To remember you by!

First stop to Moffitt to flush my catheter at 8 AM.  Then on 75, I 4, and 417 to Casselberry.  Home.  Laundry to do and repack for a repeat of 30 days this time.  I check in on Saturday, the 12th.  Bill will stay for a bit then come home for a few days and back down again.

Thanks so much to Michelle and Gery for taking care of Tommy and watching after the house.  Tommy is all snuggled up beside me right now.  Sound asleep.  Probably didn't sleep much while we were gone.

Thank you Susan for making sure we had a clean house to come home to.  Sorry Tommy makes such a mess.  😽

Kristi, Sasha and Ellie stopped by tonight to check on me.  A little haggled looking but still hanging in there.  Juliana called to also check on me.  Girls were giggly tonight.  Makes me smile.  Funniest thing was Ellie asking me if she could take a small chalkboard home with them to "like" remember me by.  Made me have the giggles then.  If you haven't heard it before, I love and cherish my grandkids.

Quotes:

You're okay even if your skin doesn't fit the way it used to!

9.35 million!!!

November 7th - Got to the hospital around 7 on the 7th.  Labs were drawn first on the fourth floor.  Then down a floor for my catheter.  Steve, my nurse, came out to the waiting room to get me ard 8.    He got me in a hospital gown, put in my line for drugs, read and had me sign stuff, got me warm blankets then disappeared.  I finally asked if Bill could come back.  We waited another hour.  It was exactly 3 1/2 hours till they took me back to put in my catheter.  Was a little upset about this.  Put me out.  Then Bill wheeled me to get our car and back to hotel.  Rested 2 hours, then back to hospital for meetings, and shots of neurogen.  Done around 7 PM.  Then off to Urgent Care for Bill. He was bitten by something when we were sitting outside Sunday night.  Continued to swell.  3 nurses told him he needed to go to Urgent Care.  He listened.  Tetanus shot, steroid shot and script for antibiotics. The nurse practitioner told him that the steroid shot was going to feel like a horse kicked him in the butt.  He was in pain for over an hour.  Swelling down some.  Will start script tomorrow.  May have it looked at when we get home.

Today, November 8th - today was stem cell collection day.  Checked in to Moffitt at 8:15.  Taken to the apheresis room to prepare for a day of stem cell collection for my transplant.  Really was overwhelming and there comes the tears but mostly the fears.  Nurse talked with me awhile and ordered me an anxiety pill.  Did the trick. I slept most of the draw from 9 to 2:15.  The machine whirled away while I slept and Bill read.  Finally Carole, my caring nurse, came in and said that I was done for today.  They would call me within 4 to 5 hours to let me know how stem cells they got.  Here's the call I received "Can I speak to Kathy please? ". "This is Kathy".  "Kathy, this is Megan from BMT team.  You were to collect 4 million stem cell.  Well, you not only hit your goal, you more than doubled them with 9.35 million stem cells collected.  Congratulations!!"  Wow.  What a message.  What a calm over Bill and I.  What a great hug between us.  So we can go home tomorrow for a few days before my check in to Moffitt on the 12th.  So we can go home for a few days and see Tommy.  So we can go home for a few days before my 30 days in Tampa.  Just so we can go home.
Need to stop at Moffitt to flush my catheter and take off for home.

Quote:

I couldn't have made it this far without Bill!

4   3   2   and 1 to go!

Bill and I have been seeing this couple since our class last week.  Then they were in the doctors waiting room each time I had appointments.  Now they are in the BMT treatment room where I am getting my Neupogin shots.  Every time we would see each other, we would say hi.  So today I asked him when his transplant is scheduled. Two days after mine.  He has Multiple Myeloma too.  See you tomorrow Mary and Eddie.

Injections of Neupogen so far has only produced one minor side effect.  And that is some spasms in my back.  They come and they go.  So 3 down and 1 to finish off this part of the treatment.  Hopefully these 4 injections will help produce the 4 million stem cells I need to do the transplant.   I need 2 million personally and they like to collect extra, freeze them in case I need down the road.  As we know, Multiple Myeloma is treatable but not curable.  Also, it will come back some day.

Tomorrow is a long day for us.  We have to be at Moffitt by 7:45 AM.  Labs first.  Then down a floor at 9 o'clock to get my Central Line/ Apheresis Catheter.  This will be inserted in to a large vein in my upper chest. It provides access to a major vein for collection of srems cells, blood samples, to receive fluids, nutrition, chemotherpy and medicines.  This procedure takes about 1 1/2 hours with some recovery time.  This will remain in my chest till my treatment is complete so about 30 plus days.  After that, we have an appointment at 3 with a PA.  Then at 4:45, we have a training class for the care of the catheter. Very important not to get wet.  We will be wrapping me with Press and Seal.  I am serious.  After that at 5, my last Neupogin shot.  Then we are done till the next day.  Which by the way starts at 8:15.  I am going to have to let these people know, once I am admitted, that I am not a morning person.  Think they will listen?  

Quote:

Hey cancer, thank you for making me stop and listen and remember what is important.  You can go now !!!  

Wrath of Kath!

Had my first shot of Nuprogen last night at 5.  Had to stay there an hour longer to make sure there  were no reactions.  We were able to get sandwichs out of this special fridge they have. Full of bag lunches complete with chips and raisins, all kinds of drinks, jello and yogurt.  I got turkey and Bill got tuna.  However, someone took his chips and raisins.  Lol.  Came back to the room and ordered dinner around 8.  I feel asleep around 10:30 and woke up at 5:30 and back to sleep till 7.  Had some breakfast and slept again from 10:30 till 1.  Good deep sleeps.  Hope the night ones continue.  Will be leaving here around 4:30 to go to Moffitt for my second shot.  As most of you know, these shots are to help produce more stem cells.  More stem cells for my stem cell collection Tuesday the 8th. Hopefully, more stem cells so I don't have to go back on Wednesday the 9th for further collection.  

Just had my second shot.  There was no one in site in the hospital.  Usually it's packed.  I was surprised when I got my calendar that things were scheduled for the weekend.  Two more to go.  Monday they put my central line in my chest.  Sounds like fun.  Tuesday they take my stem cells.   Then be at home with no appointments for a few days.

All this getting me ready for the transplant.  All of this for the "Wrath of Kath" (thanks Michelle for the phrase) to beat this cancer.  Don't mess with the Wrath of Kath.

Quote:

Sometimes you get to choose your battles and sometimes they choose you!

5 out of 8

Last night was also as bad as the day.  Just no relief of my feet.  Up every hour on the hour.  Ugh.  Sent a text to Dr. Ochoa's nurse regarding the pain from the neuropathy.  She responded later today.  He wants me to take 3 pains, 3 times a say.  Upped the dosage.  So lets hope that works.

But to brighten the end of my day, I got a text from my grandson around 10:45  (#1)  -  Jakob!  "Hey you up?"  Me-"I am.  Can't sleep. What's up?"  Then the phone rang.  Just wanted to talk.  We talked about school, girlfriend and me and my disease; Multiple Myeloma.  Then I told him I told the doctor that I have to get better by the end of May because my grandson is graduating and I will not miss that!!  He said he knew I would be better by then.  Jakob then asked me if (# 2)  -  Kristopher could call.  Of course.  We talked about school and most of all, his year of football!!!  Told him I loved the football pictures. Can't wait to get one.  I also had been texting with (#3)  -  Juliana.  And as I blogged last night  (#4). -  Sasha and (#5)  -  Eliana were here for dinner.  This was a wonderful day for me to be able to see or talk or text with my grandchildren.  They are my world!!! They make me fight for remission of this stupid stuff called cancer!!!  They make me smile.  They love me!  They filled a space in my heart that I didn't know was empty.  They are all blessings sent from Heaven.

So what this all means, I had a conversation will all my grandchild except (#6). -  Chad,
(#7) -  Leah and (#8). -  Layton!  5 out of 8!!!!  Love you 3 too!!!

Quote:

Even when my grandchildren are not in my arms or in my home, they are in my heart and there they will stay forever!!

Double dose!

Today was not a great day.  Lots of tears.  Lots of why me?  Lots of I feel so alone in this journey except for Bill.  If I have to have cancer, then why do I have to have this neuropathy too?  Why can't I have a few days of I feel fairly good so I can get my stuff ready for the next 40 days or so?  Why can't I have some energy like I used to?  At least some of it.  Most of my day went this way.  Not so good.  Not such a wanna be me day!!  Not a "I feel good day".  Someday I will be able to say that.  Someday I will be able to feel that!  Someday!

Kristi and the girls came over tonight for some chili.  Coconut macaroons and cheesecake too.  Now they are something to stop the tears.  Thanks Kristi, Sasha and Ellie!!!  Much needed visitors.

Quote:

You're allowed to scream, you're allow to cry but never give up!

Off to UF Cancer Center!

Haven't been to the Cancer Center for a bit.  I prescriptions there that I needed to pick up.  Was nice just to pick up scripts and not have to go to the 4th or 2nd floor.

Trying to get my head wrapped around this week end of shots, catheter insertion and cell aspiration.  Then a few days of rest at home and admission to hospital just around the corner.  Will get it together once I have the first shot!!!

The nurse that held our class last week told us the day I get my transplant is considered day zero.  I will be reborn.  So will now I have two birthdays.  I will have to get all my childhood shots again. Oh joy!!!  And it will take at least a year for my immune system to be back with me.

Today was a horrible neuropathy day.  Has me totally worn out.
 

Quote:

No amount of of money, no amount of privilege can make you exempt if cancer chooses you!