Driving Privileges!

Yesterday Dr. Aljitawi told me "I don't have a problem with you driving." so today I drove to the clinic. Accompanied by Mom...not alone yet. But perhaps in the near future. Of course I can't really go anywhere except the clinic.

I am feeling good, and according to everyone around me, looking good. I've gained 10# now which I think is plenty. The bone marrow biopsy has nothing terrible in it, even though I don't have the complete results yet.

So the new plan is to start "consolidation" chemo-therapy on Monday. This will be a less toxic chemo and is intended to keep the Leukemia in remission. I get a shot every day for a week (during which I am warned about upchucking) then 2 or 3 weeks off then a week of shots again. We are hoping to buy time with this plan for my lung to finish healing. The pneumonia this time only affected my left lung; the right one still looks clear.

The liver counts continue to improve. Since the caspo fungan was stopped. This is also why I feel better. Which I stress each time I see a provider. "I feel really good without the caspo!" Yesterday Dr. Aljitawi said perhaps I would not have to take it again if the lung gets better without it. Music to my ears.

My white cell count and absolute neutrophil count have been up permitting me a little more freedom. I've been eating out at restaurants and whooping it up. I had a jolly night with some girlfriends this week that was a second wind. The dinner was interrupted once for me to be disconnected from the potassium pump I had slung over my shoulder. Janet and I went out to her car which was parked square in front of the restaurant door, got in the back seat, and went to work. I got my arm out of my sweater and she went to unscrew the PICC line connection. But she had some trouble so turned round in the seat with her back to windshield and front to me and leaned over to get more traction on the connection. Who KNOWS what passersby thought? and who cares? We got the business done and went back in to enjoy a hot drink after the meal.

The counts will drop when I start the chemo next week so I'll be back to the neutropenic diet and more restrictions. I have been fortunate to enjoy the meals being provided by my Troop 91 friends and my mother appreciates them even more.

No time line has been set up yet. The BMT doctors would like to get me healthy enough to undergo a full bone marrow transplant. So that's the goal. Slowly. I'm not even writing surely because who knows what might happen next. I'm thinking I have caught a break and will heal nicely.

Cathi