Yesterday morning I flew to LA. I had never been to LA....so, I was a little nervous. I wasn't sure what to expect. I think I was afraid that I would get mugged or something... I was able to find my way pretty good...and I took a shuttle and a taxi...first time in a taxi.
I got a PET scan and will hopefully hear the results from that pretty soon. Hopefully it will show that the chemo is working. If this chemo isn't doing its job, they will want to try something else... They would like to see the disease shrink as small as possible before the high dose chemo...the smaller the better my chances to remain cancer free.
I will have to return to LA for my stem cells to be harvested...still not sure when exactly but the doctor said it will be when my blood counts have recovered after chemo. My bone marrow will have to be checked again before the harvesting to make sure that the cancer hasn't moved into my marrow. As long as my marrow is clean, the stem cells will be harvested from my blood. This process may be able to be done in one day, but will probably take a day or two. They will take out blood, spin it to remove the stem cells and give me back the rest of my blood. After this...I will be able to do the high dose chemo at any time.
The high dose chemo will be about a week of different chemos given, rest one day, and then injecting the stem cells on the next day. She said my body will be fighting and I will probably be in the hospital for a few weeks...and I will be getting blood. I will lose my hair and my fertility. boo! :( I will be on a diet of all cooked foods. After my blood counts are high enough, and probably pretty stable, they will release me from the hospital, but I will have to remain in the area, with someone looking after me, for another week or two.
Not really looking forward to being away from my family for that long...but I want to have this cancer gone for good and that is my best chance....
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