Alive and Doing Well!

September 30

Today went as planned.  I had my labs and was given the okay to start with ice in my mouth.  I was given about a 22 oz cup with ice in it and a spoon.  I started the ice 30 minutes before I was given the chemo drug.  The nurse told me I would probably need three blankets and it was a good thing I wore a scarf on my head to help keep me warm.  I was plenty warm and thought she was a not right in her thinking ha ha.  I ate as much ice as fast as I could.  I added either grape juice or water and kept it swishing around in my mouth.  This went on for the 30 minutes before, 30 minutes receiving the drug and another 30 minutes after the drug.  I almost finished the whole cup.  By the end of the 1 ½ hours I had three blankets and was still shivering.  The ice is given to chill not only the mouth but the whole body core.  The nurse was pleased that it worked.  I was surprised how well it worked.  Tonight I have been sweating a lot, I think it is because my body had to turn up the body heat so fast. It is probably good to sweat some of the drugs out.  I have to repeat this again on Monday

The drug I referred to is Melphalan it is the dominate drug in this phase of chemo and the side effects dominate all other drugs.  It kills the bone marrow cells. It is working right now, but I am not experiencing the side effects because I have so many reserve cells.  It will be around Thursday that I will experience the greatest effects of this drug.  The nurse said that I will have no cells “nuetropenic “ again and will be so fatigued that I not be able to believe they want me to come to the BMT because it will be so hard for me to move.  Maybe I will sleep in the car those nights ha ha ha!  It was interesting that they use my body size to adjust the dose of Melphalan and some of the other drugs. 

I mentioned yesterday that I would post concerning visitors.  I would love to have visitors and will need to limit the number of visitors, so please call me or Morrie at home and we can set up a time.  I will be home all day Saturday and Sunday.  Phone calls are welcomed any time right now.  I will let you know if I need to limit them

Scott drove and spent the day with Morrie and me at the BMT.

 I watched a episode of “Lark Rise to Candleford”, and knit that was my rest today.  Then I did some laundry and spent a good hour this evening getting the rest of my pills organized, Morrie and Scott helped.  Almost all of the pills are the same as last time, but this time I do not have the backpack chemo drug.  I have three additional drugs, Velcade, Thalidomide, and Lovenox  The nurse asked me about my energy and Morrie said I am doing circles around everyone else. 

Morrie pulled one box of honey off the beehive several days ago.  Morrie and Scott just went over this evening to move the box of honey to a safer place, but they found that the 50 pounds of honey previously in the box was all gone.  The bees had moved the extractor and rob the honey.  We are hoping they put back in the beehive.

I will say good night and take care.