Fred has his blood work done today, here are the results:
White blood cell count: 8.5 (great)
Red blood cell count: 4.2 (low, but coming up to normal range)
Hemoglobin: 14.2 (great)
Platelets: 183,000 (great)
Great blood work today, thank you for your prayers.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Fred had his blood work done today. Here are the results:
White blood cell count: 6.8 (great)
Red blood cell count: 3.69 (low, but has been around this number for a while now)
Hemoglobin: 13.4 (low, but okay)
Platelets: 133,000 (low, but okay for now)
Lymph%: 6.3 (low, but okay for now)
Mayo was pleased with the numbers so now we wait for next week's blood work.
White blood cell count: 6.8 (great)
Red blood cell count: 3.69 (low, but has been around this number for a while now)
Hemoglobin: 13.4 (low, but okay)
Platelets: 133,000 (low, but okay for now)
Lymph%: 6.3 (low, but okay for now)
Mayo was pleased with the numbers so now we wait for next week's blood work.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
This long winded blog update is being done by Fred. Please excuse the grammar/spelling, etc as I work through my "Chemo Brain" from last week's treatment.
I want to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers, cards, e-mails, blog postings, phone calls, etc during this challenging period of my life. They are and have been greatly appreciated and have lifted my spirits, especially during those rough days.
To set expectations, while it is anticipated that the Chemo Treatment of Fludurabine, Cytoxan and Rituxan (FCR) will be completed, this is only one step of a long battle. The type of Leukemia ( aggresive B type CLL) I have, will return, it's not a matter of "if", but "when". When it does return, it will be with a vengence and in all probability the FCR Chemo treatment will not be effective in bringing this under control.
On February 5th, I will be having a Bone Marrow Aspiration. It's as bad as it sounds, just think of a cork screw into your hip bone. This test will provide information that will allow Dr. Solberg to make an estimate of how long before the Leukemia returns. As he said to us, hopefully he can say "it's X years and and not X months". We're pretty optimistic based on my previous test results, but will have a better idea on February 6th when we review the Bone Marrow test results with the Medical team.
Keep the prayers coming.
Thanks,
Fred
I want to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers, cards, e-mails, blog postings, phone calls, etc during this challenging period of my life. They are and have been greatly appreciated and have lifted my spirits, especially during those rough days.
To set expectations, while it is anticipated that the Chemo Treatment of Fludurabine, Cytoxan and Rituxan (FCR) will be completed, this is only one step of a long battle. The type of Leukemia ( aggresive B type CLL) I have, will return, it's not a matter of "if", but "when". When it does return, it will be with a vengence and in all probability the FCR Chemo treatment will not be effective in bringing this under control.
On February 5th, I will be having a Bone Marrow Aspiration. It's as bad as it sounds, just think of a cork screw into your hip bone. This test will provide information that will allow Dr. Solberg to make an estimate of how long before the Leukemia returns. As he said to us, hopefully he can say "it's X years and and not X months". We're pretty optimistic based on my previous test results, but will have a better idea on February 6th when we review the Bone Marrow test results with the Medical team.
Keep the prayers coming.
Thanks,
Fred
Monday, January 12, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Fred is feeling better today. I let him go for a walk outside tonight. He has blood work scheduled for Wednesday. I will keep you posted.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
We are home from hopefully the last chemo treatment for a long time. Fred is real tired so he just needs to get plenty of rest now.
We want to thank everyone for their prayers and well wishes we have received through the last nine months. WOW! Nine months, what a blur. You have no idea the power of family and friendship until you are faced with all this. Thank you.
We want to thank everyone for their prayers and well wishes we have received through the last nine months. WOW! Nine months, what a blur. You have no idea the power of family and friendship until you are faced with all this. Thank you.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
CHEMO IS OVER!!! Hopefully we won't have to go through this again for a long time. Please pray that next month's tests will prove remission and good news.
Tomorrow is only the Neulasta injection and then we will head home. Fred was not feeling well this morning before his treatment and he is sleeping now. Hopefully after a good rest he will feel a little better.
He will continue to have his weekly blood work done for now. I will keep you posted.
Tomorrow is only the Neulasta injection and then we will head home. Fred was not feeling well this morning before his treatment and he is sleeping now. Hopefully after a good rest he will feel a little better.
He will continue to have his weekly blood work done for now. I will keep you posted.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2008
Day two of cytoxan and fludarabine is over, one day to go. Fred is sleeping now and is sort of "out of it". I will be amazed if he remembers later walking back to our hotel room.
Our youngest daughter, Amanda, came to Fred's chemo treatment today and helped me walk him back to our room. Now we just watch him sleep and hope he doesn't do anything stupid.
Our youngest daughter, Amanda, came to Fred's chemo treatment today and helped me walk him back to our room. Now we just watch him sleep and hope he doesn't do anything stupid.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Today's chemotherapy of fludarabine and cytoxan is over. One day down of this cocktail, two to go. Fred is tired, but otherwise is doing fine so far.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
We are at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville for hopefully Fred's last chemo treatment for a long time. Fred had blood work this morning, here are the results:
Red blood cell count: 3.44 (low, but ok)
White blood cell count: 7.5 (great)
Hemoglobin: 12.6 (low, but ok)
Platelets: 152,000 (good)
Lymphocytes%: 2.5 (low, normal 17.8-41.5)
Neutrophils%: 85.6 (high, normal 44.4-70.9)
The lymphocyte and neutrophil percentage shows that the chemo is working (lowering lymphocytes (bad) and raising neutrophils (good). At least that is how it was explained to us.
Fred had his Rituxan chemo today. He slept through most of it thanks to the 50mg of Benadryl, which is okay since he started at 11:15 am and got done at 4:00 pm.
Tomorrow is the cytoxan and fludarabine cocktail.
Currently Fred is scheduled for his bone marrow biopsy on February 5th and another CT scan on February 6th to see where he stands.
Red blood cell count: 3.44 (low, but ok)
White blood cell count: 7.5 (great)
Hemoglobin: 12.6 (low, but ok)
Platelets: 152,000 (good)
Lymphocytes%: 2.5 (low, normal 17.8-41.5)
Neutrophils%: 85.6 (high, normal 44.4-70.9)
The lymphocyte and neutrophil percentage shows that the chemo is working (lowering lymphocytes (bad) and raising neutrophils (good). At least that is how it was explained to us.
Fred had his Rituxan chemo today. He slept through most of it thanks to the 50mg of Benadryl, which is okay since he started at 11:15 am and got done at 4:00 pm.
Tomorrow is the cytoxan and fludarabine cocktail.
Currently Fred is scheduled for his bone marrow biopsy on February 5th and another CT scan on February 6th to see where he stands.
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