6-25-15
The short version: the bad blood test got worse the past month resulting in my having to return to the three weeks on, one week off, schedule of infusions, the first was yesterday. Not a surprise, I have been more tired recently, some of which even Dr. Abonour agrees is due to the increasing poor reading. I will see him again on July 15, and will be back here then. On to the details, and a few words about Mary Ann's surgery.
The acceptable range for the Kappa/Lambda test is approximately 5-9. Late in 2014, my reading spiked at 600+. I began the infusions of chemo and steroids with the following reports from Dr. Abonour:
1-7-15 stable and not worsening, continue current treatment;
2-9-15 in complete remission, continue current treatment;
3-9-15 in complete remission, change to two on from three on,
4-9-15 near complete remission, continue current treatment;
5-5-15 near complete remission, continue current treatment;
6-1-15 stable and not worsening, continue current treatment.
Then yesterday the reading was 200+, thus the return to three on, one off, hoping to return to remission. We know MM is not curable but is treatable - we will see if the return works. The change to two on, two off, was called for because the infusions are so expensive and chemo/steroids need to be limited if at all possible. We will know in July if the return is working.
As I have mentioned many times, my only symptoms are fatigue and troublesome feet, neither of which are apparent to an occasional viewer (Mary Ann does say she sees fatigue levels) but she has to look at me late in the day. I can best define how tired I have been recently by noting that my golf clubs are in the garage and I have had no interest in using them even for a few holes.
I do not sleep well. Yesterday Dr. Abonour told me to take one oxycodone before bed time which I did last night and I slept well for 5+ hours. Despite the horror stories about oxy, I will continue taking one at night to see if I have good sleep results.
About Mary Ann. She had foot surgery three weeks ago. But for short trips to the bathroom, she was bed ridden with a heavy boot. She was using a knee scooter. She fell three times, the last hitting her head on the tile floor. Part of the reason she fell was a prescribed drug reaction causing her to be more than a little ditzy. The last time also resulted in our getting her to ER for evaluation, including x/rays of her skull. Every test was negative, so she was released with the admonition to not take the pain pills. We got her back to the surgeon and he prescribed a different pill, plus she has hydrocodone, which she could take - much better results.
Now she has a walking shoe and is able to get about the house a bit. She, too, is very tired, and has no appetite. She believes, and I agree, she needs to get the drugs out of her system to return to normal. I hope she doesn't waste away in the meantime.
So I have been a care giver for a few weeks. I have it down pat: I help just enough to get her to the point of wanting me to get back in my cave.
Actually, Karen who lives with us has been great, not only with Mary Ann but with food and laundry handing. Without her here I could not have taken care of Mary Ann.
We have had a few interesting weeks - we are hoping we all get better now.
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