The Arkansas Travelers

The Arkansas Travelers

Greetings from Little Rock,
Here I sit in the apartment early in the morning with the rain falling outside listening to the Byrds sing “Turn Turn Turn” and with Bogie & Maggie aside scrounging for treats. I have no more tests scheduled so it is a wonderful day. We drove over on Monday & got settled Tuesday then routine testing on Wednesday – blood work, 24 hour urine, bone marrow biopsy, EKG, CT of the chest & head, cardiac echo & PFT’s then Thursday – a total body PET scan in the AM & a MRI of the head, spine & pelvis in the evening. It is all pretty routine and amazingly it goes very smoothly.
I will see Dr. Van Rhee on Monday to review test results & if all is okay will get chemo on Tuesday morning the 24 hours later will get the 2nd transplant on the 26th and the will feel like crap for a few weeks again. The nice things are knowing that this is the 2nd transplant and that eventually I will feel better like with this time. The recovery from the 1st transplant was slow but actually was beginning to improve at about 6 weeks then I got that DVT in my left thigh which literally had me flat on my back for 2 weeks & really put the brakes on things. Not being able to walk or stand is a real ass bitter, but it gave me the opportunity to polish up my Tiger Woods 2006 skills plus watch ever B movie made in the past 30 years.
The past 2 weeks have been much improved as far as energy & concentration are concerned. I have been able to get out of the house, do light yard work plus work on the car. Concentration & cognitive abilities have improved to the point where I have been able to drive again. I had to write a reference letter for a friend and it took me 2 weeks – pretty retarded. Probably my biggest surprise about chemo was how if effects the brain even though I was forewarned. The ability to think & concentrate pretty much vanish – so weird. Thank God I have a patient wife.
It has been so nice to see some of you over the past few weeks and also to hear from some old friends I haven’t seen in years. Much appreciation to Dr. Bob (my boss) for the radio controlled Lamborgini for my birthday that runs up & down the street like a streak of shit – toys for boys, you know. Also many thanks to Dr. Joan, Elise, Tina, Chris, Clint, Quiana and all the others who took such good care of me when I came in with the DVT. I came to Methodist because I knew I would get the best care there and I did. It was certainly an unusual way to spend our 18th wedding anniversary.
If all goes well we should be back home 2-3 weeks after the transplant and then will return to LR every 2 weeks for a few months for vaccinations & routine tests then to monthly visits through next January. The rest depends on how long my remission lasts which could be months or years – nobody knows. Personally I’m hoping for many years.
We hope all is well with you and your families and especially those of you who are also fighting cancer who have truly been inspirational to me. My fight has been very small compared to yours.
Don