Friday, February 24, 2006

The Days After...

Wednesday and Thursday - - > Plasma Pheresis or Plasma Exchange

Ganito kasi ang scenario – sabi ng doctor ko, MY CASE, was ONE FOR THE BOOKS…lahat na daw ng hinde usually nila pinoproblema naibigay ko sa kanila…yup…I gave them sleepless nights…hehehe

Simula nung na-diagnose ako May last year, I’ve had 3 chemotherapy cycles na…the first one (June), not in remission (Remission means, no more leukemia cells sa bone marrow, plus blood counts recovering at the expected time) so ako nga hinde…the second one (July) semi-remission lang plus hinde nagre-recover counts ko…Usually after chemo, yung counts bumabagsak at the 14th day, yun yung expected lowest day…then by the 28th day naka-recover na…ako nung 2nd, we had to wait 40+ days…nag-decide na lang na mag-chemo na uli before it’s too late kahit wala pa rin talagang dugong tatamaan yung chemo drugs…

My 3rd chemo nung September, parang preparatory na dapat sa transplant…parang “salvage” scenario na kami kasi alanganing remission tas hinde pa nag-recover yung counts…transplant nga pero hinde yung usual expected results compared sa “in remission” patients….So dapat October…pero dahil sa baba ng counts ko tinamaan na ako ng infection…na-move…November…tas December…tapos Feb tapos sa wakas eto na…

Sa huling bone marrow aspiration ko, remission daw yung marrow, that was December last year…so parang ang pinaka-problema na lang was kung bakit hindi bumabalik sa normal yung counts ko as if huminto na/super super bagal na yung marrow ko magproduce ng bagong cells…The doctors had to rule out another blood disease called Aplastic Anemia (almost similar sa symptoms ko)…

So ayun, Transplant Time na nga talaga…swerte kasi may donor ako…si kuya Fidel (hay naku kung wala pa, baka nag-give up na yung doctor ko) pero may bago na naming problema, hinde kami magka-blood type, type O+ ako siya B…so incompatible, kung hinde gagawan ng paraan masama…

So ayun, dumating na ako sa part nung ikukwento ko for Wednesday and Thursday…
So dahil dun sa blood type incompatibility kailangan nila bawasan yung Anti B ko sa dugo…ganito kasi yan:
Sa mga Type A – may anti-B
Type B – may anti-A
Type AB – wala both
Type O – may anti A & B
Tama ba? I guess…so since ang donor is B, they would have to take off the B antibody in my blood…well actually depende pa rin kung mataas yung antiB titer sa dugo…and sa case ko pa rin, mataas nga, so mataas ang risk na I-reject ko yung Ita-transplant na typeB blood so dun pumapasok yung Plasma Pheresis…nasa plasma part daw kasi ng blood yun…

Eto ang clip ko:
The terms therapeutic apheresis, plasmapheresis, and plasma exchange are often used interchangeably, but when properly used denote different procedures. Apheresis is a general term describing removal of blood from a subject; a portion of the blood is separated and retained while the rest is returned to the donor. Plasmapheresis, in which plasma is separated and manipulated in a variety of ways, is probably the most common type of apheresis procedure.

Plasma exchange (PE), in which the plasma is isolated, then discarded and replaced with a substitution fluid such as albumin, is frequently done in conjunction with plasmapheresis. Plasma exchange is a nonspecific therapy, since the entire plasma is discarded.
The rationale for PE is based on the fact that circulating substances, such as toxins or autoantibodies, can accumulate in the plasma. Also, it is hypothesized that removal of these factors can be therapeutic in certain situations. Plasma exchange is essentially a symptomatic therapy, since it does not remove the source of the pathogenic factors. Therefore the success of PE will depend on whether the pathogenic substances are accessible through the circulation, and whether their rate of production and transfer to the plasma component can be adequately addressed by PE. For example, PE can rapidly reduce levels of serum autoantibodies; however, through a feedback mechanism this rapid reduction may lead to a rebound overproduction of the same antibodies. This rebound production of antibodies is thought to render the replicating pathogenic clone of lymphocytes more vulnerable to cytotoxic drugs; therefore, PE is sometimes used in conjunction with cyclophosphamide.

So ganun ang essence niya…they had to collect 2 liters of plasma last Wednesday…tapos another 2L kahapon…I’ll have a CBC and blood works tomorrow…I might need a platelet transfusion…so I’ll have type B platelets (and plasma if ever) na infused to me…tapos RBC donations will remain type O…

Astig kasi during transplant lang pwede magpalit ng blood type ang tao…(during birth nasa genes na yun…)so after the engraftment period ng transplant, magiging Type B na ako…full-pledged…hehehe

So ayun, sa mga may mabubuting loob donate naman kayo ng dugo…
The doctors prefer Platelet Pheresis (same concept sa Plasma pheresis) para yung ita-transfuse na dugo sa akin would come from one donor na lang unlike before…that means less transfusion reactions din…the pheresis would take around 4 hours (bawal tumayo para umihi) so extra effort sa aking dear donors…

For other donors who don’t have plenty of time, pwede pa rin naman yung usual blood donation time pero you’ll be giving me blood I can use during packed RBC transfusion sessions…
So ayun po….Type B – Platelet Pheresis
Type O – usual blood donation
Sa St. Luke’s, you’ll have to have the usual screening pero mejo matagal ang waiting time lalo na sa pheresis donors kaya give enough time na rin…basta please contact me (and my family and mike) if you’re interested in giving me blood and saving a life….

Drama…pero you’re giving me your blood or at least may effort pero hinde talaga pwede, thank you…

The time has come...hehehe

Hayy…inis…bakit ba ang tigas ng ulo ko…
Hindi ako matuto-tuto na ‘pag magta-type ng entry, whether mahaba o maiksi, sa word dapat mag-type kasi ‘pag nagloko ang explorer, naloko na rin ang na-type mo…
OPO, I’ve been a victim again, ngayon lang…as in…mahaba na ‘yon…
Ang kwento ko about my experiences dito sa hospital…hay…katamad na ulitin…grrr…

OK Let’s start over…
I was admitted here at St. Luke’s Medical Center early morning of Monday…xempre halong kaba at excitement…Ok naman…kahit balik-ospital uli…
Ok naman amenities nila (ang hinde is the price that comes with it…so iniisip ko na lang na no pain-no gain, walang sakit sa katawan,walang sakit sa bulsa - - hindi gagaling sa sakit…so fine keri na rin)

Ok naman yung room ko, dito siya ito sa 1st floor lang pero annex II, BMT unit…there’s an anteroom before you reach my room, 1004. The anteroom has glass doors, mejo masikip lang…there’s another room pa for other patients…Dun sa anteroom na rin yung nurse station…Nurse to patient ratio dito sa bmt is 1:2. There are 4 nurses shifting pero mejo haggard lang ‘pag toxic yung isang patient…what more pag sabay kaming toxic..wawa naman…OK naman yung nurses, mejo nagiging masungit lang during visiting hours…”Almost Bawal” ang visitors…kung pwede wala, very good, kung meron, at most 1 lang. And “visitors” include even our family members…opo…

Sa room ko, ok din kasi may pc with net connection (mejo kainis lang kasi ‘di masyadong updated yung system kaya di ako makalaro ng PangYa…hay, promise! Tsaka matindi ang firewall). May stationary bike din tsaka DVD player, may electric fan din just in case uminit kasi centralized ang AC…plus the usual private room amenities like tv, ref and phone and own T&B…Naka-HEPA air filter system din - - 25 air exchanges daw per minute with positive pressure inside the room para palabas yung direction ng air, to minimize air-borne infections,etc daw…I get to eat 3 main meals plus 3 snacks…akala ko papayat ako dito, BUT NO! I gain and lose weight unpredictably…and note: ilang days pa lang…hayyy

Eto na, ang haggard part…before you can get inside my room, may you be my bantay, visitor, nurse, doctor, technician, housekeeper, basta lahat…mahabang seremonyas muna ang pagdadaanan mo, as in by the time you get into the room ang see me pagod ka na to talk or worse your time is up…hehehe…Pagdating mo sa labas ng bmt unit…you have to take off your shoes/slippers and change into rubber slippers provided by the bmt unit…that’s the only time ok ka na pumasok…Pagpasok, you wash your hands, tie your hair kung loose, put on a mask and head cover (parang shower cap), and put over your clothes a long-sleeved hospital gown…Kung may bitbit kang whatever, especially if it’s a big bag, you have to spray something on it to disinfect, then wipe…kung pwedeng hinde ipasok inside my room, better…In between, you will have to put up with probable snide remarks, but that is least likely to happen…mejo konting parinig lang siguro, but then ok lang, that’s their job and that’s what they’re told to do, pero kung OA na, let me know…and Then charaaa!! The Holy Grail…hahaha!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tuesday very early morning I had to have CT scanned, then transfused with Platelets…yung blood transfusion is to prepare for my Perm Catheter insertion around 7am of the same day…Swerte kasi hinde ganon ka-grabe yung transfusion reaction ko and I was able to sleep a little before the surgery…around 6:30am binaba na ako sa CATH LAB, operating room…pero naghintay pa ako ng matagal kasi late yung surgeon dumating…nagstart ata kami around 9am na…hay…

Eto yung nakakatawa…knowing my usual self, hindi na ako nagtaka, and in a sort of way, inexpect ko na rin…hehe…the anesthesiologist had to give a mild sedative for the procedure…The first shot, was given hours before, nung binaba ako sa OR to start relaxing me…mejo inantok ako pero I was still conscious, nakikipagkwentuhan pa ako sa mga tao dun…Nung hiniga na ako sa operating table, they gave me the next dose…that was supposed to make me sleep or at least drowsy…pero as in, wala talagang effect…So imagine, I was wide awake the whole time I was being operated on…nararamdaman ko yung paghiwa, pag-insert nung cath, pagdiin sa mga veins ko pati na rin ang pagtahi…hayyy…what a life! Carry ko naman…I was smiling at chumichika na by the time they were doing the stitching…hindi ko man nakikita yung ginagawa nila dahil dun sa shield na nakaharang para di ako talsikan ng dugo sa mukha…ramdam na ramdam ko…hehe…

Masakit yung insertion site…pagbalik ko sa room di pa ako masyadong makagalaw…pero yung feeling ko this time was better compared nung time na Porta-Catheter yung kinabit sa akin sa NKI. Noon di ako makabangon ng at least 2 days after my surgery eto, di na nga tumalab yung anesthesia, hours lang ang hinintay ko paikot-ikot na ako dito sa room…

Thursday, February 09, 2006

you're the only one for me

You're the Only One for Me Lyrics
By Allure


Yeah ummm... yeay.
I've gotten close so many times
Tryin to fit in I don't know why
I had to leave behind a dream that could be mine
I thought that I would never find
Someone who's heart could read my mine
Now I don't have to hide cuz you are in my life
[Chorus:]I promise you that love won't be easy
I promise you there'll be times apart (apart)
But I swear that it comes from my heart
When I promise you're the only one for me(for me.. yeah)
Sometimes I know it hard for you
Wondering if we'll make it through
But if you give me time
I'll show you that you're mine, I promise you
[Repeat Chorus]You showed me who I am,
I know you understand
You taught me how to just not be afraid of love
I'm not afraid to look in your eyes
I surrender to love
I open to nothing you anything inside
[Repeat chorus x2]

***************************
***love won't be easy...sure!***

when you love someone

When you love someone
By bryan adams


When you love someone - you'll do anything
you'll do all the crazy things that you can't explain
you'll shoot the moon - put out the sun
when you love someone you'll deny the truth - believe a lie
there'll be times that you'll believe you can really fly
but your lonely nights - have just begun
when you love someone
when you love someone - you'll feel it deep inside
and nothin else can ever change your mind when you want someone -
when you need someone when you need someone...
when you love someone - you'll sacrifice
you'd give it everything you got and you won't think twice
you'd risk it all - no matter what my come
when you love someone
you'll shoot the moon - put out the sun
when you love someone


**************************************************
oldies pero love ko si bryan adams...at isa 'to sa mga pinaka-love kong kanta niya
very true...kaya mo magawa kahit na ano, basta for love...

__When I See You Smile___

When I See You Smile
By Firehouse


Sometimes I wonder how I'd ever make it through,
through this world without having you. I just wouldn't have a clue.
'Cause sometimes it seems like this world is closing in on me,
and there's no way of breaking free, and then I see you reach for me
Sometimes I want to give up, wanna give in, I wanna quit the fight,
and then I see you baby, and everything's alright.
Everything's alright
(Chorus)When I see you smileI can face the world
Oh you know I can do anything When I see you smile
See a ray of light Oh see it shining right through the rain
When I see you smileBaby when I see you smile at me.
Oh yeah Baby there's nothing in this world that could ever do
what the touch of your hand can do it's like nothingthat I ever knew.
Hey And when the rain is falling I don't feel it'
Cause you're here with me now
I want to answer baby It's all I'll ever need. It's all I'll ever need
(Chorus)When I see you smileI can face the world
Oh you know I can do anything
When I see you smileI see a ray of light
Oh I see it shining right through the rain
When I see you smile baby Baby when I see you smile at me.
Sometimes I want to give up, I wanna give in,
I wanna quit the fight, then one look at you baby, and everything's alright.
Hey Everything's alright so right
(Chorus)When I see you smileI can face the world
Oh you know I can do anything yeah
When I see you smileI see a ray of light
Oh I see it shining right through the rain Yeah
When I see you smileYeah I can face the world
Oh you know I can do anything nowWhen I see you smile, oh yeah baby
When I see you smile


*********************************
In na in pa 'to ngayon because of SIAM's winner Kris Lawrence...
This is love........

Thank You

Thank You
By Dido

My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window and I can't see at all
And even if I could it'd all be grey, but your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad
I drank too much last night, got bills to pay, my head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today, I'm late for work again
And even if I'm there, they'll all imply that I might not last the day
And then you call me and it's not so bad, it's not so bad
and I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life
Push the door, I'm home at last and I'm soaking through and through
Then you hand me a towel and all I see is you
And even if my house falls down, I wouldn't have a clue
Because you're near me and I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life


******
awwww...sige na nga, sabi ni Mike theme song daw namin yan...

Lotsa Lovin!

Valentine's feva'...

Nakakatawa, sa sobrang wala akong magawa (well, meron naman din...chika lang yun...)
nagpadala ako ng entry dun sa pa-contest ng inquirer, just to win an iPod Shuffle...
Very Guilty! hahaha...

pero since, parang wala naman masyadong effort, kung ano lang ang naisip kong 10 songs "that remind you of the one you love"...zzige na nga, share ko na rin dito...wag kayo matawa...mejo mushy, cheesy at creamy...share ko na rin ang lyrics para fun...yung iba baka di niyo ma-gets kung bakit, pero wag niyo na lang isipin kasi secret na 'yon...harhar!

oright??
Happy Hearts Day to all!!!

********************************************************

Thank You - Dido
When I See You Smile – Firehouse
When You Love Someone – Bryan Adams
You’re The Only One For Me – Allure
I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing – Aerosmith
The First Time I Loved Forever – Beauty and the Beast OST
Only When I’m With You – Trina Belamide
Now That I Have You – The Company
Hanggang – Wency Cornejo Journey – Angela Zhang

...schedule...

hay, ayan at long last...after months (o sige, make that 5 months) of delay, finally!!!
Transplant is on the way...

Here's my sked, para di kayo magtaka kung nasan na naman ako...hihihi ;)
February 19 - Admission to St. Luke's
21 - Hickman Cath implantation - surgery
23 - Consolidation Chemotherapy (1 week ata)
March 2 - Transplant day (pwede mas matagal, as in 2,3 or more days, depende sa ma- provide/harvest na stem cells ng/sa aking brother-donor)
After Transplant...Waitaing Game na...hayy

Please pray for me...Kaya ko 'to, kaya natin 'to...

I'll take this opp na rin to request sa mga mabubuting tao, na maraming dugo at pwedeng mag-donate...we need blood donors again, at mas crucial ang stage na ito kaya kailangan sana ng maraming dugo...I'm Type O+ right now, but once na-transplant na, my blood type will change to B+ kasi yun ang blood type ng kuya ko na donor...Basta, any blood type will do...Thanks in advance and God bless!