2nd ASCT - Day 5 - BAD NIGHT AT BLACK ROCK - May 24 2012

I had a rough night May 23rd into May 24 2012 (Day + 5 to +6). I woke about 1 AM with a pressing left sided chest pain. Changing my position or taking deep breaths did not alter the pain. My RN Sherry called the "doctor on call", Dr. Peterson, and he came to see me. They did a STAT EKG and it was normal. Dr. Peterson seemed to think the pain was referred from the mucocitis that I have going on in my entire gastrointestinal track.

I didn't get any sleep all night.

This morning, Dr. Gutman came to see me and he told me that the mucositis can cause pain like I was having and not to worry. So, I'm through worrying about that.

EKG - May 3 2012

After my bone marrow biopsy, I had an EKG which was normal.

VD-PACE UCH Inpatient Admission - April 13 2012

Faye Hummel drove me to UCH this afternoon after RN Sarah called to tell me they wouldn't have a bed available until 3 PM, but I could come early and they would house me in the 11th Floor Treatment Room and get me started before the room was available.


We arrived UCH around 12:45 PM. RN Sarah got my blood drawn while Faye and I reviewed all the genealogy that I'm been gathering recently on my maternal family side.

Then, my Room 1102 became available sooner than they had expected and we moved over there. 


RN Elysia was my nurse and along with help from RN Ian, got me officially admitted for a 96 hour course of VD-PACE. I will NOT be getting Thalidomide this time because of the neurological side effects I had the previous 2 times I'm tried Thalidomide. VD- PACE mediations include: 

Velcade IV

Decadron IV

Cisplatin IV

Adriamycin IV (this one makes your hair fall out, but I'm already bald)

Cytoxan IV

Etoposide IV

Nurse Practitioner Joanna came in and spent a lot of time with me getting my history and doing a brief physical examination. This is the first time I've met NP Joanna, but she seemed informed about my case, yet listened carefully to my concerns this afternoon.  I told her about a spot of chest pain that I've been having the last 48 hours just right of my sternum and below my right clavicle. The pain is not severe and I almost didn't tell her about it since I have enough OTHER issues and thought it could be related to my gastritis. NP Joanna thought it best that I have a chest x-ray to check the placement of my left arm PICC Line (place 16 Mar 2012) to make sure it had not migrated from the original insertion and an EKG before they started the intravenous VD-PACE.

So, Transporter Martin came for me and took me to X-Ray in the basement of UCH for a QUICK in and out 2 view chest x-ray. Back in the my 1102 Room, I had an EKG which was normal.

Faye stayed and we entertained ourselves with the NEW UCH MENU. The food selections and food have been terrible during my previous 3 hospitalizations at UCH, so I was delighted to see the new menu and hopeful that the food was better too! I ordered a bean burrito previously NOT an option on the UCH Menu along with fresh grapes, an apple, and some low fat cream cheese. I asked for lettuce and tomato for my burrito and the lady put me on hold and then came back and said she could do that. When the food came, there were no tomatoes or lettuce on the burrito - but, Faye discovered they had been cooked inside the burrito. The burrito was good and fresh, so maybe the food is BETTER now.

RN Elysia (from Montana so she has a special place in my book since I'm from Idaho) got my VD-PACE started at 6:05 PM

Faye left well after rush hour and I napped.

The view out my window in UCH 1102 made think of the 100 year anniversary of the Titanic Sinking with all of it's smoke stacks.

And Let The Tests And Procedures Begin - March 17 2012

I had an echocardiogram in my room by Steven since they wanted to evaluate my right atrial thrombus (blood clot in the right atrium of my heart) which was initially discovered 2 November 2011 and thought to be from the Trifusion Hickman catheter and Bard Power Port that terminated just above my right atrium. After the blood clot was discovered, they removed both the Trifusion Hickman catheter and Bard Power Port and put me on daily 12,500 units Fragmin injections (blood thinner). I've had monthly echocardiograms since November 2011 and the clot reduced some in size, but persisted and was thought to be "chronic".

 Then, I had a bedside EKG to evaluate the electrical activity in my heart.

Around 5:15 PM, Kendra came from Interventional Radiolgoy to get me for the placement of a PICC Line in my left arm. This is an IV catheter that is inserted 39 centimeters from my arm to the top of my right atrium - that's right --- the same place the blood clot is located. Kendra talked to her attending on the phone and the PICC Line has to terminate at the right atrium and not just in the vessel above the atrium. Pressures are to high and if left in the vessel, the vessel can be damaged and narrow. So, we walked down to the Interventional Radiology for the placement. I was very anxious because I thought it might be torture.

Kendra first put a tourniquet on my upper left arm so tight it HURT!!!!! Then, she deadened the area of insertion in my left inner arm with lidocaine. She got the Bard Power PICC Line right in . The insertion site is TENDER. I'm pretty tired of being poked!

Adventure in the Emergency Room - January 17 2012

Yesterday, I received intravenous Zometa 4 mg. I was gone from home 8 hours with the 200 mile round trip drive and a couple of shopping trips after my Zometa appointment. When I got home, I ate dinner and fell asleep on the sofa. I woke up at 8 PM with pain in my right chest that radiated through to my back and up the left side of neck and back of my head. The pain was alarming to me since I have not had anything like this EVER and I do have that mobile blood clot in the right atrium of my heart. I was not short of breath and I did not know what I should do. So, I took 1/2 Percocet and went to bed.

I didn't sleep well and the pain persisted. So, once daylight came, I drove over to Ron's place and asked him if he would drive me to the emergency room in Idaho Falls (100 miles). Fortuitously, Ron was just warming his truck up (minus 5 degrees) and was heading to Idaho Falls for some shopping. So, we went in Bart (2006 Honda Pilot) and headed across the desert arriving at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center Emergency Room at 11 AM. 

They took me right in. I had a chest x-ray and an EKG right away. 

Started an IV after 2 pokes. 

They hooked me to a cardiac monitor and all of my vital signs were normal. 

I was seen by Dr. Rosenberg. I had to wait 2 hours for a CT with contrast of my lungs. This test is quick and the contrast really gives you a HOT FLUSHING SENSATION all over your body. Then, I had to wait for the results of the CT. I hadn't eaten all day and I asked for a snack. I thought they would bring me a couple of saltines, but was surprised when they brought a nice little lunch box with a turkey sandwich and fruit cup.

Finally, 4 3/4 hours after I arrived, Dr. Rosenberg came in and told me that they could not find any evidence of a blood clot in my lungs. He didn't know WHY my right chest and neck were hurting and suggested that maybe I had pain from scar tissue from my removed Bard Power Port. I tried to think about how I might have hurt myself yesterday and couldn't remember doing anything out of the ordinary. Now, I'm thinking it is some sort of WEIRD reaction to the Zometa - but, it seems strange that it would only hurt on one side. Dr. Rosenberg consulted my oncologist, Dr. Shull and they decided to send me home. 

I was relieved! But, I still have the pain in my right chest and neck! But, a lot less anxiety!

Started 10 days of Augmentin for a sore throat and sinus drainage.

Day 3 - September 16 2011

Thought we finally had the nausea under better control with a more frequent Zofran and Ativan schedule.

Then, at 4 AM this morning, I woke with SHARP chest pains unlike anything I've ever had before along with diaphoresis (sweating). The pain was along a band just below both breasts and radiated up to my right jaw line. Pain like a knife was being pushed in me. If I sat up, it was some better, but not really. I was dizzy and felt like I might faint.

The nurse gave me a Percocet and some Zofran, but the pain persisted. So they called the night doctor, Dr. Peterson, who came right in to evaluate me. He did my blood pressure in both arms, listened to my lungs and heart. They drew blood and had an EKG done here in the room. All the tests were normal to my knowledge.

They will repeat the Troponin I in 6 hours, but no one really thinks it was a cardiac event now. After about an hour, I felt better. I'm now wearing a portable cardiac monitor called ApexPro FH so they can monitor my heart at the nurses station.

Day 3 of DVT-PACE - Nausea August 25 2011

When the day shift arrived for my 3rd day at the University of Colorado for the DVT-PACE regimen, I got IV Zofran for my nausea. I took another dose of Milk of Magnesia and then things really got going south - too much, but so much better than being bloated and uncomfortable.

Dr. Daniel Pollyea and Nurse Practitioner Karley  came in to see me and discovered a slight heart murmur which they felt was due to all the fluid I was retaining. They ordered a low dose of Lasix IV and it worked well. My little eyes were slits and then I could open them up better. I didn't seem to have any swelling in my feet or ankles, just my face and gut~

I didn't feel like eating all day, but managed to eat some oatmeal for a late breakfast, alittle macaroni and cheese for lunch, and a some chicken noodle (they forgot the noodles, but there was plenty of chicken) soup and a cheese quesadilla for dinner). My guts finally slow down and stopped going south.

I had an EKG and it was normal.

Second Bone Marrow Biopsy in the record books August 10 2011

Jani took me to the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) this morning. We went to the Cancer Waiting Room and had Dana Godec, RN, Transplant Coordinator paged. Dana came right over and met with us. We took a tour of the 11th Floor transplant unit. You have to make sure one set of doors inside these doors is closed before going through these doors.

Then, we went to the BIC Lab area and I had labs drawn from my Bard Power Port by Montana native, Cara, RN. I also needed to get a urinalysis.

After the blood draw, we went to get the bone marrow biopsy. Mine was done by Glen Peterson, Nurse Practitioner today with the assistance of Hank Hancock, Medical Assistant.

They had me take morphine and Ativan by mouth prior to the procedure. They wanted me to take 1 mg of Ativan, but I only took 1/2 (0.5 mg).

I was positioned on my stomach for the entire bone marrow procedure this time. Numbed first with lidocaine. Hank did distracting upper back rub as the bone marrow aspiration was done. Unfortunately, the first attempt did not yield the spicules they needed and a second bore had to be done to get adequate spicules (small pieces of bone). I had almost no pain during the procedure and I was calm with the Ativan/Morphine on board. Here is the bone core they got today.

Here I am after the procedure looking drugged~because I was drugged~

After the bone marrow biopsy, Hank, did an EKG on me. Jani joined me in the room along with Dana Godec, RN Transplant Coordinator. We went down to the Pharmacy and picked up 3 boxes of heparin flush solution for the Trifusion Catheter that I will have put in on Friday morning. After that, we went to X-Ray where I was surprised to see Diane Peters sitting there with a friend. That's the second time I've just bumped in to her - it was wonderful to see her. Dana Godec had spent almost all day with us and was very attentive to all of our questions - she's the BEST~ I had quick chest x-ray and off Jani and I went to the cafeteria for a very late lunch. I had a hamburger and Jani had grilled cheese. Finally, we waited outside for the Valet Parking to retrieve Bart for us.

I climbed in back and had a nice nadir on the way home to Greeley, Colorado (about 1 hour 15 minute trip).



Appointment with Oncologist, Dr. James C. Moore July 5 2011

Had an appointment with my oncologist, Dr. James C. Moore today, July 5 2011. As usual Jani attended with me and I had list of questions that Dr. Moore patiently answered. He told us that my EKG done June 23 2011 at Poudre Valley Hospital was normal; my Echocardiogram done June 23 2011 at Poudre Valley Hospital was normal; and my chest x-ray done June 23 2011 at the Harmony Imaging Center was normal.

I told Dr. Moore that I started the 25 mg of Revlimid this morning.

I told him about my GI distress problems and he suggested that I take Prilosec and Zantac in an attempt to control my heartburn issues. Also to take Senokot-S 2-3 per day and Milk of Magnesia as needed.

We were able to change my next appointment with Dr. Moore from July 25 to July 26 which will help with the next Mackay, Idaho trip for the 150th Birthday Party for my father and I on July 22nd in Mackay, Idaho. Now, I just hope the University of Colorado Stem Cell Transplant folks are on the same page. We go to the University of Colorado for an appointment tomorrow, July 6 2011



EKG and Echocardiogram at Poudre Valley Hospital Fort Collins June 23 2011

I had the EKG first and I didnt' get any photos of that.

Echocardiogram area at Poudre Valley Hospital, Fort Collins, Colorado.

My echocardiogram was done by Technician Chris. He was super nice and efficient.