As my chemotherapy continued, I became sicker. My red blood cell count dropped below 2 M/uL. I felt very weak. I had several transfusions and took medication to try to increase my red blood cells. Who can tell whether or not it did any good? I assume my condition would have gotten worse without that help. But I remained weak. I could not walk very far without getting out of breath.
Of more concern was the drop in white blood cell count to bellow 1 M/uL. That made me vulnerable to infections. During those times, I could only do office work. Even then, I did get flu and bronchial type infections that lead me to be hospitalized twice.
After 13 months of chemo with MRI reports saying that there was no more detectable growth, my oncologist recommended discontinuing the chemo in light of the impact that it was having on my blood cells. In January of 1994, I left the hospital free of chemotherapy. I had an MRI every two months for the next year. Then every six months for two years. Finally, the number was dropped to only one MRI per year. This continued until 2003. Each time the result was the same… no visible growth.
When I was first diagnosed, only 1 person in 10 survived past 10 years. I had made it! I could now officially start telling people that I was CURED!
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