Days -3 to -1

Nausea, and more nausea.  It's incredible how draining it can be.  I had ample distractions, but the one looming thought that kept returning was this:  liverwurst.   Why?  I wish I could tell you.  Some mischievous part of my brain wanted to torment me even further, I guess.

I had the best luck with fresh apples and oranges.  Something about chemo makes my nose hyper-sensitive to the smells and tastes of chemicals.  Fresh food started to appeal, though I had to take it very, very slowly.  Apples and oranges were the best.

Also happening during this time:  a mysterious rash.  I was itchy, nauseous, and thoroughly miserable.  The attending doctor ordered hypo-allergenic gowns and sheets. Things have been improving since then.  Patrick smuggled in some Benadryl lotion, which apparently the NIH pharmacy doesn't stock.  They did provide I.V. benadryl, however.

Fludarabine, the nurses told me, was not the culprit.  I was still suffering the effects of cyclophosphamide.  The good news though, was that on Day -2 (if I recall correctly) it was safe to give me a different anti-nausea drug, aprepitant (Emend).  That seems to be working pretty well.  They're also using I.V. Zofran.

So.  Lots of hazy, itchy, nauseating happenings on these three days.  Doctors come and go twice a day.  Usually my immunotherapy fellow visits one additional time without the entourage, too.

Patrick arrived back at the hospital last night (Day -1).  I can't explain how wonderful it was to see him!  I'm so thankful that he arrived safely (we live 8 hours from NIH, and he elected to drive this time).

Day Zero is here.  Cell Day!
There will even be cake, they said.