Dear Ones:
A total of 8 Nupegen shots in the tummy ended Monday night with the addition of another drug called Plexifor....which is another word for "Holy Toledo! That's EXPENSIVE!" The nurse said that this is THE drug that gets the stem cells swimming readily, but that it's expensive. I remembered that I had once had some heart med that started at $1,800, so I started there. Her sad look made me make a couple more bold guesses. "No," she said, "it's $40,000 a vial and you're getting two vials."
We almost needed CPR at that point! $80,000 worth of clear fluid got poked into my tummy Monday night! Then after almost nine hours of stem cell spin-off the next day, I was advised to get another round of that liquid gold! I told Amy she ought to take me to the Antiques Road Show and ask them what they thought my tummy was worth and see how close to 160,000 they came!
But, the good news is that the drugs did their job and after a second day of 7 hours, enough stem cells had been harvested! Yea God! Now what I need is a keester transplant after all those hours of sitting on mine through the apheresis (spin off)
Part of the long time spent is apparently due to some problem with the thingy in my chest (central line - trifuge). So, the first day, the machine spent some time balking at my low production. The second day, they used my arm vein for collection and the central line for return.
Anyway, I'm all set for the chemo on Monday, after they determine if my central line can be cleared or needs to be replaced. (Oh joy! The first one hurt a'plenty....they'll need to knock me out for the removal of the first and replacement with a second line!)
Oh, I did find out why I couldn't sleep well....hot flashes! One of the side effects of the Nupegen. Ladies, you have all my sympathy!! I leaped up at 2:30 this a.m. thinking the bed was on fire!
Eldest daughter Katie is coming in Saturday. Happy day.
Thanks for the love, prayers and encouragement.
Yours in Christ's love,
Dick
We are with you Father Grant!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Greg, Kay and John
“That day, when evening came, He said to His disciples “Let us go over to the other side.” Mark 4:35 Jesus fully intended to cross over – He knew about the storms, but his desire was to take his disciples to the other side, where there would be continued opportunity for blessing and ministry..."
ReplyDeleteI pray that this lesson will encourage you and your family in the same way it has encouraged me in times of rough sailing.
Love and Prayers
DiAnn
Dick: I knew that you had always been a valuable friend, but now I know How valuable - an $80,000+ tummy!!!! This says to me that your value to God - and to us - is beyond believing and beyond price!!! Rest in God's faithfulness. Much love! Mary Cohea
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work! You're worth more than $160k in the Lord's eyes! Chris said... "There goes your Porsche and the new set of golf clubs in the trunk." Do Porsche's have a trunks? We love you!
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