I couldn't believe it, I went to Chicago to begin the Stem Cell Transplant and had a relapse! In fact, I had just left the hospital back home in Albany because I was admitted for an exacerbation. I wondered, if this hell would ever end.
I felt fine and was getting ready for the Stem Cell Transplant Immobilization, where I'd begin with one round of chemotherapy (Cytoxan). Then I would inject myself for 5 days with Neupogen, which is actually E. Coli, to build red blood cells to be harvested.
However, before I began this I first had to deal with an unexpected relapse. This exacerbation was the most horrible and frightening yet. I was in Chicago, in my little kitchen in the Seneca Hotel, and began to feel very dizzy...I got weak in the knees, and the room started spinning. I don't know what was worse, being away from home and not being able to see anything, or not having any of my family near me because I was 1400 miles away.
I suddenly fell to the ground! I was shaking with fear...I didn't understand how this could be happening right now. What was happening? Where was I? I couldn't see what was around me because everything was spinning.
I took a deep breath and sighed...I knew I was the only person who could help me. I didn't want to scream like a baby..I was an adult having a serious problem. That didn't mean I could act like a child...and the situation wasn't life threatening and didn't require an ambulance. I thought, "be strong, you have to do this, there's no one else here, but you."
I got on all fours, and crawled into the living room like a dog. I found the coffee table and searched it with my hands to find my cell phone. I pushed the green button and it dialed Dr. Burt's office. I told the receptionist, "I had an emergency and needed the doctor to call me back immediately because the room was spinning!"
She told me I should call 911. I told her I didn't want to...this wasn't a life threatening emergency...just a scary one.
The doctor called me back in just a few minutes.
"Ms. Solimanto, you need to get to the emergency room right away!"
"I know, but that seems difficult considering I can barely stand...and the room is spinning."
"Then you need to call 911!"
"I will be arriving at the hospital shortly, but not in an ambulance."
"Okay, I will meet you there." Dr. Testori hung up, as did I.
I crawled over to what kind of looked like the front door, grabbed the door knob and pulled myself to my feet. I started praying..."Dear God please help me." I opened the door and went to the elevator right in front of me.
I put my hands onto the wall and started searching for the button to the elevator. I knew once the elevator reached me, I'd be okay. It was a five star hotel and had an elevator boy.
I scratched at the wall, until I found a button and pushed whatever I felt at my finger tips....
"Going up?" He asked.
"No, down. Could you please help me too...without making a scene? I feel really dizzy.."
I reached my hand out and he grabbed it, leading me into the elevator. I grabbed onto his arm and held on. I didn't want to fall. "You don't mind if I hold onto you?"
"No, not at all." He replied.
He led me out front and flagged down a cab for me. The bell boy assisted me into the cab and told the cab driver to take me to Northwestern hospital and to make sure I got help in.
I was counting on people near me, that I didn't know to help me. I wished someone I knew was there, I felt extremely insecure and frightened.
The cab ride was a blur...it looked like a stream of different colored lights. I felt as if I was extremely drunk, but I wasn't...and I felt like crying...
The cab driver arrived at the hospital, went in and grabbed a wheelchair...he helped me into it. I thanked him profusely, for being so kind...He wheeled me in and got help.
I remember the receptionist wheeled me to the corner of the waiting room....I felt alone...so alone...
I closed my eyes and felt the tears roll down my cheeks...and asked God, "Are you there?"
A link to a newspaper article describing my Stem Cell Transplant.
Another link to a previous post of mine, which also discusses the stem cell transplant.
I felt fine and was getting ready for the Stem Cell Transplant Immobilization, where I'd begin with one round of chemotherapy (Cytoxan). Then I would inject myself for 5 days with Neupogen, which is actually E. Coli, to build red blood cells to be harvested.
However, before I began this I first had to deal with an unexpected relapse. This exacerbation was the most horrible and frightening yet. I was in Chicago, in my little kitchen in the Seneca Hotel, and began to feel very dizzy...I got weak in the knees, and the room started spinning. I don't know what was worse, being away from home and not being able to see anything, or not having any of my family near me because I was 1400 miles away.
I suddenly fell to the ground! I was shaking with fear...I didn't understand how this could be happening right now. What was happening? Where was I? I couldn't see what was around me because everything was spinning.
I took a deep breath and sighed...I knew I was the only person who could help me. I didn't want to scream like a baby..I was an adult having a serious problem. That didn't mean I could act like a child...and the situation wasn't life threatening and didn't require an ambulance. I thought, "be strong, you have to do this, there's no one else here, but you."
I got on all fours, and crawled into the living room like a dog. I found the coffee table and searched it with my hands to find my cell phone. I pushed the green button and it dialed Dr. Burt's office. I told the receptionist, "I had an emergency and needed the doctor to call me back immediately because the room was spinning!"
She told me I should call 911. I told her I didn't want to...this wasn't a life threatening emergency...just a scary one.
The doctor called me back in just a few minutes.
"Ms. Solimanto, you need to get to the emergency room right away!"
"I know, but that seems difficult considering I can barely stand...and the room is spinning."
"Then you need to call 911!"
"I will be arriving at the hospital shortly, but not in an ambulance."
"Okay, I will meet you there." Dr. Testori hung up, as did I.
I crawled over to what kind of looked like the front door, grabbed the door knob and pulled myself to my feet. I started praying..."Dear God please help me." I opened the door and went to the elevator right in front of me.
I put my hands onto the wall and started searching for the button to the elevator. I knew once the elevator reached me, I'd be okay. It was a five star hotel and had an elevator boy.
I scratched at the wall, until I found a button and pushed whatever I felt at my finger tips....
"Going up?" He asked.
"No, down. Could you please help me too...without making a scene? I feel really dizzy.."
I reached my hand out and he grabbed it, leading me into the elevator. I grabbed onto his arm and held on. I didn't want to fall. "You don't mind if I hold onto you?"
"No, not at all." He replied.
He led me out front and flagged down a cab for me. The bell boy assisted me into the cab and told the cab driver to take me to Northwestern hospital and to make sure I got help in.
I was counting on people near me, that I didn't know to help me. I wished someone I knew was there, I felt extremely insecure and frightened.
The cab ride was a blur...it looked like a stream of different colored lights. I felt as if I was extremely drunk, but I wasn't...and I felt like crying...
The cab driver arrived at the hospital, went in and grabbed a wheelchair...he helped me into it. I thanked him profusely, for being so kind...He wheeled me in and got help.
I remember the receptionist wheeled me to the corner of the waiting room....I felt alone...so alone...
I closed my eyes and felt the tears roll down my cheeks...and asked God, "Are you there?"
A link to a newspaper article describing my Stem Cell Transplant.
Another link to a previous post of mine, which also discusses the stem cell transplant.
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