2nd Session of 18 Months Maintenance Rituxan Today

A good breakfast at Sunrise got my day started. I wasn’t tardy today. I got in with the first bunch of patients into the chemo room. 9:05 I am accessed, 9:25 I am on my benadryl drip. Slow getting started. Lots of folks here first thing. I’m infusing by 10:00 for 2 hours. Some folks have 6-8 hours. I’ve been there before. I probably dozed off and on for an hour due to the benadrylI’m out of the Lewis Center by 12:30. I take some checks by the American Cancer Society. The “Bald for Best” team is at just over $2,000.00 with a few pledges outstanding. Next I got my eye prescription from my eye doctor and ordered some lovely new safety glasses for work. I’ll need them in June. I just learned Monday that I get the 12 hour night shift during our mill maintenance outage. Lovely... Especially with Karin’s softball season starting this week. After lunch, I tried to nap. I was tired, but I couldn’t sleep. Bennett didn’t nap either, so I joined he and Papa early before supper. Karin just won the lotto..(not). Jury Duty tomorrow. I got a 30 minute walk in tonight.

Take care,

Mark

1st Session of 18 Months Maintenance Rituxan Today

It was great to sleep in to 6:30 on what would normaly be a work day. Karin and I left at 7:30 for breakfast. We were just a minute or two late for the 8:30 open at LowCountry Cancer Care. I like to be there before they open the doors. I will have to try harder next week. It took quite a while for them to call me back and a bit before the got my port flushed and CBC blood drawn and tested.

Karin went for a run and to run an errand. Soon after she left, I realize that my infusion is scheduled for 2 hours. That was a big relief, and it more than makes up for the late start. I tried to phone Karin, but my phone had no reception. I would now finish before too late and get to go to lunch.

I met a gentleman in the chair next to me with an aggressive form of B-cell lymphoma. He is undergoing a rather rigorous chemo cycle. We had a good long talk about lots of things. Other than staff, there were no familiar faces there today for me.

My Rituxan infusion is uneventful. It took more than the 2 hour that they programmed for the pump. They always seem to deliver a little light or the bags are fuller than they indicate. It’s been a while since I have reset my pump, but I figure it out and save the nurses a few calls. They jokingly ask me to help out with some of the others around me. If I had a waiver form I probably would have.

I will have 3 more sessions on Tuesdays through the first week in June. I finish a week before our big summer outage at work begins.

Karin and I had a good lunch. After lunch we took checks by the American Cancer Society office to turn in for Relay for Life. We’ve turned in around $1,300.00 so far, and I expect us to raise/contribute over $2,000.00 before we are done.

Some bad news on this end: Cid our 14 year old black lab has been declining in health since our trip to Nashville. He has not been eating, he’s lost weight, and he is loosing strength in his hind legs and is having trouble getting up on smooth floors. Karin took him to the vet this afternoon. He is chock full of cancer. His lymph nodes are all swollen. He probably has lymphoma or has cancer that has spread to his lymph nodes. They prescribed for him some pain meds and steroids. He probably only has a couple weeks. Keep Karin and Cid in your thoughts and prayers.

I had a good talk tonight with a friend I met before my transplant in Atlanta. He had been their prior to me. He has had Hodgekin’s disease off and on for 20 years. It is back again. He is interested in going to my blood cancer support group with me. We won’t meet in June, but I will take him in July and put him in contact with social workers earlier if needed. We will try to get together with him and his wife in the next few weeks.

Karin’s tennis team has qualified for state playoffs. They are off to Augusta on Thursday for matches this weekend.

I’ve wasted the extra hour of sleep today by not being in bed yet at 10:00. I’m off to bed. That is all for now.

Take care,

Mark

Relay was a lot of Fun

Thanks to Erin, Senae, Karin, Joe and Kenny for doing all the names, logos, and artwork on our heads. Three of the Bald for Best did you all proud. I will post pictures when I get copies. I shot film and we didn’t get any on our digital that night.

Our banner (a repeat from last year – we didn’t have time to update the date) actually placed in the Banner contest as judged by a group of survivors.

It is always good to see lots of other people that you know on the many teams at the event along with many supporters that we knew.

It is always touching to see your name and the name of people that you know on the Honorary Luminaries. It is sad to see the names of people you know that have passed on the Memorial Luminaries. There were thousands of both types. They completely lined the inside and outside of the 1/4 mile track at 1-2 ft intervals.

Bennett (along with his mother) got to ride way up in the air in a Georgia Power Bucket truck that was there for a fundraiser.

The four of us fundraising (Joe, Kenny, Karin & Mark) turned in ~$833.00 the night of and have check and pledges that will exceed $1,400.00. Not bad for less than a weeks worth of fundraising.

Karin and Bennett made it until ~9:30 and the rest of us packed it up about 11:30. We had decided that we were not going to camp out and make it an all nighter this year.

Thank you for your support,

Mark

The Heads have been Slicked

Thanks once again to Gary at The Barber Pole in Savannah (Bull Street & Johnny Mercer Blvd). This is our 3rd Bald For Best season of fundraising for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Savannah. Thanks to Shannon, Erin and Royce for the support. Joe & Steve will get buzzed on Friday.

My friends shave their heads to support me when I was first going through chemo in 2006. I shave mine now to honor those currently going through chemo that have lost their locks and for all of those that have already passed. We will post your corporate logo, catch phrase or your name on our heads for a donation/pledge to the American Cancer Society.

The Relay is this Friday (5/9) Benedictine High School Track in Savannah. It kicks off at 6:00 pm.

E-mail me markbest5@earthlink.net if you want to get in our fundraising.

Thanks,

Mark

Some of the Gang will be Getting heads Shaved Tuesday Night (5/6) at the Barber Pole in Downtown Savannah


Plans are for 6:30 pm, Tuesday night.

Come by if you want to see or participate.


Relay for Life is Friday night (5/9) starting at 6:30 pm at Benedictine High School Field in Savannah. Come by to make your mark on our heads or e-mail or call and we'll take care of it for you.


E-mail me at markbest5@earthlink.net if you want to make a donation. You can call any of the cell #'s on the flyer to reach one of us.

Thanks,

Mark

Double click on the image below or right click and open in another window to make it easier to read.

Approaching 26.2 at the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, TN

I'm the fat, touristy looking guy on the left. Karin is on the right.