Monday, April 11, 2005
Getting Ready for Chemo
Sherry spent the day at the Hematology/Oncology clinic in the hospital today.
She had two appointments:
10:00 Install a "Central Line" (a kind of IV that will be in place for the entire chemo adventure)
2:30 Meet with the Hematologist to hear the results of biopsies
Oops: They neglected to tell her not to eat so she can be sedated for the Central Line installation, so that will take place tomorrow instead.
THE GOOD NEWS: Bone and Bone Marrow Biopsies are Negative.
Combined with the other results, that means there is no sign of any additional masses anywhere.
Tuesday morning (early) she will be sedated for the insertion of this new companion into the jugular, then a six-hour (or so) slow, monitored administration of Rituxan. This is a monoclonal antibody that will help target the effort against fast-replicating B cells.
Wednesday will be the first CHOP chemotherapy:
Cytoxan
Adriamycin (the long name starts with an H)
Oncovin
Prednisone
Some will be pills, some injection, and one by a portable pump for 48 hours.
I tried to corner the Hematologist to tell us what stage we are dealing with, but he was too slippery. Because there are no other apparent masses, I wanted him to say it is stage one, but his answer was "with this type we never say stage one." Not much of an answer.
We forgot to press him to find out how aggressive it is.
If everything goes well, she will have Thursday off, and return Friday to disconnect the pump.
Mondays will be blood tests.
Sherry is tired and stressed.
She had two appointments:
10:00 Install a "Central Line" (a kind of IV that will be in place for the entire chemo adventure)
2:30 Meet with the Hematologist to hear the results of biopsies
Oops: They neglected to tell her not to eat so she can be sedated for the Central Line installation, so that will take place tomorrow instead.
THE GOOD NEWS: Bone and Bone Marrow Biopsies are Negative.
Combined with the other results, that means there is no sign of any additional masses anywhere.
Tuesday morning (early) she will be sedated for the insertion of this new companion into the jugular, then a six-hour (or so) slow, monitored administration of Rituxan. This is a monoclonal antibody that will help target the effort against fast-replicating B cells.
Wednesday will be the first CHOP chemotherapy:
Cytoxan
Adriamycin (the long name starts with an H)
Oncovin
Prednisone
Some will be pills, some injection, and one by a portable pump for 48 hours.
I tried to corner the Hematologist to tell us what stage we are dealing with, but he was too slippery. Because there are no other apparent masses, I wanted him to say it is stage one, but his answer was "with this type we never say stage one." Not much of an answer.
We forgot to press him to find out how aggressive it is.
If everything goes well, she will have Thursday off, and return Friday to disconnect the pump.
Mondays will be blood tests.
Sherry is tired and stressed.
