2/3 FINISHED...And PET scan results.

A typical chemo day.  Get there around 8:45 - have a finger prick (which bled very well since I had my finger heater and glove on!).  Take vitals.  Weight still crawling up...  UGH. I was happy it was all with my preferred phlebotomist.   Then Dr. Scola comes in and he's very happy with the PET results.  Lesions have reduced or disappeared.  I'm way less sparkly.  Some of the sparkle can be attributed to chemo, so in some cases it's hard to know.  He explained that the bones now show signs of injury from the lymphoma, and are having to build back up, and that will take time.  But that things are looking decidedly better.  He never said, "extensive bone involvement," so Nancy didn't have to slap him.  PHEW!   I asked about the word "cure" and of course they all balk at that.  But he mentioned a guy who had gone through R-CHOP for Follicular Lymphoma and is now 18 years in remission.  18 years gets me to 76 years old.  I'm wishing for mid-80s so I can just wing it after that!   I asked about "maintenance" Rituxan therapy, and he said that would be a good idea, but he wouldn't commit to a plan.  That should be pretty simple - go in every month or two or whatever for a year or two, and get the shot in my stomach.  It's actually called "Hycele" in the shot form.  If I have to do that, I'm good with it.  It's a short visit, and not as frequent, and side effects are minimal, if any.    Everything I've read has said you can't "cure" Follicular Lymphoma, but if I can get a 25 year remission, I'm good.

I asked about a repeat PET scan - I said, "Will it be a month or two after chemo, or something like that?"  Dr. Scola said, "Yes, a month or two."  Between that and the lack of information about maintenance, my sister said, as we left the office, "You just can't squeeze more than a week or two worth of information out of him."  It's true - no one will commit to a plan beyond the near future.  I'm sure that's because things always change with cancer, but we are a people who like our plans!!!

Next we wait to be called into the infusion center (same waiting room).  When Val came out to get me, I did stand up and say, "YAY" pretty loudly.  Lots of stares and comments, and I "somewhat" loudly said, "I've got to go in.  Might as well go in happy."   Val is so great.  She told me she looked at yesterday's schedule and asked for me.  That made my day.  I'm just hoping she'll be with me for the next two.  We really have fun, and yet have serious moments together.  We talked about God putting people in the place where they belong.  We talked about how she wonders about her career in that way.  I told her she belongs right there with me, because she's making a difference.  I hope our conversation helped.  My scripture tattoos, cross earrings, etc., obviously tipped her off that I'm open to a discussion about faith.  Although yesterday Frank the port was sporting a neighboring Mickey Mouse tattoo, just for a change.  :) 

My chemo treatment is pretty labor intensive for Val.  First  hang the Zofran (anti nausea) steroids (anti inflammatory) Benadryl (antihistamine to ward off reactions).  Then the shot of Hycele (the R in RCHOP - it's a form of Rituxan) in my stomach.  Then the deadly hated red stuff she has to push slowly right into the port line (that takes about 1/2 hour and gets us up close and personal. In the middle of that, I just started crying.  The homemade orange juice ice chips are tolerable, Val is great, there's no pain, but that stuff really bothers me.  (By the way, I now have neuropathy (numbness) in the tips of 6-8 of my fingers.  6 are worse than the other 2.  I thought the red stuff - the H in RCHOP - caused it, and was hoping for a bit of a reprieve on that, but found out it's a different stuff that causes it, the O.  SHOOT!!! If the neuropathy spreads down my fingers, they'll reduce the the O by half.  But I don't care about that stuff.  It's the red stuff I hate.  ARGH).  So after shedding a few tears, and being comforted by Nancy and Val, I got through the red stuff.  Onto the O, which is a shot into the line, but takes just a few minutes.  Then they hang the C bag and it takes about 90 minutes to finish that, and Val finally gets to leave my side for a few minutes.

No foot massage.  I was out at 1:30, and she wasn't available until we were ready to go.  She did show me her crystals.  I'll go for massages, reiki, whatever, but I'm not going for the crystals.  Sorry.  I'll say a prayer.  That'll do me more good.

Home a little after 2, and I was woozy and off balance the rest of the day, and TIRED!!  Managed to stay downstairs until 9 or so.  Ate a good dinner, thanks to my angel Camille across the street.

Didn't sleep too well.  DING DONG PREDNISONE!!!!  Nancy is with Robbie this AM, but I'll go over and hang with them, because it's better than sitting here alone.

TWO TO GO. JUST TWO TO GO!!!!