Checking in at Mass General tomorrow for High Dose Chemo & Stem Cell Trans.

[Hopeful]

If you can, try to work during your 2nd round. Usually the second round goes better than the first round. My husband would occasionally do work while going thru the 2nd round.

My husband also had an allergic reaction to platelets. He was fine for about 20 minutes after the transfusion started, then his body temperature dropped very rapidly. all this on my bday too, wow what a day. Anyways, after that the nurses wrote up a medication profile that's always in his wallet. 600 mg Tylenol, 50 mg bendadryl (IV) 100mg Hydrocortisone (IV) is what he got each time he got a tranfusion for all blood products.

He also get a medic alert bracelet for his allergic reaction, to also take Low level oxygen (due to Bleo) and that he also had stem cell transplant. It seems like a pretty good idea in case something happened to him and I wasn't around or if he couldn't tell anyone what he had been through.

Patti

[Fish]

Glad to hear things went well!

[Karen]

Great news...rest up and be well!!!

[Lori]

Congrats on being home. What a huge accomplishment!

[Russell's Mom]

thanks for the update

Good to hear from you.....image yourself well!!! Chemo in the morning for Russell, so will keep this short. Take care, Sharon

[Scott]

It's great to hear that you're home and doing well. Rest and recover!

[Boston Josh]

Discharged on Oct. 24 and hanging out at home for a couple weeks.

Greetings all!

Got out of Mass General last Tues. after 17 days that passed fairly quickly. Dial-up internet, DVD's, music,books, magazines, friendly nurses and room cleaners, family and friends visiting.

I was a little worried when my absolute neutrophils stayed at 0 for 5 days straight, but they shot up quick in the final 3 days of my stay.

The Zofran, Decadron (anyone ever had the butt burn?), and Ativan did wonders for nausea. Just had one pukey day where my canned peaches and cottage cheese decided they did not want to be digested. I'm a vegetarian. The hospital food options are so so. My wife brought me frozen meals and snacks - some of which having been associated with chemo are no longer palatable.

Protocol: 3 days of Cytoxin of Carboplatin. Although I only got 2 days of Cytoxin because just as the 2nd night's dose completed, my heart rate suddendly increased unexpectedly and stayed elevated for some time.

Had an alergic reaction to the platelelet transfusion - something that apparently is not extremely uncommon. The reaction was easily remedied with I.V. Benadryl and an inhaler (can't remember the inhaler drug).

Now I'm out at home for another week avoiding crowds, salads, left-overs, and fresh fruit etc. Doing some limited work from home via PC. I can't work more than half-time or I'll have to re-file for short term disablity.

I'm a little worried about my insurance paying for the 2nd transplant. My doctor has to file an appeal. The reason for the transplant & HDC was the presence of embryonal cancer cells found in the RPLN'd lymph nodes. My AFP was approaching normal after the RPLND, but the presence of the embryonal cancer cells suggested a high likelyhood of microscopic metastasis.

Thank you for all the kind considerate replies!

[Hopeful]

My husband went through HDC last year. He was outpatient part of the time until some side effects got him into the hospital for both treatments.

When he was outpatient, just like when he was getting regular chemo, he took his laptop with him. He actually did work part of the time, surfed the net, paid the bills, etc. Then he would go home and sleep alot.

Hang in there during HDC. Pretty interesting stuff.

Patti

[Scott]

When I was hospitalized, I watched a lot of DVDs, read a lot of books and newspapers, and did a lot of crossword and Sudoku puzzles. I wished I'd had a real PC with Internet access instead of the in-room terminal with an on-screen keyboard and a habit of rebooting itself.

I hope you have a way to stay in touch with us while you're there!

[IowaBrian]

Well I always said if i have to go in I would take the kids darn video game thing that they love so much can't think of the name of of mini playstation if you don't have one have a friend run to a pawn shop and pick one up and a handful of games much cheaper then buying it new. I don't know how the kids can play them for hours on end but it is something to do darn Mario Brothers Good Luck
Brian

[tccancercop]

Boston Josh:

Curious as to what led you to be required a stem cell transplant? I just finished up a tandem one early this month and am almost recovered completely AND in remission. My afp last year was at 4.6 after the I/O and it started to go up so I had 4 x EP which dropped it only to 5. Now it is 3.6 - 31 days AFTER the transplant!

[Kev332]

Josh,

I'd definitely bring some books and an i-pod if you have one... Cant go wrong with a good book or good music. or maybe a crossword puzzle book or something? Hope all goes well... Keep us updated.

-Kevin

[Fish]

Josh;

Best of luck with your treatment.

[Kman99]

If you're up for a visitor from a complete stranger, I will be at Dana Farber on Oct 23 and would be willing to bring over a burger, 'good' magazines...you name it....anything to help you pass some time.

If this sounds cool, send me a PM with your last name and room #.

All the best..

[Lori]

My husband just finished his two rounds of high dose with stem cell on Sept 25th. He was able to do all of his outpatient, but we were in the hospital every day for about 6 hours. It did get kind of boring but ideas:

- get up and walk around the floor. it helped my husband with nasuea
- definitely talk to the nurses. they love easy socialable patients
- jon read every magazine around and we got caught up on all the news

Good luck with this treatment - you will do great. Any and all questions, send my way