Month: June 2018

Today was the day to switch chemotherapy drugs. One of the new ones has a tendency to create mouth sores, so I had to chew on ice chips for 90 minutes during the application. So far none have appeared yet, but we will see how tomorrow goes. No other adverse side effects at this time, but my stomach did feel a little off. I was able to eat all my meals.

More hallway walking today. I did discover that the long length of the floor hallway is 234 tiles long and 8 tiles wide. Perhaps tomorrow I will count the ceiling tiles. I was walking in my socks when I was politely asked to put shoes on by the staff since the sound of my almost bare heel strikes on the tile was quite noticeable.  Wanting to be a good patient (and neighbor) I quickly put my shoes on and continued my walk. And, I have to admit, much more quietly.

World Cup action started again today and I watched both games. I think the expected teams won. Now that it is single elimination you can see the intensity of the play increase. Looking forward to the rest of the tournament.

Today was a fairly routine day. The last day of the first regiment of chemotherapy. Tomorrow we switch to the next set of drugs.

The evening walk was quite crowded.  Four patients walking the hallway, with three pushing IV towers. Include medical staff going about their daily duties and family visitors and you definitely have to slow down your pace so you don’t clock someone going around a turn. I am happy to report that there were no incidents tonight.

A bit about the background graphic for this site – the railroad spike runner. Awhile back a group of us trained to compete at Ironman Lake Placid. At a party sometime after the race one of my friends presented each of us with this statue (thank you, Doug). It has been one of my favorite pieces and I thought it symbolic of the journey ahead.

The chemotherapy regiment continues and I have not experienced any adverse side effects so far. The team is tailoring the dosage in order to maximize its effectiveness. The current medication will be applied for one more day, then I will switch to another one.

Today was the final day for World Cup match play.  I don’t really have a favorite in the finals and usually root for the underdog. I was hoping Germany would reach the finals but unfortunately they did not make it this time. Looking forward to watching the bracket play starting on Saturday.

Today I fit in two sessions of two mile walks in the hallway. I think after a couple of days I will know how many tiles lay along the length and width of each section. Once my port completely heals I will try some upper body exercises as well.

During my last lengthy hospital stay I read on average a book a week. I am off to a slower start this time (hey, its World Cup time) but here is what I have in the queue at this point:

• The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History by Paul Andrew Hutton
• The Way to Love: Meditations for Life by Anthony De Mello
• Merrill’s Marauders by Gavin Mortimer

I also have a homework assignment from the occupational therapist consisting of puzzles and other mental challenges. They encourage patients to keep their mental acuity sharp as they undergo the drug regime. Hmm, name a plant that begins with the letter “p”…

 

 

Chemotherapy has begun. My IV tower is my constant companion for the next week or so, providing fluids, various medications, and chemotherapy. For those not familiar with the stem cell transplant process, the basic approach is described here.

The IV tower does have a battery so I get to push it around when I walk. Here on the seventh floor the hallway is about 14 laps for one mile. Today I walked about two miles, using my Garmin Vivosport to keep track of the distance. I thought it worthwhile to get a fitness tracker for this stay in order to help me keep moving when I don’t feel like moving.

 

 

 

By the way, my mailing address here at MSK is:

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• George Hluck, room M-718
• 1275 York Avenue
• New York, NY 10065

Thanks to everyone for the notes of support and encouragement. I greatly appreciate it!

My travel to MSK was uneventful. I was lucky to get a seat on our company shuttle from Corning, NY which made the travel much easier.  MSK for stem cell transplants is located at 1275 York Ave in NYC, so it was about a 20 minute walk from the shuttle drop off to the hospital.

Upon arrival at MSK I checked into the day surgical department for a Hickman catheter procedure. The catheter will be used by the medical staff to administer chemotherapy, draw blood, and transfuse blood. It consists of three lumens surgically placed into the upper right side of my chest. The surgeon placed the catheter without any issues, and afterwards I checked into the room where I will be staying for a month or so. I was lucky to get a room on the recently renovated seventh floor, in room 718.  The room is well-equipped with its own bathroom, cable television, Wi-Fi and a window view. No roommates for us immunity-compromised patients.

I packed the essentials for a lengthy stay based upon my previous hospital experiences. Living in a hospital room for an extended period of time is like living on a space ship since you are somewhat constrained to a single room. I am allowed to walk the hallway for exercise, but must wear mask and gloves. A proper mental outlook is critical, and it helps to have items that help you keep busy. I always pack my iPad Pro, iPhone, Kindle and journal as  a minimum.

The staff here is knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. Even the food is pretty good. I think folks here try hard to ensure patients are comfortable and well cared for.

Chemotherapy starts tomorrow.

Hello, everyone. I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in December 2017. Due to my current situation I require a stem cell transplant, which I will undergo at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) in NYC.

The transplant journey begins with my admission to MSK on Tuesday, 26 Jun. I will need to spend at least 3 months in NYC for the treatment and initial recovery, with at least a full year required for complete recovery.  Not being a social media person, I thought I would start a  blog to post progress so folks have somewhere to check for updates.

Feel free to comment on posts, etc. I will try to frequently update this blog.  To comment on a post, click on the post title and a comment form should appear on the bottom of the page.

By the way, the countdown in the post title refers to the day the transplant will occur.