Saturday, March 28, 2009

Discharged

I was discharged from the hospital early this afternoon and it's definitely nice to be home. I am experiencing significantly less pain when I inhale and not as short of breath as I was. So, my doctor discharged me with a prescription for Lovenox which I am to inject abdominally twice a day every twelve hours until I am directed otherwise. It will likely be for a month or so then followed by Coumadin for another five months or so. When I am CT scanned for cancer/masses in the middle of April, it will also include a chest scan to check the status of the embolism.

My doctor did not agree with the explanation one of the chemo nurses gave me - that chemotherapy causes the lining of the veins and artery to shed. But he did say that chemo can be a cause of blood clots/embolisms. So, I'm not 100% clear on the origin. However, my doctor informed me that he will be studying my scans, blood work, etc. in order to determine if I have a genetic predisposition for embolisms or if it was a result of my treatment. Fingers crossed - hoping for the latter.

Today is a beautiful day - over 60 degrees with sunshine - and I am definitely putting this computer down and going outside to relax and think about how I have no chemotherapy scheduled. PERIOD. What a wonderful feeling.

1 comment:

  1. Hey Bert, glad to hear you got to go home yesterday.

    I wanted you to know that we had a luminary for you at the Relay for Life last night, and that they read your name out loud as they were going through the list of those of us who have survived cancer. They had this beautiful luminaria ceremony, where about a thousand of us walked around the Dome to peaceful music and a recitation of names of survivors and also of people lost to cancer. It was incredible, and I just wanted you to know you were in our hearts during that time.

    Take care, and enjoy the spring weather!

    Maria

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