you're nete Neutropenic and you have a fever, the Doctors need to make sure you don't have any sort of infection. So since Friday, They have been taking daily blood-cultures and pumping my full of a bunch of different antibiotics and antifungals.
Today my doctor is pretty confident in saying that the fevers are only being caused by the mouth sores, and nothing else.
"Great, Let's Get Rid Of Those Mouth Sores!!!!"
Well that's the tricky part. In order to get rid of the mouth sores, you need white blood cells. As the white blood cells grow, they will simply just flock to my mouth and begin it's invasion.
(I've actually turned this into a pretty cool battle scene in my head)
So I don't know what's taking those white blood cells so long.
I told them I would treat them to a greatn feast when they declare themselves a victory in this epic battle!!!!
When Am I Getting Out Of Here?
Not sure....
definitely not until I've grown some white blood cells.
I think once I have a good count, and the mouth sores start to heal I should homeward bound!
Until Then... Pray for those white blood cells!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
A Weekend Getaway
What a week my family and I have had.
It's been pretty crazy to say the latest.
Luckily, I get to have the weekend to myself and I only have to trek into Sloan for a few routine exams next week.
Ya know, I felt so good about this weekend, I decided to take a trip...
Destination of Choice: Sloan
That's right... Unfortunately I'm spending the weekend admitted at my favorite cancer research center.
"Why Nick?"
Well, currently I'm neutropenic (which is expected after last week's chemo).
Whenever you're neutropenic and you come down with a fever, you need to be admitted for observation and to make sure you don't have an infection of any kind.
So, Friday night I came down with a 102 fever and off to Sloan we went! But don't worry about me. I do the same thing at Sloan that I do at home: Eat, Sleep, Watch TV. It's just new scenery.
Hopefully my white counts come up by Monday and, as long as the fevers go away, I'm outta here!!
But for now, I need to get some rest.
Good night All!
It's been pretty crazy to say the latest.
Luckily, I get to have the weekend to myself and I only have to trek into Sloan for a few routine exams next week.
Ya know, I felt so good about this weekend, I decided to take a trip...
Destination of Choice: Sloan
That's right... Unfortunately I'm spending the weekend admitted at my favorite cancer research center.
"Why Nick?"
Well, currently I'm neutropenic (which is expected after last week's chemo).
Whenever you're neutropenic and you come down with a fever, you need to be admitted for observation and to make sure you don't have an infection of any kind.
So, Friday night I came down with a 102 fever and off to Sloan we went! But don't worry about me. I do the same thing at Sloan that I do at home: Eat, Sleep, Watch TV. It's just new scenery.
Hopefully my white counts come up by Monday and, as long as the fevers go away, I'm outta here!!
But for now, I need to get some rest.
Good night All!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Well It's Been A Long Day...
...Been a long, been a long, been a long, been a long DAYYYYY!
(High School Musical Reference :-D )
The week is almost over! Yippe!!!
This means no more chemo until December 18th!
In addition, my first round of scans are on December 10th
I can't wait to see what progress we've made!!!!!
Nick V. Etoposide
Round 1
So Etoposide is the latest chemo drug I've been introduced to. It's given to me through IV over the course of 48 hours.
The first 24 hours had no problems. I went to clinic, they hooked me up, I hung out for a while, they sent me home. No Problems...
Round 2
Now, Welcome to Wednesday!
(The following is a very general account, it's a bit more complicated, but I shall spare you all the details!)
I went back to the clinic, was hooked up to a new batch of the Etoposide, and sent home...
7:00PM - Home From Clinic
7:15PM - My IV backpack starts beeping at me! Me and my Dad take a look at it, and after following Sloan's instructions on what to do when it beeps, still can't get the pump to function. So we call Sloan.
They tell us we need to come back in :-(
8:45 PM - Welcome to Sloan
We get there and they fix the chemo and pump.
They also assure us that the problem we experienced rarely happens and should definitely not happen again.
12:00 AM Thursday - Back Home... Now let's get some rest!
...
3:45 AM Thursday - BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
You've got to be kidding me.... AGAIN!!!
5:30 AM Thursday - Welcome back to Sloan!
You've got to be kidding me! Same problem!
They patched me up, and I hung around until the clinic opened (7 AM)
I stayed there all day...
My doctor sorted out the chemo problem, and also gave me some red blood cells and platelets.
Needless to see my Dad and I are exhausted. Thursday was supposed to be our day off!
We think by now, the car should be able to drive itself to Sloan!
So Wednesday/Thursday presented to us some challenges, but we made it through!
By God's Grace, there were no serious problems and everything is back on track.
Next week is going to be an amazing week of relaxation!
(High School Musical Reference :-D )
The week is almost over! Yippe!!!
This means no more chemo until December 18th!
In addition, my first round of scans are on December 10th
I can't wait to see what progress we've made!!!!!
Nick V. Etoposide
Round 1
So Etoposide is the latest chemo drug I've been introduced to. It's given to me through IV over the course of 48 hours.
The first 24 hours had no problems. I went to clinic, they hooked me up, I hung out for a while, they sent me home. No Problems...
Round 2
Now, Welcome to Wednesday!
(The following is a very general account, it's a bit more complicated, but I shall spare you all the details!)
I went back to the clinic, was hooked up to a new batch of the Etoposide, and sent home...
7:00PM - Home From Clinic
7:15PM - My IV backpack starts beeping at me! Me and my Dad take a look at it, and after following Sloan's instructions on what to do when it beeps, still can't get the pump to function. So we call Sloan.
They tell us we need to come back in :-(
8:45 PM - Welcome to Sloan
We get there and they fix the chemo and pump.
They also assure us that the problem we experienced rarely happens and should definitely not happen again.
12:00 AM Thursday - Back Home... Now let's get some rest!
...
3:45 AM Thursday - BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
You've got to be kidding me.... AGAIN!!!
5:30 AM Thursday - Welcome back to Sloan!
You've got to be kidding me! Same problem!
They patched me up, and I hung around until the clinic opened (7 AM)
I stayed there all day...
My doctor sorted out the chemo problem, and also gave me some red blood cells and platelets.
Needless to see my Dad and I are exhausted. Thursday was supposed to be our day off!
We think by now, the car should be able to drive itself to Sloan!
So Wednesday/Thursday presented to us some challenges, but we made it through!
By God's Grace, there were no serious problems and everything is back on track.
Next week is going to be an amazing week of relaxation!
Monday, November 27, 2006
And He Saw The Day... And It Was Good
Grrrrr...
Waking up to tremendous mouth pain, it was trying to finish my bowl of oatmeal...
Hooray!!!
But no fear!! Soon my frown was turned upside down!
My lovely doctor prescribed me an oral anesthetic along with some pain killers for my. All is well in the world that is my mouth.
Harrumph...
As for for the rest of me, my counts are back down. This is expected from last weeks chemo.
So I'm back under lock and key, back in my bubble.
Unfortunately, they can't restart my "Superman" meds until the chemo finishes... So I think we're looking at Thursday for that.
Between the low counts and the mouth sores my doc is almost expecting me to come down with some sort of infection sometime. Which would not be the greatest scenario since it requires them to admit me. So let's pray this week for no infections!!!
Yippe!
My counts being down also explain my general laziness on Sunday. So today they also gave me 2 units of red blood cells, which has totally increased my energy level. Back to my usual peppy self!
In Conclusion
1. The mouth pain is manageable and it should be all cleared up by the end of the week.
2. If they start the meds to bring my counts up by Thursday Friday, I should be ready to go by Monday Tuesday!
3. Back to Sloan Tues - Wed for chemo... no worries there. After this, I have a chemo vacation until December 18th!!!!
4. Cherish your sore free mouth... unless you currently have a canker. In that case... I feel your pain :-)
Good night!
Waking up to tremendous mouth pain, it was trying to finish my bowl of oatmeal...
Hooray!!!
But no fear!! Soon my frown was turned upside down!
My lovely doctor prescribed me an oral anesthetic along with some pain killers for my. All is well in the world that is my mouth.
Harrumph...
As for for the rest of me, my counts are back down. This is expected from last weeks chemo.
So I'm back under lock and key, back in my bubble.
Unfortunately, they can't restart my "Superman" meds until the chemo finishes... So I think we're looking at Thursday for that.
Between the low counts and the mouth sores my doc is almost expecting me to come down with some sort of infection sometime. Which would not be the greatest scenario since it requires them to admit me. So let's pray this week for no infections!!!
Yippe!
My counts being down also explain my general laziness on Sunday. So today they also gave me 2 units of red blood cells, which has totally increased my energy level. Back to my usual peppy self!
In Conclusion
1. The mouth pain is manageable and it should be all cleared up by the end of the week.
2. If they start the meds to bring my counts up by Thursday Friday, I should be ready to go by Monday Tuesday!
3. Back to Sloan Tues - Wed for chemo... no worries there. After this, I have a chemo vacation until December 18th!!!!
4. Cherish your sore free mouth... unless you currently have a canker. In that case... I feel your pain :-)
Good night!
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Ohhh So That's What They Meant!!!
Hello sports fans....
Sorry for leaving you for almost a week without anything new!
But good things come to readers that wait.
The rest of the chemo went over fine. I didn't have any problems.
Unfortunately I had to spend the first half of thanksgiving at Sloan, but that time flew by thanks to a special visit by the Lohnes! They're Great!! :-)
And then Friday happened...
So let's backup. Pretty much, each time I see my doctor she asks me if I have an appetite and rigorously checks me for mouth sores. Now, every single time I've had an appetite and no mouth sores. I mean, I'm brushing my teeth four times a day along with 2 separate mouth rinses. How could anything grow in there?!
"But Nick, What's the deal with the mouth sores?"
We'll I'm glad you asked. As we've all learned, cancer treatment kills rapidly dividing cells. This includes the rapidly dividing "epithelial cells" that are in the mouth. This condition is called Mucositis. Just think of it as lots of Canker Sores.
So Friday morning I woke up with somewhat of a horse voice and it was also a little trying to swallow. And it was all downhill from there.
Eating has now become a challenge, I'm pretty much on a soup and ice cream diet.
I'm speaking pretty softly, mostly in an effort to save whatever I have left.
So it's Sunday night and I realize, "So that's what they meant when they kept talking about those mouth sores." Tylenol and the mouth rinses help the pain, and I'm sure when I see my doctor tomorrow morning she'll have some magical new prescription that will ease my suffering!
Even if she doesn't, I'm not worried. They should go away in a few days anyway.
So like usual, I'm not worried... this is just a hurdle :-)
What's coming up
I'll be at Sloan Mon - Wed, for a little more chemo. I'm not concerned, I've had this stuff before, and it DOESN'T cause mouth sores :-)
One Last Thing
I'm 20!!!!
For those that didn't know, I also turned 20 yesterday! My Wonderful Italian Mother made a small dinner (read: 3 courses + HorsÂ’ Deurves) and we had over some of our family and Kate came down with her Family. It was quite the day!!!! Among other wonderful things, I am now the proud owner of huge furry monster slippers. (Thank You Girlfriend)
Reflection
To be honest, I didn't want to include my oral dilemmaa in this post. I want everything I write to be nothing but good news! I've realized that won't be the case. There will be high tides and low tides. Luckily, this Boat can handle it all... I have the Greatest Captain!
Sorry for leaving you for almost a week without anything new!
But good things come to readers that wait.
The rest of the chemo went over fine. I didn't have any problems.
Unfortunately I had to spend the first half of thanksgiving at Sloan, but that time flew by thanks to a special visit by the Lohnes! They're Great!! :-)
And then Friday happened...
So let's backup. Pretty much, each time I see my doctor she asks me if I have an appetite and rigorously checks me for mouth sores. Now, every single time I've had an appetite and no mouth sores. I mean, I'm brushing my teeth four times a day along with 2 separate mouth rinses. How could anything grow in there?!
"But Nick, What's the deal with the mouth sores?"
We'll I'm glad you asked. As we've all learned, cancer treatment kills rapidly dividing cells. This includes the rapidly dividing "epithelial cells" that are in the mouth. This condition is called Mucositis. Just think of it as lots of Canker Sores.
So Friday morning I woke up with somewhat of a horse voice and it was also a little trying to swallow. And it was all downhill from there.
Eating has now become a challenge, I'm pretty much on a soup and ice cream diet.
I'm speaking pretty softly, mostly in an effort to save whatever I have left.
So it's Sunday night and I realize, "So that's what they meant when they kept talking about those mouth sores." Tylenol and the mouth rinses help the pain, and I'm sure when I see my doctor tomorrow morning she'll have some magical new prescription that will ease my suffering!
Even if she doesn't, I'm not worried. They should go away in a few days anyway.
So like usual, I'm not worried... this is just a hurdle :-)
What's coming up
I'll be at Sloan Mon - Wed, for a little more chemo. I'm not concerned, I've had this stuff before, and it DOESN'T cause mouth sores :-)
One Last Thing
I'm 20!!!!
For those that didn't know, I also turned 20 yesterday! My Wonderful Italian Mother made a small dinner (read: 3 courses + HorsÂ’ Deurves) and we had over some of our family and Kate came down with her Family. It was quite the day!!!! Among other wonderful things, I am now the proud owner of huge furry monster slippers. (Thank You Girlfriend)
Reflection
To be honest, I didn't want to include my oral dilemmaa in this post. I want everything I write to be nothing but good news! I've realized that won't be the case. There will be high tides and low tides. Luckily, this Boat can handle it all... I have the Greatest Captain!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Another Great Day!!
Chemo Cycle 2 Day 2:
New Chemo Meds... and I still feel great!
Tomorrow and Thursday I'll be going back to sloan, but just for observation pretty much.
They need to make sure all the stuff they pump into my body makes its way out!
But all is well and with Gods Grace will stay that way!!
Have a Great Thanksgiving Everyone!!!
New Chemo Meds... and I still feel great!
Tomorrow and Thursday I'll be going back to sloan, but just for observation pretty much.
They need to make sure all the stuff they pump into my body makes its way out!
But all is well and with Gods Grace will stay that way!!
Have a Great Thanksgiving Everyone!!!
Hats Galore!
I have Officially elected a new favorite hat!
I think I pull it off quite well!!
That is all... Off to Sloan for the day!
I think I pull it off quite well!!
That is all... Off to Sloan for the day!
Monday, November 20, 2006
Fancy New Backpacks!
Chemo Cycle 2 Day 1:
7:00PM - Still feeling great!
Chemo went off without a hitch. I also got some work done!
Now, I thought this Chemo was just a 6 hour IV. I was wrong, it's actually a 24 Hour IV! So they sent me home with these 2 nifty little backpacks... my new leashes!
Each backpack contains an IV bag and a tiny pump. One has my Chemo, and they other has fluids... 3 liters to be exact. Needless to say I'll be spending tonight close to the bathroom! ;-)
So all in all a good day!
To err on the side of caution, mom is cooking a mini thanksgiving dinner tonight! :-)
By the smell of things... I think it's almost ready.
Until Tomorrow!
7:00PM - Still feeling great!
Chemo went off without a hitch. I also got some work done!
Now, I thought this Chemo was just a 6 hour IV. I was wrong, it's actually a 24 Hour IV! So they sent me home with these 2 nifty little backpacks... my new leashes!
Each backpack contains an IV bag and a tiny pump. One has my Chemo, and they other has fluids... 3 liters to be exact. Needless to say I'll be spending tonight close to the bathroom! ;-)
So all in all a good day!
To err on the side of caution, mom is cooking a mini thanksgiving dinner tonight! :-)
By the smell of things... I think it's almost ready.
Until Tomorrow!
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Oh What A Beautiful Day...
Friday is always a good day. It signifies the beginning of the weekend!
And honestly, who doesn't love the weekend?
However this Friday was extra special!
"Why Nick?"
Today I made a trip back to MARIST for the first time in three weeks.
Let me tell you... it felt AMAZING!
Seeing all my housemates, even for a short while, just made me feel at home. There is nothing like the guys at Lower New Townhouses J1. What a bunch. We all have our little quirks that, when combined, make the house a great place to be. I wouldn't trade any of them for the world... well maybe the one that goes out and buys two hamsters cause "It was a good deal."
(Hehe, Sorry Eddie... you know I love you!)
More importantly, I was able to see most of my friends. To sit down with everyone and just hang out for a while. During the semester, I almost never took the time out to just unplug and relax with those around me. Being away from everyone, I realized how much I should cherish those times. So next semester... a more relaxed Nick :-)
Marist People: I'm really sorry if I didn't get to see you today. No worries, plans are in motion for a winter get together!
Now, Most importantly I got to spend time with this adorable girl with curly red hair and crystal blue eyes. For those unaware, that would be my lovely girlfriend Kate. She is out of this world. I can't even begin to describe how caring, thoughtful, and strong she has been through all of this. And don't even get me started on her family! Everybody from Mom, Dad, Sister, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandma & Grandpa (Thanks for the Hat it's Perfect! and so soft!!!) are just as amazing as she is. Really, what a family!
Treatment:
So next week starts a new round of chemo. I'll be heading into Sloan Monday through Thursday for Treatment. It'll be 6 hour days of hanging out hooked up to an IV. Thankfully it's not terribly inconvenient. My Dad will simply drop me off on his way to work, and pick me up on his way home!
Now, I'm not gonna lie. I'm a little nervous this time. There's some new chemo that I haven't had before so I'm not sure how it will effect me. If my track record is any indication of how I'll do, I should have nothing to worry about. In reality, I think I make myself more sick worrying about the effects of the treatment, then how it actually makes me feel!
Whatever it is, it is... I know I'll make it through :-)
Hair Situation:
Yea.... Houston we have a problem. At this point I feel as if the hairs are literally jumping off my head.
It's time to go Mr. Clean! Saturday Afternoon It will all be gone!
I was actually going to shave it yesterday, but I thought that might be too big of a shock for my Marist Mates to handle. I saved it for them!
Hat Situation:
So during the week I did some hat shopping. I came home, looked in the mirror, and decided I hate them all! They were all too big.
I envision my hats as a tight wool knit that doesn't come past my ears.
Mom to the rescue!
First, the master seamstress fixed a black hat to my liking!
Second, she ventured out on her lunch hour to Old Navy! Where we discovered that Baby Hats (12-24 Months) fit my head perfectly!!
SUCCESS!!
Now It's off to Old Navy to find some styles I like!
People Are Still Amazing...
The Cards and support keep rolling in. I can't thank everyone enough for their words, thoughts, and prayers. It means so much to know that my family and I have such encouragement behind us.
E-Mail And Comments
I know everyone loves leaving comments, however if you would rather send an e-mail (more personal) go ahead and shoot one off to:
[email protected]
And honestly, who doesn't love the weekend?
However this Friday was extra special!
"Why Nick?"
Today I made a trip back to MARIST for the first time in three weeks.
Let me tell you... it felt AMAZING!
Seeing all my housemates, even for a short while, just made me feel at home. There is nothing like the guys at Lower New Townhouses J1. What a bunch. We all have our little quirks that, when combined, make the house a great place to be. I wouldn't trade any of them for the world... well maybe the one that goes out and buys two hamsters cause "It was a good deal."
(Hehe, Sorry Eddie... you know I love you!)
More importantly, I was able to see most of my friends. To sit down with everyone and just hang out for a while. During the semester, I almost never took the time out to just unplug and relax with those around me. Being away from everyone, I realized how much I should cherish those times. So next semester... a more relaxed Nick :-)
Marist People: I'm really sorry if I didn't get to see you today. No worries, plans are in motion for a winter get together!
Now, Most importantly I got to spend time with this adorable girl with curly red hair and crystal blue eyes. For those unaware, that would be my lovely girlfriend Kate. She is out of this world. I can't even begin to describe how caring, thoughtful, and strong she has been through all of this. And don't even get me started on her family! Everybody from Mom, Dad, Sister, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandma & Grandpa (Thanks for the Hat it's Perfect! and so soft!!!) are just as amazing as she is. Really, what a family!
Treatment:
So next week starts a new round of chemo. I'll be heading into Sloan Monday through Thursday for Treatment. It'll be 6 hour days of hanging out hooked up to an IV. Thankfully it's not terribly inconvenient. My Dad will simply drop me off on his way to work, and pick me up on his way home!
Now, I'm not gonna lie. I'm a little nervous this time. There's some new chemo that I haven't had before so I'm not sure how it will effect me. If my track record is any indication of how I'll do, I should have nothing to worry about. In reality, I think I make myself more sick worrying about the effects of the treatment, then how it actually makes me feel!
Whatever it is, it is... I know I'll make it through :-)
Hair Situation:
Yea.... Houston we have a problem. At this point I feel as if the hairs are literally jumping off my head.
It's time to go Mr. Clean! Saturday Afternoon It will all be gone!
I was actually going to shave it yesterday, but I thought that might be too big of a shock for my Marist Mates to handle. I saved it for them!
Hat Situation:
So during the week I did some hat shopping. I came home, looked in the mirror, and decided I hate them all! They were all too big.
I envision my hats as a tight wool knit that doesn't come past my ears.
Mom to the rescue!
First, the master seamstress fixed a black hat to my liking!
Second, she ventured out on her lunch hour to Old Navy! Where we discovered that Baby Hats (12-24 Months) fit my head perfectly!!
SUCCESS!!
Now It's off to Old Navy to find some styles I like!
People Are Still Amazing...
The Cards and support keep rolling in. I can't thank everyone enough for their words, thoughts, and prayers. It means so much to know that my family and I have such encouragement behind us.
E-Mail And Comments
I know everyone loves leaving comments, however if you would rather send an e-mail (more personal) go ahead and shoot one off to:
[email protected]
Monday, November 13, 2006
Superman
For those of you following my white count... let's recap!
A normal person has a White Blood Count (WBC) between 4,000 & 11,000.
When those numbers are low, I'm more likely to get sick from an infection.
Monday Nov. 6th
WBC = 400
Thursday Nov. 9th
WBC = 100
Low Numbers & A Downward trend... not good!
But Wait Let's not forget about that bone pain from the other day! My aches and pains should mean I'm pumping out some more White Blood Cells!
Monday Nov. 13th
WBC = 16,000
That's right! I showed up at Sloan today to discover I'm Superman! My white count is insanely high and I'm no longer at a high risk for infection. For at least the rest of this week I can venture out into public with no fear!
What else is going on....
Medically things are cruising right along! My Doctor is happy, I'm happy, and all is right in the world.
It's been two weeks of treatment and now I'm beginning to experience the classic symptom of cancer treatment.
Hair Loss!
As I washed my hair this morning I noticed some thinning.
I'm not totally worried, those that are familiar with my hairline know I'm halfway there anyway.
At this point I don't know what I should do. Do I let it come out on it's own? Should I buzz it all the way down for a Mr. Clean look? In the meantime I need to find some hats. Problem is, I don't think I look good in many hats.
Maybe I'll setup a poll! Baseball cap, beanie, wool knit? YOU be the Judge!
As for the rest of the week...
Not much going on.
Back to Sloan on Friday for a routine exam.
A Mountain of Coursework to finish.
Until next time!
A normal person has a White Blood Count (WBC) between 4,000 & 11,000.
When those numbers are low, I'm more likely to get sick from an infection.
Monday Nov. 6th
WBC = 400
Thursday Nov. 9th
WBC = 100
Low Numbers & A Downward trend... not good!
But Wait Let's not forget about that bone pain from the other day! My aches and pains should mean I'm pumping out some more White Blood Cells!
Monday Nov. 13th
WBC = 16,000
That's right! I showed up at Sloan today to discover I'm Superman! My white count is insanely high and I'm no longer at a high risk for infection. For at least the rest of this week I can venture out into public with no fear!
What else is going on....
Medically things are cruising right along! My Doctor is happy, I'm happy, and all is right in the world.
It's been two weeks of treatment and now I'm beginning to experience the classic symptom of cancer treatment.
Hair Loss!
As I washed my hair this morning I noticed some thinning.
I'm not totally worried, those that are familiar with my hairline know I'm halfway there anyway.
At this point I don't know what I should do. Do I let it come out on it's own? Should I buzz it all the way down for a Mr. Clean look? In the meantime I need to find some hats. Problem is, I don't think I look good in many hats.
Maybe I'll setup a poll! Baseball cap, beanie, wool knit? YOU be the Judge!
As for the rest of the week...
Not much going on.
Back to Sloan on Friday for a routine exam.
A Mountain of Coursework to finish.
Until next time!
Saturday, November 11, 2006
No Pain No Gain!!!
I wake up this morning happy as can be!
(Not really sure how that differs from any other day, maybe I'm usually a little more hungry heh)
I feel like I took a bad spill snowboarding. My lower back is aching.
Now you ask, why should what feels like a bruised tail bone be reason for celebrating?
I'm on a medicine to promote white cell growth. A higher white cell count protects me from infection and once it gets to a certain level, I will not have to worry about catching a bug from those around me and especially the foods I eat. (Chinese and Pizza, here I come!!!)
The main side effect from this drug is bone pain, specifically in the lower back.
So all is right in the world!
2 Tylenol and I'm good to go!!
Now the real question is when is opening day on the mountain? The Doc says I need exercise!
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Opening My Eyes...
It's amazing...
The concerns and cares from everyone continue to flow like water.
As for this blog, I am astounded at the impact that my small words seem to make.
But now I'm going to let you in on a secret!
Come Closer...
Closer...
Er... Too close. ;-)
What I write here has no meaning or value. It is simply words on a page. My strength, my will, my ability to keep going. I have nothing to do with it. There is nothing special about me.
There is simply one answer. There is only one reason that allows me to continue on my path.
God
He provides what I need to continue on. His holy spirit dwells inside me and provides all that I require.
As a Believer in Christ, I can be confident in the promises God has made to me:
"Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation." ~Isaiah 12:2
As a young Christian I want so badly to do God's work. However, I never seem to know where or how to start. I am now beginning to see that it isn't up to me. God has his purpose for me and will work through me. I need only to be faithful. I will simply keep praying that the Lord will continue to use this situation as a way to Glorify him.
Thought of the night:
It's not about me
::Raises Eyebrow::
The concerns and cares from everyone continue to flow like water.
As for this blog, I am astounded at the impact that my small words seem to make.
But now I'm going to let you in on a secret!
Come Closer...
Closer...
Er... Too close. ;-)
What I write here has no meaning or value. It is simply words on a page. My strength, my will, my ability to keep going. I have nothing to do with it. There is nothing special about me.
There is simply one answer. There is only one reason that allows me to continue on my path.
God
He provides what I need to continue on. His holy spirit dwells inside me and provides all that I require.
As a Believer in Christ, I can be confident in the promises God has made to me:
- "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" ~Philippians 4:13
- "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. ~Psalm 18:32
- "...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9
- "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped." ~Psalm 28:7
"Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation." ~Isaiah 12:2
As a young Christian I want so badly to do God's work. However, I never seem to know where or how to start. I am now beginning to see that it isn't up to me. God has his purpose for me and will work through me. I need only to be faithful. I will simply keep praying that the Lord will continue to use this situation as a way to Glorify him.
Thought of the night:
It's not about me
::Raises Eyebrow::
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Another Day...
First off, I'd like to take the time to sincerely thank everyone that has expressed their care, sympathy, and support to my family and I.
Your words, cards, prayers, and thoughts mean more than anything right now.
I feel more at ease knowing that my entire family has the same support that I do.
If anything, don't worry about me. Focus on those around me. :-)
Seeing my family and those close to me receive comfort gives me such joy and satisfaction.
As for me, routine is beginning to set in.
Luckily I have plenty of class work to keep me busy, but after a while my brain just wants to turn off. (Oh, that's right... I'm in college... That's what it's supposed to do)
Thankfully, I do enjoy most of the work.
I see the work assigned to me by one professor (Prof Cannistra) as my own personal sudoku puzzles. (Those in his classes probably think I'm nuts for that last comment). Hopefully he doesn't read this and turn them into Rubrics cubes... I'm not a fan. :-)
As the rest of the college bound know, there is only so much you can do while being away from school. Eventually boredom takes over. Those that know me understand I'm big at starting "projects" so feel free to leave an idea or two. Hopefully I can start the spring semester with some interesting gadgets.
Tomorrow includes a trip back to Sloan. It should be a quick one, just a check up.
Unfortunately a "quick trip" still involves a 1+ hour ride to and from the city. But hey, it is what it is!
Until next time!
Your words, cards, prayers, and thoughts mean more than anything right now.
I feel more at ease knowing that my entire family has the same support that I do.
If anything, don't worry about me. Focus on those around me. :-)
Seeing my family and those close to me receive comfort gives me such joy and satisfaction.
As for me, routine is beginning to set in.
Luckily I have plenty of class work to keep me busy, but after a while my brain just wants to turn off. (Oh, that's right... I'm in college... That's what it's supposed to do)
Thankfully, I do enjoy most of the work.
I see the work assigned to me by one professor (Prof Cannistra) as my own personal sudoku puzzles. (Those in his classes probably think I'm nuts for that last comment). Hopefully he doesn't read this and turn them into Rubrics cubes... I'm not a fan. :-)
As the rest of the college bound know, there is only so much you can do while being away from school. Eventually boredom takes over. Those that know me understand I'm big at starting "projects" so feel free to leave an idea or two. Hopefully I can start the spring semester with some interesting gadgets.
Tomorrow includes a trip back to Sloan. It should be a quick one, just a check up.
Unfortunately a "quick trip" still involves a 1+ hour ride to and from the city. But hey, it is what it is!
Until next time!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Misleading...
So I realized something today... the title of my blog is somewhat misleading.
Eventually I'll have Cancer in College... but right now It's Cancer@home.
I think for all intensive purposes I'll leave it the way it is! :-)
I never realized before how much I take being at home for granted.
Everyone's home has that unique smell that makes it their own. Some houses may smell similar, but it doesn't smell like yours. That alone feels theraputic, and I feel everything just melt away the more time I spend here.
For instance, I can count on the smell of garlic filling the house by 6 pm every night.
If it's not there, something's wrong. God bless the heart of an Italian Mother!!!
Speaking of which, its 10 to 6. I think I'll take a walk past the kitchen and see what's happening.
Eventually I'll have Cancer in College... but right now It's Cancer@home.
I think for all intensive purposes I'll leave it the way it is! :-)
I never realized before how much I take being at home for granted.
Everyone's home has that unique smell that makes it their own. Some houses may smell similar, but it doesn't smell like yours. That alone feels theraputic, and I feel everything just melt away the more time I spend here.
For instance, I can count on the smell of garlic filling the house by 6 pm every night.
If it's not there, something's wrong. God bless the heart of an Italian Mother!!!
Speaking of which, its 10 to 6. I think I'll take a walk past the kitchen and see what's happening.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Home Sweet Home
I'm Finally Home!!!
I've been released! I write to you now from the comfort of my own couch.
Now that all the initial procedures, tests, and medications have been taken care of, the rest of my treatment is completed through the out-patient clinic. Meaning I simply show up for my treatment and go home when I'm done!
Depending on what the treatments are, that could range from an hour or two, to an entire day.
But nonetheless, I get to spend the nights with my family in my own home!
My Upcoming Schedule:
-Back to sloan tomorrow. Just for some blood work and other labs. Shouldn't take too long.
-Next round of meds is Monday, and again it should hopefully only take an hour or two.
What I get to look forward to:
The way the medicines work, they kill any rapidly growing cells in your body.
While the majority of these cells are the cancer cells, it also includes hair follicles and effects your white blood cells and your ability to fight infection.
So by the middle of the next week I should start to see some hair loss and I'll have to be extra careful with the people and things around me, as I will be extremely vulnerable to infections of all types.
For now I only have one thing on my mind.
It involves a pillow and my own comfy bed.
So have a great night... I know I will!
I've been released! I write to you now from the comfort of my own couch.
Now that all the initial procedures, tests, and medications have been taken care of, the rest of my treatment is completed through the out-patient clinic. Meaning I simply show up for my treatment and go home when I'm done!
Depending on what the treatments are, that could range from an hour or two, to an entire day.
But nonetheless, I get to spend the nights with my family in my own home!
My Upcoming Schedule:
-Back to sloan tomorrow. Just for some blood work and other labs. Shouldn't take too long.
-Next round of meds is Monday, and again it should hopefully only take an hour or two.
What I get to look forward to:
The way the medicines work, they kill any rapidly growing cells in your body.
While the majority of these cells are the cancer cells, it also includes hair follicles and effects your white blood cells and your ability to fight infection.
So by the middle of the next week I should start to see some hair loss and I'll have to be extra careful with the people and things around me, as I will be extremely vulnerable to infections of all types.
For now I only have one thing on my mind.
It involves a pillow and my own comfy bed.
So have a great night... I know I will!
In The Beginning...
So how did this all begin?
I believe a timeline is in order!
Late July
I started having random fevers and headaches, nothing constant and nothing major. Doctor believed I was simply getting over a virus.
Early September
Those "random fevers" turned into a 10 day non-stop fever fest. Tylenol was my only relief. At this time I sought out a doctor up at school that could help me get this figured out.
I found a Dr. Feinstein listed under "Infectious Disease" (Creepy Title, I know). Deep down part of me was hoping this would sort of work out like an episode of House. Unfortunately it was pretty anti-climactic.
He ran a myriad of blood tests including mono, mono like diseases, tick diseases and the like. However all the results came back negative and I also perceived my symptoms to be getting better, and so we parted ways. The plan was to check back sometime in October just for due diligence.
Most of October
Throughout this entire time I was experiencing night sweats. However, in the beginning I discounted it as a symptom. At the time it was pretty warm out, we had yet to reach a house agreement on the A/C, and my multitude of blankets made me believe that it was just me.
As the month went on the temperature dropped, the blankets lessened, and even the house had somewhat silently agreed on the A/C temp. Yet I was still sweating!
At that point I started taking my temperature through the night.
Sure enough, I was having Fevers!!!! The Night Sweats were the fevers breaking on their own.
Here I am thinking I got rid of em, while really they became nocturnal.
Here's where it gets interesting...
Tuesday October 24, 2006
Back to good ol' Dr. Feinstein. He agreed that something wasn't right and sent me for blood work and now a cat scan. We agreed I would come back in on thursday when he would have the results of both.
Wednesday October 25, 2006 10:00am
::Ring::
"Hi Nick, This is Sandy from Dr. Feinstein's office. The doctor would like to see you now."
"...Right now?"
"Yes, Right Now."
Dr. Feinstein received the report from the CAT Scan, and there were different masses or nodes that were very suspicious of lymphoma. However, at that time there were also a few other options on the table. His suggestion was to immediately seek out an oncologist to get a better diagnosis.
After what was probably the worst three-way call with my parents (my poor mother almost had a heart attack) I was on my back to long island to get a better handle on this.
Wednesday October 26, 10:00pm
Wham, Bam Thank You Ma'am!
In Twelve hours, I went from being in Poughkeepsie (confused out of my mind) to being admitted into Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center in the city. Immediately they begin running tons of blood work and also sent me for different CAT Scans at 12:30 in the morning.
Thursday October 27
Thursday was filled with test, after test, after test. I didn't even know if I was coming or going.
I was also introduced to way too many doctors.
There was the surgical team that was to perform a biopsy to get a better idea of what we're dealing with.
There was another team of doctors evaluating me in the case that the biopsy returned a lymphoma.
Lastly, there was another team evaluating me in the case that the biospy returned a sarcoma.
The amount of care and attention to detail was amazing even from Day 1.
Friday October 27, 2006
I don't remember much from this day. The biopsy occurred at around 9:30 AM and the general anesthesia kept me pretty loopy for the rest of the day. What I do remember is that we were positive it was lymphoma. However, we didn't know what type.
It's like saying I have a Dodge... But I don't know if it's a Viper, a Charger, or possibly even a Spirit!!! (Kudos if you had yourself a chuckle)
It would take a few more days to get a definite diagnosis as they examine the samples they took.
Sidenote: So where did these samples come from?
It turns out that there was a large mass growing in my pelvis.
(Yes, mass is keyword for tumor, but mass just sounds better)
When you look at an image of your pelvis, you see your bladder take shape like a big balloon. Unfortunately, mine was sharing half it's space with this lovely mass. Which also explains why I was going to the bathroom like a pregnant woman.
Moving On!!!
Tuesday October 31, 2006 7:00pm
We have a diagnosis!
Diffuse large B-cell Lymphoma
This is the most common non-hodgkins type lymphoma.
Now as you go out and google this term, you might find different numbers of a 5 year survival rate. 60%, 75%. However, those in my age group experience cure rates of 95% so as I said before, no need to worry!
Here is a good time to introduce my doctor.
Dr. Tanya Trippett
This woman is a saint. While most doctors will shrug off your concerns and simply try to be finished with you, I have never seen a doctor take such time to fully address all of my concerns, while clearly articulating everything that is happening. This includes the tests that are being run, the concerns that they have, and the purpose of each medication that I have been prescribed. After meeting with her (which has occurred every morning since I have been admitted to sloan) she has never left me with an unanswered question, or with a confused look on my face.
I can only imagine the amount of patients she has and yet she can still take such time out to be so involved.
Tuesday October 31, 2006 8:00PM
After a brain draining session explaining everything about my new found lymphoma, treatment quickly began.
For this type of lymphoma the treatment simply calls for chemotherapy, no radiation is required.
Unfortunately, the entire treatment cycle lasts a year.
Again, this is no need to worry. The treatment is broken up into three phases.
1. Induction
2. Consolidation
3. Maintenance
Induction - This is the most aggressive part of treatment. This usually lasts for the first 20-30 days. This is where I am hit with the hardest meds to quickly combat the cancer in my body. This is the main reason why I need to remain home through the rest of the fall semester.
With the type of lymphoma that I have, it can grow quite rapidly. Luckily, the chemo causes it to retreat just as quickly.
As for Consolidation and Maintenance, I'm still a bit hazy on the details. But the most important thing to note is that the treatment required is not as aggressive as the first Induction stage.
conclusion: I will be returning to Marist for Spring 2007... PARTY!!!!
Wednesday - Friday, November 1 - 3 2006
My first round of chemo went off without a hitch and I came through it with flying colors.
As they introduced the meds into my body, I was filled with anxiety. Obviously everyone has heard horror stories of cancer treatment.
Luckily I can say I have experienced none of these symptoms. I have remained my radiant and happy self throughout the treatment.
I won't lie though, Thursday into Friday was a little rough. The meds took a lot out of me and I could do nothing more but stay in bed and rest. Yet, by Friday night I awoke from one of my many naps feeling refreshed and as good as new!
Saturday November 2, 2006
Pretty Boring...
Watched Over The Hedge
Took a nap
Funny Story: Guys Only, ask me personally for a good laugh! :-)
Sunday November 5, 2006
They want to send me home!!!
Problem: I have to be back here Monday morning anyway for some more treatment I'd rather stay then try to get home during the marathon and come back during rush hour.
But all in all, I'm doing great.
They also had bleachers setup to see the marathon, since they run right past the hospital. I got to see Lance Armstrong as he ran past along with the many members of "Fred's Team" which are the people that run for Sloan-Kettering, where each year they manage to raise over One Million Dollars.
Sidenote: GO COLTS!!!!
Final Update:
Monday November 6, 2006 2:56 AM
All-in-all I think this was a good start.
A good start for my treatment.
A good start for the blog.
I wish I could explain everything to everyone individually. This is a very personal situation, and I want to be able to talk it out with each of you one by one.
Yet somehow I feel that this blog will help to make sure everyone is on the same page. What better way to stay updated then to get it all straight from the source.
Lastly, I don't want anyone to feel burdened or bothered by my condition.
I don't, so neither should you!
But if anyone ever has any questions, I'd be more then happy to answer them.
So you know how to get a hold of me!
As for what lies ahead...
More treatment, and more rest.
The doctor says I should expect to start seeing hair loss in about 10-14 days.
I made her laugh when I told her I was already halfway there.
Any suggestions for hats??
As for the rest of this semester...
I have spoken to all my professors and they have all been gracious enough to allow me to finish my work from home. I don't have to worry about falling behind.
So stay tuned sports fans... More updates ahead!
I believe a timeline is in order!
Late July
I started having random fevers and headaches, nothing constant and nothing major. Doctor believed I was simply getting over a virus.
Early September
Those "random fevers" turned into a 10 day non-stop fever fest. Tylenol was my only relief. At this time I sought out a doctor up at school that could help me get this figured out.
I found a Dr. Feinstein listed under "Infectious Disease" (Creepy Title, I know). Deep down part of me was hoping this would sort of work out like an episode of House. Unfortunately it was pretty anti-climactic.
He ran a myriad of blood tests including mono, mono like diseases, tick diseases and the like. However all the results came back negative and I also perceived my symptoms to be getting better, and so we parted ways. The plan was to check back sometime in October just for due diligence.
Most of October
Throughout this entire time I was experiencing night sweats. However, in the beginning I discounted it as a symptom. At the time it was pretty warm out, we had yet to reach a house agreement on the A/C, and my multitude of blankets made me believe that it was just me.
As the month went on the temperature dropped, the blankets lessened, and even the house had somewhat silently agreed on the A/C temp. Yet I was still sweating!
At that point I started taking my temperature through the night.
Sure enough, I was having Fevers!!!! The Night Sweats were the fevers breaking on their own.
Here I am thinking I got rid of em, while really they became nocturnal.
Here's where it gets interesting...
Tuesday October 24, 2006
Back to good ol' Dr. Feinstein. He agreed that something wasn't right and sent me for blood work and now a cat scan. We agreed I would come back in on thursday when he would have the results of both.
Wednesday October 25, 2006 10:00am
::Ring::
"Hi Nick, This is Sandy from Dr. Feinstein's office. The doctor would like to see you now."
"...Right now?"
"Yes, Right Now."
Dr. Feinstein received the report from the CAT Scan, and there were different masses or nodes that were very suspicious of lymphoma. However, at that time there were also a few other options on the table. His suggestion was to immediately seek out an oncologist to get a better diagnosis.
After what was probably the worst three-way call with my parents (my poor mother almost had a heart attack) I was on my back to long island to get a better handle on this.
Wednesday October 26, 10:00pm
Wham, Bam Thank You Ma'am!
In Twelve hours, I went from being in Poughkeepsie (confused out of my mind) to being admitted into Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center in the city. Immediately they begin running tons of blood work and also sent me for different CAT Scans at 12:30 in the morning.
Thursday October 27
Thursday was filled with test, after test, after test. I didn't even know if I was coming or going.
I was also introduced to way too many doctors.
There was the surgical team that was to perform a biopsy to get a better idea of what we're dealing with.
There was another team of doctors evaluating me in the case that the biopsy returned a lymphoma.
Lastly, there was another team evaluating me in the case that the biospy returned a sarcoma.
The amount of care and attention to detail was amazing even from Day 1.
Friday October 27, 2006
I don't remember much from this day. The biopsy occurred at around 9:30 AM and the general anesthesia kept me pretty loopy for the rest of the day. What I do remember is that we were positive it was lymphoma. However, we didn't know what type.
It's like saying I have a Dodge... But I don't know if it's a Viper, a Charger, or possibly even a Spirit!!! (Kudos if you had yourself a chuckle)
It would take a few more days to get a definite diagnosis as they examine the samples they took.
Sidenote: So where did these samples come from?
It turns out that there was a large mass growing in my pelvis.
(Yes, mass is keyword for tumor, but mass just sounds better)
When you look at an image of your pelvis, you see your bladder take shape like a big balloon. Unfortunately, mine was sharing half it's space with this lovely mass. Which also explains why I was going to the bathroom like a pregnant woman.
Moving On!!!
Tuesday October 31, 2006 7:00pm
We have a diagnosis!
Diffuse large B-cell Lymphoma
This is the most common non-hodgkins type lymphoma.
Now as you go out and google this term, you might find different numbers of a 5 year survival rate. 60%, 75%. However, those in my age group experience cure rates of 95% so as I said before, no need to worry!
Here is a good time to introduce my doctor.
Dr. Tanya Trippett
This woman is a saint. While most doctors will shrug off your concerns and simply try to be finished with you, I have never seen a doctor take such time to fully address all of my concerns, while clearly articulating everything that is happening. This includes the tests that are being run, the concerns that they have, and the purpose of each medication that I have been prescribed. After meeting with her (which has occurred every morning since I have been admitted to sloan) she has never left me with an unanswered question, or with a confused look on my face.
I can only imagine the amount of patients she has and yet she can still take such time out to be so involved.
Tuesday October 31, 2006 8:00PM
After a brain draining session explaining everything about my new found lymphoma, treatment quickly began.
For this type of lymphoma the treatment simply calls for chemotherapy, no radiation is required.
Unfortunately, the entire treatment cycle lasts a year.
Again, this is no need to worry. The treatment is broken up into three phases.
1. Induction
2. Consolidation
3. Maintenance
Induction - This is the most aggressive part of treatment. This usually lasts for the first 20-30 days. This is where I am hit with the hardest meds to quickly combat the cancer in my body. This is the main reason why I need to remain home through the rest of the fall semester.
With the type of lymphoma that I have, it can grow quite rapidly. Luckily, the chemo causes it to retreat just as quickly.
As for Consolidation and Maintenance, I'm still a bit hazy on the details. But the most important thing to note is that the treatment required is not as aggressive as the first Induction stage.
conclusion: I will be returning to Marist for Spring 2007... PARTY!!!!
Wednesday - Friday, November 1 - 3 2006
My first round of chemo went off without a hitch and I came through it with flying colors.
As they introduced the meds into my body, I was filled with anxiety. Obviously everyone has heard horror stories of cancer treatment.
Luckily I can say I have experienced none of these symptoms. I have remained my radiant and happy self throughout the treatment.
I won't lie though, Thursday into Friday was a little rough. The meds took a lot out of me and I could do nothing more but stay in bed and rest. Yet, by Friday night I awoke from one of my many naps feeling refreshed and as good as new!
Saturday November 2, 2006
Pretty Boring...
Watched Over The Hedge
Took a nap
Funny Story: Guys Only, ask me personally for a good laugh! :-)
Sunday November 5, 2006
They want to send me home!!!
Problem: I have to be back here Monday morning anyway for some more treatment I'd rather stay then try to get home during the marathon and come back during rush hour.
But all in all, I'm doing great.
They also had bleachers setup to see the marathon, since they run right past the hospital. I got to see Lance Armstrong as he ran past along with the many members of "Fred's Team" which are the people that run for Sloan-Kettering, where each year they manage to raise over One Million Dollars.
Sidenote: GO COLTS!!!!
Final Update:
Monday November 6, 2006 2:56 AM
All-in-all I think this was a good start.
A good start for my treatment.
A good start for the blog.
I wish I could explain everything to everyone individually. This is a very personal situation, and I want to be able to talk it out with each of you one by one.
Yet somehow I feel that this blog will help to make sure everyone is on the same page. What better way to stay updated then to get it all straight from the source.
Lastly, I don't want anyone to feel burdened or bothered by my condition.
I don't, so neither should you!
But if anyone ever has any questions, I'd be more then happy to answer them.
So you know how to get a hold of me!
As for what lies ahead...
More treatment, and more rest.
The doctor says I should expect to start seeing hair loss in about 10-14 days.
I made her laugh when I told her I was already halfway there.
Any suggestions for hats??
As for the rest of this semester...
I have spoken to all my professors and they have all been gracious enough to allow me to finish my work from home. I don't have to worry about falling behind.
So stay tuned sports fans... More updates ahead!
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