Owing to the fact that my health has been reasonably good, and I’ve never done a drug more illicit than caffeine, we don’t have much experience with needles in the house (unless you consider the sewing kind). So it’s been a new experience having my wife “shoot me up.”
When I was excused following the installation of my PICC line, I got a goody bag filled with…
Tomorrow I go in to have my PICC line installed. I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a needle wuss, or that this transfers nicely to long plastic tubes that snake through my circulatory system. As silly as it may seem, I may be more worried about a stupid plastic tube than the chemotherapy.
The chemo starts Tuesday. I see the oncologist in the a.m. to be fitted with my porta-pump…
Here’s the bottom line: the bone marrow biopsy confirms the leukemia diagnosis.
But that’s not even half the story.
I was leaving my house 30 minutes before my appointment with the oncologist to go over the results. The trip normally takes 10, but there was only so much waiting I could stand… I needed a little affirmative action. As it turns out, traffic was terrible – and…
If you’re going to schedule a doctor’s appointment to go over test results, ALWAYS try to schedule it for early morning. Any time you have between waking up and walking into that office is a complete waste of time.
“Sure,” you’re saying to yourself, “that’s pretty obvious.” Take my word for it, if you’re scheduling the follow-up right after…
Welcome to my “why am I still up” moment. It’s been a long day, though not because I’ve done anything. I don’t know if it was anemia, Leukemia, or insomnia, but today just staying awake was exhausting.
Which leads me to the present. Why am I still up? Have you ever felt too tired to go lie down? Isn’t that the epitome of laziness? Everyone else in the house has…
Today was the day I told everyone at work about the cancer. My days of tip-toeing in and out of the office when I’m not feeling well are at an end. I don’t have to feel compelled to lie when I’m asked how I’m doing any more.
And yet, I feel terrible. I found myself walking from office to office trailing sadness and depression in my wake. I told myself it wasn’t my…
In the last month or so I’ve learned a few new terms, and become more intimate with a few familiar ones.
There’s CBC (complete blood count), hepatosplenomegaly, neutrophils, monocytes, thrombocytopenia, anemia, and Leukemia.
I’ve also learned new variations on shock, anxiety, guilt, fear, depression, and fatigue.
I’ll cut to the chase: two doctors (my “PCP” and…
1. I very likely have cancer, and I’m wicked tired.
2. My back hurts… just because it often does… but also because of that damn bone marrow biopsy (although that could just be in my head).
3. Cheryl’s back is thoroughly out of whack, putting her completely out of commission.
4. It has been a fabulous day outside today (and I’ve spent all of it inside).
5. I’m a…
It was everything I thought it would be and more. It wasn’t very painful but I couldn’t get my mind off the fact that they were driving a big hollow needle into my back (or more precisely, my pelvic bone).
They had me lie on my side in a fetal position, then gave me a local anesthetic. Then they said I’d feel some pressure, but not much pain. They were right on the pain…