Chemotherapy Maintenance - December 26 2011

Drove myself to UCH (120 miles round-trip) this morning for my blood draw and last weekly intravenous Velcade/Dex for Month 1 of Chemotherapy Maintenance. 


UCH was a ghost-town today with everything shut down except the Infusion Center and Inpatient Units. Parking Lot almost empty. 


Had my blood drawn successfully on the first poke. My values are okay. However, my white blood cell count has dipped to below normal at 3.2 (norms 4-11.1); hemoglobin is normal at 13.1 (norms 12.1-16.3); and platelets have gone up to normal 190 (norms 150-400). I think the white blood cell count is to be expected - it takes at least one year to recover normal bone marrow function after an autologous stem cell transplant.

My Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) is in the normal range at 2.0 (norms 1.8-6.6), but has dipped from my previous values of 3.6 and 3.7. Will keep up the good hand washing and wear a mask in crowds.

RN Laurie had no trouble starting an IV in my left hand. They are using a small 24 gauge IV catheter.

I continue to have some numbness and tingling in my finger tips especially on my left hand. Plus, my tongue is sick and my taster is off - chemo related I'm sure.  I was in and out of the Infusion Center in record time! Drove back to Greeley, Colorado.


Now, I will be off of Velcade/Dex for 2 months until I start back on a one month weekly cycle March 5 2012 (this is a one month on and 2 months off schedule). I will take oral Revlimid 10 mg 14 days on and 14 days off. I finished my first 14 days on December 20 2011 and will restart again on January 3 2012.


Tomorrow I leave Colorado for home in Mackay, Idaho (680 miles one way). My sister, Jani, is following in her truck because I have too much stuff to fit just in my car. And anyway, that way she'll get to see our father, Frank, who will be turning 91 years old on January 14 2012.