Hi Tex,

I don't wish to start a topic where we play doctors.  And to be honest I don't really remember much of my treatment period in the hospital.  I think its a self protective thing, everytime I get out, what happens while I'm admitted tends to be a blur to my memory.

What I remember was in the very beginning before and shortly after the full BMB results were back they were indecisive on whether I have CML in crisis or AML.  Basically I brought myself for a check up just for a month long of diarrhea, lost of weight, tiredness, and chills in the afternoon.  I didn't have any bruising or bleeding or any serious and obvious symptoms.  My early check up shows enlarged spleen and wbc of 210,000.  They knew something was wrong and related to leukemia with my wbc but since my symptoms were so slight they weren't sure which I had.  Since my wbc and hbc were so crazy they started blood infusion and what I think was the 1st chemo before the full BMB results were back.

Hi Pam,

Yeah what I learned from my induction chemo was to speak up about all I physically feel as soon as possible and not a try to tough it out like I was still healthy.  However ironically a lot of the pain I experienced during my 1st consolidation round was related to the side-effect of morphine given to me when I asked for pain killers in the 1st place.  The morphine helped with the pain and felt good in the begining but it developed an embarrassing side-effect which called for a solution even more embarrassing which I rather not share here. 

So basically I took a strategy where I try to have a least about of chemical in me as possible.  I only ask for drugs where it becomes unbearable because I'm always worried about side-effects.  Its really a cat and a mouse game on how to make the treatment more comfortable, and I think we all just have to learn more about our bodies and what we like and don't.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all your kind replies.

Last week I had a nice couple of spoiled days in Hong Kong enjoying the new W hotel and walk all around town shopping.  Other then a bit thin on muscle mass I was glad to feel all my strength have returned and I didn't have any problem with fatigue and appetite was at an all time high.  It crossed my mind to flee and never return to the hospital again.

Now I'm back in the slammer now for the 3rd round or 2nd round of consolidation chemo.  The current BMB are clean and I've kept my remission since Aug after my 1st induction chemo.  However the doc still feels like we have to go ahead with the SCT in Nov as my chances of relapse is still high.

Thanks everyone and good luck to us.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the heads up, my mom keeps a daily log while I do keep a pretty clear mental log on what to expect on my WBC.  Its surprising now I'm 17 days into this round and 1 week of sub 300 WBC and have yet to have one fever.  I seem to have a handle on how to get through smoothly.

I'm not recommending this but these are what I did different:

- EAT EAT AND EAT

- Doc put me on daily Cravit which is a preemptive antibacterial drug.

- Try to not have a IV port on my body as much as possible.  I've only been hooked up for blood infusions.  This means drink a lot of fluids that they usually pump into me and all meds orally.

However being sharp all this time and watching paint dry has a down side.  Its starting to get to my head.  I think I've surfed to the end of internet, played all the games I could, now a professional commentator of Taiwanese politics, and wildlife expert from all the TV I've been watching.

Its hard to fight off negative thoughts on now and the future.  Seeing all those suffering around me; mostly seniors I can't help to think  no one deserves this.  But the inevitable is, we all at best grow old and have to deal with being hospitalized and sick....  If I'm unlucky I might have to do this in a few years....