Gordon C McCormick

Day Three Wednesday July 28, 2004

When I woke up today at 7:00 AM I was a bit tired and my temperature was 100.0 degrees. I received two hours of fluids by intravenous drip. When they took my temperature at 9:00 AM it was 100.9. I had been informed that anything higher than 100.5 was required review & action. The doctors were called, more tests were done and the medical team decided that my white cell counts were sufficient to fight the infection causing the temperature. So the second dose of Melphalan was administered over 40 minutes. This evening its still 101.2.

I have been quite unconcerned about these injections of chemotherapy which kill all of my bone marrow. (Now complete) This was easy while they were not “doing it now.” Well today and yesterday they were “doing it now.” I was quite a bit more concerned about it while it was actually happening. I questioned whether I had done enough research on the best course of therapy. I finally decided if I had had six months longer to make this life threatening decision I still would have sought out the best expert advice, as I had already done, and gone ahead. After that I did not worry about it any more.

I am more tired, don’t want to eat much and I didn’t turn the computer on till 5:00 PM.
Tomorrow, Thursday, at noon I am scheduled to starting to get five “bags” of my stem cells for an Autolgous Stem cell transplant. My white cell count is expected to drop to 0 by Sunday. The doctors tell me that they expect my white cell count will return to normal in 10 to 14 days.

I watched most of the Democratic Convention last night. I am deeply moved by some of the speakers. My mother shared many traits with Teresa Heinz Kerry. (Not the money.) I was moved by her contrasting “opinionated” (for women) vs. “well informed” for men.

I missed the talk by Barack Obama. Nick Wolfson was kind enough to send the email below. I listened to Barack and was duly touched moved and inspired. I request that you spend the 15 minutes to hear what he had to say if you missed it. Do it.

If you want to read (and/or listen to, on RealAudio) a few of the better speeches so far at the Democratic Convention, here are some URL's you can use.

Bill Clinton
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/demconvention/speeches/clinton_bill.html

Barack Obama
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/demconvention/speeches/obama.html

Teresa Heinz Kerry
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/demconvention/speeches/heinz-kerry.html

PBS also has text and audio of other speeches from the convention available on their web site.

Unexpected One Week Delay

When I reported to St. Vincent’s Hospital on Monday, July 19th I learned that the hospital assumed that I had a med port installed in my chest. The necessary coordination between the St. Vincent’s Cancer Care Center and the hospital on this point did not happen. I have not had this procedure done and it is necessary for the chemotherapy and injection of stem cells. The minor surgery to insert the port could have been done at the time of admission if it had been scheduled properly. We will now do that on Monday, July 26th at St. Vincent’s. The 17+ day procedure has been delayed by one week. It will now start on the 7/26/2004 and will extend to at least 8/12-16/02.

Kimberly and I were prepared to do it as scheduled and had cleared the decks to go forward. We are disappointed. We had braced for the unpleasant therapy ahead. We have not quite relaxed even though the invasive therapy is not happening now. I am committed to using the extra week of summer granted by the delay to enjoy myself and to catch up on many projects deferred.

I am at home until next Monday and fully available through Sunday night July 25th phone or email.