I don’t know any cancer patient that doesn’t hate having all of those tests done on them. I’m glad that it is over at least for two more months. I won’t get results until Tuesday so this will be a long weekend.
I just rec’d my blood work numbers for today and everything is looking up. All numbers are going the right direction and we are on track to get out of here a little early. How early? Not really sure.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. I get to take my IV parts home (the trailer, not to Irving) and self administer until Tuesday. That’s going to feel like a very nice break.
Oh, there is a little game Sunday called the Superbowl. I don’t have a dog in this fight but I have to hope that Arizona wins. Kurt Warner’s story is incredible and Pit has already won 5 superbowls (tied with Dallas and San Fran) and the fans of Arizona don’t ever seem to win anything. Let them have a the feeling at least once. Go Cards!
January 30th, 2009 at 11:25am
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Numbers looked ok today…nothing to write home about but good enough to put in a blog I guess. Due to doing the re-staging thing this week to make sure the cancer is still gone and see how much I’m grafting, I have to go in every day. After Friday, they’ve moved me to Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday of each week. They’ve also started the slow process of increasing my pills and will slowly begin to decrease my IV fluids so that after another month or so we are totally off of the fluids.
Congrats to Steve…I think he and his wife got to go back to Arkansas today. He had his transplant a month before I did and is getting to go home early. Way to go Steve…set the bar high so I have something to shoot for. Man I don’t like Houston.
Until next time
Bradley
January 26th, 2009 at 09:53pm
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Sat and Sunday were the first two days I didn’t have to go to the hospital for my infusion of meds. After a while, they let you bring home an IV pump and you self administer the drugs. It’s still a pain, but at least you don’t have to spend hours sitting in a small room hooked up to that pole!
I go back in tomorrow for blood work and my next treatment. I’ll post tomorrow afternoon on how the numbers look. I had to get more neupogen Friday due to lower white cell numbers. My restaging tests are Wednesday and Thursday. I’m not sure when I’ll know the results but am hoping before the weekend to know if the CT scans are still clean.
Tami was able to fly down for the weekend so it was good to be back together as a family if only for a couple of days and in a small trailer.
Also, for those who keep waiting for the next silly story about something stupid I’ve done…..I guess I just don’t have the energy to do the really stupid things anymore so it might be a while. I normally hate to disappoint but this time it might be ok.
Brad
January 25th, 2009 at 10:13pm
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I was just handed my blood work numbers for today. Before I share those, I guess I should bring things up to date since I haven’t posted in three days. My white cells had been going up nicely and were in the mid 4 range. That is great and I would love to have seen them stay there but from what I’ve been told, you have to expect them to go up and down for the next few months. Two days ago, they dropped to 3.6 and yesterday they were down to 2.3 I was given a nuepogen shot to get them back up and today they are nearly 13! That didn’t take long.
In answering Randi’s question from a recent posting, they want to see white cell and platelets going up but they say to expect them to go down…then up…then down…then up…you get the picture. I do my restaging next Thursday the 29th. I’ll see then if the cancer is still gone (it wouldn’t dare come back this quickly!) and I found out today that they also do some type of test where they can tell me the percentage of grafting that has taken place (ie, how much of the transplant has taken) That is really what we want to see.
I’m feeling pretty good except for nausea daily and the occassional headache (which I have today). The trailer is working out great except for the “park wide high speed internet” that isn’t high speed and doens’t always work in our part of the park.
We are hopeful now to get out of here for good in about 60 more days. I can’t wait to get back to Irving and get out of Houston. Hope to see everyone soon.
Brad
January 21st, 2009 at 01:44pm
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My fever kept playing a game with me yesterday. Go above the amagical 100.6 then fall below it. Why is 100.6 the magical number? Anything at that level or higher requires a trip to the ER. I would go from 100.4 to 100.9 many times. Finally we decided enough was enough and we went. When we got to the ER, my temp was 99.9 . Geeze, I should have turned around and gone home then.
Anyway, after several tests and dr. visits in the ER, we left there a little after 1am with the doc telling me my numbers were better than hers and to take some meds she had given me and i would be fine. Nothing serious it seems. just a virus.
Hopefully the rest of the week will be less eventful.
Brad
January 19th, 2009 at 08:00am
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We knew it was coming. About 7pm on Sat, I began running a low grade fever. It lasted pretty much all night between 99.6 and 100.4 The key to heading to the ER is if it goes above 100.5 and stays there for a while. Thankfully, non of the times I checked last night ( probably every 30 minutes all night ) did it every go above 100.4 The vomiting is getting a little worse too but not as bad as last year. I’m really glad I have last year to gauge things by. I would probably think this was bad but having put up with this last year, I know this is still really, really good.
We are off to the hospital in a few minutes for my regular daily infusions. I’m hoping that Tuesday is my last one and I’ll get to go on self med then and be sent home with the pump.
Hope everyone has a great Sunday.
Brad
January 18th, 2009 at 08:36am
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I just returned from my daily IV and my blood work results are so much better than I or the nurses expected. My white cells had been coming down each day and were 2.9 or so yesterday. Today, I expected them to be about the same or a little lower. To my surprise, the white cells were up to 4.7 ! Platelets had been staying around the mid 130K range and I had been told they would be dropping fairly low soon. They were up today to 159,000! Wow, my body rocks!
My blood pressure was down to 145/80 so we are getting it back in the right direction as well. The only issue I’m having that is bothering me is the vomiting. That is getting old. The medicines they gave me aren’t working too well to prevent that.
Time for a short nap as sleep didn’t come too well last night.
Bradley
January 17th, 2009 at 03:10pm
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My white cells came down a little bit more today…. 2.9 Not bad though. Platelets are holding around 135K. The only problem is still the blood pressure. My normally wonderful blood pressure of around 120/65 has been 155/85 or higher the last four days. They started me on blood pressure meds yesterday but said it will take two or three days to help.
It looks like I have to go in for about four more days to get the IV meds on a daily basis befoe they’ll let me switch to bringing a pump home and doing the IV meds myself. I can’t wait for that so I can keep from being put in one of these rooms that is about the size of a coat closet to get the three hour IV’s.
Brad
January 16th, 2009 at 04:14pm
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I’ve just completed my second day of post inpatient visits to the hospital. My white cells continue to fall as expected. They were 11 two days ago, just over 6 yesterday and today they were 4.3 That is still good and I’ll take it with no complaints. My platelets continue to set some kind of record according to the nurses. I was at 100,000 the day I was discharged and today they are up to almost 140,000. The nurse told me today that they still expect those numbers to fall shortly but so far, so good.
Because things are going so well, I’ve been informed that my 14 days of daily visits may be stopped after only 7 days. They will then send me home with a backpack and pump to self administer my own meds. Not sure about that but it has to be better than laying there for 4 hours each day. Then I will only have to go in to the hospital twice a week to have my blood checked.
Tami flew home today and so now it is just me and Katie. I miss Tam already but this will be good for me and little one ….a little father/daughter time should be good for us..if we don’t kill each other first!
Until next time.
Bradley
January 14th, 2009 at 04:44pm
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‘nough said
January 12th, 2009 at 10:20am
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Doc came by today and told me that my numbers today were so good that they might just use me as a donor. Of course he was kidding but my white cells that were .5 three days ago, then 1.6, then 3.6 are today over 11. My platelets are coming back up and are over 60,000. Neutrophils ( part of the white cells) must be over 1.0 to be allowed to go home. My neutrophils are 7.4!
We are already beginning to have Tami take things to the trailer and clear out my room. My room looks so plain after taking down all of the wonderful get well cards from the 2nd graders at Farine.
Katie flies in tomorrow to begin her turn at caregiving. For me, I just can’t wait to be free from this place and actually walk around outside when I want. I was watching an episode of MASH yesterday when Hawkeye was under house arrest and Frank Burns was making fun of him and how Hawkeye couldn’t leave the tent. Frank stood at the door and was stepping in and out and telling Hawkeye how he couldn’t do that. I actually feel like doing that tomorrow. I’m going to probably go in and out of the trailer a million times if for no other reason than I can!
“Thank You” to everyone who helped. We still have a long way to go but so far, things couldn’t be going any better.
Brad
January 11th, 2009 at 11:15am
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Doc just came by. We were waiting to see if the whites went up or down. Down would mean that yesterday’s increase was my old cells working and that isn’t what we want. Up would mean that they were actually Cheryl’s taking over and then I could go home. The whites went up from 1.6 to 3.6!!!! He said everything looks like we are good to go. I’ll have my CVC line changed to a two headed monster tomorrow (not sure why they do that) and then I should be kicked out of here on Monday. YEPPIE
I can’t WAIT to be allowed to leave this floor and actually go outside. I’ve also never looked so forward to living in a small trailer for two months as I am now. Living in an even smaller room for three weeks makes you really appreciate the trailer.
Here’s to FREEDOM
Brad
January 10th, 2009 at 12:42pm
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the doctor thinks they might be growing too quickly…..that means they may actually be my own cells that are left over that are growing which is what we don’t want. My white cells went from .5 yesterday to 1.6 today. He told me that if they go up tomorrow and Sunday, then they’ll switch me over to oral anti-rejection meds in preparation of discharging me on Monday. If they go down either day, it will be a while longer.
The Williams Transition Team is in place. Katie is flying down Monday to begin her turn and Tami will fly back to Dallas on Wednesday to return to work on Thursday.
Go, white cells, go.
Brad
January 9th, 2009 at 11:00am
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White cells actually came up today. Ok, so they only moved from .4 to .5 but it is the right direction. I know that they can actually go up and down for a few days so I’m not counting on it staying up but it would be nice. Once you go up for several days in a row, they say you have “Engrafted” and are growing on the cells you rec’d. That’s what you want. My platelets are finally going down. Today they are 43,000 but that is still good.
The mouth sores are becoming more of a problem. I can’t open my mouth enough to eat too well due to the pain but at least I only have two sores and not a mouth full of them, right Shaylor?
Mark, Tami rented Sega Bass Fishing from blockbuster and after a few minutes with it, I think I can safely answer the question you posted…at least to say it won’t be bass fishing…as much as I love to fish.
The doc told me today that I’m a very low maintenance patient today…probably the lowest maintenance patient he has. I guess that is good. Few problems is always a good thing.
Enough for today. Tami just came in from having a wonderful night’s sleep at the trailer so we are going to visit for a while. Katie will be coming down this weekend to take over and Tami is flying back Wednesday to get back to work. Someone in this family has to make a living. LOL
(New info from Tami- We just got an “invite” to the discharge class that will be held this afternoon! I felt like a sorority girl getting an acceptance letter. At least they “think” we might be leaving at some point. And yes, Brad is walking again like a crazy man. He REALLY walks fast when the docs are around-hoping to get noticed I assume!! 
)
Brad
January 8th, 2009 at 10:46am
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No real changes to report. My white cells are still .4 but my platelets actually went down a little today to the upper 70,000 range. I begin the nuepogen shots (white cell boosters) today so we should see results from that pretty quickly…maybe tomorrow. The doctor came in today and said I win the least problem patient award for the day.
Tami was going to stay at the trailer last night but surprised me and came back around 9:30 last night. Needless to say, I slept like a baby all night. What a sweety.
Today is full of simply walking, watching movies, walking again, watching movies again and playing video games. Rough life but someone has to do it.
There is a informational white board in my room where the nurses write down their names, the date, what we are doing today, etc. There is a blank on there that says Target Discharge Date. I decided to write “NOW” on it. The doctor came in and changed the W to a V. How rude…November isn’t happening!
Brad
January 6th, 2009 at 11:45am
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First, the good. The last two nights have been much better on the sleep front. I’ve got to keep the same night nurse and assistant nurse and they’ve been great about “stretching” out my vital signs times. They also watch to see when someone else has to come in the room and they come in at the same time to take vitals so that I don’t just get to sleep and have someone else wake me up.
The not as good. I’m still nauseated. I’m not throwing up my meals all of the time but I just don’t want to eat much. I’m living on scrambled eggs/bacon and chocolate shakes (not bad, I know) Most everything else just makes me feel sick at the sound of it. My numbers actually went up a little yesterday which they shouldn’t have. Doctors tell me not to worry, the worst is yet to come. That’s comforting! The nurse just came in and said my blood work is already back. My white’s are the same at .3 and my platelets came up again today at 87,000 She tells me that my platelets aren’t a big deal and don’t have to go down. The key is my white cells and they are down low enough.
Tomorrow I start my Nuepogen shots (780 which is double what they normally give) and Wednesday I have my last massive bag of Rituxin. It’s just a matter of time now.
Brad
January 5th, 2009 at 09:11am
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No, I haven’t lost weight. Unfortunately, I’ve gotten those mouth sores you hear so much about but they are all so far on the underside of my upper lip. I woke up this morning (woke up implies sleep which isn’t true) to a swollen upper lip. I look like those actresses with too much botox and feel like I have a caterpillar living inside my upper lip. The Doc says it looks like I’m going to have a “Bad Mouth” and we’ll discuss pain meds later. This will take care of drinking any dr. pepper. I just tried and carbonation on those sores….ouch!
I’m still not sleeping and am still dealing with nausia. Solution, ATIVAN. They use it now for feeling queezy AND it puts my right to sleep.
My white cells continue to die (down to .3 today) but my platelets are hanging in there at 81K. I asked the doctor about it today and was told don’t worry…they will come down….they don’t have a choice. So, we’ll not worry…they will come down.
Enough for now. Brad and Tami out.
January 3rd, 2009 at 01:12pm
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I keep giving the same response to the question, but it’s true. I guess I’m comparing this to what I went through last year. I feel pretty lucky so far. The only real problems I’ve had are relating to not being able to keep food down but I think I’ve got enough reserve for a year or two. I’m actually able to keep some of it down so it’s not that bad. The dizziness I felt the last two days is pretty much gone. My blood counts are really dropping now to where my white cells are around .6, my hemoglobin is around 9 and my platelets are around 90. I’m not sure why they aren’t dropping more yet but I’m told not to worry, they will.
From what I understand, I want my numbers to stay low for about a week to show that my cells are pretty much dead and THEN have my numbers go up showing that my sister’s cells are the one’s growing. My walking is dropping off a lot. My 10 – 15 laps a day dropped to 4 yesterday but I was just too sick to walk around without falling over. From talking to some of the other walkers around here (and there aren’t near as many of us as there should be), I’m getting more done than most. My lungs are still feeling good and I just got my game console hooked up to the TV here in the room so that I can get a little more EXERCISE playing games. (Thanks Shaylor and Syndi)
Thanks for keeping up with us and keep praying. We are a long way from being out of the woods but we are headed in the right direction. I keep telling myself that I might be finished with chemo forever! My last chemo was on a week ago tomorrow (which was in 2008) so it is possible that 2008 was my last chemo! It sure would be nice to not have people think of me as Brad Williams, the cancer guy….just Brad. That sounds like what I want for Christmas next year!
January 2nd, 2009 at 04:14pm
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