The side effects of the Etoposide were pretty reasonable, and seemingly short-lived. The one that remains most in muly mind was a feeling of slight inebbriation.
The side effects of the Cytoxan, and at this high of a dose, have been memorable. Diahrrea. Vomiting. Simultaneously. At least four episodes in the middle of the night. My …
This seems an odd title to use as I continue this controlled-descent to my near-death. Let us not forget:
We are essentially flooding the entire Earth, save for Madagascar, and then repopulating Madagascar with a bunch of people we’re pretty sure aren’t cancer.
I got word this morning that my white blood cell count is under 100, …
Did I mention the light-headedness? For the last month there have been occasional episodes where I’ll stand from a sitting position, and after thirty-seconds find myself light-headed and dizzy. The sensation would last for up to a minute or two, and was really quite debilitating in the wrong moment.
We were pretty sure they weren’t hydration-related, …
March 18, 2010 – 7:08 pm
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By Tom
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Posted in Treatment Phase
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Tagged dehydration, dizziness, exhaustion, hospital, inpatient, light-headed, medications, napping, scca, tbi, total-body irradiation, uwmc, vorpal sword
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I’ve made a bit of progress on my dilemma on whether or not to go for the cranial/spinal radiation boost. This morning I ran across a study that ends like this:
“CONCLUSION: Primary chemotherapy based on high-dose MTX and ARA-C is highly efficient in PCNSL. Response rate and response duration in this series are comparable to …
We’re getting closer and closer to starting the stem-cell transplant conditioning. Last week we did an LP and an MRI to make sure my CSF was A-OK. Tests were negative, which is a positive sign.
March 7, 2010 – 8:02 pm
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By Tom
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Posted in Treatment Phase
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Tagged autologous stem cell transplant, cerebrospinal fluid, conditioning, cranial radiation, csf, cyclophosphamide, cytoxan, dr chamberlain, dr kane, dr taylor, etoposide, lumbar puncture, methotrexate, microscopic disease, mri, neuro-oncologist, palifermin, tbi, total-body irradiation
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Starting last Wednesday we’ve been visiting the SCCA every single weekday. Well, I had last Friday off. But every other single weekday!
One thing that was quickly clarified: we had in mind that the heart of the process would take 90 days. Bzzt! Wrong! That’s for allogeneic transplants, where the donor and the recipient are not the …
March 2, 2010 – 11:30 am
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By Tom
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Posted in Treatment Phase
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Tagged allogeneic stem cell transplant, autologous stem cell transplant, bone marrow biopsy, cranial radiation, diffuse large b-cell, diffuse large b-cell lymphoma, follicular, indolent, indolent lymphoma, mri, pet scan, scca
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And as the first three methotrexate treatments went, so did the fourth. Once more I checked into the hospital on a Monday and then checked out on Thursday.
This time I wanted to do everything I could to avoid suffering through the joint pain on Saturday morning. My lizard brain considered trying to stay in the …
February 25, 2010 – 11:52 am
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By Tom
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Posted in Treatment Phase
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Tagged autologous stem cell transplant, bone marrow, central nervous system, conditioning, high-dose methotrexate, legs, lizard brain, methotrexate, pain, scca, stem cell collection, stem cells
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Here I am, coming to you live from Virginia Mason hospital on the second day of the third round of high-dose Methotrexate!
Last night we began the MTX infusion around 6:30 or 7pm. It finished near 11pm or midnight. I’ve had a bit more nausea this time around, but nothing so bad that we can’t stay …
The Friday after my first high-dose methotrexate was New Years Eve. We partied with some friends in Wallingford, and then the group walked to Gasworks Park to watch the fireworks at the Space Needle. My legs were absolutely exhausted by the walk to and back. They were not happy at all. The next morning the …
January 24, 2010 – 11:27 pm
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By
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Posted in Treatment Phase
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Tagged arthralgia, autologous stem cell transplant, depocyt, dexamethasone, dr norman, intrathecal, legs, methotrexate, mri, pain, percocet, scca
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Last Friday was my second intrathecal dose on Depocyt, and yesterday I re-admitted to the hospital to start my second round of high-dose Methotrexate. The drip finished up around 11pm, so the rescue doses of Leucovorin antidote will start up around that time.
This morning I got to be a teaching aide, too! A program coordinator …