Kevin's Watch

She has a kidney and bladder infection. So antibiotics for now then surgery to break up the kidney stones in February.

Thanks Av

Just never ends huh?

--A

Well fudge...

So, a brief explanation.

My chronic myeloid leukemia was in "remission," due to the high dose of my walking chemotherapy. I put remission in quotation marks, because as a chronic condition it never goes away. But it was at a level where it was no longer detected without doing a bone marrow aspiration (never again, please G-d).

About a year ago, my hematologist told me of a study where CML patients were taken off of their chemotherapy completely. About 50% of the patients remained in "remission," and were able to remain off of the chemo. She and I decided we would like to give this a try, especially as the walking chemo puts me in the immunocompromised group, and effects what type of work I can accept as a classified substitute.

The study was done on patients three years in remission and longer. I was six months away from that point, and eagerly awaited my three year anniversary.

When that point came, my hematologist told me that she had consulted on my case with Dr. Brian Drucker, the inventor of the walking chemotherapy I take. His advice was to wait until I was at least five years in "remission," but he didn't see any harm in reducing my dosage, and seeing how my body responded to that. So, we cut my dose in half.

My hematologist wanted to closely monitor me at first, so instead of having my blood work done in three months, as was my norm, the first test was done after a month. That came back negative, and we decided to go back to testing in three months.

I just got the first three month tests results back. I meet with my hematologist this Thursday, my 61st birthday. I'm pretty sure these results are saying I am not in the fortunate 50%.

*sigh*

I'd been so optimistic that this would work. Menolly is much more herself on the reduced chemo.

Hopefully the hematologist will have some triangulation to offer. If not, we will deal.

Ah hell, well, best of luck Menolly. Here's hoping it all works out.

--A

Finally received test results from the biopsy done at the end of December, while a different area, results were the same as the other biopsy I had done last August on the bladder: precancerous lesion. So, no treatment on either area for now, but annual follow up required for both.

Follow up with hematologist today, so I'll learn if my walking chemo is going to be increased, or what the next step is.

Back from the hematologist.

Huzzah!

The increase is so small, she says to stay the course on the dose of walking chemo I'm on, and follow up in three more months.

*cross posted*

Ooo...

Last year was my bedian birthday. This year it is special for everyone!

You should have posted it at 21h21:21 on that day.

--A

I tried...

At least I got it on the right day.

LOL Board timezones...I should just force everybody into GMT.

--A

Well, I'm not going to deny I've felt better. The day started out okay with a bit of posting on KW followed by a few cups of coffee and a bit of breakfast. A bath before heading out with the missis for our daily exercise, but as I was getting out of the bathroom and into the bedroom disaster struck (well not true disaster on a scale of one to ten, but hear me out). My mind was elsewhere and as I went through the door I struck the small toe of my right foot on the corner of the divan bed hard. An audible snap like a pencil breaking and sure enough, my baby toe was sticking out at right angles to its normal position.

An hour later in our local hospital the confirmation of a break and a dislocation was given along with the news that it would need to be repositioned before being strapped up. This would be done with me fully conscious with only gas and air to take my mind off the outrage being perpetrated on my easterly pointing digit! I'm not going to go into the procedure itself - the memory is simply too painful - but suffice to say that having been accomplished I was sent for a confirmatory x-ray to ensure that the break was properly aligned in order to ensure proper healing.

You guessed it - it wasn't. The student nurse who I had agreed could perform the process had not pulled hard enough and the overridden bones were not back in place. So it was back to square one with the exception that this time it was a burly staff nurse who did the job, with the aid of a bit of metal piping to bend my toe around. After a couple of minutes of this I tottered of to the x-ray room again (well, was wheeled in a chair provided for the purpose) following which I was given the okay to leave the hospital.

I'm back at home now and feeling somewhat sorry for myself. My toe is indeed pointing north again, but is far from happy about the mauling it has been given and is letting me know in no uncertain terms! It's going to be a long night ahead of me (or should I say the two of us) and I'm not looking forward to it. If I succumb to the temptation to post some uncharitable missives reflective of my aggrieved state of mind as a palliative during the course of it I'm sure you (as my good and caring Wach buddies) will understand!

Ouch, peter!

I hope you are well and truly on the proper course of recovery now.

Thanks Menolly.

Surprisingly good night all things considered. Managed about five hours of reasonable kip - more than enough for me. Toe is painful this morning, but not terribly so - certainly tolerable. Now to find out how much sympathy TLC I can wring out of it; a bit of pandering and a few cups of tea will probably be about the limit before the (wise to my ways) Mrs P's patience begins to wear thin!

C'est la vie - the boy who cried wolf and all that!

Ouch, sounds like a painful one. Funnily enough, I was just talking the other day about how the boss's wife had broken her little toe by smashing it into a chair at the office, and said conversation occurred because i had just kicked my own toe, and had come close (I thought) to doing the same.

--A

The sound was unmistakable Av - like snapping a pencil! I've been amazed at how relatively painless it has been in respect to previous breaks I've had (though last night it was a bit troublesome) but it still looks a bit misshapen to me. I've got a fracture clinic appointment on Friday, and I hope they're not going to want to mess around with it anymore. Fingers crossed!

Rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbit

Sheesh, quiet much?

--A

*cross posted*


Speaking of Groundhog Day, SD is planning bratwurst for dinner tonight.

...sausage.
Ground hog.

It's SD.
Need I say more?

:facepalm:



Damn, clearly still quiet huh?

Been busy, also back into Kenshi. Also not much motivated at the moment, an issue that clearly isn't going anywhere.

--A