Rocking and Rolling!

Good morning, today is Wednesday the 25^th; I’ve had a rough time of it these last two weeks. Just sitting here in my old rocker!

This cold really put me down and out on my back. The dizziness and light headed feelings were at an all time high, many times I felt as if I would certainly faint and have a bad fall. My heavy cough scared away even the bravest and surliest of the other cart pushers at the grocery store (not a complaint, I view this as an advantage to secure a quick and favorable position in any checkout line!). This past Monday we visited with my doctor he decided to remove one of my 3 chemotherapy drugs to see if it was responsible for my side effects, the dizziness and light headedness was becoming a concern.

We then met with a nurse from the transplant group to review the details of each step leading up to my stem cell transplant and subsequent hospitalization.  Before we start I have to have a complete dental check up to repair or replace any fillings, cavities or teeth that could pose a problem or befome infected during my hospital stay.

The process will begin on Thursday July 7^th with a mobilization Cytoxan chemo treatment. This will be followed by 9 days of Neupogen injections (given to me by my own NP, Theresa!) all this will lead to my 1^st stay in the hospital on Monday & Tuesday July 18 & 19^th in order to harvest and store my stem cells.

They have targeted Monday July 25^th for my sten cell implant  i'll be admitted to the transplant unit at the Brigham for 18-days until Thursday August 11^th. During this stay my immune system will be knocked down to 0% in order to kill off any and all remaining cancer cells. My contact with visitors is encouraged from 1pm to 9pm, however, this will be limited to 1 at a time and they will be required to wear a mask and gloves.  Anyone who has cold or other symptoms of an illness or who has been near anyone who is sick will not be admitted due to the danger of my contracting any illness, even a common cold could prove fatal when I’m in this state.  All my food will be specially prepared and sterilized in the basement (without windows) in the gulag of the Brigham, not exactly Wolfgang Pucks restaurant; all condiments have to be in sealed pouches.  I suspect this rules out anything from Bertucchi’s or the Napa/Sonoma Valley area!

This will all be followed by a 100-day Roman Feast, starting with my 10-favorite pizza’s, then featuring lobsters, clams and mussels from the un-sterilized ocean!!!  Detail to follow....

Cheers………..Chemo Ken