Day 165

I got home yesterday and doing good.   I am really feeling the chemo now, which is normal.  I will get my labs done Tuesday and Thursday this week to make sure I don't need any blood products.  

So for now I'm just resting and staying healthy during this fall season.  

Day 164

4am UPDATE -------   LAST BAG OF CHEMO-----------

Dear cancer,

You lost its game over for you.  It was really unfair even, me with Jesus on my side.  You tried to take my life, but you lost, you tried to take my family from me but that only made us grow stronger, my true friends shown like diamonds when you tried to bring darkness, somedays you took my joy, but the Son always rose the next day with new mercies that you could not overcome!  

You cut me, took my hair, made me bleed, sweat, hurt, ache, swell, stay in hospitals for months on end, tried to trip me with fevers, blisters, sores, and pneumonia, drained my body of energy, blood, and immune system, but I was NEVER afraid because I'm not a VICTIM, I am an OVERCOMER through Christ who strengthens me. 

Josh

Day 162

Everything is going fine so far with the chemo.  I'm feeling fine and moving right along through the days.  I will go home on Saturday.  It is surreal that I am at this point, I praise God for getting me closer everyday.

Day 159

We're forming a team for Light The Night Walk and we hope you'll join us. Light The Night Walk is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's evening walk and fundraising event. It is the nation's night to pay tribute and bring hope to thousands of people battling blood cancers and to commemorate loved ones lost.

By joining our team and raising funds for this important cause, you'll be making a real impact on the fight against cancer. On Walk night, you'll join us with other teams and individuals from all over our community in the culmination of our efforts to find cures. Walk night is a family-oriented evening in which participants carry illuminated lanterns, raise awareness of blood cancers and come together as a caring community.

Every walker who raises $100 or more* will be a Champion For Cures and will be recognized on Walk night with:

• A Light The Night t-shirt
• An illuminated Light The Night lanterns in red (supporters), white (survivors), or gold (in memory of a loved one)
• A wristband which entitles the wearer to an array of food and refreshments.

*Patients and survivors will receive these items regardless of fundraising levels.

The link to the Road to Victory team is http://pages.lightthenight.org/sctx/AustinL15/RoadtoVictory
The walk is this Saturday at 5pm at Mueller.  Feel free to join the walk (whether you donate or not), donate, or both!

Day 159

I'm finally in the hospital for my final round!  My platelets were still low at 97 but good enough to start chemo.   I'm feeling great and had a really great last week and weekend with the family.  It was great to have a chant to feel good for a couple of weeks before this last round.

Now we need to get passed this one, smooth sailing!!  While I'm here, it is easy because the chemo takes a week or two for the full effect to take place.  The following weeks at home with cooler temps and cold season will need the most prayer.

Day 155

Well, my platelets are still too low to start chemo this week.   They want them over 100 and I am at 87.  I was as high as 91 this week but they dropped at bit.  So I will go again on Monday to get my labs done.  I was disappointed but what difference does 3 days make in the long run?  All my other numbers are going up and I'm feeling good. I am not neutropenic so life is much easier right now.

My finger is healing and didn't get infected!  Just need to get those platelets up and we will be good!!

Day 148

My numbers are still going up, just slowly.  I had some labs done today and they are not high enough to for sure start Chemo on Wednesday but I am hopefully they will be when we check again on Monday.  I am still neutropenic but I have some immune system, mejor que nada!

My CT scan showed that the original areas of inflammation are almost completely gone, but 2 new areas have now appeared.  I asked the pulmonary doctor directly if it is reason for concern and she said, "no".  I haven't completed the originally prescribed steroids, which clears up the inflammation, so I just have to stay on them for another 4 weeks.

Lip is not infected anymore, thank God.  That is miserable, and not much you can do to make it feel better.  But, this morning I cut my finger pretty bad while cutting some bread.  They didn't want to do stitches because it can cause more infection since I'm still neutropenic.  So, I am just washing it off 3 times a day with peroxide and keeping it wrapped tightly.  I think it will be ok since I have some WBCs, so I will do my best to keep it clean and dry!

My parents are coming into town for some fall weather fun.  Looking forward to a good weekend!

Day 141

Appointments went well.  My WBC is actually going up already, to 0.7 so it will be interesting to see if it maintained for fell back down when I get labs done today.  My lip is still infected but doing better each day, hopefully another sign my immune system is doing something.  No fevers either!

 The pulmonologist (lung doctor) wanted me to be on steroids for 6 weeks leaving the hospital, but somehow the hospitalist (doctor in charge while you are in the hospital) only wrote the prescription for 12 days.  SO, I have to start all over on my stinking steroids.  But, my oncologist (cancer doctor) didn't want me on them so long as it reduces your immune system and has many other bad side effects.

Long story shortened, I had an X-Ray done and it is perfectly clear.  No pneumonia.  Today I will get a CT scan done with dye, and if that comes back clear then I can stop the steroids!!  I am sure it will come back clear, results should be tomorrow.  They are all good doctors but that is why they call it "practicing medicine"  they all have different opinions.

Ok funny time.  My wonderful wife noticed, shocking I know, that they wrote SOB for the diagnosis on my X-Ray form.  So for many of you who have called me an SOB, or thought about calling me an SOB, your suspicions are now confirmed.

Hi my name is Josh and I am a chronic SOB.  Looking to start an SOB support group.  There has to be others, right?