Weekly Musings : Week 40 Have to Be Careful

 

Weekly Musings : Week 40 Have to Be Careful

As things were settling down we had a small incident where Manas slipped a bit in the bathroom and got a cut in his leg. There was slight bleeding as the toe skin had come off. His GCSF was given and his counts were good. His maintenance phase now officially starts from 7^th September. As he had a cut we were asked to be very careful in the maintenance phase to avoid any kind of injury or infection. Funny how mind works because as soon as the major phase is done, there is a rush to catch up, but then there is need to exercise caution and be careful.

Weekly Musings : Week 39 Still Settling Down

 

Weekly Musings : Week 39 Still Settling Down

This week Manas maintenance phase was to start, he was excited. We went to do the blood test and his counts were low hence Dr Shobha asked us to give GCSF for 4 days and then come again. We all thought things will settle down soon but realized that 6 months of intense chemo injections will take time to taper down. The week was fine and Manas has started his studies and onlines classes. The school also admitted him and he is settling down to the normal that was there a year ago. We now give him cricket practice at home with a light tennis ball.

Weekly Musings : Week 38 The Normal Settling In

 

Weekly Musings : Week 38 The Normal Settling In

This week Manas got his blood test and parameters were normal, though heamoglobin was bit low Dr Shobha said it will come back. With no further injections, it is the settling of the new normal. Manas was very happy and took a snap in the same dress he had bought a year ago for his birthday. Time seems to fly and didn’t realise what all the poor kid had gone through, he has taught us so many things and so many people have touched our lives. It was a an emotional feeling of having conquered something big. The normal is something all of us are slowly getting used to and pray the world also comes back to its normal self.

Weekly Musings : Week 37 Our Freedom At Midnight

 

Weekly Musings : Week 37 Our Freedom At Midnight

15^th August was the 74^th Independence day celebration for India and it was no less a freedom for Manas as well as his last chemo injection of Cytrabin was given on 15^th August. He was very happy and relieved and celebrated by speaking to his friends. Evening he played a few shots, somehow balancing himself. On 15^th August the cricket legends MS Dhoni and his buddy Suresh Raina announced their retirement. I was telling Manas that one MS retires and paves way for the other MS (Manas Shalini) and another left handed batsmen retires and he can fill those shoes. It was an emotional feeling like having scaled the peak after a long and arduous trek. The maintenance phase starts now and the same care and discipline needs to be followed, pretty much like our freedom, it was tough to achieve and require equal effort to maintain the same.

Weekly Musings : Week 36 Semi-Final after 250 Days

 

Weekly Musings : Week 36 Semi-Final after 250 Days

This week Manas completed 250 days of his treatment and the semi final week as next week will be his last chemo cycle. This week also like last week involved blood transfusion but now all seems to be so normal & routine.  The festive season for Hindus has begun and it seems to take baby steps for Manas as well as we see the routines coming back, be it independent walk or doing his studies or shoots of hair starting to grow all that in past seemed insignificant now shows sign of growth and positive change. As I reflect over the past 8 months, the world revolved only within home and hospital which has become a familiar place and somehow I don’t seem to have a feeling of having missed the earlier routine of travel, meeting people, eating out, vacation,running etc. When priorities change everthing else seems insignificant. We are now all prepped up for the grand final next week.

Weekly Musings : Week 35 Health Soldiers

Weekly Musings : Week 35 Health Soldiers

This week we expected it to be a routine check up though the doctor did tell that his blood counts may drop. While Manas was his normal physical and mental self the blood test showed low count of platlets and hameglobin which means he had to be transfused blood. In normal times this would have been easily arranged but due to Covid, there is shortage of this and I was asked to go and meet the blood bank and arrange for it. While waiting at the blood bank to donate blood I could see what all work the Health workers or what we should ideally call Health Soldiers were doing. There were families in emergencies and people they had got to donate blood while the scare and fear of the virus lurked around. While I was lying in blood and as I squirmed at thought of the needle prick was thinking how many of such and more Manas has endured. How many of these the patients undergo while the Health Soliders painstakingly go through this assuring that things will be all right. While there are soliders protecting our borders we have these soldiers protecting our health, god bless them. Amen

Daily Diary for Month of August 2020

244) Saturday 1^st August : Manas woke up a bit late and started his studies. Started with Maths. Today he also started doing bit of the strenuous stretches as well. GCSF was given. Today tamrind rice made which was my preference.

245) Sunday 2^nd August : Manas woke late, today his Cytrabin chemo injections starts, Dr Shobha had reduced the dosage. Did not give him Emset as he felt ok. Now his routine studying time table also set for 2 hours daily. Morning made Pasta and night egg curry and Shalini made Gulan Jamun. Another routine day.

246) Monday 3^rd August : Today was ‘Avani Atam’ ritual and hence woke up early and did that. Manas woke a bit late. Took his Cytrabin injections and did not give Pan or Emset as he felt ok. Evening his exercises was done and today he was made to sit and stand, it was difficult to get up and with help he could get up. Night we went through the snaps and videos of the last 8 months, he was not keen to look at that as it was not a happy sight, told him look at his progress and the journey. Tried making baked samosa for snacks came out ok.

247) Tuesday 4^th August: Day 3 of Cytrabin and one more to go, after this just one more week of chemo. Another routine day, played chess with him and after a 5 day winning streak lost to him. Today he was able to sit and stand with some assistance but much better than yesterday. One more day of progress.

248) Wednesday 5^th August: The final dose of this week’s Cytrabin was given. Manas had late lunch and then had his exercises, later he felt nauseauting and vomited couple of time. Shalini got worried but the main reason is that we did not give him Emset & Pan as he was able to bear the medicine and had no such sensation. He slept in evening and had light dinner of curd rice and felt better.

249) Thursday 6^th August : Manas was better, gave him Emset though. Today his GCSF injection starts so that his counts are in check. He was his usual self, ate light and did his exercises. Today after a long time pav bhaji was made.

250) Friday 7^th August: Today is the 250^th day since his operation. Another routine day, tomorrow is his checkup and another blood test hope it all comes normal as only 1 more week to go. He did his stretches and now is bit smoother, his hair has started growing though they are very thin and very weak. He was asking how much time till he gets his normal hair back said couple of months. He has started his routine studies and thanks to covid the syllabus is curtailed and he was happy.

251) Saturday 8^th August: Morning we went to hospital around 11am. Manas went walking only. Met Dr Shobha, she asked for blood test and said will then write the injections. I was expecting his parameters to be normal but his hameglobin and platlets were low hence he was again transfused blood and platlets. Shalini decided to donate blood but as he hameglobin was 10.50 they did not take, asked Sagar and Fabian to donate. Sunita also came but her hameglobin was also low. His transfusion was done by 6 pm and then we came home. Did his calcicum check and it was also low so Dr Shobha asked to continue Shelcal for 2 more months. For 3 days no injections after that the last dose of Cytrabin and then GCSF, she said the platelets normally go up. She asked not to do any rigorous stretches for a week as they tend to keep the counts low, hence asked Krupanidhi not to come for a week.

252) Sunday 9^th August : Manas stayed till early morning wanting to watch the Barcelona & Napoli match which Barcelona won. Manas woke up late. We ere planning to make fish but no delivery on same day. He had sambar for lunch and night made my Chinese curry. Evening made beetroot cutlet.

253) Monday 10^th August: Another normal day, for a week no Physio coming and I only give him the basic exercises as he should not be stressed with the tougher exercises. No GCSF or Cytrabin. Manas now spends 2 hours studying and his course is also scaled down due to Covid. The football season has started and he has developed a good interest in this game as well. Made beetroot soup for him.

254) Tuesday 11^th August: Another normal day of exercise, eat, study and a round of chess. Lost the game after a winning streak. Today is Gokulashtami hence variety of dishes prepared, so binge eating. Manas could sit and do a proper namaskaram and was happy at doing that and becoming independent. His walk is still not fully balanced but he manages on how own while someone is around him. Tomorrow the last chemo cycle of cytrabin begins.

255) Wednesday 12^th August: Morning he woke up and reminded me that he has to be given Pan and Emset as Cytrabin starts today. Gave him that. Today made Pomfret Fish fry, he had asked for a change for some time. Turned out well. Seems to have helped in his hemoglobin count as his palms looked a bit pinkish. Gave him the the first of the 4 Cytrabin chemo injection. He was a bit tired so skipped the exercises and he slept for sometime in the evening. Night ate curd rice as lunch was heavy. At night he felt nauseauting and vomited couple of times and then went to sleep.

256) Thursday 13^th August : Day 2 of Cytrabin given and last 2 more to go. Gave him Emset & Pan and today he was fine and did not throw up. Mami had made laddoos today. He has been craving for raw cucumber salad and finally had one today. After all the exotic dishes, time for some basics. He did the exercises on his own as I was busy with work. Another busy day passed by.

257) Friday 14^th August : Day 3 of Cytrabin. Manas was fine and had a routine day. Evening did little exercises so as not to stretch himself. Happy that just one more day to go. His hair seems to be growing back quickly and he was happy. Night he staed late to watch the European cup match between Barcelona and Bayern Munich where Bayern thrashed Barca 8-2, he was bit sad but then laughed it off whereas Sagar was very disappointed and heartbroken.

258) Saturday 15^th August: Gave the last dose of cytrabin injection, was a very emotional feeling for Shalini and me. Manas was his usual self where he takes things lightly, his biggest strength. He said that is over now and he is looking forward to go out, play and meet his friends. He was excited and called up his friends. He spoke to Mihir who like him had undergone the same protocol. Evening he played a few shots at home and was very happy.

259) Sunday 16^th August: From today next 5 days GCSF injections to boost his wbc and the maintenance phase starts. Manas did his exercises and also played couple of overs at home. Evening made pizza at home as celebration. A pleasant day.