First round of docetaxel done

, oh I'm so sorry I wasn't up to date with the posts, I could have helped, it's very simple when you know how. After the needle dives into my arm or thigh, I keep downward pressure for a full 20 seconds to make absolutely sure all the liquid is in my body before removing it. 

I have bone marrow cancer and was diagnosed in March 2015 although the injections didn't start for 6 months. My bone marrow cancer is given the name of Myelodysplasia. With me, my red cells are the problem, the bone marrow is producing dead, deformed or dying red cells as well as some good ones of course or I wouldn't be here! 

The injection contains a substance called EPO which is short for Darbepoetin Alfa. It induces my bone marrow to produce more good red blood cells. I have been injecting it for 5 years now, once a week. 

I had an appointment with my haematologist last Friday and the haemaglobin is down to 102. 100 is danger level as red cells carry the oxygen in my blood. 

Unfortunately at the time of my last appointment, the part of the white cell that fights infection, neutrophils, was below danger level of 1.0. Mine had fallen to 0.74 so I hadn't much fight against infection. On Friday however it was up to 1.10, it hadn't been at that level for a lot of months. While discussing that with the doctor, he mentioned that I would be injecting a solution using another syringe. 

Put simply mummyb, my bone marrow is failing slowly and in the end, nothing can be done. No bone marrow transplant because I'm too old, and as a previous haematologist doctor said, it would kill me.

Apologies for the marathon explanation mummyb, but you did ask!

Tvman xx

Ah no worries, tv man, you can’t be everywhere at once.

No apologies are needed for explaining things,  as you said I did ask!

You’ve sure been through it already and still are. Have you any good places left to inject. Sounds like your a stubborn bugger like me. If there’s any fight left in me I’ll be sure to keep on fighting.

I find it hard sometimes to remember what life was like before diagnosis, my youngest who is 16 said the other day “I’ve lived half my life with you having cancer and half without, but I don’t remember the without”.  It kinda broke me for a while.

How are you feeling, are you in a lot of pain.  I’m fortunate really, I do have a few issues and I’ve had to slow down a lot but on the whole I do pretty well.

x

Hi 

Omg, even people outside my family are calling me stubborn lol. 

Strange, but my cancer doesn't seem to give me any pain although I'm on quite a high dose of morphine for my back as well as a couple of other nerve pain medication that I wouldn't know anyway but if I think back to pre back problem I wasn't feeling any pain, well not physical. I was in shock for a while and then after diagnosis of spinal stenosis, that led to a few counselling sessions because I could see the future that I was looking forward to in retirement, was fading rapidly. 

The pain in my back begins immediately I stand up and becomes excruciating in less than 10 minutes. That's why it's best for me to see life from a wheelchair, almost zero pain.

I don't inject in the same area every week, I used to inject in alternate thighs as advised by the staff nurse in the cancer unit.(you weren't let into the secret, unfortunately). Then my right leg began to be so painful that it was as much as I could do to keep the pressure downwards, I wanted to let go but I knew I couldn't. Neither my GP nor the staff at the cancer unit could tell me why, my reason of infection under the skin seemed the most plausible. 

So I had a look at the accompanying leaflet, something I never thought of either, even though I have two in every single box! The instructions advise to inject in either shoulder or thigh so now I have a system of left leg, left shoulder, right shoulder, left leg and so on.

That remark from your youngest daughter must have been like a dagger in the heart, we don't want to ever put our children through any emotional turmoil. 

Another long response! I don't like to explain something in 5 words when 50 will do lol. 

Good luck for this course of treatment. I have read your profile and you have been through the mill. It has been a long and winding road for you, you're made of tough stuff!

Take care and stay safe mummyb

Tvman xx

Hi tvman,

it seems we’ve more in common than I first thought.  I too have no pain from the cancer, it’s the treatments that have left me with pain. I’m not at the point of a constant wheelchair yet but if there is a hill or a distance to go then I have to succumb, or slow down to the point of almost non-existent steps.  My back causes me the most pain, I have several chipped vertebrae thanks to the first chemo.  The wedge resection has left me with breathlessness so that hampers the walking too.

My 2 girls have been through it for sure, just 8 & 10 at diagnosis. I didn’t think I’d see them leave primary school but I’ve even managed to see them through high school. My eldest is off to uni in September and the youngest to college. 

As you can see,  like you, why use 1 word when 100 will do.

Hope you manage to keep the pain under control.

x