Friday, May 4, 2012

Just another week in paradise

Last week, was the first time since Glenn had his stem cell transplant, that the chemo has had any adverse  affect on him. By the third day after treatment he was totally wiped out and not too interested in most foods. He started feeling better by the 6th day, (Sunday) but is still recovering. We don't really know why it was different this time.
This week at his Dr. visit in G'ville, we got to discuss why continuing the chemo is necessary. He believes it is helping to curb the LCDD and the unknown disease that he thinks exists that is affecting the kidneys. Since he mentioned his suspicions about an auto immune disease, I asked if there was a blood test for that. But he said not for a kidney disease. There is a blood test for other auto immune diseases, but not for what he suspects is happening to the kidneys. Probably could find out with another kidney biopsy but neither the oncologist nor the nephrologist want to take the increased chance of bleeding with a third kidney biopsy. We go to the nephrologist next Tuesday and will be able to relay that info to him. Maybe this time he will remember to call the oncologist and discuss all this. It would make me feel better if they would have regular communication about Glenn's treatment.
Glenn never did get a call back about the fistula. He (the Dr.) was on vacation. So we should get a date for pre-surgery, and then the placement, soon.
 As you can imagine, Glenn is NOT looking forward to another foreign object dwelling in his body. (He has a "port" in his right front, or anterior for you medical people, shoulder which is used for accessing blood without having to search for a vein.) But he knows that it is a pretty sure bet that he will be on dialysis this year so the fistula has to have time to "mature" for a few months before it can be used. (Please forgive me for repeating things. I don't remember what I've told you and what I haven't.)
Wednesday we went to G'ville for his usual appointment. His white blood cell count went down very low, an effect of the chemo, so he is restricted from a lot of things because he is extremely susceptible to any kind of infection. Other than that, his labs weren't remarkable, not normal, but not varied from the last week. His kidney function went to 13% from 11% the week before. It has been hovering around there for a while. (This  value is the percentage of kidney function compared to 100% which is a normal value.) At this level the Dr.s are judging by any symptoms he may have in deciding when to start dialysis. So far he hasn't had any that are noteworthy.
I don't know how to wind this up, so  that's it for now.


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