Treatment continues, going well so far
March 26th, 2007 at 10:27 am (Anita updates)
Anita completed her first round arsenic treatment about 5 weeks ago. She received this first round in the hospital. Overall her first round of treatment went well. She had a few annoying short term fevers during the treatment but no other notable side effects.
It was very easy for Anita to slip back into a fairly normal routine after her time in the hospital. For me, it felt a little odd having her back home almost like nothing had happened.
After her 30 day hospital based treatment, she received a three break from active treatment. During the break, she had to visit the hospital frequently to have her blood counts but that was not difficult.
Catching up with where we are today, the three week break mentioned above was completed after which she started daily outpatient based arsenic treatment. As of today, she is starting the first day of her third week of outpatient based arsenic.
Receiving arsenic as an outpatient has gone well for Anita. I was concerned that she might not feel well enough to drive on her own during this treatment but that has not been a problem. I drove her in for treatment on the first few days and then she wanted to drive herself thereafter.
This second part of arsenic treatment has gone well. She has only complete two of the total five weeks she is to receive but so far, knock on wood, no side effects at all. I suspect that the treatment will get a little more difficult in the weeks to come. I suspect there will be another short break after Anita’s outpatient Arsenic treatment, then we will head up to City of Hope in Duarte, CA for her stem cell transplant.
The outpatient treatment is better than being stuck in the hospital. The main difficulty of the treatment now is the time requirement to complete it. She leaves the house at 10am and doesn’t get home until at least 3pm each day. During most of that time she is stuck “in the chair†at the hospital, receiving her IV based treatment.
Sorry about the long break between posts but honestly I have benefited from this temporary “quiet period†too.
This past weekend, Anita actually felt well enough to go on a short-hike, through an interesting little known park in San Diego called Wilderness Gardens.
Here is a picture of Anita walking ahead of me in the Wilderness Garden park from this most recent Sunday. This picture reminds me of the uncertain path that remains ahead for Anita.
Anita has 3 more weeks of outpatient arsenic treatment to go. I hope to write another update soon.
Chris