I bet you never thought you'd hear those words!!
That's right, today we were able to start my chemo that has been delayed a week.
This is such a relief. It's been so hard to try and juggle my schedule when I don't know what my days will bring.
It's good to know that everything is back on track!
Just thought you'd like to know :-)
Monday, January 29, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
So there's this thing called a blog...
Wow... It has been almost a month since I last updated and I bet some of you though I forgot about you! In a sense I think it's good that I haven't had anything to write home about! However, I know that my lack of posts have worried some, so I apologize!!! But no need to fret, I'm doing well, and more importantly it feels good to be back at school.
That's right I've returned to MARIST.
Pretty much the main reason I have been lacking with the updates. Getting reacquainted with the daily college grind (and more importantly my friends) has definitely taken up all my time. And I swear, a sticky note reading "UPDATE BLOG" has been on my desk since I moved in.
"But Nick, how do you manage classes and your treatment?"
Good question! I am still taking a full 15 credit course load, but have worked out a pretty decent schedule. 4 of my classes are night classes, 6:30-9:00. These are Monday - Thursday. My 5th class is an online class and I can finish the work whenever it's convenient for me. In conclusion, I head to Sloan during the day, and class at night.
Unfortunately heading into Sloan requires me driving. My doctor doesn't really like the train. Too many people, too many chances to get an infection. It's about a 90 minute drive each way and my new purchase of SIRIUS radio should help the time go by quickly.
Another delicate balance is simply keeping me healthy while being at school. Living with seven other guys is challenge enough, classes are another beast altogether. As long as my counts are where they should be, I shouldn't have any problem, unless of course someone is openly sick. If my counts are bad, I might have to miss a class session here or there. I've spoken to all my professors so they know what's going on.
So how is treatment going?
As I mentioned previously, treatment is pretty spaced out and allows my body to recover.
Well, at least that's what they told me!
What I've since learned is that my bone marrow is extremely sensitive. So when chemo knocks down my counts, it takes a while for my body to recover. Luckily, I haven't run into any problems with this...
That is until this past week.
I was scheduled to get chemo on Monday (22nd) but I was turned away! Unfortunately, my platelet count was extremely low. This is because the GCSF medication that I took the week prior, which promotes white cell growth, causes platelets to drop. The low end of a normal platelet count is 160,000. I only had 30,000.
At this time, my white cells were low as well, only 1,400. The GCSF had boosted the counts, but with my marrow not producing any cells, I can't sustain that growth. Even worse off, I couldn't take any more of the G(CSF) because it would drop my already low platelet count and I would have to be off the medication for at least 48 hours prior to chemo.
So nothing on Monday, how about Wednesday?
No dice. Platelets were still too low, however they were showing an upward trend to 40,000. My white cell count hadn't really moved and I was hovering slightly above neutropenia.
How about Friday?!?
Much to my disappointment, my platelets were still too low! However, now they were at 72,000. As long as I have 100,000 they can give me chemo. So this coming Monday is looking like a sure bet. My white cells increased, but only slightly... I'm not terribly worried. Everything is trending upward, and once the chemo ends I'm sure we'll boost those white cells right up! My doctor laughed, she said, "Wow, you're the only patient I have that wants his chemo!"
So unfortunately my treatment has been delayed a week. But this is expected. The treatment protocol I'm on has a length of "about a year." It's understood that delays like this can happen and they account for them.
In other news, I've decided to see what my hair does if I let it grow back in. It's very soft! Kinda like a baby. It's been a little over a week and it's still thin, to be honest I'm more selfconcious about my head now... I felt more confident bald. Well, we'll see.
So I'm great, Marist's great, and I'm sorry for leaving you all in the dark!
Take care!!
That's right I've returned to MARIST.
Pretty much the main reason I have been lacking with the updates. Getting reacquainted with the daily college grind (and more importantly my friends) has definitely taken up all my time. And I swear, a sticky note reading "UPDATE BLOG" has been on my desk since I moved in.
"But Nick, how do you manage classes and your treatment?"
Good question! I am still taking a full 15 credit course load, but have worked out a pretty decent schedule. 4 of my classes are night classes, 6:30-9:00. These are Monday - Thursday. My 5th class is an online class and I can finish the work whenever it's convenient for me. In conclusion, I head to Sloan during the day, and class at night.
Unfortunately heading into Sloan requires me driving. My doctor doesn't really like the train. Too many people, too many chances to get an infection. It's about a 90 minute drive each way and my new purchase of SIRIUS radio should help the time go by quickly.
Another delicate balance is simply keeping me healthy while being at school. Living with seven other guys is challenge enough, classes are another beast altogether. As long as my counts are where they should be, I shouldn't have any problem, unless of course someone is openly sick. If my counts are bad, I might have to miss a class session here or there. I've spoken to all my professors so they know what's going on.
So how is treatment going?
As I mentioned previously, treatment is pretty spaced out and allows my body to recover.
Well, at least that's what they told me!
What I've since learned is that my bone marrow is extremely sensitive. So when chemo knocks down my counts, it takes a while for my body to recover. Luckily, I haven't run into any problems with this...
That is until this past week.
I was scheduled to get chemo on Monday (22nd) but I was turned away! Unfortunately, my platelet count was extremely low. This is because the GCSF medication that I took the week prior, which promotes white cell growth, causes platelets to drop. The low end of a normal platelet count is 160,000. I only had 30,000.
At this time, my white cells were low as well, only 1,400. The GCSF had boosted the counts, but with my marrow not producing any cells, I can't sustain that growth. Even worse off, I couldn't take any more of the G(CSF) because it would drop my already low platelet count and I would have to be off the medication for at least 48 hours prior to chemo.
So nothing on Monday, how about Wednesday?
No dice. Platelets were still too low, however they were showing an upward trend to 40,000. My white cell count hadn't really moved and I was hovering slightly above neutropenia.
How about Friday?!?
Much to my disappointment, my platelets were still too low! However, now they were at 72,000. As long as I have 100,000 they can give me chemo. So this coming Monday is looking like a sure bet. My white cells increased, but only slightly... I'm not terribly worried. Everything is trending upward, and once the chemo ends I'm sure we'll boost those white cells right up! My doctor laughed, she said, "Wow, you're the only patient I have that wants his chemo!"
So unfortunately my treatment has been delayed a week. But this is expected. The treatment protocol I'm on has a length of "about a year." It's understood that delays like this can happen and they account for them.
In other news, I've decided to see what my hair does if I let it grow back in. It's very soft! Kinda like a baby. It's been a little over a week and it's still thin, to be honest I'm more selfconcious about my head now... I felt more confident bald. Well, we'll see.
So I'm great, Marist's great, and I'm sorry for leaving you all in the dark!
Take care!!
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