and I was doing so well.

It's been a little over a week since my last post. It was a busy and productive week. I have started the ball rolling on Bone Marrow Drives here in Hawaii and back in York. Your continued support, again has been wonderful. With all the support I have received, positive thoughts and prayers, I may not have to fight all that hard you may beat this disease for me. Mentioning fundraiser has put some of you into a frenzy. Thanks. I will keep everyone posted as to our fundraiser plans and bone marrow drives as soon as we know specifics.



Until yesterday I had been doing much better and feeling much better then I had in months. My pain has continued to improve. I have even been able to tolerate lying down. That does not sound like much, but it is a HUGE IMPROVEMENT for me. I have been sleeping sitting up for a long time. Has kept down on the snoring if I must say. Everything seemed to be going well. Then a couple days ago I went to the ER and had an EKG (heart tracing) done. I had been having occasional palpitation over the last month, however each episode usually lasting no more then a minute or tow. A routine EKG was done over about a week ago and read as normal. Then a couple days ago my palpitations lasted 25 minutes or so, the EKG I had done in the ER was fairly unremarkable. However I will be fitted for and wear a halter monitor (portable heart monitor) for 24 hours next monday. I was o.k with that. It did not bother me or my spirit.



Today is a different story. Today I was diagnosed with a blood clot in my upper left arm. To treat it I was started on heavy duty blood thinners. I had slight pain in the back of my wrist and the bend of my arm 2 or 3 days ago. Very slight. Yesterday morning I noticed the areas were a little red. I actually thought the redness was from me rubbing the sore areas. So I made sure I did not touch my arm for an hour or so to see if the redness would resolve. It did not, so I call and talked with the oncology nurse who in turn talked with the Oncologist. Thinking it was phlebitis because the redness started just above my last IV site, they told me to watch it closely place warm compresses on the areas and call them if it got worse throughout the night. I went to sleep early yesterday. I was tired and feeling run down by yesterday evening (thanks to a day or so of GI problems). When I got up this morning the redness had spread up my arm connecting the too ares. I talked to the oncology team, went to my scheduled acupuncture treatment (second one I have ever had), after my treatment I received a call to come in so the MD. could check my arm. An ultrasound was ordered even though it was still thought to be an infection. It was and is however a clot in the upper part of my left arm. Before I could leave I had to get my new medications (lovenox and coumadin), demonstrate to the RN that I could give myself a shot and set up a follow up appointment for next Tuesday. I am sure it will be another day well spent at Kaiser. Nothing wrong with blogging sarcasm is there.



Needless to say I am bummed. Just a couple days ago I was thinking that with my pain under control I'll be able to live a fairly normal life until I head to California for my treatment. Now another heavy dose of reality.



I thought my next post (this post) was going to be lighthearted and upbeat. Next time. It's only been a couple hours since I left Kaiser. Spent the better part of the morning and some of the afternoon there. Could not wait to leave.



I do have your e-mails to look forward to. I have not check my e-mail for the past 2 days. I usually access the blog through my hotmail account and it looks like there were close to 20 e-mails waiting to be read.... just what I need I am sure.


Thank you again for all your support. e-mails, phone calls, offers to help with any and everything. I am truly blessed to have so many of you looking out for me. Scott


just a day at the beach.

Additional note. It's been about 10 hours since I received the news about the blood clot. & about 9 hours since I left Kaiser. I must say I am feeling much better now that I have had time to digest what has developed. That and catching up on my fluids. With the busy morning I was far behind on my H2O intake for the day. Not to mention having a low grade fever yesterday and last night, so I was sweating all night, and loosing fluids with my stomach upset. Any way I have caught up, and am not feeling run down like I was earlier. Would you believe that I drink about 4 to 5 litters of water per day. If I do not I am in trouble and will start to get dehydrated (headache, feverish,tired, crampy). Back to the point. My arm is still red, has a little swelling, and slight tenderness, but I am not bummed about it like I was. The news really hit me hard today. I was not expecting it... thought it was just a good ol' case of phlebitis. Get me some Keflex (anti-biotic) and fo-get-ta-bout-it. Peace, Love and Aloha.