Saturday: Extreme Fatigue.

It's Saturday morning. Exactly one week since chemo started.

Yesterday I had my first dendritic cell vaccine shots, plus growth factors for my blood counts.
I was also given a shot of Interferon. I wasn't aware that was part of the treatment, and I haven't quite got my head around how an anti-viral drug will help with things. That's not to say I have doubts, it's just I don't understand the mechanism. I would have thought that it would inhibit the effectiveness of the New Castle disease virus when it's administered.
However studies have shown that Interferon has been quite effective in treating some types of cancer, so who am I to question it.

I was warned to expect "flu" like symptoms within a few hours of having the shots.
I don't physically feel like I have the flu, but I do mentally. I'm in a complete funk this morning.
I do have a lower back-ache which I always get when I'm sick anyway.
Energy levels are non-existent. I can't even walk the 4 metres to the bathroom without having to lay down afterwards. My heart pounding like a freight train.

..3 1/2 hours pass...
I feel a lot better, had four infusions of various things. Biljana is back and she has had a huge impact on my frame of mind. It's like having your mum here to look after you. Don't get me wrong the nurses are all great, but Biljana makes you feel completely cared for and safe. Exactly what you need when you are this fragile and so far away from loved ones.

My bloods are holding up, all except the platelets.. down to 58 today, but still not exactly outside the norm for me. I guess if they drop further over the next few days, which I'd expect, then we shall worry a little more. Right now I'm not intending to cut myself or sneeze too hard.. so I should be fine! ;)

I had a massage yesterday from Bela, was good, but it's a fairly basic thirty minute back massage. Still if it's free I'm going to have as many as I can fit in.
My appetite had been voracious there for a few days, having seconds on everything. They are really tight with the ice cream desserts, so I've been demanding "Kiwi" sized servings.. four scoops. Otherwise you just get that one tiny scoop and a whole banana on top..
However my digestive system has stopped working completely and I've had to skip lunch today as I'm too full to eat. Hopefully the concoction they have given me will fix that. The chemo shuts everything down in your stomach... kills all the good bacteria, plus the steroids completely knock it around.

I have some very grave concerns about they way my stem cells are being stored. Dr K has my shipper in an outside storage room and seems to be adding liquid nitrogen to it every few days.
I told him it was not for storage, but for transporting the stem cells. He just nods and smiles and says "it's OK, we have liquid here". I shall have a talk with Christine on Monday and explain my concerns. The process for priming it for shipping needs to be explained in detail. I think I will supervise that myself. Having said all that, I can't believe for a minute that a trained Haematologist who would have spent decades dealing with frozen samples etc would be that cavalier, so maybe I'm worrying about nothing?

Sarah arrives on Tuesday evening, looking forward to that. These walls are closing in more and more each day. Pam and Angela keep suggesting I go with them on their various exploits to the closest town, Badd Tolz, and other places of interest. However my energy levels are soo low that getting to the front door might be challenge enough right now.

OK that was Saturday.. Catch you tomorrow! ..Ron