Debbie's Blog

It has been a long time since I have added to my blog. I had a very hard year. It started last summer when my Texas Oncologist wanted me to have a chemo drug named Rituxin. This drug seemed to weakend my immune system. I forgot to mention that prior to recieving the Rituxin I had a seris of sinus infections. I was treated with a seris of three types of antibiotics. The last antibiotic was called levoquin. I was given a 21 day dose. On day 18 I could hardly walk suddenly and my left shoulder was killing me all of a sudden. The ENT on call whom I had never seen told me that I had just had a reaction to the antibiotic levoquin. It can tear your tendons. I had CT scans of my shoulder and knees and my tendons were torn. This still bothers me to this day. So now I take the Rituxin with a big bag of steroids for 4 weeks. Steroids (as I found out) make me nuts. After I came home I broke my rib, had pneumonia twice, had the swine flu and survived. So here I sit. I think close to treating my lymphoma-leukemia that has been on a watch and wait progragram. The worst thing tho in my life is my back. It never stops hurting. I guess from my career, being tall, not exercising when I was young-who knows-bad genes. My doctor wants me to see a surgeon as he said my MRI is far worse than ever. All these years I was told my back was not fixable. All I need is some knife happy surgeon to operate on my back and make it worse if that is possible. I just want my life back be it work or traveling. Just to feel normal for a while. Not to suffer from pain and fatique. All these doctors do not know how to treat pain. This is what I have to say-what a bunch of assholes who listen but can not do shit. One last thing-I ran into a doctor among the group of doctors where I go. She responded by saying what a medical adventure you have been on. Does she think this is fun or an adventure????