Good news!! I’m down three pounds this week. I’m trying to keep my carb intake to about 35 but I’m not doing so well. Maybe I’ll do better next week.
My meds still have not arrived. I guess I’ll call my oncologist on Monday if I don’t get it this weekend.
Tomorrow I plan on doing some cleaning up in my backyard. After which I plan on flying my drone. My son is coming home tomorrow sometime so I want to make sure I’m here when he get’s here. Next weekend is Easter weekend and all my kids should be home. I’m really looking forward to that. I can’t believe they’ve grown up on me. Two in college and one living on his own. They sure do grow up fast.
My new CML meds have not arrived as promised. They were supposed to have arrived on Tuesday but alas, not here yet. My oncologist called this morning to see if I had started taken them yet. He was not happy that they had not arrived. He said that he was going to find out where my meds are at and let me know.
I’ve attempted to start dieting again. It’s been a tough couple of days. I’m doing the low carb diet. I lost 60 lbs on it last time I was on it and I’ve still got that and many more to go. I’m trying to limit my carbs to 35 a day. Today and yesterday I have gone way over. Today was better than yesterday and I’m hoping that tomorrow will be even better. I want to get down to 255 by August 15th and I’m 276 now. I don’t think I”ll have a problem reaching it if I can gain the willpower to stick with it. In 2009, I weighed the most I’ve ever weighed. At 346, I came to the realization that I had to do something. Especially since my doctor told me that I wouldn’t see my kids graduate college if I didn’t do something.
The other reason I’m on the low carb diet is that of my sugar. My body can’t handle carbs. I can drink a cup of milk and my sugar will jump from 159 to over 250. I did well all day today until I got home. I checked my sugar around 5:30pm and it was 185. I had a cup of milk, exactly 1 cup, not a glass full, and when I checked it just now, 10:35pm, it was 325. The last time I did the low carb diet I pretty much did away with carbs altogether. I went from a 9.6 A1c to 6.7 A1c in six months. Now that I’ve gotten off my diet, my sugar has gone out of control.
My oncologist called this evening wanting to know if my new meds had come in. They had not. He told me that my BCR-Abl numbers had greatly improved which is very surprising being that I’ve been off my Sprycel for nearly two months. Too bad my body can’t handle the medicine any longer. Once my new meds get here, which should be within a few days, I’ll start taking it. The side effects looks pretty bad, diarrhea, fluid retention in both the heart and lungs, low red blood counts, liver problems and multiple other issues. Bosulif will be the third medication that I will be on. There are only a couple more that is out there that is approved by the FDA. I’m hoping this works with minimal side effects
Oncologist Update: Because of some miscommunications with the insurance company, go figure, I have not been approved to be on my new medicine yet. I may end up walking the paperwork to the department myself if they keep losing it. Anyway, it’s been six weeks or more since I’ve had any CML meds and we, more so me than the doctor it seems, are starting to get a little concerned that my numbers might get a little high. If the insurance company approves the meds, it could take up to three weeks before my meds arrive. Nothing to do but wait. But, as luck would have it, the representative for the new drug was there in his office. He gave my doctor a card for a free 30 day supply which should arrive by Tuesday of next week. This should give my insurance company time to process my approval for this drug.
Bloodwork. It’s been six weeks since my last lab. My last one wasn’t good at all. Every one of my numbers was either very high or very low. Yesterday’s numbers were normal for the most part. This was in large part the effect of the drug I was on. The side effects just made my daily life impossible to deal with.
New Drug: Bosulif is the name of the new drug. Right now I’ve been on two of the most common and there are only a few left that is approved by the FDA. Thanks to Karen Davis-Hudson she eased my mind about some of the side effects that were mentioned in the insert. However, Karen, I think you mentioned that 1/10 developed fluid retention, my doctor said 4/10. Not that much of a difference. The other side effects I think I can handle.
The Good News: The doctor and I both agree that the fluid in my lungs is gone and we’re going to have a positive attitude that it will not return and that this medicine will be the last one I have to be on because this one will work. I can breathe, my color is back and most importantly, I feel good. So much so, that if the weather holds, I’m going to try to get my bicycle out one day this weekend.
This is all due to all the prayers that have been lifted up for me and my family. Thank you so much.
Taken just before Christmas on my way home from work. So afraid of another “Snowmageddon” which left over 1,000 people stranded at work for three days, our company decided to let us go home early. We don’t get much snow down here in the deep south but when we do it shuts down the entire city/state.
A dash cam captured my trip from work to the first traffic light. I edited it and added music to try to make it more interesting.
I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted an update and I do apologize for that. With my health such a roller coaster and my job is as crazy as it is well, I just haven’t taken the time to write.
First of all, let me say that I’m feeling better today than I have in years. Seriously, with all the crap my body has been going through, it’s about time. But, I have a feeling that it’s about to change for the worse again.
We found out that the meds for my CML was causing all the fluid to build up around my heart and lungs; more so the lungs. In short, the oncologist took me off my meds and my pulmonologist took 1.5 liters of fluid off my left lung. He left fluid in my right lung due to him not wanting the infection to set in on either or both the lungs. A heavy dose of Lasix and now my right lung is clear of fluid. In two weeks I see my oncologist and a new med will be prescribed and one of the main side effects is fluid retention. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.
At this writing, I will be retiring on August 15th of this year. After 32 years I’ve finally had enough, well, I’ve had enough long ago but I can officially retire when I turn 55 so I’m turning in my notice. I’ve got a lot of hobbies so I know I will stay busy.
I’m working on a Youtube video about the tornado that went through our city back in 2011 and I’m doing some test shots with my drone. Let me know what you think of it. In the video that I’m working on, I will hopefully show some areas of our city that still shows some damage that the tornado left. I will also show areas of major improvements that wouldn’t have happened if the tornado hadn’t visited our city.
There’s a lot more going on but I’ll post about it later. I hope you enjoy the video.
The weather here in the deep south has been less than perfect for bike riding for me. The last two days it’s been a rainy, dreary day. Today the temperature hardly rose above the mid 50’s mark. Tomorrow is forcasted to be warmer but not until mid afternoon. My plan is to either get a twenty mile in on Saturday or wait until Sunday when I should have more time.
My last ride broke the 100 mile mark. That’s pretty good considering that only six months ago I was considering selling my bike because of my health. I’m looking forward to much healther days along with miles and miles of riding.
I had an opportunity to ride in the 10k bicycle ride in the Brimingham Coporate Challenge. I’ve been able to get some riding done in preporation for this ride. Just last week I was able to get over thirteen miles in so that really helped. Our company came in 2nd in the bicyle strole and 2nd overall of all the companies that participated.
All is going pretty well I guess but I had a little scare the other day. After my longest ride I noticed while taking a shower I was spitting blood. I washed out my mouth several times and what came out was dark red. I called one of my cardiologist the next morning and I spend the rest of the day tracking down all my other doctors as well. I think that the final diagnosis was that I had some sinus issues and my heavy breathing causing my mouth to get dry aggravated it.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything but my absence hasn’t been anything bad. My health has steady improved so much so that I’ve tried to start riding my bike again. I was a bit concerned when I got started because I actually thought that something was still wrong with my breathing. I talked with cardiologist about this and he just informed me that I was out of shape. After all, it’s been nearly two years since I’ve been on my bike.
When I first started back I was in for a huge disappointment. I heard about a bike ride that is held on every Sunday. It ranges from 8 to 10 miles. Remember those 20 mile rides I used to do every day? Lol. Not any more. After about three miles I knew I was in serious trouble. So many hills and I couldn’t remember how to clip in my peddles. In fact, before the ride even began I fell flat on my face trying to clip in. We stopped so many times waiting on the slower people that I think that’s what actually wore me out trying to clip in to those damn peddles. I realized then that I needed to ride around the house for a bit and get reacquainted with my bike. Shorted ride 1.34 miles, Longest ride thus far 13.48 miles. I’m averaging about 10 mph.
There is a ride in June called the Hot Hundred. You got it, it’s a 100 mile ride with smaller rides available. The shortest is a 29 mile ride that I used to ride in. I have my hopes of riding it this year. After my 13 mile ride I have my doubts. I still may get to ride it, after all it’s in June. It’s something that I’m working toward. If I don’t this year, there’s always next.
My health has steadily improved over the past several months with the exception of a sciatic nerve pain issue in my right hip. I’ve been dealing with it since right before Christmas. It has gotten better but I did end up getting a pain block this past Friday. Not sure if it worked or not.
A couple of nights before Christmas, one of my daughters and I had a fallen out. Because of my health there were some changes made with my job. One of which was a huge pay cut. This daughter of mine loves to go out and shop when ever she’s home. I’ve tried talking to her about my job status but it still didn’t matter. I cut lose on her, which I now regret. I left the house upset, jumped into my truck and didn’t make it far before I parked into a parking lot and lost it. I guess it had been building up for a long time and I just couldn’t hold it in any longer. I’m doing better now I guess. I haven’t had an episode like that since but I do miss my girls tremendously when they’re away at school.
Got plans to start riding my bicycle next week. Found a couple of small groups that don’t go too far and are easy rides. I think I’ll do better riding with someone else verses riding by myself at least till my health really improves.
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