Ringing the Bell

I noticed this bell the first day Eric went for his chemotherapy and I wondered how people must feel when they get to ring it.

 

I can't even look at it without crying.  It's really hit me the past couple of days and I can't believe the time for Eric to ring the bell has finally come. After an unexpectedly difficult round of chemo this weekend, here's Eric leaving the chemo area today. Sorry for the blurry pictures. As I said, I was pretty emotional and my camera skills clearly weren't the best. 

After arriving home today to the hero's welcome he deserves, he's sleeping comfortably. It's been a far more difficult final treatment weekend than we ever would have imagined. Knowing it's the last one helps, though. Hoping the new prescriptions help with the nausea and sickness, and help him get his appetite back soon.

Thank you from both Eric and me for all of the prayers and support. We'll have final results of all the follow- up tests in about 4 weeks.

Maureen

It's finally here: chemo round six

Eric's blood work continues to be favorable. Yesterday, Dr. S. (oncology), said he feels certain that the ITP, which caused so much stress and worry in the early stages, is probably gone now. The weekly and bi-weekly blood work seems to evidence this with platelet counts now consistently in the higher range of normal at around 300 or so, normal being 100-400. So that's great news but we'll ask Dr. A., the benign hematologist, to confirm that and to see if the bi-weekly blood work can now be stopped. It will still be done prior to chemo and again in about 4 weeks.

So, this is where we are. Eric's chemo protocol is a six month treatment, with this Saturday and Sunday being the sixth treatment. The only consolation to the dread Eric is feeling is that this is expected to be the last treatment. Let me explain that qualifier "expected to be." In three weeks, Eric will have a bone marrow biopsy (a very painful procedure he's had done twice) and a PET scan. The last PET scan indicated little to no visible cancer in the lymph nodes. It can not analyze the bone marrow, however, which, in Eric's case, was greatly infiltrated with cancer at the beginning. The bone marrow biopsy is what is going to tell us if Eric is in remission or not. We are, of course, extremely hopeful and anticipating hearing the news, in 4 weeks. that the cancer is in remission. If we do not hear those words, additional treatment will be in the works. We don't even want to think of that possibility but we can't bury our heads in the sand, either.

Early on, Eric gained a lot of weight due to the steroids. He has since last all that weight and then some. Of course, he's glad to have the weight off, but it comes a result of persistent nausea that lasts for about 3 weeks now following the chemo. The medications have not helped very much. New ones are being prescribed one of which is only available at MD Anderson. Interestingly, it's called ABH, and is a combination of Ativan, Benadryl, and Haldol-- hardly drugs we would expect to treat nausea, but MD Anderson has lots of remedies you won't fine anywhere else. We'll pick that up Saturday and hope for the best.

Please keep the prayers, good wishes, and good thoughts and support coming. This battle is almost over!

Maureen