Home Again

Yes, we did indeed get home Wednesday afternoon. It is very nice to be home after almost four months.

Dr. Hosing wanted to see me before I went home because she had the same concern as Dr. Tam about a GvHD flare up just after chemo. It didn't take long after the end of the chemo before the GvHD showed up. By Wednesday morning, when I saw Dr. Hosing, it was on the bottoms of my feet and on the palms of my hands. But she let me go home anyway, especially since a second (and last) round of the steroid, dexamethasone (dex for short) was to start on Saturday as the last part of the chemo protocol. Unfortunately, the GvHD got a lot worse very quickly. By Thursday the GvHD was so bad on the bottoms of my feet that I could hardly walk. Friday was worse. But the second round of dexamethasone started this morning. Dr. Hosing's plan Wednesday was to keep applying the topical steroid cream to the affected areas and wait it out until the dex started Saturday. I thought it would take two days worth of dex before it kicked in. Fortunately, it kicked in quickly. So now, Saturday evening, my feet and hands are a lot better.

This second round of dexamethasone lasts four days. So I wonder if the GvHD will flare up again after the dex is over. But Dr. Hosing gave me a plan if that happens. Back to the steroid Medrol, but at a low dose and tapering off quickly. She didn't want to do that this week and interfere with the chemo protocol, so I just had to tough it out.

So, the process continues. But it sure is nice to be home.