Inpatient chemo began the following week, along with 4 transfusions of packed red blood cells.I had 3 rounds of VDT-PACE that landed me back in the hospital three other times for neutropenia and nausea and vomiting. Since an auto transplant was planned, my 4th round of chemo was CyBorD to allow better results at the time of harvest. I had a complete response to chemotherapy and was sitting pretty for my transplant.
Within a week later, I was at my transplant center preparing for Autologous Stem Cell Transplant. The doctor wanted to do an allo transplant, but I had no matches. This was a very difficult time for me. Neupogen did not mobilize my stem cells quite enough, so I received a shot of Mozibil that gave me terrible diarrhea within 15 minutes. The actual harvesting went well. The following week I received my melphalan as an outpatient even though I told them that my major side effect of chemo was bad nausea/vomiting. Within 4 hours after my chemo, I was back in the ER with a migraine and N+V and admitted 6 hours later on the SCT floor. My transplant was uneventful on 2/22/13, but N+V continued to be my nemesis
for months to come. I had several transfusions of platelets, potassium and calcium. C-diff kept me in the hospital another week. I was finally back home in about 5 weeks.I spent another week in the hospital in May '13 with pneumonitis and hypoxemia. Still use oxygen at night.
100 days later, my blood work and bone marrow biopsy results showed that I remained in a complete repsonse.
I am now on Revlimid 10 mg for maintenance. Almost done with my first month. So far no bad side effects. Fatigue, pain in my back, hips and pelvis, & an unknown rash are the symptoms I deal with right now. The lack of my immunity is keeping me from work. I have had a complete response since my induction chemo, so I have been in remission for 6 months and am trying to stay positive about the future. My hair is growing back now after losing it twice, and I am thinking of keeping it on the short side!
I am a RN on medical leave since my diagnosis. I love my supportive family and spending time with them and my friends. I enjoy playing the piano, baking, watching movies and baseball especially the Detroit Tigers! Hope to be back to playing slow pitch softball next season.
