My Best non-Hospital Weeks?

Thursday - August 9, 2012

Refilling my pill box.  Can you believe it?

Yes, I am knocking wood like mad as I type out these fate-prompting words  ... but as Joe mentioned last night, I am certainly weathering these last two post-chemo weeks better than my three previous intervals.  Most obviously, I have NOT been readmitted to the hospital with neutropenia as I was after each of my even Hyper CVAD rounds.  In addition, the debilitating physical weakness and crushing fatigue of my first round of odd Hyper CVAD have been absent these last two weeks.  Even my sleep patterns are so much improved over what I expected during this steroids-heavy week.  Bravo! 

But why?  Can I replicate this success for the upcoming 2 rounds or is it just a fluke over which I have little control?  Oh, everyone knows how I enjoy having a role / some control and the thought that I might be able to influence my physical response to this chemotherapy protocol is tremendously appealing.  So what's been different?

• Extra week of recuperation and healing following the one-week postponement of chemo round #4 due to my E. coli infection and hospitalization.
• Two courses of prophylactic antibiotics to combat potential repeat of such an E.. coli infection.
• MUCH less interaction with the world.  I have been hunkering down in the house in an attempt to ward off another hospital stay.  NOT what I want to do but has it been a successful route?
• Avoiding naps has resulted in fuller nights of sleep.  Last night, I was out for more than eight hours with only one wake-up!  Hurrah!

I also am curious about what this improved sense of energy and health might herald going forward.  From mid-May's very first week of treatment, my restored vision and lack of migraines evidenced the chemotherapy's immediate positive effects in my left orbit.  Is my current improved physical state a reflection of the purging of lymphoma in the rest (less obvious and visible) of my cancer hot spots?  Tomorrow's PET scan will tell the tale.