Platelets are low again: 39. After finally leaving a supposed 10:45 appointment with the doctor at 2:00, here we are again at the transfusion unit waiting for a 4 hour IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin) infusion which will be repeated again tomorrow morning at 9. The ITP has really thrown a monkey wrench into things, not the least of which is Eric trying to settle into his new job while juggling treaments and a completely unpredictable schedule at M.D. Anderson. He can no longer come in for his blood work on Saturdays. Now he'll have to come in on Fridays and be seen by someone in the Lymphoma center. It doesn't sound like much but this isn't like going other places. Here it usually takes hours. How many? Who knows? Two, three, four, more? Yup. And if the blood work indicates treatment is necessary, like today, add another 4 or 5 hours or more. So, no more doing that on Saturdays and not having to miss work.
That doesn't free up Saturdays, though. Rituxan, one of Eric's chemo drugs that I told you about previously, is going to be infused every Saturday for four Saturdays in addition to the chemo treatments. This is to treat the ITP and platelet issues, along with the Prednisone which is still being continued, and continued sporadic IVIG. It's not of any consolation that the doctor deems the difficulties being presented by the ITP to be uncommon and requiring the combined efforts of the lymphoma team and the benign hematology team.
(As I write, the nurse just said the IVIG infusion is going to take SEVEN hours! See what I mean about unpredictable?)
ITP still expected to get better as lymphoma gets better. Between chemo treatments 3 and 4 (March) another bone marrow biopsy and scans will be done to see how the cancer is responding to treatment. We'll see the doctor for results the Wednesday before the March chemo treatment, around March 12 (I don't have a calendar handy). For now, we will just take things week by week at the mercy of blood tests every Friday unless they vary so much that the doc decides they need to test more frequently.
So, to sum up today: Regular Friday blood work and follow up visits. Weekly Rituxan on Saturdays. Chemo on 1/18 and 1/19 as planned. Prednisone continues. IVIG today and tomorrow and as needed going forward.
If we can have a couple of uneventful days, I'll be back on Friday to tell you what the blood results are.
Maureen
What can we do to help? Should we donate platelets? Do we need to be a specific blood type?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Robin. You can't donate and designate the donation to be specifically for Eric. We do feel compelled, ourselves, to donate blood and/or platelets because Eric has received so much because others have donated. Suddenly you realize how important it is to do this when we are healthy. Knowing you are there and supporting Eric is all the help we could hope for right now. Thanks so much.
DeleteMaureen