Monday, November 27, 2006
What's Up or Down?
Labs and Clinic today - White blood count at it's lowest - about 300 (normal is 11,000). Needless to say Franklin has no get up and go and no appetite. Pretty much a zombie, but that is what he is supposed to be. Counts should start rising rapidly and if all goes as planed, Wednesday will be the first day of stem cell collection. The 4 hr. procedure will be done on the 6th floor Hemapheresis area at Emory. We have toured this area and they send his blood through a machine that separates out the white, red and plasma. They keep the plasma and send the other back into his body. Medicine is truly our modern day miracles. We pray for large amounts of stem cells so collection can be as short (few days) as possible.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Emory Winship Cancer Institute
High dose chemo was administered on Nov. 20 th and will be followed by growth factor shots beginning today to stimulate his own stem cell production. We expect to collect stem cells after Thanksgiving through a process similar to dialysis. Aimee will give shots and Franklin is a little worried, rightly so. Franklin is 36 hours into the high dose treatment and so far so good, no nausea or vomiting. Nausea and vomiting is possible for 72 hours after chemo but we can only hope today is as good as yesterday.
His mouth is an ever present source of aggravation because of the tongue swelling but he is quite good at consuming large amounts of sweets. He does feel the mouth is improving and we can hope that the docs expectation of the chemo improving the month will show true.
Stem cell collection will take anywhere from 2 to 4 - 4 hour days outpatient at Emory. We will continue to post updates.
High dose chemo was administered on Nov. 20 th and will be followed by growth factor shots beginning today to stimulate his own stem cell production. We expect to collect stem cells after Thanksgiving through a process similar to dialysis. Aimee will give shots and Franklin is a little worried, rightly so. Franklin is 36 hours into the high dose treatment and so far so good, no nausea or vomiting. Nausea and vomiting is possible for 72 hours after chemo but we can only hope today is as good as yesterday.
His mouth is an ever present source of aggravation because of the tongue swelling but he is quite good at consuming large amounts of sweets. He does feel the mouth is improving and we can hope that the docs expectation of the chemo improving the month will show true.
Stem cell collection will take anywhere from 2 to 4 - 4 hour days outpatient at Emory. We will continue to post updates.
FRANKLIN'S BIG ADVENTURE
Dear Friends and Family,
We would like to quickly back track events leading up to now but will try not to bore you with the gory details. Franklin was diagnosed in July with Multiple Myeloma, plasma cell cancer, he spent time in the hospital. In October, he was also diagnosed with Amyloidosis, another plasma cell disorder, which has attacked his tongue. He has been going to the Georgia Cancer Center in Macon for mild chemotherapy since August.
Luckily, he is candidate for autolgous(self) stem cell transplant and his treatments have been designed to lead up to that procedure. Progress has gone well and we will try to summarize the procedure as it happens at EMORY WINSHIP CANCER INSTITUTE.
We hope this blog will be a way for us to communicate with you and you with us. During Franklin's stay in the hospital it will be difficult for him to have visitors or receive phone calls but he will be looking forward to your comments on our blog. He can not have fresh flowers or any fresh fruits or vegetables.
Thank you for your care and concern. Most importantly we ask you to keep him in your prayers.
We would like to quickly back track events leading up to now but will try not to bore you with the gory details. Franklin was diagnosed in July with Multiple Myeloma, plasma cell cancer, he spent time in the hospital. In October, he was also diagnosed with Amyloidosis, another plasma cell disorder, which has attacked his tongue. He has been going to the Georgia Cancer Center in Macon for mild chemotherapy since August.
Luckily, he is candidate for autolgous(self) stem cell transplant and his treatments have been designed to lead up to that procedure. Progress has gone well and we will try to summarize the procedure as it happens at EMORY WINSHIP CANCER INSTITUTE.
We hope this blog will be a way for us to communicate with you and you with us. During Franklin's stay in the hospital it will be difficult for him to have visitors or receive phone calls but he will be looking forward to your comments on our blog. He can not have fresh flowers or any fresh fruits or vegetables.
Thank you for your care and concern. Most importantly we ask you to keep him in your prayers.
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