06/06/10 – Off to 2nd Round

On Monday night we will drive down to La Jolla to get ready for an early morning appointment at UCSD on Tuesday. We decided that we didn't want o get up at 5am to drive down there on Tuesday so this means I will be well rested and ready for round 2. So far my tests have shown mostly positive results. My White count has gone from 53,000 to 5,000 (normal is 4-10,000). My hemoglobin has remained fairly stable in the 14's, which means the Anemia seems to be under control. If you remember, the two main concerns of this treatment are a drop in platelets and a rise in the liver enzymes. My platelets have kind of bounced around, starting at 250, then going down to 120, and then up to 200, now they are at 150. This isn't a cause for great concern yet and won't be until they get down fewer than 50. My liver enzymes (2 tests) have been normal until the test this week where one of them was slightly over the high normal range. Still not a major concern. It will be interesting to see where they go after round 2.

Round 2 consists of 3 days of treatment with 2 blood tests every 2 hours on the first two days, which are the longest days. The last day is fairly short and we should get home pretty early. The first round was 5 days and this one will be only 3, so it will be quicker. I do have to go back down every Tuesday for a check-up and blood tests until round 3, when I can do blood tests locally.

We did have some excitement this month as our son Jeff graduated from Long Beach State with an MBA. It was especially nice because my Dad and his wife Lois flew down for the ceremony. Life goes on.

Terry