Thank you and Update

Wow...you really know how to make a girl feel great!! This has been my largest day by far and it's so fun to read where everyone is from. Give me a few days and I'll come repay the love!

I also wanted to update everyone on CarGuy's continuing evil plan to get out of gathering with large crowds and cleaning up dog poo! Yesterday he had a really long day! It started with his first step of the chemo (Rituxin). He had a bit of a reaction during the infusion so they had to stop and then start back up again at a slower rate. They started the infusion at 9:30 am and finished it at 4:00 pm so it did take longer than we thought it would. They think it will go faster the next time. This particular drug has a mouse protein base so that was probably why his body flipped out a little -- the nurse told him he might start squeeking too, which with my sense of humor I thought was hilarious and I may just have to start squeeking everywhere I go! I love that nurse!!!

Then at 5:00 pm they took him down to surgery to have his port put in -- we've started calling it the teleport. He hasn't started using his Scotty impression but I'm sure it's not too far away. He's kind of doped up so you have to give him a little bit of a break -- he's kind of slow right now. He did great in that surgery and was even ready to eat shortly afterward. All the nurses say the port is going to be his best friend. Hey, wait, I thought I was his best friend!! ;-) I'm sure Peanut and Perdy thought they were his best friends -- I don't think I'll tell them what the nurses said.

This morning he had the rest of his chemo cocktail (Adriamycin, Cytoxin, Vincristine, and a mix of anti-nausea and steroidal drugs). It went really easy and there were no reactions in the house! Woot-woot!! He wasn't feeling much like dinner tonight but I made him get a dinner anyway. I told him to get what he wanted off the menu (if you haven't eaten in a hospital lately, it's definitely improved!) and not to worry about it being a normal meal. So...he had chicken noodle soup, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, and chocolate milk. The nausea hasn't hit yet from the chemo but the doc said it would probably start up over the next couple days so I'm sure that's when I'm really going to have problems getting him to eat.

Tomorrow he gets the last little bit of the drugs that go with the chemo (Benadryl injection to help with side effects of the chemo and Neulasta which will help him make more good white blood cells (WBC) so he can fight infection.) His WBC count on Sunday was 151,000 (normal is around 10,000) and this morning it was 51,000 so that is really encouraging!! His platelets are very low due to the chemo so we have to be really careful that he doesn't get cut or injured - I told him he will have to give up his dream of becoming a world class cage fighter for the time being! He also bruises really easily right now so I've got to lay off the beatings he usually deserves. ;-) He's very susceptible to germs right now too so we've got to be really careful to disinfect everything and stay away from lots of people. I know he's just heartbroken that he can't go to the mall since he just looooves the mall! If you believe that, I've got some swampland in Florida to sell to you!

Thanks again for coming to visit and I promise that soon I will get back to more garden updates and funny dog stories! I'm missing normal life!!