Today's Schedule

Just met my doctor for the hospital portion of my leukemia treatment. His name is Dave Rizzieri and he does research into this type of cancer as well as other hematologic malignancies. He is very interested in people like me who develop leukemia after treatment for another type of cancer (breast cancer in my case).

Later this morning I'll go downstairs for a cardiac echocardiogram to evaluate the effectiveness of my heart pump. One of the chemo drugs can injure the heart and it is best to see the level of function now before any of the medicines are infused. Then later today I will get a whole bunch of fluid through my catheter followed by the start of my chemo drugs. The regimen I am taking is called "7 and 3" because one of the drugs (Ara-c) is given continuously for 7 days while the other one is given once daily for 3 days (daunorubicin).

I'll be hanging out here in Room 9202, looking west out my hospital room window, or reading, working on the computer, or giving the treadmill and stationary bike a good workout.

New Book I'm Reading: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson (loaned to me by my good pal Deb Reilly)

Word for Today: Breathe ...take a big life giving gulp of air and relax. Everything will happen on its own time.