T + 79 New Year’s Eve

Christmas was low key, but lots of fun with family. Paul cooked Christmas dinner. Karin’s folks are back in Atlanta. My parents, brother and nephew were here for 2 days after Christmas and are back in NC now.

My white count took a big drop this week. The speculation is that my week on antibiotics is the cause. With the exception of my white count and neutraphils, all of my other blood components were normal and increasing from last week.
WBC: 2.5 – low (down from 4.8 last week)
NE# 1.3 – low (down from 3.6 last week
RBC: 4.91 normal and increased from last week
HCT: 44.7 normal and increased from last week
PLT: 178 normal and increased from last week

I spoke to my nurse coordinator and e-mailed all of my results to BMTG in Atlanta to see if they want to do any additional or more frequent testing. I’m scheduled for bloodwork and an office visit with Dr. Negrea on Tuesday, January 2nd.

The hair on my head is mostly peach fuzz now. Some real hair is starting. I will probably shave the fuzz soon and continue until. Most of my blonde eyebrows fell out in the last few weeks so my eyebrows are much darker than normal. New eyelashes have replaced the ones that fell out over the last 3 weeks. Some parts of my beard are dark now, but other parts are nonexistent. If I let my facial hair grow it is rather irregular.

I feel good. I tried to nap twice this week, but couldn’t fall asleep – got some rest though. I continue to walk nearly daily.

Lillie Broadnax who kept my brother and me as we grew up passed away after Christmas. She meant a lot to us. She will be missed deeply by our family. She was in rather poor health, and she is in a better place now. My folks were able to attend the funeral.

Thanks to the Ya Ya Circle at Wilmington Island Presbyterian Church for the donation from the dinner a while back. Andy brought it by before Christmas.

Thanks to the girls at the State Employees Credit Union in Eden for the card.

Thanks to the First Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir in Eden for the card.

Thanks to our family and friends (both old and new) and everyone else for their support this year. It has been a big help. Thanks for all of the donations (to me and for cancer research and March of Dimes in my honor), e-mails, prayers, cards, movies, shaved heads, relay miles walked, and anything that I have overlooked.

No midnight parties for us tonight. We went to City Market to pick up some pizza slices from Vinnie Van Go Go’s and ate them in the car (too much crowd for MDB). Karin and I watched a movie tonight.

Take care,

Mark

T + 72 Christmas Eve

Karin and Bennett saw the pediatrician last week (12/19). Bennett is progressing well, 30lbs, 33 ½ inches long. Eating all table food, drinking lots of water and only a little milk at nap time and bed time. The Dr. thinks he’s perfect, for a 3 year old! Yes, he’s the average height and weight for a 3 year old!!!! We have been cut back to 2% milk, and Bennett will receive his live vaccinations once Mark has been released to receive his vaccinations too. Mark and Bennett will go together for those.

I saw Dr. Negrea on Wednesday. That turned into a long day at medical facilities. My congestion had continued for more than a week. I was running a fever 100.2. He put me on antibiotics as a precaution. I went for a chest x-ray to make sure that I am not developing pneumonia (it was negative). They ran a lot of additional tests. I assume that all of them were normal because I have not heard back from them except for the results of the chest x-ray. With the chest x-ray, my port-a-cath placement looked normal. I don’t understand what I saw on the screen at Northside when the radiologists removed my TLC. My catheter looked like it was no routed into my Jugular that day. It has functioned normally when they take blood from it every 4 weeks. I didn’t have a fever when I got home, and I haven’t had any on any check since then, but I will finish the antibiotics as prescribed. My CBC's were good: (WBC: 4.8, NE# 3.6, RBC: 4.31, HCT: 39.7, PLT: 168). All my other blood chemistry, electrolyte, and liver tests from the previous 2 weeks were good too.

Karin came down with the CRUD on Tuesday (sinus congestion and pressure, extreme sinus drainage, headache). She saw a doctor on Thursday and got antibiotics and a decongestant to dry her up. She has improved, but is far from 100% today (Sunday). Thankfully, neither Bennett nor I got any of it. Karin goes back to work on Jan. 3rd. Hopefully she’ll feel better for the remainder of her break.

Karin’s mom (Marie) arrived in town Wednesday night. She and Karin were able to take care of some shopping and errands together (Thur, Sat, Sun). The two of them went to Christmas Eve service at our church tonight. Paul and Marie kept Bennett most of the day Thursday & Friday. He was able to help them pick out a 42 inch plasma TV and wrap up their shopping as well as entertain them and others.

We got a very late start on Christmas cards. Christmas/New Years 2007 cards are in progress and will go out Tuesday. Keep a lookout for a family photo!

This will be a pretty low key, relaxed Christmas for us. I wasn’t able to do much shopping. Also, Bennett isn’t old enough yet to understand it much, but I’m sure he will by next year. We will be at home and spend some time at Karin’s folks. Paul is cooking Christmas lunch. My parents, brother, and nephew will arrive on Tuesday for 3 days. They will stay at a condo on Tybee (Thanks Julie G.).

We have a lot to be thankful for. I am glad to be at home. I hope that everyone has a tremendous Christmas and safe travels.

Mark

T + 63

Last Saturday I awoke early with bad sinus congestion and my left ear stopped up. I went to see my GP Dr. Zotolli. He conferred with Dr. Negrea’s partner on call for the weekend and gave me a decongestant and an antibiotic. I am better quickly from the decongestant. I had my second Pentamadine breathing treatment to prevent pneumonia this week. That stuff tastes awful.

My Wednesday CBC results continue good, generally steady or improving:
- WBC: 4.3, NE# 2.8
- RBC: 4.81, normal
- HCT: 43.3 (in the normal range now)
- PLT: 174 (dropped a bit, but still normal)
I have not seen my other test results (they gave me a copy of an old report by mistake), but I called back and they say that they are all in line. I will get the correct copies next week before I meet with Negrea again.

I’m Mr. Mom-ing it a few days while Paul is in Atlanta. The best thing about this whole situation is the time that I have been able to spend with Bennett that I would have never had while at work. It is fun, but it is quite a workout, also difficult when I can’t run to the store for things as needed. I’m finding it difficult to complete more than just a few items daily that I plan to complete. Bennett has fun with the dogs. They have been in more than usual with wet weather of late. Desi, the big terrier licks him in the face. Cid, the lab puts up with Bennett for a while, but is generally terrorized as Bennett follow him all around the house.

You should try to type on a laptop with a 14 month old on the loose in your presence…quite a challenge. I can’t do this from the computer room because Bennett freaks out when I get out of his sight. In the computer room he’ll turn the desktop computer on/off due to its neon blue on/off switch. Actually anything with keys/buttons/lights is popular with him (remotes, phones, etc.).

I continue to walk as often as I can. When Bennett is with me, I let him walk halfway up the block (with many detours) before putting him in the stroller.

I have white peach fuzz all over my head now. No real hair yet. I have a very thin moustache that Karin says I have to shave soon. I only have a few eyelashes left, but new ones are replacing them. We’re working on Christmas Pictures. Hope to have something posted soon.

I continue to feel generally pretty good. I generally get 9-10 hours of sleep each night, but I am not as rested in the morning as one would expect with that much sleep. There are a few Bennett interruptions each night, but I get back to sleep quickly.

Mark

T + 56

I had a good Dr. visit with Negrea on Wednesday (12/6). My blood CBC’s, electrolytes, complete metabolic profiles, and liver functions continue good. Dr. Negrea says my blood is better than his.
- WBC: 4.3, NE# 2.5, same as previous week
- RBC: 4.67, same
- HCT: 41.9, just below 42 (normal low limit)
- PLT: 190, my platelets have increased by 30-50 each of the last 4 weeks.
My temperature was a little high (99.7) but has been normal since then.
He said that I can discontinue wearing my mask when out for my walks when not in crowds, but to avoid dust from leaf blowing, mowing, etc. Continue to stay out of dirt due to mold spores. I have had some warm, itchy sensations in my knee area – he says that this may be due to bone marrow re-growth at the end of the long bones. I have some lightheadedness when I stand from squatting – he says that this may be due to lack of normal blood pressure regulation resulting from the high dose chemo. I need to continue to stay well hydrated. Some eye-tooth gum recession that happened after my mobilization chemo may reverse. I got some antibiotics to take before a dental checkup next week.

Other health & beauty updates: Within the last week 80% of my eyelashes have fallen out. That is great with the contact lenses and dry eyes. I see new ones starting to come in to take their place thankfully. I was starting to grow a few silly blond or gray hairs on my upper lip area. Karin said I looked like some of her middle school boys. For that reason I shaved for the first time since some time in September -one of the plusses of high dose chemo. I can feel stubble on my head, but not much is visible from any distance. It is still shiny.

Tomorrow, December 9 is our 6th wedding anniversary.

Mark

T + 49

As you have noticed, my updates are going to be fewer now that I am home. I see my Oncologist every other week (on Wednesdays). I have my blood tested every week. I get the CBC results before I leave. The other blood tests are sent off. I can call to verify that they are in range a day or 2 later, but I don’t have a fax at home, so I don’t actually see them until the following week. My CBC’s were all good again this week.
• WBC: 4.3, NE# 2.9
• RBC: 4.66
• HCT: 41.6 (just below the BMTG normal of 42)
• PLT: My platelets were 161 in the normal range now (and rising since 11/7).

I have noticed a bit of resemblance between Alexander Litvinenko, the dead Soviet spy and some of my hospital pictures of recent months. It may just be the no hair.

Bennett has been good for me all week, letting us sleep in to 8 am each day. His nights have not been perfect and he has been staying up a bit later than previous. He is adding words to his vocabulary…balloon, duck, ball, and turtle. He makes lots of other sounds and noise, but none of it is yet specific. Paul and I are splitting time with him.

I feel good. I try to get my walking in every day. I run a few errands if I can do them with little crowd contact. I’m doing laundry and vacuuming floors and other little tasks around the house.

Thanks for your caring,

Mark