An unexpected visit!

So today ended up being an MDACC day!   Last week when Josh was feeling so bad we really weren't sure who to talk to about coming in.  So we emailed 2 different people in 2 different departments.  The trial nurse got back to us immediately and set up an appointment right after we talked to her. So we thought that was that.  Well days later we get an email from Dr. Quintas' nurse who also told us she set up labwork for us today.  So Joshua was supposed to cancel today's appointment.

But he came home yesterday morning and said that he had been very aware of his spleen again all night at work.  It's not painful, but he says it is just that he can feel it inside his body.  So he wanted to go ahead and go in today.

So we did, and everything came back normal!  Well, not everything entirely, but all the important stuff.  I am waiting for the day when his lab work printout doesn't have a single line in bold! :)  Almost there!  They also said that his thyroid numbers from last week were normal too.

His main problems this week have been with muscle pain and cramps in his legs and occasionally in his shoulders.  The nurse told him to drink tonic water and he can take some calcium supplements cause his was at the low end of normal.  Evidently those things help with muscle cramps.  Of course the active ingredient in tonic water that helps with the cramps is quinine, which in itself can be bad for you.  We bought a bottle today so I guess we'll discuss if he wants to drink it.  I mean, he's already dealing with leukemia the last thing he needs to have to deal with low platelets, right?  Perhaps we'll start with calcium. :)

While we were waiting in line to pay for parking Josh declares that he thinks he just needs to calm down about all these things he's feeling.  He just feels "something" all the time.  Fatigue, muscle cramps, bone pain, whatever.  He's realizing that it is time to learn to live with these symptoms, cause they will be here forever.  Up until now each little thing has made him think that the chemo isn't working and things are going downhill.  But these things are just normal for someone with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia.  Normal for people taking Tasigna.  He's trying to acclimate to this new normal. 

Every time we are at the Fast Track Lab we do realize how very blessed we are.  So many very, very sick people.  So many people with acute leukemias.  So many people having a really difficult time with treatment.  Thanking God today that he is doing so well!