So, not bragging, but my muscle tone came back. I clearly did not start out with near the amount of any healthy man, but I was determined. I go up and down my steps at home about 50-60 times a day, often with laundry in tow. I walk the dog every day and I try to lift everything within reason. I lost so much muscle mass that it made me crazy. I always had strong legs, so regaining the strength was so important to me.

Phil, turns put we may both be in having transplants over the holiday. No worries by me though. I am looking at a rebirth for the New Year as well. I would be delighted to be home for my daughter's birthday in late January and my son is a Valentine. Most important for me will be the renewal of my wedding vows on March 26, when I will celebrate my 25 year anniversary. My husband has loved our wedding vows and exemplifies in sickness and in health.

Enough about me. I am delighted the eyes are better for you! Great news! You have me now going out in public with the mask and gloves. I am going to get a t-shirt saying, "I am not contagious, YOU are!"

Stay well. Ughhh , hate those PICC's but it may be ok. I get stuck almost every day, but I would rather that than having a line for now.one less worry. I hope it's all ok.

Andrea

Just want to say, God Bless Everyone here. We all have a lot for which to give thanks. I am thrilled that Andrea and Phil will be moving toward their goal of good health very soon. You have all become such a significant part of my life.

Cliff

Cliff, I may just have to get in a car and drive to NY to see you. You cannot know how much your support ,means to me and clearly so many of us on this board.
Sometimes, when I am afraid things may not go the way I want, I feel an obligation to all of you to get better - to be cured. This has become one of the biggest drivers I have, to be a survivor, so I too can help someone get through this ordeal.

Thanks,
Andrea

Andrea,

I feel the same way that you do. I always spend an extra hour at the hospital (which I did today) talking with people in the transplant clinic waiting room and encouraging them. Like the people here, some have had transplants, some are waiting for one, and some are getting chemo or are in a trial. I used to say that "only the good people get cancer," especially when my own mother got breast cancer about 8 or so years ago. I don't know what it is, but the people here are the nicest human beings with whom I have EVER corresponded. It is not because we are all miserably sick, because I have had patients that become terribly ornery when ill and return to a baseline not-so-niceness when they are healthy. There are so many here that have earned my admiration as a physician. As I told the nephrologist today, I have a new appreciation of friendship, and then I told him about this website and had to stop midway to keep from crying in front of him.

Andrea, you are incredible and I think about you every day. You need a break, and I can just feel that it is going to come your way. It just has to. People like you deserve rewards in THIS LIFE. Something good has to happen, and soon.

To a friend that I feel I have had for ages,

Cliff

Hang in there and remember all the turkeys who gave their lives for you over the years.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for being a friend to me and helping me thru all of this. I hope everyone has a blessed and happy thanksgiving !!
Phil Meeks

Phil,

I presume that since you are writing, you are doing OK. I hope you have a chance to eat a bit of turkey today. Since it's just my wife and I today, we are having chicken instead. She made this dessert yesterday with cranberries and a cobbler like cake portion. She is in full cooking mode. (After all, she owns over 5000 cookbooks - the truth!) I decided not to go to my parents, because the stress of making my mom prepare a meal for company is not worth it. We will visit on another day and make the dinner for them!

Be good Phil. I don't need to tell you how much I am rooting for your rapid recovery from all of this. Isn't the light at the end of the tunnel as sight to behold? You are moving along at a nice clip and soon good health will be yours.


Cliff

Thank you Cliff, i hope you and your family have a blessed gobble gobble day :). Yep, im doing pretty good today, i can tell my numbers have bottomed out, im feeling a lil under the weather today but not gonna let it stop me from enjoying the day with the family.

Again, I hope you know how much you are appreciated on here, WE all love ya and thank you for being there for us !!

Phil,

That's what friends do. Enjoy being with your family. Give my love to your wife and tell her that there are better things to come. Please overeat! That sure makes me feel good

Cliff

Thanks Phil and Cliff, and all -- and let me echo Phil's wish that we all have a great Thanksgiving. It is a wonderful time of year and we all have much to be thankful for. Take care -- dave

I hope everyone had a blessed thanksgiving.. :)

Quick question.. has anyone had "thrush" Ive had it since i was discharged about 10 days ago. They have me on Bactrim and Nystatin and it wont quite go away. My throat is really sore on one side, my tongue has a black spot and the back of my neck on one side hurts.

I spoke to the nurse practitioner this morning and she called in more Bactrim and wants me to take 4 pills today and then two a day starting tomorrow and ofcourse use theNystatin as a swish and swallow. Is there anyway to help get rid of this ?

Phil -- I don't know if this is the same thing, but shortly after my last chemo I had a pain in the right side of my throat that baffled the oncs. They sent me to a nose-throat type and she ran things up my nose and down my throat and asked questions like -- do you burp more then twice a day and taste your food and things like that, which I thought was normal. Her conclusions was that it was acid reflux and put me on a double dose of the generic equivalent of Nexium (purple pill). I got off it ASAP since it has some side effects that you really don't want (might be worse than the acid reflux ... which I think can be treated by intake of more plain old water and eating more sensibly). I think what cured me was just knowing it was not a tumor or something like that. I would hope that your problem would be as simple as this ... the trick is to get them to send you to a specialist ... oncs really should not be practising in the nose and throat areas. I would expect Cliff will either confirm or enhance what I am saying shortly. Maybe this will rub his bottle ... ;o) -- dave

Phil,
My nystatin is a swish and spit, and I still have very mild thrush only on my tongue, but nothing beyond that. I remember using two other rinses in the hospital, but I forget their names now. I will see if I have a memory renewal later and post. I do remember having ENT check me, but nothing was ever found and hen slowly symptoms disappeared. I was also on something for acid reflux even though I have never suffered with it, which may have circumvented any symptoms. Feel better.
Andrea

Phil,

Do you see any white patches in your throat? That is what thrush looks like. The dark discoloration on the tongue is probably nothing. Don't forget to brush your tongue when you do your teeth to get off the dead surface cells and bacteria. I am not sure what they are treating with the bactrim. The use of antibiotics kills the normal bacteria that help to keep fungi and yeasts (candida = thrush) from developing. I don't recall what drugs you got this time, but sometimes chemotherapy can cause ulcerations that are in the throat (where you cannot see them) and not in the mouth. When I had my chemo and radiation before transplant, my throat was very bad. In between the nystatin (I would advise "swish and swallow"), you can gargle with a non-alcoholic mouth wash (like the ones they give you in the hospital). Drink beverages that are warm, not too acidic, and not too hot. This should all go away.

Please let me know why you are getting the antibiotic? Is it prophylaxis against PCP (a fungus)? Just make sure you need it.

Last night I had fish for Thanksgiving, and tonight we will have chicken, home made cranberry sauce, potato and vegetable soup at my in-laws. No turkey, so I guess I will have to come dressed in a Pilgrim costume.

It is always great to hear from you.

Cliff

My nurse practitioner said the Bactrim is too treat the thrush and the swish and spit/swallow is the same. I notice when i get up in the morning is when it hurts the most, almost like dry throat ? and as the day goes on and i use the meds it tends to die down quite a bit. Its mainly on the right side of my throat near my lymphnode i guess, someplace i cant see. Yeah my tongue still looks kinda white all over.

other than this issue im feeling pretty good :) I have to go see my ONC on monday so im sure theyll take a close look.

I meant to mention... yesterday i noticed ive been having a very slight nose bleed, (sounds gross) sorry... but it seems to dry up inside my nostrile. Has anyone had an issue like this ?

Ive also added swishing and spitting baking soda and water to the regiment to try and get rid of this thrush. The nurse practitioner said if it gets any worst im gonna have to be admitted, it does hurt to swallow while im eating but i can handle it so far..