What we are achieving with this portion of treatment is a near complete eradication of my old immune system. In effect destroying all of the old auto reactive cells so we can start from new. Many discussion groups have labelled the approach of 'no chemo, no cure'. Makes sense.
So where are we today? I started with a nurse hooking me up to one of four IV jugs and it seems that this rotation will continue throughout the day. I was also given an abdominal injection of heparin to minimize any ideas of blood clotting that my body may have.
Here is a bit of a list of the cocktails going in today:
6 bottles of IV Medications which include:
Anti-emetic (anti nausea)
Dexamethasone (corticosteroid)
Cyclophosamide (Chemo drug for the B and T cells)
Mesna (Protects the lining of the bladder from the chemo)
Furosemide (diuretic)
Glucose (Skittles)
Oral Meds:
Acyclovir (anti-viral)
Omeprozole (PPI)
Flucloxacillin (Anti bacterial)
Ciprofloxacin (Antibiotic)
Trimethoprim combined with solphamethoexazole (same as Bactrim: antibiotics)
It is definitely not light duty on the body, but with that being said, they perform so many transplants here at the hospital that they really have it covered from all angles. Not too many people report much trouble with the initial sets of chemo. This regimen will continue for the next four days and then we wait until my numbers drop and I officially become neutropenic! Here's a pic taken by a fellow patient here of the start of the process.
Love from Moscow