September 22, 2001

Update # 7 

Good Morning, 

Beautiful sunshine today but our week has been up and down a little.  Last Saturday night Thrush began again so we started the Swish and Swallow.  Also the Neupogen shots began for this course.  Monday the 17th was the last day for chemo.  Jeff started a fever that evening.  We noticed this was the second time out of the three courses that he had a fever on the last day of chemo.  Must be the combination of the two drugs.  Took some Tylenol and went to bed.  Only one dose and the fever was gone.  Jeff was tired on Tuesday so he slept in till about 10:00 and then went to school for PM classes.  Thrush has continued all week so Chu gave us a bigger bottle to have on hand.  

Thursday was the beginning of the four days before the stem cell harvest that Jeff has to have double Neupogen shots.  Should really boost the count.  Friday Jeff said he throat hurt down low - below his Adam's apple.  We tried some Tylenol but he said it didn't help.  (Jeff went to school all day Wed., Thurs. and Fri.  He even stayed after on Thurs. and Fri. to try to catch up.)  We called Chu after Jeff got home late on Friday.  Jeff had a slight fever also.  He thinks it is just some sores that they mentioned he could get.  Jeff's throat isn't red and there's only 2 small white Thrush spots.  We finally got some Tylenol with Codeine this morning.  Hopefully, that will cut the pain of swallowing.  I mentioned I didn't want this to interfere with the harvest on Monday and Chu said there would be no problem.  We go on as planned. 

The pathologist from CG had sent the biopsy from the left side to a pathologist who specializes in Hodgkins.  This guy said he does see some Hodgkins cells but in a very reduced amount.  Chu will still do some kind of scan this week - at the end of Course Three.  He said maybe not a CT scan but something else that can give him a better look at the tumor.  

I even made it to school for the entire week.  It was also my duty week and I did every day of it!!  I need to plan it differently next time!  Guess that about covers it.  More good days than bad so that helps.  Keep the prayers coming.  

Love,

Marcia