In the flurry of wrapping up work projects and seeing people before my hospital stay, I’ve neglected this blog, so instead of my ramblings and random musings, here’s a brief update.
I checked into the hospital on Sunday. I finished one week of outpatient radiation and now I’m receiving my second week of radiation as an inpatient. I wrap up the Total Lymphoid Irradiation (TLI) on Friday. On Saturday, I begin four to five days of intense chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide and etoposide), followed by a stem cell transplant. Then I feel terrible for seven to 10 days before I start to feel better.
Once my counts come back up, they’ll release me. Overall, I’ll probably be here for about four weeks or so.
I wasn’t sure whether I’d be up for visitors, but this week I feel OK. I’m not sure if I’ll feel sleepy this weekend from the chemo, so I can have visitors through tomorrow, but I’m also in radiation from about 10 am–noon and 6–8 pm. But please don’t feel obligated to stop by. After Wednesday, when I’m feeling awful, I probably won’t want to see anyone—or remember seeing anyone. When I’m on the upswing, I’ll let you know!
Once I get out, in early to mid May, I’ll have to stay home at rest for about a month and then I can slowly get back to normal in the next three months or so. But it’s slow-going, and I have to take precautions because of my compromised immune system for quite awhile. (It’s tough for someone who lives by the 5-second rule, which has recently been proven to be true.)
Thanks again for all your posts, notes, emails, cards and kind words! I’ll try to update this blog as long as I am coherent.
The love and support of many is here for you if you feel weary.
Thanks! 🙂
thinking of you and sending you my most powerful vibes and good thoughts to see you through from now to a complete recovery.
love and a big light of hope,
Karen, TC
Thank you! I appreciate it!
My husband and I stumbled onto your blog and its helped us so much with what we should be expecting. He will be admitted tomorrow at Sloane for his transplant . Hope everything is going well and looking forward to your updates.
Thanks, that’s good to hear! I was writing this not only as a therapeutic exercise for myself, but hopefully to let people know what to expect, based on my own experience. I found other people’s blogs and stories helpful when I was doing my own Internet searches. Best of luck to your husband! I’m on the 8th floor, so maybe I’ll see you around the halls.
[…] work items. At least this first week in the hospital has gone by quickly. As I mentioned, it’s strange to have a cut-off date when you know you’ll start to feel side effects, so I feel as if the window is closing to update […]