MACOP-B. These are the acronym of the deadly stuff I'm getting to fight my lymphoma. M -Methotrexate. Yellow stuff, runs in for 4 hours and needs to be "rescued" from doing damage to normal tissue in 24 hours by folic acid. Constipates, causes ulcers all over the place and can nauseate. A -Adriamycin. Pink stuff, looks like rose water but it really burns your veins. The stuff causes such pain in your vessels that they just thrombose and blacken out. My fingers look like I deal with coal- not cool! C - cyclophosphamide. This is one of the scary ones. It can cause bloody urine if I dont piss frequently enough, hemorrhagic cyctitis is the medical term, and with the Adriamycin causes me horrible nausea. If you are on this drug drink fluids - easier said than done. 4 -5 liters is the reccomended fluids a day. O - Oncovin or Vincristine is a really quick drug to get, but makes your finger tips go numb. Scary because I'm repeatedly bruising them without realizing. P- Prednisolone. It's such a bitter pill, I am growing to hate it. It's a steroid and hence I've started to put on weight on my tummy and cheeks. It can cause gastritis and does so especially after my methotrexate days. B - Bleomycin can cause some lung damage, but this hasn't given me too much trouble yet.
Dr. Mammen has added a drug called Rituximab to the entire schedule - I get it week 3,6,9 and 12 it's still experimental in my type of lymphoma, but It's results on similar tumour are good and if he thinks it will help I believe him. Ritux can have have complications at the time of infusion, but if the first dose is tolerated then there isn't any problems with the next. So thats all I have to say about that ( forest gump style)
Carol rounds were lovely last night - the kids came at about 12 midnight and sang and sang for us. The hot soup and Date fudge was much appreciated - it was pretty cold though.
Amma had a choice too for the carollers- "Mary's boy child" - hey that's me! he ! he!
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