Things Change

Things are not always set in stone, plans change or someone changes them for you. As you read in my last post we were coming back to Little Rock for my second stem cell transplant. Clay and I met with the doctor on Friday to see if things were still on schedule and if we were moving on as planned. We visited with him about me being so sick when I was home this last time, he realized my energy wasn't where it needed to be, I was also pretty dehydrated. He also noted that there might be just a little infection trying to start, and he wanted to get that taken care of as well. So the plan is to go to the infusion center each day to get fluids to get me built back up and then we will go from there. Yesterday after the doctor's appointment I got my line put back in, it wasn't very pleasant this time. I have heard that after you have one put in several times you build up scare tissue, I guess this can be true. As far as I am concerned I don't like my jugular vein poked in that much. After the line was put in we headed to the infusion center for fluids, today they ordered 2 liters, then the other days I will just get 1 liter.
Today we went in for fluids and they also ordered a bag of antibiotic to run through my line. So as far as the chemo and the transplant, we are holding off a few days to see if my counts get back to where they need to be. I have an appointment to see the doctor on Wednesday and he will make the decision whether to start chemo and transplant next week or wait a little longer. So right now we are just here doing what the doctor says. I will keep you posted on the plans.

Home Away From Home

Well here we are back in Little Rock for more testing this week, we drove down yesterday. Might I add it was a beautiful day for a drive, the sun was shinning, which made the trees and leaves very pretty. Unlike every other day we have had with the rain, yesterday was perfect. I have a new caregiver this time, a friend of mine Michelle brought me down. I know we could have had a much better time if things were different with me, we could shop, go out to eat and all kind of fun things BUT things aren't like that these days. I am a little wimp, or a party pooper when it comes to doing anything, I am just too tired. We got here about noon yesterday, just enough time to check in the apartment, unload the car and sit just a few minutes before going to the hospital. First stop was 5th floor where I picked up my packet/schedule, had blood work done and met with a nurse. After this we were heading over to have my Pet Scan and after that we were free until my MRI which was scheduled at 8pm, they got me in about 30 minutes early so we left the hospital about 8:30 last night. It made for a long day, I know for Michelle it had to be really boring just sitting, waiting.

Today was a new day, Michelle and I needed to be at the hospital at 8:30 for the bone marrow biopsy, this of course is something I always dread, it did hurt but it wasn't quite as bad today as times in the past. Always glad to get it over though. Michelle went in the room with me, so she got to see how a bone marrow biopsy is done. After the biopsy we headed to the 5th floor to meet with the research nurse for a few minutes and then we were out of there. We stopped at Olive Garden for some soup, salad & bread sticks, it was good I had a few bites but just got full very fast. It has been raining all day, so after we went back to the apartment I was ready to take a nap, I was just real chilled when we came in. I slept for a couple hours, after I woke up Michelle took my bandages off my back, the other layer stays on for 4 days. We just stayed in tonight, kinda a veg out night. Michelle ran to the store to pick up some popcorn and to Sonic to pick up drinks. It was a good TV show night so we just enjoyed our lazy time.

Tomorrow is another day, Clay will be here in the morning and Michelle will head back to Fayetteville. I know the weather isn't suppose to be any better, I pray for safe travel for both of them, coming and going. Clay and I will see the doctor tomorrow to make sure I am on target with treatment. Saturday, October 31st I think will be a free day, Sunday, November 1st will be the heavy duty chemo day and Monday, November 2nd will be the Transplant Day.

Thank you Michelle for rearranging your schedule to be my caregiver this week. You did good!

Count Down

My days are numbered now to be at home, it is almost time to head back to Little Rock. I will leave next Wednesday morning, I have alot of tests scheduled for that afternoon. There will be more tests on Thursday (bone marrow biopsy) and then on Friday I will meet with the doctor. As long as he thinks I am ready to move on, then we will move forward with the chemo and transplant the next week. I am finally beginning to feel human again, I still don't have all my strength back yet. I am still weak and a little shaky but I know things will get back to normal in time.

I have still been doing blood work twice a week at Highland Oncology, I am also going in everyday to receive fluids. The fluids just make me feel a little better and give me a little pick me up. It seems like my time at home has just flown by since I was sick the first two full weeks, it makes you want more time at home. But the sooner I go back the sooner I get through this whole ordeal. I am hoping to do the transplant, get my counts back up, get over any sickness, get my energy back and be home and enjoy the holidays. I want to enjoy baby Jonah's first Christmas. I will miss his first Halloween, Adrienne is working on his costume so maybe we can get a sneak peek before I go.

Catch Up

I know I am way behind on my posting but I have been a little under the weather. I won't post everything that has been going on since my last post, but I will touch the surface. Some of my thoughts may be random and not in order as they happened, since I haven't posted in awhile you seem to forget what went on. Some things you choose to forget.


September 20, Kara was with me, I bent over to pick something up, I felt a pop in my lower back. It just seem to get worse, I told the APN the next day, I was given pain meds. The meds didn't seem to do anything, they ran an MRI which didn't show anything. The pain in my back seem to get worse everyday, getting up and down got to be almost impossible. This has gone on for almost a month now.

October 2, Candes and I did our routine with blood work and then on to the dr's. appointment in the afternoon. With much discussion about my time to come back for the next transplant I was released to come home. There is such a thing called bridging to stay home for 6 weeks or more, if you do this there is a lot more medications involved, nasty meds that I have taken for a short time, but this would mean taking them for about 3 weeks. We all felt like the shorter time at home would be the best. This was late in the day and I still needed to get my line taken out, so Candes and I waited to head home on Saturday. Clay normally comes down on Friday but Candes thought since she was there already there was no need for him to come down and turn around and go back. Since we were going home for almost 4 weeks we moved out of our apartment, this meant everything had to be packed and loaded up. Remember I have the back issue and after they take your port out you cannot stoop over or lift more than 5 pounds. So guess who got to pack and load the car, yep Candes. She said she would do it, but it was quite a chore by the time she finished. We seemed to have more than we took.

This was the best decision since Clay had been suffering with the upper resp. crud most of the week. I even spent Saturday night at Candes' house, this gave Clay another day to air out the house, at this point I didn't need to catch a bug. Clay came to pick me up about noon on Sunday, it was sure good to get home. I have been dealing with this back pain, once I get up and moving it's not as bad but the getting up and down is so painful.



October 4, I started with the nausea, vomitting and more!!!! I spoke with Little Rock about this, I was told it was due to the Chemo that I was given. I thought it would last a few days but it lasted alost 2 weeks. Finally on Oct. 15 when I went in for blood work I ask if they would take my B.P. well they did and it was very low. They thought I needed to see the dr., I met with Dr. Rosenfeld, he felt like I needed fluids, vitimans, and electrolites and some nausea meds to get me feeling better. So I battled this yuk feeling for almost two weeks, we tried everything, eating, not eating, liquid diet, nothing see to help. I am not eating much right now, nothing taste good, or it doesn't taste like it should. I will be glad to get my taste buds back, I know I have to drink as well but there again even the drinking is hard, I haven't found anything that taste good, I know I have to force myself to drink so that I can stay hydrated.


October 16, Andrew took me in for fluids today, then we stopped by my office just a few minutes to say Hello. It was good to get out, it just wears me out, my energy level is very low. The nausea seems to be gone, my back is getting better, there is still some pain involved. My whole body seems to be sore all over, probably due to the setting around that I have had no choice in doing.



October 17, So as I think back over the last month, it seems to have been a roller coaster ride to get to this day. I'm am glad that I have made it this far in the treatment, but I will also say that I will be real glad when it's over and I can close this chapter of Barbara's Journey. I will be home about 3 1/2 weeks this time, but I have already used up 2 with being sick, so I look forward to this next week and hope I can enjoy the rest of my time at home.



So I ask you to continue to pray for my healing, strength and for my body to recovery before my next transplant. My next transplant is scheduled for November 2nd, that is if everything checks out with my blood work when I get back to Little Rock.