I can't believe how paranoid I have become!
Friday night we went to a cocktail party at Murray's new flat. The temperature outside was quite chilly and I chose to sit under the heat pump above the couch to keep warm. I quickly started to cough and it wouldn't stop.
Once I moved away I stopped coughing but I felt quite asthmatic. This persisted right through Saturday and I coughed several times while talking during the day.
It was just like what had occurred after I returned from Germany. My cough returned and I became very asthmatic. Back then It had heralded the return of my cancer.
All day Saturday my brain was in a complete spin. If this was indeed a relapse after such a short period of time, I was pretty much doomed. I re-read my blog and realised that last time I had suffered from night sweats as well. I have had none. phew!
I avoided milk and milk products for the rest of the weekend and my asthma disappeared completely and I've not had so much as a tickle in my throat since.
It just goes to show how you are never rid of the fear that comes with cancer. I wonder how many years it will take before I start to relax?
Everyone coughs once in a while after-all. .
Monday, April 13, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Hospital Appointment Postponed.
Dr D'Souza has taken the day off, probably wanted to extend the long weekend ... I got a phone call from the hospital this afternoon telling me they would be rescheduling...
So till then, I shall just have to wait.
So till then, I shall just have to wait.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Farrah Fawcett at the Leonardis Klinik..
I heard on the news yesterday that Farrah Fawcett had been receiving experimental cancer treatment at a clinic in Germany. I wondered at the time if she had returned to the Leonardis Klinik where she had received treatment in 2007 at the suggestion of close friend Cher.
Article link
A lot of people have asked me if the treatment I received in Germany was worth the expense, especially considering that it produced only a modest reduction in my lymphoma which then quickly returned to where it was.
The answer is yes it was worth it. But not in the way you'd expect. You see had it not been for me travelling to Germany and having quite high doses of myelosuppressive chemotherapy, the doctors here in NZ would never have agreed to try the stem cell treatment. It was only the fact that I survived the salvage chemo in Germany without any major bone marrow suppression that they were prepared to take the risk of further treatment here.
I'm pleased to report that I'm still in good shape and have none of the tell-tale B-symptoms that indicate active lymphoma. I have an appointment tomorrow with Dr D'Souza at which time I should find out when I will be having a follow-up scan scheduled.
I'll post tomorrow what he has to say.
Article link
A lot of people have asked me if the treatment I received in Germany was worth the expense, especially considering that it produced only a modest reduction in my lymphoma which then quickly returned to where it was.
The answer is yes it was worth it. But not in the way you'd expect. You see had it not been for me travelling to Germany and having quite high doses of myelosuppressive chemotherapy, the doctors here in NZ would never have agreed to try the stem cell treatment. It was only the fact that I survived the salvage chemo in Germany without any major bone marrow suppression that they were prepared to take the risk of further treatment here.
I'm pleased to report that I'm still in good shape and have none of the tell-tale B-symptoms that indicate active lymphoma. I have an appointment tomorrow with Dr D'Souza at which time I should find out when I will be having a follow-up scan scheduled.
I'll post tomorrow what he has to say.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Platelets 72
I had a blood test today, and I'm pleased to say my platelets have now risen to a very safe 72 . My white cell count and Neutrophils are also very good and are now in the normal range. The straggler seems to be my red cells and haemoglobin which are below normal and explains why I get a bit breathless when I exercise. I'm sure they will also come back up given a few more weeks.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Not much happening..
I've now completely recovered from my ulcers and my mouth and throat are back to normal again.
I have an appointment at the hospital later in the week, at which time I'll have another blood test and see how high the numbers are getting.
Other than that I have a follow-up appointment with the haematologist in mid April to discuss how things are post transplant. There are no PET or CT scans scheduled at this point in time and until I have had a scan there is no way of knowing how successful the treatment has been.
In the mean time every itch, every ache or sweat leaves me wondering if it has returned.
I've been told that you never get over cancer. You spend the rest of your life worrying about it's possible return. I try to put it out of my mind. I have no cough, I have no night sweats, no pulsing back ache. I shall just have to learn to relax and enjoy the good health.
I've started exercising again. Sarah and I went for an hour long walk last night and shall do the same again this evening. The idea is to make it a regular thing that we do before dinner. The alternative is to sit on the couch, watch mindless telly and eat snacks, not exactly good for the body or the mind.
I have an appointment at the hospital later in the week, at which time I'll have another blood test and see how high the numbers are getting.
Other than that I have a follow-up appointment with the haematologist in mid April to discuss how things are post transplant. There are no PET or CT scans scheduled at this point in time and until I have had a scan there is no way of knowing how successful the treatment has been.
In the mean time every itch, every ache or sweat leaves me wondering if it has returned.
I've been told that you never get over cancer. You spend the rest of your life worrying about it's possible return. I try to put it out of my mind. I have no cough, I have no night sweats, no pulsing back ache. I shall just have to learn to relax and enjoy the good health.
I've started exercising again. Sarah and I went for an hour long walk last night and shall do the same again this evening. The idea is to make it a regular thing that we do before dinner. The alternative is to sit on the couch, watch mindless telly and eat snacks, not exactly good for the body or the mind.
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