Well today is the big day, but I guess I’ve been fortunate to have quite a few big days out here. Today we will be packing and preparing to leave. It’s kind of sad because Chicago has treated us so well but we came out here on a mission and now that mission is over so it’s time to return home. I will miss Chicago, the facilities, the nurses, Dr. Burt and his staff, and my hotel. I’m feeling better and better as each day passes but I have to be careful for the first 3 months. It will be good getting on a plane and coming home to my family. But yes, I will miss Chicago. Mike
March 30, 2008
March 29, 2008
Day +16 (3/29/2008 Saturday)
Well today is just a day of R & R. I will pack tomorrow morning and get some things together today. It is still cold out here but more tolerable. It is still cold out here but more tolerable. It will be strange leaving, but I also can’t wait to get back home. Yesterday when I went to the hospital to get my picc line removed. I donated to them extra syringes and medical supplies that I no longer will need. It was a great feeling giving back to a facility that has given me so much. I will miss them all, but I am scheduled to come back in 6 months for a checkup. Mike
March 28, 2008
Day +15 (3/28/2008 Friday)
Well I packed 3 boxes of heavy, bulky clothes that I needed but do not need anymore and sent those home. This morning I also went to the hospital to get my picc line removed. it was great while I was here, but I don’t mind getting stuck twice a month for blood analysis which will be sent out here to Dr. Burt. Dr. Burt also went personally to the East coast to meet with Cigna to find out what their problem is. I think he is going to use my case as an example. Boy, I love this man. I now know that I made the right choice by coming out here to Chicago rather than Maine. This is a beautiful city, a clean New York you might say, with plenty of great restaurants and loads to do when you are not in the hospital. The care, the food, the nurses and the facility is the best. I love Chicago and will be coming back in September for my 6 month checkup. You know what though…..it is going to be really good going home. Mike
Day +14 (3/27/2008 – Thursday)
Well, everything that is bulky is boxed and will be sent home. The hotel has been notified that I will be leaving early and the airline has been booked. I will be coming home on Sunday night. Tomorrow I have to go back to the hospital to get my picc line removed. This little line prevented me from getting jabbed everytime they wanted blood and it was also a way to get medications into my body without piercing my skin. To me it was a savior because I hate to get needles because my skin is so taut. My wife has noticed that my skin is getting softer already. I do feel more flexible and agile. My gout is just about gone. It is swollen but does not hurt to touch it. By Sunday it should be fine. Mike
March 26, 2008
Day +13 (March 26, 2008 Wednesday)
Today’s blog is late because I wanted to wait to see what Dr. Burt had to say to me. First the bad news. I have the gout as a result of the neopagen injections. Dr. Burt put me on meds right away and said that it will be fine. Now the good news. I’M COMING HOME. As soon as I can book a flight, I will be coming home to Perth Amboy. He said that I did great even though there were many obstacles such as the pneumonia, being allergic to one of the chemo meds which gave me a violent reaction, and the gout. He said that the first three months are important because the cells are still growing and my body may be sore. But you know what…that light at the end of the tunnel, well I’m there. I can’t wait to see my home and all of you. Thank you so much for making this possible. Mike
March 25, 2008
Day +12 (3/25/2008 – Tuesday)
It’s great to be out! I feel sooooo good not being hooked up to an IV, not having to collect urine every time I urinate, not being awakened at 2 AM to be weighed and then again at 3AM to have my blood drawn. I still have my picc line in my arm so that everytime they want blood they don’t have to pierce my skin. It just feels so good to be able to walk around without dragging a pole with all kinds of meds connected to my body. As I left, all of the nurses came up to me and said it was a pleasure having me as a patient. I’m the luckiest one to have had them. I was a little sore (my bones) the day I got out. I think that my bones are still forcing out the white cells. I refuse to take a pain killer. As my friends would say, “tough it out”. Today I feel really good. Alice notices differences in my body. She said that my skin is much softer and I’m full of energy. Today I got up as I did in the hospital at 5AM and she said to me where are you going? I told her that I’m up, go back to sleep and I went into the next room and listened to my iPod. I just feel good and more energetic. I have an appointment with Dr Burt at 2PM tomorrow. Mike
March 24, 2008
Day +11 (3/24/2008 – Monday)
Mike Leaving Hospital Monday 3/24/08
Well if you thought yesterday was great, today was even better. Now remember just 2 days ago my white cell count was 0.5 and yesterday it jumped to 2.9. Well today I actually called my nurse and asked her to draw my blood at 4:00 AM. I told her that I wanted my results early. Then at 6:00 AM she came in and said you would not believe your count. She said it was 8.7. Now the range for a regular person is 3.5 – 10.0. Not only did the white cell count go up, so did everything else. The neutrophils also went up. If the neutrophils are over 1.0 you are healthy enough to leave the hospital. Mine went up to 7.4. These are the little guys that are used to fight off infection and disease. Dr. Burt just left and said that I looked great. I have an appointment with him at his office on Wednesday afternoon. I’m just waiting for them to come in here so that I can sign papers, get final instructions, and leave. Mike
March 23, 2008
Day +10 (3/23/2008 – Sunday)
Well, first I want to thank all of you for a fantastic Easter present. Your prayers and thoughts made someone very important listen. Last night I was getting ready for bed and all of a sudden I experienced a very strong pain in my pelvic area. It was like my hips were in a vice and it was just kept getting tighter and tighter. I called for the nurse and she asked me a few questions and then said that this happens as a result of the neopagen injections. They are actually forcing the cells out of your bones. She said tomorrow, your whole body will probably ache. then she called the doctor and he prescribed a pain pill. she said this is really going to knock you and and boy did it. I slept all night and then got up at 5:30 AM because I wanted to see my blood count. now remember, yesterday it was 0.5 well because of all of you it was 2.9 today. I got my neopagen injections today but that’s it. Dr. Burt came in this morning and told me that he was taking me off all of my medications and that I would be discharged tomorrow from the hospital. This is great news. I feel fatigued today and sore, but I am electrified. I will now go back to the hotel as an out patient for 7-14 days. well, once again I feel reborn and on Easter Sunday…WOW!
March 22, 2008
Day +9 (3/22/2008 – Sat)
Well I sure hope that this is the beginning because my white cell count went from 0.2 yesterday to 0.5 today. i guess those little buggers are finally settling in. I will definitely know by tomorrow. Otherwise I feel great. I’m exercising, eating, and driving everyone here craxy. Today I asked my nurse for soem ice so that before she gives me my injections in my abdomen I apply the ice to numb the area. This way I don’t feel the injection. Well, she never heard of this but after she was done said, “this is great, I can use this technique on my other patients”. Have a Happy Holiday. Mike
Note: article in today’s Home News
March 21, 2008
Day#8 (3/21/2008 – Friday)
I couldn’t wait for the nurse to come in this morning and tell me my white cell count. After seeing yesterday’s results I had really high expectations for today. Yesterday it was 0.3 and then 0.4 in the afternoon, so I was expecting 0.6. So when she came in and said it was 0.2 I really felt dejected. Then Dr. Burt came in and said that this is normal. He said that I am right on schedule and that most of the time the white cell count spikes and then goes down and after that it climbs dramatically. So now I feel better. I’m still exercising and eating like a cow, but still maintaining my weight of 170lbs. The boredom will at least be broken up this weekend with all of the great college basketball games on TV. Mike
