After the first day of tests -- there were three scheduled all together -- Alan and I returned to our apartment and ate a small dinner. They had inserted a tube in his stomach and he had a pouch of constant chemotherapy dripping into this tube. It wasn't uncomfortable for him at all. Then each morning for those four days we'd return to the clinic and they'd clean out the port and put on another bag of drugs.
After four days, Alan still had no ill effects, i.e., no nausea and no sores in his mouth, and his hair was staying put. That would all soon change.
The next few days were a blur -- we just rushed from one appointment to the next, then sat and waited for our name to be called. I was getting so frustrated. I'm not very patient, and poor Alan was in la-la land most of the time.
We had to be at the cancer clinic every morning at 7:00 a.m. Early for us, but fortunately, on our east coast time clock that would be 8:00 a.m., so it made it a little easier for us to do. Alan was put on a diet and was permitted only canned foods and fresh washed fruits in smoothies. There was a shop near the hospital/clinic that made the specific smoothies recommended for cancer patients on chemo. The point of the chemo was to kill all the cancer cells so they could take his blood, process it, and get out all the stem cells for his transplant. So by the fifth day, he was getting weaker. On the sixth day we met with the doctor who quickly gave us a progress report and said he would answer any questions we had. His name was Dr. Lee. Very nice doctor and we could understand him even though he had an accent.
Questions? Did we have any? No, only a million and a half! I had been to the library and had researched the research on MM and had loads of questions for the doctor. Alan's situation was different since most MM patients are in their late 60s/early 70s when they are diagnosed. Alan was only 55, they kept telling him how young he was.
After researching I found out that MM is not something they look for in blood tests or, in fact, any tests, x-rays, MRIs, etc. So, Alan was fortunate to have had the tumor on his chest that bloomed because of the MM and cancer in his body. Treatment was swift and harsh.
We were released to come back to Cincinnati and told to return in four weeks prepared to stay at least a month.
This is where the not-fun begins!
ttfn
