Treatment Plan

In March of 2022. I attended my 6 month check up and yearly PET Scan. The scan did not show a lot of changes from the year prior. Only a few areas were seen to have lymph nodes that had grown larger than before. The results of my blood work were concerning with my White Blood Cells reading over 100,000 along with low Red Blood Cells, low hemoglobin, and higher lymphocytes than my previous visits. At this time, my doctor recommended to start a few treatments to complete over the course of one year. One is an IV infusion called Gazyva for 6 months and the other is an oral medication called Venclexta for 1 year.

The news of now having to treat my diagnosis was not what I was expecting to hear that day. I had been praying and believing that either my numbers would be decreased or that I would be healed. This news was difficult for me to process as most people with a CLL Stage 1 diagnosis get to watch and wait for many years before being treated. Days went by where I just cried and could not talk much especially about this situation. 

Once I finally processed and accepted this information, I decided to move forward with preparing for treatment. I had to make sure insurance covered the medications, make arrangements at work for my absence while getting treatments, and set up dates & times for my infusions.

I started my IV Gazyva at the beginning of April 2022.  My first two infusion sessions were in the medical center in Houston, TX at the clinic where my doctor sees patients.  Driving back and forth to and from the medical center was time consuming as well as exhausting as many trips are over an hour one way due to Houston traffic.  During my first two treatments, I was given IV Benadryl, steroid, and Pepcid as premedication so that I would not have infusion reactions. I did however have a reaction during my first infusion where my blood pressure went super low and made me feel weak with sweats.  Due to the infusion reaction from the first infusion, the nurses elected to slow down the infusion rate of my second infusion so the same reaction did not happen.  I was at the infusion center on Day 2 for close to 8 hours.

After the second treatment, I was able to complete the rest of my infusions in a clinic in Cypress, TX which is closer to my home and was much easier with transportation.  I had infusions every week for 3 weeks the first month then once a month for 6 total cycles.  Also, my body adjusted to the medication so I was able to tolerate the normal infusion rate after my first infusion.  Most infusion days, I was at the center for about 4.5 -5 hours which took up most of a day.  I was able to read, watch TV, and complete lots of pharmacy continuing education.  

While preparing and going through treatment, I have learned to praise God in the process and to not fear along the way.  A few verses that I would read and remember are Philippians 4:4-7 which would help me not to worry and receive God’s peace.