Maintenance cycle twelve

Cycle twelve started yesterday but I didn't go to the BMT clinic until 8:30 this morning because the clinic will be closed on Thursday for their Thanksgiving holiday so they asked me to come in on Tuesday and Friday. I did start the pill regime yesterday with dexamethazone in the morning and cyclophosphamide at night and consequently did not sleep well last night. The clinic visit was routine, I had to wait for the Velcade shot until my bloodwork had been reported and then was told that my white blood cell count was so low that I should wear a mask everywhere except in the car or at home to protect against someone elses' infection. And then I forgot all about the mask when I went to the store a little while ago to get some yeast so that Emma can bake some bread. I had given a list of prescriptions that needed to be filled to Jennifer just after I got into the Infusion room, but by the time I had been given the shot and told I could leave I had forgotten all about the Pharmacy and I was within a couple of miles of home before I remembered. So I had to go back after taking time for lunch.


The Pharmacy had 3 prescriptions ready for me, I paid cash for those and started for the elevator before remembering that I had not been given the Lovenox, which was at the top of the list that I gave to Jennifer and I had used the last one last night. I went back to get the Lovenox and found that they had not filled the order for it and a computer check showed that the prior authorization by Humana had expired. I was asked to wait while they checked with Humana to see what could be done, it was quite a long wait and finally they found that they could sell me 14 syringes, which will be enough to last until day 15 of this cycle and by then they should be able to get prior authorization again. I also asked about an early renewal of the thalidomide prescription because I will run out of it by Tuesday of next week and will not go back to the clinic until December 6. The prescription has to be signed by Dr. Tricot and he had already left the clinic and the pharmacy will be closed on Friday when I next go there. The pharmacist told me I would have to come back either Monday or Tuesday to get the thalidomide.


I reported in the November 12 post that Malene, an infusion nurse, had told me that I would not have the usual battery of tests that I have had in the last week of every previous third maintenance cycle this time but will have them after I see Dr. Tricot. But it turns out she was wrong because Elliot Rudisill, the person who schedules tests and appointments with the doctors called me last week and asked me to come in on December 16 for the bone marrow biopsy, an MRI or PET scan, and bloodwork. He will schedule an appointment for the first of the following week, which makes me think that Dr. Tricot is going to continue the maintenance cycles into next year. I would like to be off them, but I intend to continue doing whatever I am told to do even though the chemo drugs that I am on rob me of any stamina.


Emma didn't go to the aquasize class yesterday, but she did go this morning and she went 4 times last week and thinks that the exercise in the pool is particularly beneficial for her leg, which seems to be hurting her less and less all the time. The aquasize classes probably won't be scheduled for tomorrow because we are just now (at about 5:10 PM) getting hit with what all the TV weathermen/women have told us will be the worst blizzard in the last 11 years. Her ankle is commonly swollen and looks as though it should hurt but only does so after she has sat for quite a long time on the couch or at the breakfast bar.