AML: Neupogen & Time for some shots...

Am I a "glass half full" or a "glass half empty" guy?  

Who cares... Drink it!

So, 5 weeks after my chemo, my white count still refuses to recover.  I've still been hovering at .2 WBC and an ANC of 50 +/-. 

I'm on Levoquin (antibiotic) and a bunch of other meds which should be helping to keep infection away.  I still avoid large groups and as a result have missed Alivia's and Nevaeh's school concerts.  Tomorrow is Alivia's first basketball game.  I really don't want to miss it.  (I'm not going to)

I've been doing blood work 3 times a week.  Hemoglobin and platelets are rising fine, which means no transfusions.  I think my hemoglobin was the first to rise, which is a little odd.  Usually I see the platelets and white blood rise first. I really don't have an explanation and have not been provided one. 

Last Wednesday when I had my last Dr. appointment, I asked about Neupogen shots.  These shots boost white cell growth.  I've only done the shots once before back when I was finishing my sixth (and at that time, "last") round of chemo, prior to my first relapse.  I was trying to get out before the 4th of July and needed to speed things up.  The shots worked quite well back then.  So since we've been hovering for about two weeks, I asked the doctor if we were to a point where we'd start the shots. 

He always loves when I suggest treatment options.  Since I have spent enough time in a hospital, I think I have this part down.  He agreed to the Neupogen shots.  The plan was to start them Friday (today) if my counts still had not improved.  Well, my labs didn't improve today and they called me back in for the shots.

Cool thing is since the doctors and nurses at Sanford appreciate my skills, they are going to have me administer the shots myself at home.  The shots (to the right) go right in my belly.  Through all this, this is the first time I've had to administer injections to myself.  I am thankful once again that we chose the insurance option (Sanford Insurance plan) we did.  Getting the $10,000 (for 5 shots) medication approved by insurance was easy once again. My copay...$20.  We'd be in a world of hurt if not for our insurance. 

I am a little nervous about the Neupogen.  There is one school of thinking that suggest that jumpstarting the system with these shots may also trigger growth of leukemia cells if there are some hiding somewhere.  Right now, the risk of infection was getting to great. 

So I took my first shot (self administered) at about 2:30 this afternoon.  I am already feeling the shots at work.  I get a throbbing bone\muscle "pain" when the shots start doing their thing.   I feel it in my back now.  It is minor at the moment, but I am remembering it was a bit intense a few days in last time.  The minor discomfort is easy enough to handle considering the "happy pill" options I have.  They tell me not to mix my pain meds with alcohol, but a Diet Mtn Dew combo does a nice job. 

Other side effects?  We'll it's either making me a little warm, or I am starting to run a fever.  considering I have not had chills, I think it is the shots at work.  I'll avoid Tylenol for now since I don't want to mask a fever if I have one.  I have to go to the ER if I run a fever of 100.5.  So it doesn't take much. I am 80% sure it is just the side effects of the shot.  

Might be an interesting night...