2nd ASCT - Day 137 - October 2 2012

Checked in on my father early and to put his compression stockings on...if it weren't so TRUE, it would be FUNNY - getting those stockings on him was a nightmare. I sat on the kitchen floor for more than 15 minutes pulling and struggling to get them on. I do NOT have the strength to stretch them sideways to get them on his foot and over his heel. Grunting, groining, and huffing, I finally got them on him. I'm going to have to find a better solution of this daily task!

Drove to St. Luke's Hospital MSTI in Twin Falls for my 10:20 AM appointment. Saw a whole herd of antelope just of the road before the Craters of the Moon National Park.  Technician Anita drew my blood on the first poke - she is very good and uses a small butterfly needle and a light tourniquet. I didn't have to wait long and was taken back to the Infusion Area with RN Brittany. 

My lab values are good;  my white blood cells are low, but okay at 3.7 (norms 4.5-11); my hemoglobin 12.9 (norms 12-15); and platelets 202 (norms 140-440). 

I start Zolinza (vorninstat 400 mg daily for 14 days today, so I can expect that my lab values will be decreasing for next week's blood draw on 9 Oct 2012.

My creatinine (kidney function test) was high at 1.12 (norms 0.52-1.04) which I do NOT like. However my BUN (the other kidney function test) was norm at 12 (norms 7-17). I was careful to arrive at my appointment today hydrated, drinking 1,500 ml before I arrived which necessitated a stop in Shoshone to use the bathroom on the way. In fact, I've been staying hydrated all week.

26 Sept 2012     2,750 ml
27 Sept 2012     3,250 ml
28 Sept 2012     2,500 ml
29 Sept 2012     3,000 ml
30 Sept 2012     3,500 ml
1   Oct  2012       3,250 ml
2   Oct 2012        4,000 ml

My LDH was high at 710 (norm 313-618). My LDH last month before I started Zolinza was 661. I'm not sure how to interpret the LDH, but I don't think higher is good~

My AST (liver function) was slightly high at 37 (norms 14-36), so, I'll be watching that too.

They drew my SPEP (includes the M-Spike); immunoglobulins, Beta-2 Microglobins and sent a urine for protein today. These tests need to be sent to Boise and will not have the results for several days. It is hard to wait for the M-Spike results, but wait I must.

I took this photo with my iPad to show how much the steroids are puffing my face (Cushing facies) and giving me facial hair (hirsutism) - Who needs hair on their head when they can have a beard???

And is my practice, I wear my hiking boots to EVERY appointment - after all, this IS AN ADVENTURE~ 
While I waited, they gave me lunch (a turkey sandwich). RN Brittany gave me my subcutaneous Velcade and I was on my way home before noon for the 2 1/2 hour drive home to Mackay.

Checked on my father when I got home and the compression stockings were too tight on the left leg at the knee, so with great effort, took them off. Evidently, I pulled them up too tightly when I put them on this morning. With his arterial stents, this is NOT good and I will try to do better tomorrow.

Came home for a wonderul 1 1/2 hour nadir on the sofa. Then, I gave Kemmer a ride on JackRed (4Wheeler) to the grocery store so I could pick up a few items.