Good Report

Nothing has really changed from the last post, it's still hot, hot, hot as far as that's goes. Oh my goodness we sure do need some rain, the parts of Florida that has been flooded from the results of Hurricane Donna I believe would probably like to share with anyone. We would gladly take a few inches off their hands, but more likely the good people in Colorado & Colorado Springs need it so bad to put out some of these fires.

Clay & I made the trip to Little Rock on Monday, we left at 6:45 and got back home about 8 that night, sure makes for a long day, then with this heat it just takes everything out of you. It was 112* in Little Rock that day, way, way too hot. I did get a good report from Dr. Barlogie though so I guess it was worth the trip. All the test  that I had done the week before came back good, clean I guess you would say, seems like he usually rushes you through but we had alot of questions this time & he was very good to spend the time with us to answer all of our questions & concerns. As I had talked about in the last post about my port line having a leak or hole in the tubing, Dr. Barlogie said it wouldn't be a problem having the porta gram done to find out whats going on with it. The contrast they put in is a very small amount & therefore it wouldn't harm my kidneys. We also discussed the Sub-Q chemo method, this wouldn't have to go thru my line it would be a shot instead, so another thing not needing my port for. Dr. B also thought I could do without the liter of fluid I get each week along with the chemo, so again no port needed there. I do take a bone strengthening drug that is through my port but it is only every two months, I think I could stand an IV every other month. So I will talk to Dr. Rosenfeld next week when I see him, when I go to WRMC to have the Portagram done if it has a leak or tear, hole or whatever they will probably take it out, either replace it or maybe not. I'm thinking not, but then I think while I am out maybe they should just replace it because what if I need it down the road aways, it would be much easier to do it now that to have to go back in. You know usually when you get good news, there's alot of times you get a little bad news to go along with it. So I have talked alot about my left leg, foot with the swelling and all, it has been pretty bad lately, I actually rode in the back seat most of the way to Little Rock & back so I could keep my foot up trying to keep the swelling down. I think it was Saturday my leg started hurting some then Sunday afternoon & evening it got alot worse, a clot had crossed my mind but not so much. By the time we got home Monday night I told Clay I think I may have a blood clot, I was hurting so bad. Tuesday morning I was scheduled for a massage at 9, well I knew if there was even a thought of a clot that wasn't going to happen, so I went in & I had a nurse eval, saw the APN, had and ultrasound done & waited for the results. Indeed I do have a clot in my groin area, on Tuesday there was really alot of pain involved. My leg felt like I had weights strapped to it, not to mention the pain with it. I got a shot in the stomach & pick up the prescription for 30 more shots to be given each day. So this being said I have put the portagram on the back burner for now, when you go in the hospital for surgery no matter how big or small you try to prevent blood clots so you sure don't want to go in with one. So like I said you always get a little bad with the good or a little good with the bad. I think on the most part we did get good news, these 2 little things are again just a couple of bumps in the road, hey and living in NW Arkansas there are always bumps in the road or at least construction going on. But the best news of all is that when I go back in 4 months Dr. Barlogie said he wasn't ordering a bone marrow biopsy!!!!! WooHoo!!!! Clay & I both looked at each other then looked at him like he was crazy but a good crazy. He just ordered an MRI & blood work. Can't wait, how awesome is that. I guess the last thing, he let me start taking a very low dose of water pills for the swelling/fluid in my leg/foot, I will just take one every other day but its crazy I don't know if they work that fast or not but my foot has not been swollen today at all. I took the pill yesterday so we will see, I hope they keep the fluid down & out. 

So I think I surely covered everything, for the most part I think our visit was very productive this time, as I said I did ask Dr. B about the swelling & water pills but did not mention the pain in my leg & my worries, I knew I could get it handled at HOG in a decent amount of time. He would have ordered me an ultrasound & we would have been there till midnight at least. I feel like I get very good care at HOG, love the doctors, nurses & all the staff there.