Day +3

I sort of mentioned in passing yesterday that I my day was ending with a request for the doctor to get me some help with a potential UTI. Well...that has become the entirety of Day +3. I was having pain in my bladder right before I urinated, and it continued as the stream went out. That happened several times and I let my nurse know. The next time I ended up urinating I passed something a bit thicker than liquid. I called the nurse again, and she explained it was mucus in the urine. She took that sample and sent it to get tested. Meanwhile, I continue to have to pee frequently and each time I pass some of this mucus. I've definitely taken for granted a healthy stream in my lifetime.

The nurse returned and said there were red blood cells in the urine, but that another sample would be needed. No problem...I'm going every 15 minutes, so I'll have that sample in no time. She took the sample, but unfortunately results would not be back until the morning. So sleep did not come in long spurts last night and I awoke very tired.

When the doctors came on rounds they explained that there were more red blood cells than white blood cells, which means it is likely hemorrhagic cystitis. That was the condition that I've been warned about before taking cytoxan. While I was hydrated well and received messna to help protect the lining of my bladder while undergoing the cytoxan infusions, I had diarhea the previous two days. The diarhea left me dehydrated, and I wasn't passing urine at the rate I should have been. So the toxins from the cytoxan that still remain in the body, broke down the interior bladder walls which led to this condition.

The doctors shared that there isn't a cure for this, but that it will most likely return to normal in several days. Right now I have been given a drug to help ease the spasms in the bladder. It has made things slightly more comfortable, but it has reduced the urgency at which I go. On the plus side...my pee now looks like Orange flavored Kool-Aid. Thats fun!

Sorry for all of the potty talk, but thats pretty much been my day. If I had something more interesting to share, then I definitely would have. One of the tough things about cancer treatment is that it effects every part and every system of your body. You also have very little control over when these different problems might arise. While this latest ordeal is the most upsetting to me since the transplant, at least the doctors feel confident that there are no major problems. Hopefully tommorow is a more boring day here at NIH. Until then...thank you all for the love, thoughts, and blessings.