Day + 13 "GOING HOME"

WBC 1.2, HGB 95, PLTS 33 ANC 192 (Manual Count)
Quote of the Day:
"LOVE IS THE ENERGY FROM WHICH ALL PEOPLE AND THINGS ARE MADE. YOU ARE CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING IN YOUR WORLD THROUGH LOVE."
-Brian L. Weiss, M.D.

SURPRISE!!!..........I am going home today.
Apparently, Dr. Couban (my Stem Cell Transplant doctor) feels that one recovers better at home......so once he feels that engraftment is in full gear & there are no complications he prefers to discharge the patient.........even before the ANC reaches 500. Other doctors may do things differently.......
My platelets took a huge jump from 16 to 33 today.......this is a huge indicator that my bone marrow has kicked into full gear & my numbers will quickly rise in the next day or two!

They took me off my antibiotic, panteloc & acyclovir so there is not much else I need to be in hospital for.....so home it is!
I am going to stay at Mom & Dad's for a couple of days until my house gets cleaned on Wednesday morning. I will have to travel to the hospital every day this week to have my blood checked & to receive some Bolus- (saline & fluids) by I.V.
On Thursday, I will see Dr. Couban as a follow up to my transplant.

My nurse gave me a "GOING HOME" booklet.
The main headlines of the book are:
Moving from the Hospital to Outpatient Care
Caring for Myself After Transplant
Possible Comlications After Transplant
Life After Transplant
Medications

That is all for now.....

Day + 12

This photo of Sue, Jessie & Jasper was taken June 30th, 2006. We had taken our truck camper on a short trip to the Annapolis Valley prior to my hospital admission. This particular day we stopped at the Kentville Agricultural Centre to walk the dogs. It was the most beautiful hike along a small river, deep in a ravine lined on both sides with very old trees.......it was an unexpected "Paradise"!!!!!



This photo of Dad and Jasper was taken on July 5, 2006. Dad, Jasper & I went into "The Camp" for a couple nights just to have a father/daughter getaway! We had such a relaxing time.....good walks, talks & eats....it was another great way to prepare for the SCT!


There were many things I wanted to do before being admitted to hospital. I tried to fit alot of summer activities into the short time period prior to SCT.......as I didn't know what I would be able to do after I completed my hospital stint.....or even how much of the summer I would spend in the hospital.

Everyone has to find their own way to prepare for a major event in their life......I believe that it can only help in your overall performance & ability to handle the challenge when the time comes.

WBC 1.1, HGB 92, PLTS 16 ANC 114 (Auto Count)

Quote of the Day:
"LIFE IS WHAT WE MAKE IT, ALWAYS HAS BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE."
- Grandma Moses

Day + 11

"THE CAMP" - My favorite getaway........secluded, quiet, peaceful, heaven on earth.....looking forward to my next visit.

WBC 1.0, HGB 97, PLTS, 14 ANC 80 (manual count) ANC 140 (Auto Count by machine)

Quote of the day:
"IN LIFE IT'S NOT YOUR APTITUDE BUT YOUR ATTITUDE THAT GIVES YOU ALTITUDE."
- Bill Hunter (Founder of the Edmonton Oilers)

It was a very low key day today as I felt tired most of the time. Mom & Dad visited for the afternoon......I ate a frozen pasta dinner for lunch......managed a good hallway walk.....a restful nap & then it was time for them to go.

Sue is going to try to find a good movie to rent for tonight & then we will call it a day!

I am definitely starting to count the days until I might be able to go home......looking forward to sleeping on my covered swing.....anxious to view my newly planted garden in the front of my house......checking out my Red Maple tree.....sleeping in my own bed.....seeing the dogs.....just to name a few things!

There are 2 ways to measure my ANC. The first method is called the Auto Differential......it is an easier & the most often used method.....it is done by machine.
The second way to measure ANC is manually. This is when a person in a lab counts the neutraphils one unit at a time. It is the most accurate method but takes more time.
Anyway, today my manual counts showed an ANC of 80 and the auto diffential showed an ANC of 140. It is not clear to me yet which number the doctor will use to decide when to release me from the hospital?? Remember, my ANC has to reach 500 before they will discharge me as a patient.

Well, that is all for today.....hopefully tomorrow brings a large jump in my blood counts!!!

Day + 10 Joy to the World!!!

MOM posing in from of my white board in my new room.


WBC 0.6, HGB 95, PLTS. 15, ANC 55.8

Quote of the Day:
"IT'S EASY TO GET LOST IN ENDLESS SPECULATION.........SO TODAY, RELEASE THE NEED TO KNOW WHY THINGS HAPPEN AS THEY DO.
INSTEAD, ASK FOR THE INSIGHT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU ARE MEANT TO LEARN."
- Caroline Myss & Peter Occhlogrosso

Great news today.......... as it appears that my engraftment process has started! My ANC jumped from 4 to 55.8 overnight. Hopefully, we will see even larger numbers tomorrow.....as once they get going, they usually start to multiply by leaps and bounds!!!! Both my doctor's & my nurses seemed very pleased with my numbers......

I managed to eat some oatmeal for breakfast......a mini tub of ice cream......a small decaf. coffee......a few spoonfulls of some chicken stew for lunch....& now I am eating some Macaroni & cheeze!!! So my appetite is good today!

Sue stayed with me last night.....we watched the movie "Black Beauty".....we both enjoy movies involving animals. Today, Sue stayed until just before 2pm. when my blood counts came in. We were slow getting the results because my early morning collection clotted & had to be redone.

Andrea R. is taking her turn at a shift tonight......should be lots of laughs!!! Sue is back here on Saturday night.

So far, I have done very well in the infection department. After my first fever, they started me on a general antibiotic that seems to have done the trick. Most people, have more than 1 spike in fever & more than one infection.....so they tell me I am unusual to have had only one to date. In the early days, post transplant, 80% of infections come from bacteria & virus's already present in my own body.......once the infection fighters are gone....we tend to see the fever & the infection(s).

After my engraftment takes place, & my ANC reaches above 500, my biggest risk of infection will be from those germs I might get from others. The biggest preventer of infection is good hand washing practises......by myself......by those who are to come in contact with my environment. Food preparation techniques are also very important. Thoroughly washing hands before, during and after food prep............properly washing food......properly cooking food & properly storing food........all in prevention of bacteria reaching my mouth! The hospital recommends that I don't eat any raw vegetables........raw fruit except those with a thick rind such as banana's & oranges......... No fast food & it is best to avoid eating in restaurants at all.......FOR 100 DAYS POST TRANSPLANT!


So today was a positive day & one to celebrate!

Day + 9 NEW HAIR

NEW HAIR DUE TODAY!

BEFORE PICTURE!













Deana starting the trim process with steralized clippers.












Very Flattering photo that mom took!














Almost done!














The New Look.












The Alternative Look!













WBC 0.4 HGB 93 PLTS 13 ANC 4

Quote of the Day:
"ILLNESS CAN BE A TEACHER, COMPANION, OR CHALLENGE - BUT NOT A PUNISHMENT. STILL, SOMETIMES ITS MESSAGE ISN'T CLEAR. IGNORE THE ILLNESS. LOOK FOR STIMULATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU CAN HEAL IN AN INSTANT."
- Caroline Myss & Peter Occhlogrosso


Well, obviously, there wasn't any upward movement in my white blood counts or my ANC. My platelets have dropped dangerously low to where I might need a transfusion tomorrow.
I guess that I have to continue to wait patiently until the Stem Cells start to mature & do what they were put into me to do.

I am still not able to eat or drink much.....my nurse told me that could go on for another 2 weeks & not to worry about it. Good thing I listened to another patient who had a previous transplant.....he suggested it was a good idea to gain weight prior to SCT. Well, I gained at least 10 lbs. leading in & have already lost all that & will continue to lose more. I call it "The Stem Cell Diet!"

That is all to report for now......will add more when there is more news!

Day + 8

WBC 0.4, HGB 95, PLTS 21 ANC?

Quote of the Day:
"MOST PEOPLE WHO SUCCEED IN THE FACE OF SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE CONDITIONS ARE PEOPLE WHO SIMPLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO QUIT?"
-Robert H. Schuller

Today I woke very tired.....after a restless, interupted sleep....fatigue is a big part of this process & will continue for a long time to come. My Stem Cell doctor usually tells his patients to expect to be a full year before totally returning to normal. I expect to be recovered well ahead of that time....

After trying to eat about a 1" piece of banana plus some diluted O.J., my heartburn worsened & the next thing I new, it all came up again! O.J. is really too acidic to drink when the lining of your esphophagus tract is gone.....anything non liquid hurts when it goes down. I did manage to keep a couple of spoonfuls of macaroni & cheeze down at lunch.

My new room is great......very bright, even though it was foggy most of the morning. The fog has now burned off & I can sit up in bed & look at trees, ocean & sky!














VIEW FROM MY OLD ROOM!













I had a treat today.......my friend Kathy B. dropped into my room for about an hour to play her mini guitar & sing me some songs......music is like a natural drug & I find it to be a wonderful healer!! She left me her little guitar & some music books....encouraging me to use some of my time to learn how to play. I will probably play around with it some.....though I may want to be careful that my finger tips don't turn black & blu......due to my low platelets.

Dr. Salih was in to see me this morning & Dr. Hasegawa was in this evening. They both seem pleased that my WBC jumped up to 0.4. This is a good indication that my Stem Cells are engraphing.....I am looking forward to tomorrows results. We are still waiting for the ANC values.

On the subject of my hair.....I still have it.....though it is coming out one piece at a time. (all over my pillow & sheets). During my chemo treatments last fall, I shaved my head on roughly day 17 after my 1st treatment........this was after my hair came out in clumps & clogged my parents shower on a couple occasions. One of the symptoms to indicate you are losing your hair, is that your roots feel itchy & hurt a bit when moved around. I will keep you posted on this issue.

Good night!

Day + 7 Add on

My ANC came back with a whopping 8! This could be a good sign, however, tomorrow should give us a better indication.

Also, I am switching rooms this afternoon. It doesn't happen very often........there are 3 empty rooms in this unit, so the cleaning staff took advantage of this opportunity to wash & wax the floors....
Anyway, they wanted to wax my floor if I was feeling up to it.....so it meant I would be out of my room for most of tomorrow.....after much thought & discussion I decided I might as well just switch completely, rather than for the day.
This room has a view of Saint Mary's University...... Halifax Harbour is off in the distance & I can see the sky & the trees. All my previous stays have been on this side of the building & I really enjoy the morning sun.....and waking up to it each morning.......or at least when it is not raining!! It is a much bigger room too! In any case, it will be a nice change of scenery after 13 days in the other room looking at a brick wall!!

I managed a good walk today & I am feeling better than I have since checking into the hospital!!


TODAY HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD DAY!

Day + 7

WCB 0.2, HGB 89, PLT 31

Quote of the Day:

"No one can depress you. No one can make you anxious. No one can hurt your feelings. No one can make you anything other than what YOU allow inside."
- Dr. Wayne W. Dyer


Last night was a bit rough as I didn't settle into a great sleep. Around 4pm., after my bloodwork and vitals where taken by my nurse Lisa, I had the dry heaves.....very painful when you have no subtance to throw up....but you still go through the motions.

Anyway, today is a new day.....I am feeling fairly good......I am all cleaned up.....ready for all the possibilities ahead.

It may be a good sign that my WBC remained at 0.2 for two days....we are waiting for my ANC calculations to see if they are up at all. If they are, it could mean that things are starting to move in a positive direction. Or it might not mean anything yet.
My ANC has been 0 since Day +2.......I can leave the hospital once my ANC reaches 500(or .5 %). Once again, ANC (stands for Absolute Neutrophil Count) is the measurement of the total number &/or % of mature Neutrophils or WBC that are working to prevent infection.

My Platelets went from 10 up to 31 after my transfusion. Apparently, this is a very good increase. Tomorrow, it will drop again, but hopefully not enough for another transfusion.

Dr. Bashar Salih was in for his examination today & everything appears to be going well. He said that I am doing "Above Average" for this stage of the transplant. That is what I like to hear...

So far there is not too much else to report on the day..... so I will write more once there is something more tangible to report.

All of the e-mails and comments I receive each day have lifted my spirits on so many occassions. Even when I was feeling at my worst.....the motivational & humorous notes from you could make me smile or cry..........they would make me forget how awful I was feeling at that moment. I thank-you from the bottom of my heart.....for those gifts.

Love Angie

Day + 6

This is Coleen posting.
Angie's counts today are: WBC .2, HGB, 91, PLT 10.

When platelets are 10 or below she has to have a platelet transfusion. She had her transfusion earlier this morning and it only took about 15 minutes.
It is very busy being a patient. Bloodwork, Doctor's rounds, nursing checks (vitals), dressing changes, hair washing, room cleaning, etc. At 12 noon, Angie is finally resting. We have been up since 5:30am. She is exhausted and not feeling the best. She is feeling a little hungry today, but the dilemma is "What to eat?" We called mom to the rescue, and she is going to whip up some split pea soup and bring a can of tuna. (Angie's request, certainly wouldn't be mine) Mom is due to arrive at 1pm. Mom will staying for the night.

Quote of the day:
" Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments."
-Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Day + 5

Sorry, I didn't put a post in last night! I wanted to include my blood counts for yesterday & update the remainder of the day....so I will summarize it here before moving on to today.

Day +4 Part 2

My counts were: 0.1 WBC 96 HGB 46 PLT.

The afternoon went OK & Dad came by for a visit around 3:30pm. Shortly after Sue arrived for the night, Dad took Mom home for some much needed R&R. She has been simply amazing at taking care of me during my more sickly period.....she even slept with one hearing aid in so she would wake in the night when I needed her.......though I tried hard to be quiet so I wouldn't wake her every time. It has been a miserable few days at times but it really did help to have Mom's constant care!

After Mom left, I started to have some problems again. My heart burn feeling started acting up. According to the nurses, most patients usually have one exceptionally weak area that cause most of their problems. One of the effects of chemo is that it kills fast growing cells. The lining of the mouth, throat, digestive tract & all the way down to the anus is destroyed by the chemo. Some people get really bad mouth sores, sore throat & have trouble eating. In my case, the area just below the rib cage & just above the stomach is very irritated. It feels sore to touch & causes heart burn which then causes me to vomit & to also have diarrehea. I am having great difficulty eating or drinking, as it hurts & leads to me being sick everytime. Hopefully, things are on the rise, because I am now taking Panteloc 2 times a day by IV which is like Losec (pill form). This is supposed to help heart burn.

Anyway, last night I ended up vomiting around 8pm.......however, this session ended up being a bit more violent.....which lead to my nose blood. Because my platlets were 46, my blood had trouble clotting. In order to stop the bleeding, I had to pinch my nose, put ice on the bleeding nostril & ice on the back of my neck......it took about 1/2 hour for it to finally clot. The clot looked like a big tear drop hanging out of my nose....YUCK. Heather, my nurse pushed it back in my nostril a ways to I didn't tear it & cause it to bleed again. I had to sleep with the clot in my nose all night long & it is still there! I am not going to take a picture of it for the blog......but you can use your imagination.
I took some Maxeram & benedryl to help with some of my symptoms.....which put me to sleep until midnight & then I took some codeine & gravol which sent me to sleep until about 5am. I wasn't much company for Sue last night...but she said that she didn't mind & that she was glad to be here to help & support me.

TODAY DAY + 5

WCB 0.1 HGB 90 PLT 26

Quote of the day:

"DO WHAT YOU CAN, WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, WHERE YOU ARE."
- Theodore Roosevelt

I woke up today feeling much better than I have in days! My problems are at a minimum. I ate Jellow for breakfast & a baby tub of chocolate ice cream for lunch........& I kept it down! Sue even says I don't smell as intensely of creamed corn anymore....though it is still lingering.(I didn't mention it before, but the preservative used in the Stem Cells are what causes this smell.....so it has been here ever since the cells were put back into my blood)

Sue & I watched "The Sound of Music" this morning.....Sue had never watched it before!!! I was excited for her to see it......she loved it!!! It was a great way to spend Sunday morning.

Anyway, we are currently watching the British Open & Tiger Woods is leading with a score of -17 on the 15th hole. I am cheering for Tiger!

Day + 4 Morning Update

Nurse Lisa shampooing my hair!

Hello All, this is Angie's sister Coleen posting for Angie and Mom today. Here is the day so far:
Angie slept pretty well last night. This morning she got up around 7:30, went to brush her teeth and puked. She then managed to walk up and down the hall twice, then had some jello and then puked. She then decided to try and look pretty for me, so Mom helped her with her bath, then she puked. Then the nurse washed her hair, she got back into bed, decided to rest, and then you guessed it, she puked. I then arrived, and she has been nice enough not to puke since I got here. Although she has warned me that it is coming soon. All in all, between pukes she is resting comfortably and watching a bit of the golf. For those of you who know mom, watching the British Open is the only option for the television today. (So she can peek at it between pukes)

Oh, her quote of the day is "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall". (Confucius)
BUT we decided to change it today to "Our greatest glory is not in never puking, but in rising every time we puke". (Banks girls, 2006)

Day + 3

This is Angie's Dad again updating on her behalf. Firstly her Quote Of The Day.
"First ask yourself; What is the worst that can happen? Then prepare to accept it. Then proceed to improve on the worst." Dale Carnegie.
Angie's bloodwork today is as follows: WBC-- 0.1; HGB--94; PLT--68; and ANC--0. They weigh her every day but she advises me that statistic is a secret. A womans prerogative, I guess.
Last night Angie's fever spiked above the normal 38.5C. She spent most of the night vomiting and had a bad case of the back door trots. For the younger generation that means the same thing as diarrhea. Angie's Mom(Joyce) is staying at the hospital pretty much throughout this critical stage. There is nothing like having your mother by your side when you are really sick. It doesn't hurt either that she is a retired nurse. They(staff) believe it will take about a week before Angie turns the corner and starts to feel better after the stem cells engraph.(Take a hold and start to grow). Today they did blood cultures from her Hickman line and also from a vein. This is so they can tell if the infection is in the line or not, as did happen several weeks ago during an earlier phase of her treatment. They gave her an antibiotic called Meropenum by IV.
She also had a chest X-ray today to see if any infection is showing up there. They also did a urine and sputum test; again checking for infection. So you can see that they are monitoring her very closely. Angie also has a burning sensation in her stomach. To treat this, they give her a medication called Pantaloc twice a day by IV. Staff assure us that all of the things that are occuring with Angie are normal for this phase. She just has to tough it out for a few more days.

Day + 2

This is Angie's Dad writing this as she is feeling somewhat wiped out today and not feeling up to typing. I noticed Angie's quote of the day on the board when I came in to her room. "Just remember when you see someone at the top of a mountain... they didn't fall there". Paul H. Dunn
Angie's blood counts today are as follows: WBC 0.2 ; HGB 104 ; PLT 100 ; and her ANC is 0 (yesterday it was 28.8). I think Angie explained in an earlier posting that ANC stands for Absolute Neutrophil Count. When it is at zero, her immune system is basically non existant. She is at a critical stage of the journey now where her body cannot fight off infections on her own without medications.
I must say that Angie's mom and me are very impressed with all of the medical staff that have cared for Angie right from day one during late August of 2005. They are not only very professional but very caring at the same time.
We are both very proud of Angie for sharing this tough journey with everyone out there in the internet world who might benefit from her detailed descriptions of all the procedures she has gone through along the way. She is a real trooper and we love her very much. She will beat this
disease.
In closing today, I want to mention that Angie really appreciates the positive comments she has been receiving, not only in the comment box on the blog site but also by e-mail. For those of you who are still navigating around her blog site like I did initally, you can click on the word "Comments" at the bottom of each daily posting and write a message in the comment box that pops up. Put the bullet in the circle that says "Other" or " Anonymous" and click on "Send" or whatever that button says. Be sure to type your name at the end of your comments. Otherwise
it will be anonymous.

Day + 1 2nd Stem Cell Infusion

This photo shows my 3 bags of Stem Cells in their frozen state.....-70 celcius. Steam is coming off them as they are removed from the container & then submersed in the tank of warm water to be thawed.
Jill is holding 3 metal trays that held the bags of Stem Cells prior to removal for the thawing
process.
This is Heather, Mom, Me, & Donna posing prior to the Day 2 Transplant.












Mom & I posing for Dad.














My transplant experience was pretty much the same as yesterday. I had that tightening in the chest & neck area….but I just kept sucking hard on the candies & took deep breaths to work through it. Once it was over, I was very relieved to have finished this chapter of the SCT.

Dr. Couban(my Stem Cell doctor) stopped in shortly after I was finished with my transplant & was pleased to see me eating lunch.....he checked out my mouth & noticed some white thickening already forming due to my low white blood counts. I am taking different medications to help with this problem & am rinsing 4 times/day with salt & water to minimise the mouth ulcers I will get. He informed me that I will develop a fever & infection, plus mouth sores over the next few days.

Everyday, my blood counts are recorded on a white board in my room. I started out with a very low WBC of 1.8 the day I was admitted, therefore, they knew that I would bottom out sooner then others starting with a higher count. (Normal is between 4.5-11)

My White Blood Counts today are 0.2 which means that I am extremely suseptible to infection. 0.1 is the lowest count that can be recorded.


This White Board is used to record WBC, HGB, Plt, & my weight (2 times per day).

WBC = 0.2
HGB = 105
PLT = 127

These are going to be the key numbers to watch from now on. They will bottom out & then we wait until the numbers rise again.


I also put a quote of the day on the white board each day. Today's quote is: Celebrate your life no matter where it takes you - no matter how difficult - and know that it is only a transition.


This is Kerry the Social Worker presenting me with my Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Tranplant Blanket. These are given to anyone who is a recipient of a transplant. There are approximately 100 transplants done a year at the QE ll Hospital.








I am holding up a Bone Marrow T-Shirt that says Bone Marrow Transplant - A gift of hope - A gift of life....with a picture of a sun & a rainbow.
I am holding on either side of the shirt 2 other birthday gifts.......one is a pewter sun catcher with a unique wild flower design.
Wild Flowers were chosen for this beautiful floral design for they are thought by many to be the hardiest of all flowers, each with it's own character.
Lily of the Valley is considered a symbol of purity and renewed happiness. This flower has been believed to help humans envision a better world.
Violets are considered by some to be a "return"; a plant given to a traveler to assure a safe return home. They grow so hardily under adverse conditions that they are sometimes called "little savage".
Morning glories are nicknamed by a rural English folk "life of man" because of each rebirth each morning.
Forget-me-not has become a symbol of friendship and fidelity. People who wear this flower supposedly are never forgotten by those who love them.

The other gift to the side of the T-Shirt was given to me by Angie (my study coordinator nurse) It is a stainglass flower with a pewter flower pot that says "Think of You". She also gave me a guardian angle coin with "Watching Over Angie" Written on it.

Another big day has passed.....looking forward to tomorrow & making the best of today.

Day 0 Part B

Jill warms up my stem cells using a basin of water at about 38 degrees Celsius. She continually kept the bag of cells in motion for 3 minutes in the water. After, they were ready, she handed the bag to Dr. Salih & he hung them above my bed & infused them as quickly as possible. There is only a 10 minute window of opportunity from thawing cells to infusion......or else the cells would spoil.
Once the infusion began, I started sucking on a strong spearmint candy. I was warned about a garlicky or burnt cream corn smell & taste I would noticed during & after the transplant. This smell & taste comes from the preservative mixed in with the Stem Cells.The first thing I started to feel was a constriction/tightness around my neck.....this eventually moved its way to my chest. This happens, because the Stem Cells are infused so quickly into the body. I even felt the stem cells running down my legs like a burning or tingling feeling. My nurses continually assured me that my vitals were doing well to keep me from panicking. They also told me to take slow deep breaths to control these symptoms.I received 4 bags of stem cells today totaling 2,700,000 cells. As I mentioned each bag had to be thawed & infused within a 10 minute time period.....therefore, it took approx. 40 minutes to deliver all 4 bags. In between each bag, there was a period of relief before the symptoms would start up again.....though they weren't as bad as the first 2 bags. At one point the constriction in my chest hit me so hard that I thought I was going to vomit......but managed to avoid that! After it was all over, I felt tired & relaxed enough to have a deep sleep for about 2 1/2 hours. When I woke, I felt better than I had in days.....my nurse Cathy brought me in a birthday present that they give all Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Transplant patients. It is a pewter sun catcher for my window. I have been told that they also give each transplant patient a special bone marrow/rainbow blanket as a souvenir.

Day 0 "New Beginnings"

The Stem Cell Collection was scheduled for 11am. My nurse today is Cathy W. & assisting her was nurse James W. Bush....(for real)! The floor doctor Bashar Salin was responsible to hang my bags of stem cells & to be present for the entire procedure.

Jill, the Tissue Bank Specialist brought up my cells in a metal cart on wheels.

Basically, here is how the day went for me. I was feeling nauseous still, so the nurse & I decided I would do 25 mg. of gravol. As usual, all my vitals were checked around 9am. At about 10:20am. I received Benedryl, Tylenol, Ativan & Zofran. My Stem Cells arrived to my room on the cart at 11am. At about 11:20am, Dr. Hasegawa (Stem Cell Doctor) came into my room to inform me that one of my bags of Stem Cells had cracked & they were concerned the cells would be contaminated. They decided it was best not to give me these cells back. This apparantly is the first time something like this has happened since 1992 when they started using these bags. Fortunately, I had provided 5,400,000 cells to start with...so I had plenty to get the job done. But a thought went through my mind as to what would happen to someone else if they didn't have an abundance of Stem Cells. Scary! So instead of receiving 5,400,000 of my cells back, I am now receiving 4,725,000.


Besides the medical staff, my parents & my sister were in the room during the infusion of Stem Cells. Dad took these photo's for me & Mom stuck close by to keep me calm. Coleen took notes as to how I was feeling during the procedure.....which I will try to explain in my next entry.Part B

Day -1

Mom is here tonight with me & she says she was here for my first birthday & wants to be here for my second one too!
Today, I felt mostly"low grade" nausea but did some walking to help alleviate the feeling. It was a mellow type of day as I reflected on tomorrow. My nurses Cathy & Heather were in this morning to review the whole procedure for the Stem Cell Infusion. Prior to the SCT, I will be given Benedryl, Ativan & Zofran to help prevent an allergic reaction, anxiety, & nausea. The allergic reaction & nausea can be brought on by the preservative that was mixed in with my stem cells when they were collected a few weeks ago. The preservative is referred to as DMSO (I haven't looked up what this stands for). A doctor & nurse will be present for the entire procedure & my vitals will be closely monitored. A suction apparatus was brought in by my bedside tonight in case I have some mucous build up during the procedure.....
Someone from the Stem Cell Bank will wheel up my frozen cells on a metal cart with a sink that will be used to thaw the cells prior to putting them back in. Apparently, the cells are infused just like when you are given a blood or platelet transfusion by I.V.
I hope to have some photos to share with you tomorrow & will provide more details when I feel a bit better.
Angie

Day -2

This is Coleen, for those of you who don't know I am her sister. I am writing for her today, as she is very tired and not feeling the best. She has been having low grade nausea most of the day. She went home for the whole day. She enjoyed hanging out on the deck, reading her book and enjoying a few short visits from friends. She stopped into work, (don't worry not to actually work, although I wouldn't put it past her), because her and Sue wanted to pick up a proper piece of foam for the "roomies" that will be staying with her in the bone marrow unit, to have a comfortable sleep. I guess the hospital mattress was pretty uncomfortable. I am the lucky one who gets to break in the "new and improved" mattress. Angie, in her kindness, wants to ensure that people are comfortable when we are here at the hospital with her. Today is likely her last day to go home for awhile, although tommorow is still a "rest day" before the infusion, she will likely stay at the hopsital and just get out for a few walks. She will give an update tommorow. Coleen

Update on Day -3

Chemo was rather uneventful today.....I was very relieved that I didn't go through the same thing as Day -4. I bounced back well enough to go home for a few hours today. I was so thank-ful to have Mom stay with me during my difficult time....she is such a great mother & her nursing instincts were definitely in full gear. My sister Coleen & niece Nicole picked up Mom & I from the hospital & drove us both home. Thank-you to them for doing this for us. The sun was out full blast & I enjoyed looking at our new garden planted by Mary & Chummy MacDonald over a 2 day period. I am so thank-ful for their time & generousity, so that I would have the pleasure of a garden this summer.....something to look forward to when I am released from the hospital in a few weeks.
Our neighbours Peter & Maureen brought over a delicious meal of spagetti & meat sauce, some cranberry muffins & white wine for Sue.....it was the perfect meal for my palate today!
Our neighbors & good friends Sue & Andrea are baby sitting the dogs tonight so Sue could stay with me at the hospital.
It sure helps to have so much support through all this.....without it I don't know how we could make it through...
Here we are back at the hospital & will probably pop a movie in the DVD player as soon as I am done writing. Good-night!!

Day -4 & -3 Chemo Days

Yesterday I received VP 16 Chemo over 5 hours. My nurse Shannon had to stay with me the entire time so she could monitor my vitals. My blood pressure was checked every 5 mins. I slept through most of it.....maybe because of the Benedryl & Ativan given to me prior to the treatment.....maybe because I was exhausted from the anticipation of this day.

My friends Cindy & Amy dropped by for a visit late afternoon & I didn't even have the energy to talk to them.....my mother took up that side of things for me. Anyway, my reaction to this Chemo was like none I have had before......apparantly not too many people react like I did to VP16. I vomited for 12 hours straight, as least once an hour & sometimes more. Sue dropped by at some point in the evening but I barely remember it.

This morning I got cleaned up, had some breakfast & went for a walk prior to my second day of chemo.

July 14,2006

This is Sue updating Angie's blog for her. She had her intense chemo treatment today, and is pretty sick up to this point. She sleep through most of the chemo treatment, but woke up as it was just finishing up. Since then, she has been vomiting farely consistantly. Her Mom has been there the day, and is staying there tonight , to be by her side and assist her when she needs. She had a nurse attending to her throughout her whole treatment also.
I stopped by around 7 pm, and Angie was very tired, and not feeling well at all. She was too tired to talk much, and the nurse was trying to settle her with medication to help her with her nausea. I spoke with her around 9:30 tonight, and she asked me to update this blog, so , I did.
Saturday, she has another round of chemo. Not as intense, they tell me, but any chemo is so hard on the body. It is a shorter round also, so hopefully, she won't be so sick after. She hopes to be well enough on Monday to sneak out of the hospital for one last breath of fresh air, before she is too stay close to her room.
Please continue to send your words of encouragement as she checks her email and comments all the time.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed in so many ways! Keep up the good work!

Sue

MY MOUNT EVEREST

A couple weeks ago, Sue A., Sue M. , Andrea & I planted a King Red Maple Tree in my front yard as a symbol of my upcoming Stem Cell Transplant. I called it "My Mount Everest"...... as I often refer to my SCT Journey by this name!!
I used a gift certificate that I received from my Aunt Janet & Uncle Ted on my 40th birthday to help buy this tree ...... I see this tree as a symbol of my 40th year when life changed forever.....I also see this tree as symbol of a new beginning...... as I celebrate a new birthday after my Stem Cell Transplant. I plan to watch this tree grow to over 30 feet wide & 40 feet high.....it will always be a reminder of this journey .....all the lessons & personal growth along the way!

Day - 5 Hospital Admission Day

TODAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!! I am anxious & excited all at the same time....

Mom & Dad brought me to the hospital for 10am. The 10th Floor of the Victoria building is where I went to be admitted as a patient.

GREAT NEWS.....They had a bed for me in the Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Transplant unit....there are only 6 beds in this unit & I was told that I probably wouldn't get a room here.
HERE ARE THE PERKS OF BEING HERE:
1. I have high speed Internet to update my blog & access e-mail.
2. Air Conditioning in my room.
3. Large Color TV with DVD player.
4. My own fridge.
5. A larger sized room & bathroom.
THIS WAS A REAL BOOST TO MY SPIRITS TODAY!!!

Mom & Dad were a great support today!! Mom helped me unpack all my stuff & Dad made sure my TV & DVD player were working properly.
After I was settled in my room, they had to go for an appointment to see Mom's oncologist in the Dixon Centre. There is nothing much to report, except her x-rays showed that her lungs were clear.

I met with Cathy, the Pharmacist to go over the Chemo Drugs & the potential side effects & complications that may occur.

I was also assessed by my nurse Patti & the unit doctor Bashar. Patti tooked a bunch of blood samples, weighed me, checked my vitals, & went over alot of information. Bashar reviewed my medical history & did a good physical examination.
At supper time I was given a pill called Allopurinol. This pill helps prevent a build up of uric acid in my body. Uric acid is basically dead cancer cells which can damage your kidneys if they are not dealt with.

All my assessments, tests etc. were done by about 5:30pm. Alot was accomplished today!!

As a treat, we all went out for Chinese Food at Fan's Restaurant in Dartmouth.....it will probably be my last meal that will taste good for a long time!!!

At 4am. tomorrow morning my nurse, Sandra, will be in to take my blood & hook me up to an IV of fluids. These fluids will be administered at a very fast rate to hydrate me in preparation for the start of my chemo at 10am. The fluids are important to help minimize damage to the major organs in the body.

Tomorrow I will receive VP-16 also known as ETOPOSIDE (eh-TOP-oh-side) over a 5 hour period. Saturday I will receive Melphalan(MEL-fa-lan) in approximately 20 mins.

I will do my best to keep my blog updated every day & if I can't then someone will.

Thank-you to all of you who called, e-mailed or sent comments in my blog over the past few days & weeks. Also, thanks to all those who are sending prayers & positive thoughts in your own way!! Please know how much I appreciate your support.....
I have a tough battle over the next few months & it gives me strength knowing that people care.