The doctors just left after making their morning rounds. They said that my creatinine levels have rebounded to better than when I was healthy. They have rebounded so quickly that they've determined that it must have been an error with the lab work.
They also are going to have another rheumatologist here at the hospital come and check me out for my joint pain.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
First Dose of Chemo - Round 3
Melissa drove me down to Indy yesterday and we got checked in. I had my first round of chemo around 5pm and had some headaches and a little dizziness afterwards. They started me back up on the cocktail of headache and nausea medicines that we had settled on last time I was in and they seem to have mostly gone away.
We got to speak with the neurology team for a while just before Melissa left. We talked about everything from my joint pain and nerve pain to headaches and blurry vision. Dr. Snook is going to ask a few other doctors about my symptoms but about all we were able to conclude is that the pain in my feet and hands are opposite symptoms. The foot pain could be due to the tendons on the bottom of my feet being contracted and having trouble stretching out, causing a higher arch. It's anyone's guess why I can't make a fist but they suspect tendons also. Dr. Snook also wanted me to get checked out by the vision clinic here at the hospital to map my field of vision to see if I'm having blind spots.
The rest of the doctors came around this morning for their rounds. They said that since I started taking Alieve a week ago for my joint pain, my kidney function has decreased a bit so we're going to stop with those pills. Apparently to measure kidney function, they measure the amount of creatinine being held in my system which isn't being secreted and disposed of. Before I started on the Alieve, I was at a normal level right around 1.00. After a week, my creatinine level has risen to 1.65. They told me that you really only need 25% kidney function to be considered healthy and that this change is likely due to the Alieve and very likely reversible. They plan to keep an eye on this while I'm here though so I'll update as they update me.
Eric
We got to speak with the neurology team for a while just before Melissa left. We talked about everything from my joint pain and nerve pain to headaches and blurry vision. Dr. Snook is going to ask a few other doctors about my symptoms but about all we were able to conclude is that the pain in my feet and hands are opposite symptoms. The foot pain could be due to the tendons on the bottom of my feet being contracted and having trouble stretching out, causing a higher arch. It's anyone's guess why I can't make a fist but they suspect tendons also. Dr. Snook also wanted me to get checked out by the vision clinic here at the hospital to map my field of vision to see if I'm having blind spots.
The rest of the doctors came around this morning for their rounds. They said that since I started taking Alieve a week ago for my joint pain, my kidney function has decreased a bit so we're going to stop with those pills. Apparently to measure kidney function, they measure the amount of creatinine being held in my system which isn't being secreted and disposed of. Before I started on the Alieve, I was at a normal level right around 1.00. After a week, my creatinine level has risen to 1.65. They told me that you really only need 25% kidney function to be considered healthy and that this change is likely due to the Alieve and very likely reversible. They plan to keep an eye on this while I'm here though so I'll update as they update me.
Eric
Sunday, May 2, 2010
More Chemo
Melissa got a call on Friday saying that my blood counts have rebounded so that I can do my last round of IV chemo this week. Also, the PCR test came back negative for leukemia. They send this test out once a month, and everything has looked great! Melissa is driving me down tomorrow morning. It sounds like I'll be going through the exact same routine as last round, except I won't be undergoing a spinal tap. The doctors think I'm out of the woods for the cancer to have spread there, so there is no reason to do that test/chemo again. I believe the only other change will be starting me out on a lower dose of the ATRA (the drug that gave me headaches last time). They're going to try building me up slowly to the full dose, to help prevent the headaches. After this round of chemo, they'll start me an oral chemo in conjunction with the ATRA every 3 months for two years from the onset of the leukemia. This oral chemo is not as strong as the IV form, so it's a step in the right direction!
Quite a bit has happened since I last posted. I mowed the lawn for the first time this year (much to Melissa's relief!). This went pretty well, excluding the mower trying to tip on the hills and the resulting 3 days of R&R I needed after this. By Friday, I was bored of the couch, so I went to the driving range to test out my swing. I was completely out of breathe after hitting a small bucket of balls and my muscles made me pay for the rest of the weekend. Muscles hurt that I never knew I had. I think I'm going to try going to the driving range a couple times each week after I recover from this next round. My 8 iron has lost ~45yds so I have some makeup to do before I'm ready to try playing again.
Melissa and I spent this weekend up in the Chicago area. We got to see Melissa's cousin and her family, my grandma, and the Jennings and entire Yoder crew. The kids are 4 and 3, and FULL of energy. The 4 year old just started playing soccer. Watching a 4 year old's soccer game is pretty entertaining, since they basically have no concept of inbounds and out-of-bounds, nor which goal is really theirs. :) We had a great time with the Jennings and Yoders. You really can't go wrong with nice people, great food and drinks, and a hot tub. As I've told a few of you, I've been watching a lot of Travel Channel and Food Network while at home during the day. It seems like there are dozens of shows on Chicago area food, so we did our best to get around as much as possible. We ate plenty of Italian beef, brats, burgers, and then mint juleps for the Kentucky Derby. All in all, we had a pretty fun, tiring weekend.
Eric
Quite a bit has happened since I last posted. I mowed the lawn for the first time this year (much to Melissa's relief!). This went pretty well, excluding the mower trying to tip on the hills and the resulting 3 days of R&R I needed after this. By Friday, I was bored of the couch, so I went to the driving range to test out my swing. I was completely out of breathe after hitting a small bucket of balls and my muscles made me pay for the rest of the weekend. Muscles hurt that I never knew I had. I think I'm going to try going to the driving range a couple times each week after I recover from this next round. My 8 iron has lost ~45yds so I have some makeup to do before I'm ready to try playing again.
Melissa and I spent this weekend up in the Chicago area. We got to see Melissa's cousin and her family, my grandma, and the Jennings and entire Yoder crew. The kids are 4 and 3, and FULL of energy. The 4 year old just started playing soccer. Watching a 4 year old's soccer game is pretty entertaining, since they basically have no concept of inbounds and out-of-bounds, nor which goal is really theirs. :) We had a great time with the Jennings and Yoders. You really can't go wrong with nice people, great food and drinks, and a hot tub. As I've told a few of you, I've been watching a lot of Travel Channel and Food Network while at home during the day. It seems like there are dozens of shows on Chicago area food, so we did our best to get around as much as possible. We ate plenty of Italian beef, brats, burgers, and then mint juleps for the Kentucky Derby. All in all, we had a pretty fun, tiring weekend.
Eric
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