... and out of the saddle and back in again
OK - that was s short stint back on chemo. I don't know if it was the chemo or something I ate or drink but something gave me pretty good diarrhea. So, considering the cost of the chemo capsules, I called Cancer Care and said "Should I stop taking it?" (and stopped taking it anyway). Back came the answer "Yes." A couple of days living on hard-boiled eggs (in addition to the local delicacies) soon had me back to what passes for normal. Incidentally, although the diarrhea got into its stride in Italy, it was either Germany or Austria that started it. Can't trust anyone these days.
So now we are back in Asheville, I have paid a visit to Wake Forest and to my local Cancer Care and we are all ready to get going again. Not 100% sure what the new scheme of things is going to be but I have a pretty good idea.
Starting tomorrow, I will be taking 25mg of Revlimid (or 10 mg - have to sort that out tomorrow) every day for 2 weeks and then have 2 weeks off. At the same time, I take a handful of steroids once a week and get an infusion on two consecutive days each week. That is in the schedule as taking 4 hours but I'm hoping that's just a placesaver duration they put in - previous infusions have taken 30 - 60 minutes. It'll be nice to see some of my old buddies back at Cancer Care, especially my Canadian friend.
My only current fly in the ointment is that I have a nasty cough reminiscent of my dose of RSV when I was in Wake Forest. My immune system seems to be stronger than it was then and I'm getting rid of the cough quite rapidly (I did take myself off to sleep on the basement couch at midnight last night as I was making a hell of a row and didn't want to keep Susan awake. She apparently didn't realise I had gone until I crawled into bed when she got up at 6 a.m.)
My energy level is about 80% which I am blaming on the cough. Brainpower, such as I have ever had any, is pretty normal and I am demolishing the "Diabolical" level sudokus in the book someone gave me when I went for the transplant (I was able to manage the "Moderate" ones following that). Memory is still a problem - I ran into someone at the baseball last night and we talked for ages. I know exactly who he is, where he lives and so on but not a clue about his name. From this I conclude that there is an area of the brain set aside totally for people's names and mine has been hit by mortar fire.
Besides the chemo tomorrow I have my first dental appointment in a year - don't expect that to be full of joy and laughter as I was banned from flossing for several months but we'll see. It's also time to get a "new" car and pass the Subaru on to Sam. Pretty sure it will be another SUV as Home Depot & Lowes form a Bermuda Triangle with our house but I would like something more comfortable for long trips. I'm toying with a low miles 10 year old Mercedes so it's time to get my tyre-kicking shoes on. It'll probably save a fortune if I don't insure Sam to drive it (and not let him drive it without insurance) but I can see that going down well.
So now we are back in Asheville, I have paid a visit to Wake Forest and to my local Cancer Care and we are all ready to get going again. Not 100% sure what the new scheme of things is going to be but I have a pretty good idea.
Starting tomorrow, I will be taking 25mg of Revlimid (or 10 mg - have to sort that out tomorrow) every day for 2 weeks and then have 2 weeks off. At the same time, I take a handful of steroids once a week and get an infusion on two consecutive days each week. That is in the schedule as taking 4 hours but I'm hoping that's just a placesaver duration they put in - previous infusions have taken 30 - 60 minutes. It'll be nice to see some of my old buddies back at Cancer Care, especially my Canadian friend.
My only current fly in the ointment is that I have a nasty cough reminiscent of my dose of RSV when I was in Wake Forest. My immune system seems to be stronger than it was then and I'm getting rid of the cough quite rapidly (I did take myself off to sleep on the basement couch at midnight last night as I was making a hell of a row and didn't want to keep Susan awake. She apparently didn't realise I had gone until I crawled into bed when she got up at 6 a.m.)
My energy level is about 80% which I am blaming on the cough. Brainpower, such as I have ever had any, is pretty normal and I am demolishing the "Diabolical" level sudokus in the book someone gave me when I went for the transplant (I was able to manage the "Moderate" ones following that). Memory is still a problem - I ran into someone at the baseball last night and we talked for ages. I know exactly who he is, where he lives and so on but not a clue about his name. From this I conclude that there is an area of the brain set aside totally for people's names and mine has been hit by mortar fire.
Besides the chemo tomorrow I have my first dental appointment in a year - don't expect that to be full of joy and laughter as I was banned from flossing for several months but we'll see. It's also time to get a "new" car and pass the Subaru on to Sam. Pretty sure it will be another SUV as Home Depot & Lowes form a Bermuda Triangle with our house but I would like something more comfortable for long trips. I'm toying with a low miles 10 year old Mercedes so it's time to get my tyre-kicking shoes on. It'll probably save a fortune if I don't insure Sam to drive it (and not let him drive it without insurance) but I can see that going down well.
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