Update

Hi Everyone,

Here is the latest on my dad!

He was admitted to the hospital on Thursday morning and had a catheter surgically inserted.  The catheter reaches the top of his heart with a port in his neck.  Blood can easily be extracted from the port and his chemotherapy is given through the port as well.  Thursday night he had his first round of chemotherapy-which went well.  On Friday, he received his second and final round of chemotherapy which appeared to go well.  This morning he had shortness of breath and was retaining fluids, so the doctors put him on diuretics and oxygen which should correct the symptoms.  However, he will remain in the hospital for another 1-2 days for observation.

When he is released from the hospital he will be at home and giving himself shots of neupogen twice daily.  The neupogen will help fight off infection by stimulating the growth of white blood cells.  Additionally, a nurse will be coming to the house every 1-2 days to draw blood and monitor his blood cell count.  When his white blood count is optimal (usually around 10 days) he will go back into the hospital for 1-2 days for stem cell harvesting.

Overall, his chemotherapy went well-he had no nausea and little discomfort other than the shortness of breath and fluid retention.  He remains very optomistic about this process.  When he is discharged from the hospital I will send out and update.  Once he is home, please feel free to call him or stop by for a visit!

Thanks!

Michelle