Sunday, February 1, 2009
And now, the fun begins...
The adventure continues. On Friday the 30th, I had the "pulse" (as they call it at Mayo) of Cytoxin chemotherapy. Then, on Saturday, the 31st, I had the first injection of Neupogen, the stem cell stimulating factor that will make the stem cells migrate from my bone marrow into the bloodstream, where they can be harvested. So far, no significant ill effects from either, although the side effects of Cytoxin (hair loss and nausea), are generally delayed for a few days, and the side effects of Neupogen (bone pain) is cumulative, and with this being the first of at least nine daily shots of the stuff, I imagine that about Wednesday or Thursday, I may be one hurting puppy. In the meantime, on Tuesday, the surgeons will install a central line (also known as a palindrome catheter), in my chest. Two tubes will be attached, one to a vein so that chemotherapy and shots can be injected, and one to an artery, so that blood samples, and more importantly, harvesting of the stem cells, can take place without further poking of my hands and arms. These are big advantages, and other than looking like the spawn of alien every time I take off my shirt, there will be no drawbacks. So the schedule for the next week is a Neupogen shot every day (it's one of the few things that can't go through a central line), and the installation of the central line on Tuesday. Then, on February 9, they will see if I have enough stem cells in my bloodstream to try to collect them. If not, more Neupogen shots, and if that fails, another, just-approved stem cell stimulating factor will be tried. If it does work, on the other hand, it will be on to collection time--but that will be a story for another posting. I hope your team wins the Super Bowl--or at least that you enjoy the commercials!
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2 comments:
Thank you for your update, Joel. We continue to keep you closely in our thoughts and our prayers.
Dear Joel: Our e-mails a few months back were a focus on just we two.I thought it time to go "public" to help widen the umbrella of prayer, love, and karma.
As you know, but others here do not, I come from a long history of being a non-profit fund-raising professional. One of the key tenets of successful fund-raising is that, "Giving begets giving."
It would apply here, then, that caring begets caring. When everyone around you is caring, it is much easier for others, who do not know you, to do the same.The evidence of that is clear.
God Bless,
Tony Poderis
P.S. I just again read "Agile," and "Terra" to keep up on my doubts regarding the program to which I alluded back in the Fall at the beginning of your illness. I am looking forward to soon having a discussion about it with you. There is no other granting foundation authority anywhere better to reinforce my objections---or to set me straight.
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