Lymph Journal # 40

3/11/2012

It has been a quiet weekend as we wait for final confirmation from the insurance company regarding the autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) procedure.  It sounds as if it is a likely go – our deadline for a “final answer” is tomorrow.  I already am booked to enter the Freiburg Uniklinik on Wednesday for the first round.  Here’s quick description of what should happen that Diane wrote in an email to her family:

“He will have two heavy duty chemos 21 days apart (2-3 days in the hospital in Freiburg each time)- starting Wednesday. After those, they will do a CT scan and then take some blood and save it for putting back in later (I don't have the correct medical term for that). Then - about the beginning of May, he will be admitted for 21 days where they will give him the final BIG dose of chemo (BEAM) which will kill off all of his bone marrow and he will most likely have no white blood count and will be at risk for infection. Then they will reintroduce his own blood and which will be encouraged to grow. When they feel Russ is sufficiently back to normal blood levels and strong enough (as he will lose much more weight and strength) he will be discharged.”

Well I’ve continued my basic training for this procedure.  This consists primarily of eating every chance I get in hopes to pack on some weight ahead of the inevitable “wastage” of high dose chemotherapy.  I’ve gained back about six pounds from when I was diagnosed and twelve more than my lowest point so far.  The local Eiscafe (Italian style ice cream joint) has reopened for springtime and I rarely walk by it without stopping. 

Our trip to the Freiburg hospital the week before last was interesting.  The actual location of the particular cancer center and particular doctor was rather shaded in mystery.  It had a street address but markings (both name and number) were conspicuous by their absence.  The GPS got us to a parking garage in the vicinity but then we had to continue the hunt on foot.  One of our prayers before travelling there is that we would actually find the right offices – it’s a big facility with multiple buildings and loads of new construction underway. 

We emerged from below ground parking and set off to find the right clinic. Its name was not on the online map of the campus, it was not on any “you are here” maps scattered around the campus and it’s not labeled on any building exterior that we passed along the way.  The surgical center was labeled – totally unnecessary as the operating theaters are equipped with very large exterior picture windows that passing pedestrians and budget minded medical students can view surgeries underway.  It saves on the light bill but I’m not sure you could get away with it in the States under HIPPA guidelines.

Eventually we came close to the campus post office (with another map that did not show the desired destination) and one good soul took pity on us as he was packing up his bike.  We were directed to the main information desk where they had no map showing us where to go.  But the guy behind the desk could point and we followed the lead of his finger.  In five minutes we arrived back at a point already traversed having completed a meandering circle.  There we entered a building and, in the fine print labeling what offices were on which floors, found what we were searching for – with ten minutes to spare!  Another small miracle – thanks, Lord.

Yesterday we ran some errands and one of the things I was looking for was another pair of “lounge pants” sort of thing for the upcoming hospital stays.  Where’s Job Lot (Rhode Islanders know what I’m talking about) when you need it?  I ended up buying two pairs of sweatpants.  Sweatpants always make me think of my cousin-in-law Mike from Montana who is pretty much a literal cowboy in heart, soul, and speech.  When he spots someone sporting sweatpants and decided to disarmingly tease he asks, “Ya planning on doin’ some sweatin?”  Well, let’s hope that sweatin’ aint much of what’s awaitin in that ole hospital.