Hair today...

My hair started falling out yesterday big time. So today, I got my boyhood haircut otherwise known as the "West Point".

Urologist

Thanks to Ed, I got to my appointment today at NMH.  The urologist asked a few questions, answered a few questions, and scheduled a time to remove/change the stent.  That will be done November 6 as an out patient procedure.

Also had blood work done.  All the important numbers came back normal.

I'm heading up Monday by train for a Tuesday morning treatment.

Two diets I do NOT recommend

On June 1st I weighed 215 lbs.  When I was admitted on July 10th I weighed 205 lbs.  That was my Stress and Anxiety Diet.
My two week No-fat Diet ended last night.  This morning I weighed 187 lbs..  Thank goodness that's over.  My in-house nutritionist suggests I slowly reintroduce fat back into my diet.  I shouldn't have any problems eating pizza and chocolate chip cookies slowly.

Weekly Tests

Twice a week I'll be getting my blood tested. The two things they're monitoring are my kidney function and blood cell counts.  My kidney function looks good. My red cell and platelet counts look good.  My white cell counts are low.  I'm told this is not unusual at this stage in the chemo cycle.  I'm being put on antibiotics and being told to keep my distance from the possibility of infection.

Many, Many Thank You's

Now that I'm home and feeling pretty decent, I have many to thank:

• My family, friends, co-workers, community, and even strangers
• Thank you all for your acts of kindness.  Kind thoughts, words, cards, notes, and especially your prayers.  Even the cookies; they'll be etched in my memory since I'm currently on a two week no fat diet.
• Special thanks to:
• Karen and Craig who have done EVERYTHING
• Bob and Cindy for getting us out of the house when we needed to get out of the house
• Mike Z. for his many visits
• Barb and Dan for their shuttle service
• Danny for his timely visits and shuttle service
• Aaron for keeping the seat of my Cub Cadet warm until I'm able to ride again
• Bob and Holly for their hospital visit.  They came during my first treatment and it was good to have my mind on other things.
• Brianna for her surprise visit and special gift from the Vatican
• Elizabo! It's amazing the generosity she provides for me and my girls.
• Lisa, continue to help keep Caroline's chin up
• Melissa & Claire
• Missed a Florida vacation because of this
• Missed Melissa's Birthday
• Missed Claire's volleyball game
• I can't tell you how patient, understanding, and cooperative they've been and thankful for them
• YWABMLG
• YAMSEAN
• Caroline
• What can I say? She's my rock and this family's glue
• Northwestern Memorial Hospital
• What a remarkable place.  The staff is remarkable.  I left feeling much better, with hope, optimism, and less fear.  We were sent to the right place.
• God
• I've known too many cancer patients that had to choose between treatment and quality of life.  Some that weren't even given a choice.  I thank God I've been given the chance to treat with a very good chance for a positive outcome.

HOME!

 The best medicine I've received all week.

The day after

The foley is out.  The kidney functions are good. Only a few side effects so far. Looking forward to being home tomorrow night.

Cycle one complete

I finished the first cycle about 30 minutes after midnight with no problems...so far.
Wednesday the foley comes out and I need to relearn how to pee. They'll want me up and around without oxygen. They're also going to monitors kidney functions. If all goes well then maybe a Thursday discharge!

And so it begins

After nearly 7 weeks of Dr's visits, consults, tests, and procedures; R-CHOP has begun.

Happy Birthday

YWABMLG

What a day

I was in the OR by 7:30. They placed a stent in the ureter between my left kidney and the bladder.  There was defenitly blockage. The stent will remain in for 3 months. I also got a foley. It will remain in for 48 hours. That should cut down on my nightly trips for a couple of days.

I also had a chest xray, an echo-cardiogram and yes, a bone marrow biopsy.

Treatment plans have changed. The team sees no evidence of this being aggressive, but agrees the treatment should be: R-CHOP (look it up) Stronger side effects, only 1 day treatment every 3 weeks for 6 cycles.

Tomorrow, back to the OR for a dual port, then hopefully a treatment.

More

The last time I was hospitalized was in the mid 1960's.  I'd like to wait another 50 years before the next.
They removed 2 liters of fluid from around my left lung. It's off to pathology. I feel like a new person. Maybe I WILL golf in the Hornet Open on Monday.
They also did a sonogram on my testicles (and found no problems) and took another chest xray. I'll be getting another CT scan soon.   An electro cardiogram is also in my near future. They will also scope my left kidney since it is being compromised by the tumor. For that reason they'll likely keep me through the end of next week so they can monitor my kidney output during the first chemo treatment since that is how the dead cancer cells will leave the body.

Long Day

I had the PET scan today. Showed two things. First, the amount of fluid around my left lung has increased. Because of this, I've been admitted. I had to go through the ER to get admitted. A Chicago ER is nothing like I've ever seen. The second thing found are some "hot spots" in several lymph nodes and in the bone. The lack of "brightness" in these spots suggests they are low grade NHL. Treatment plan not changed.

The short term plan is:
Have the fluid drained tomorrow.
Be observed Sunday.
Bone marrow biopsy Monday.
Hoping to start the first two day treatment on Monday or Tuesday.
Out of the hospital and home after that.

We're all a little scared but hope your prayers will lift us up.

NMH is confirming the diagnosis of a low grade Follicular NHL.  We've scheduled a couple more tests to rule out other surprises: a PET scan and a bone marrow biopsy.  Once the PET scan is done they can hopefully get me started on a steroid with the hopes of shrinking the tumor that is compromising my left lung.  I'm still impressed with the attention I'm getting from Dr. Ma and Andrea.

Happy 4th

Uncle Sam rides again.  20 years and counting.

Golf

I've been asked several times about my golf game. When I first met with my local oncologist a couple of weeks ago, he told me to stop playing. He said the torque would be risky. He said I could chip and putt, though. That was great news since I couldn't chip and putt before. I asked the oncologist yesterday. She said I could golf as long as it didn't hurt. Obviously she has never seen me golf.