Dr. Bobs Adventure

We've created this blog for several reasons. First is to keep family and friends(including Bobs' pts.)informed of Bobs' condition while he undergoes treatment for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia(AML) at HUP. You may also write to Bob by posting a comment, which I'll print for him to read. Please feel free to pass this blog site on to anyone you think may want to join us.Instructions to blog are listed under day 12, and bobs' address etc are under day 14. Click on April Archives to find both.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Day 24 Admission Day 4 Hi DAC

Hi everyone,

Well, Bob continues to hang in there. He's showing the effects of the steroids again with his full face and red cheeks. Also gained 17 pounds from fluid retention. He receives a liter of saline every 8 hrs. via IV's, and this has caused his BP to hang around 150/80, so this afternoon he got a diuretic to get rid of some of the fluid they are pumping in. His hgb is up today after the blood, but he needed platelets, and was quite dopey and thick-tongued when I arrived at 10:30, from the benadryl pre-med. He didn't walk today b/c his BP goes even higher w/ exertion, and felt like washing up was enough exercise. Also still getting winded w/ activity. The final report of the bone marrow biopsy showed that the leukemic cells(blasts) were quite high after the first round, in fact they are up to 90%. I spoke w/ one of our drs. today and he said that AML from MDS(myelodysplasia syndrome), or what they refer to as secondary AML, is very unpredictable, which makes it hard for them to get a handle on it, since it does not respond like primary AML. Again this is nothing that we haven't been aware of. We never expected remission after the first round. We are however hoping and praying that the high dose will do the trick. We have not discussed any options beyond that point. Bob will finish this round on Monday, and have a repeat bone marrow one week after that. But for now we are taking this one day at a time. He still has to go through his counts crashing(their term) from this round. And in that vein, Bob requested that the oral surgeons come back again to check his gum wound, which they did about 2 hrs. after he asked. They are pleased w/ how it looks, and I am thankful that our drs. respect Bob enough to listen to him. I checked in w/ Bob when I got home(after a TWO HOUR RIDE on the road that must-not-be-named), and he was eating his dinner, and thinking about taking a lap or two this evening. Oh, and the last chest x-ray that was done was clear. Sorry, one of the things I kept forgetting to write.

Now, I'm sorry Bill, but Bob wanted to tell you that the Easter pie was savory...eggs, ham, ricotta...thinks it's called pizza rusticana or pizza gaina(spelling?). Also you were probably too young to remember.

And to Kathi I have to ask...Are you serious about bkh and Cooks Illustrated? Are you talking about the same bkh whose specialty when her kids were growing up was Chicken in the Red Sea(Ragu)??? Do tell. Bob and my inquiring minds want to know. Gee Bon-Bon is getting a lot of "air time" here for someone who doesn't write!!!
Okay, no further food discussions.

One other thing I've forgotten for days is to thank Joanne Nasife for stopping in to see Bob. Joanne is the daughter of one of my tennis buddies, Cathy, and is going to be working at HUP as of May 1st(she's a nurse, as well as a lawyer). But of all places in this huge hospital, she's going to work on Rhoads 7. So thank you Joanne and good luck w/ your latest endeavors. I'm sure we'll be seing you soon.

Bob and I also wanted to say hi to one of our "games night" crew, Shirley, who had knee surgery today. Hope everything went smoothly and I'm sure "my MSC girls" took good care of you. And to the other games crew members Bob says "Stop playing Poker" or fight nice. Also, Lee, since we didn't win, do I still owe you money for the lottery tickets??? Just kiddin.

Thank you as always for your support. Please keep the prayers for remission going. We need them more than ever, but remain hopeful, and are keeping our "peckers up".

All our love,
Bob and Mo

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Holy Moly am i first? I'm never the first to blog. Thank you Mo for a lovely ride down to Penn. Unfortunately the ride home was hellish for us also. Bumper to bumper the whole way, and we were an hour behind you. I came home and got rite in the tub.
Well Robert i just don't know what to say about the bmp results. Sobering news for sure but you really never know the end results. Miracles do happen every day and you and Mo are so surrounded by love and prayers that better news will prevail, The high dac chemosure turned things around for me even though the results were a little slow. I know i say it every time i write but it really helped me ONE DAY AT A TIME. you both have been SO STRONG physically and mentally and thats the best you can do. So extra srong prayers and lots of extra love tonite yo you both.
Love Joe and Deb

April 21, 2006 9:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was all set to write then got side tracked by debbie's ... she sounds good in her blog..hope shes perking up.. now you , dr. mazzola..blast those blast cells!! i hope they respond to everything that mo wrote about( sorry mo, have to evelyn wood your blog notes sometimes.. im busy tonight) sounds like your a trooper though.. you are in my prayers every night.. day by day advice is good...i'll check in tomorrow... i skipped a day cause i was trying to act like kim.. take care you two!! love,, mdf

April 21, 2006 10:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Holey Moley I'm third...I'm never third:)..indeed Dr.Bob miracles do happen and that's what we need to happen here ..we will bump up the prayers and novenas ..positive vibes will prevail and this will insure positive results..do not falter in this belief,that's what's essential here also, love..and trust..and faith...in Jesus.Let Him own you Bob and he won't let you down..this is one thing I'm sure of...in any case the "one day at a time" mantra is probably what will get you past all this the best! I didn't mean to go into all this ..it's offered with love and caring..I know you will accept it as such!! Anyway, I hoped you liked the Easter Pies we made ..did someone named Bill also make some for you??I wasn't sure if they were allowed on your diet...did Mo let you taste the bread pudding from Deb S...or did she pretend it was no darn good..just joshing you Mo..it was only a dot after all..we will get the recipe and make a decent potion , if you liked it.well, I'll be off...by the way ortho day at MSC is a bear!!!Take care much love and prayers:)Bev

April 22, 2006 10:56 AM  
Blogger Kris McLay said...

Greetings you two.

Just checking in to see how things are going and send some good vibes your way. Bob, you are definitely getting the treatment now. Hoping and praying that it does the trick and stops that MDS in it's tracks.

Mo - I'm praying for you too, honey. LOL about "The-Road-Who-Must-Not-Be Named". Wish I had read it before describing the route to HUP to mdf on deb's blog!

Thinking and praying for you both.
K

April 22, 2006 11:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi bob & mo

sorry you havent heard from me recent

i just got moved into new house and computer not yet hooked up the house is beautiful im still hoping you can visit this summer is your niece already in ohio?

will write more later

lots of prayers

lov ya darlin case that big old sky falls on our heads!!!!

peggy

April 23, 2006 3:13 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home