Over the last few weeks Garrett’s energy was diminishing, his appetite along with it. A sore throat led him to believe it was a virus, but when he started feeling winded walking to the kitchen we figured his blood counts were down. We got in last Friday to see a doc and have blood drawn and sure enough his red blood cells and platelets were low enough to need a blood transfusion. Although we’d had good blood counts the previous week, it seemed like the cold just brought him down faster than we expected. After trying to get an outpatient transfusion appointment with no luck, Garrett agreed to check-in to the hospital that night and get it over with. We went straight over at 5pm and didn’t get done with the transfusion until 5am! It was a very long night with several quirky night nurses and no sleep.
After being pumped up with new blood, Garrett still had a sore throat which kept him from enjoying drinks and food again this week, argh! Today our oncologist selected a new chemotherapy that our insurance had already approved, so we went ahead with the first treatment of gemcitabine and a bag of fluid to combat dehydration. He will get a low dose once a week for two weeks, then have one week off. Most of the side effects listed for gemcitabine (aka gemzar) happen when you are getting a higher dose; Garrett should only feel some of them mildly, if any. It is supposed to be as easy or easier on his body compared to adria!
Echocardiogram results were not in, but that should be a good sign because any irregularities would have been immediately relayed to our doctor.
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