Back home

Folks,

Rajesh has been discharged (released, as he puts it) from the hospital. He is really thrilled to be back home. It was really nice talking to him. Just being home seems to have lifted his spirits. He sounded much more energetic. Hope his recovery continues to improve from this point forward.

He is still walking with a crutch. The lesions, though lesser in size, continue to be there. But the doctors are hopeful that oral antibiotics should continue to work on those. His apetite is almost back to normal levels.

HelpRajesh team.

Rajesh Update

Rajesh is feeling and sounding much better now. He is able to walk without a walker but with a walking stick. His food intake has improved also. The hand twitching has reduced too. If not for the antibiotics treatment regimen, he would have gone home already. They will be doing a MRI on monday and most likely he will be discharged on wednesday. They are planning to go to Palghat after Rishi's exams.

Update

This update is based on a conversation with Rajesh's dad. He seems to be getting much better. His marked improvement is being attributed to his appettite slowly getting back to normal levels. He has gained some strength and has put on some much needed weight. He is able to walk for extended stretches with the help of just one crutch.

His counts are holding up very well. He is scheduled for an MRI in the next 10 days or so, to monitor the lesions that he had inside his head. If the antibiotics have taken care of the problem and the lesions are not seen anymore, he is looking at a discharge in the next 10 days. This is definitely a positive sign.

His dad specifically attributed his rejuvenated outlook to the visit of Shivkumar and all the nostalgic talk that was exchanged. Kudos to him for taking the time.

HelpRajesh Team.

Update

Friends and wellwishers,

Sorry for the delay in posting an update on his condition, following the surgery to his head.

He is recovering well. He is still hospitalized and could be for the next 4 to 5 weeks or so, per doctors estimates. Due to the nature of the surgery and the area of the body, he is still a bit unsteady in his walking. He seems to have lost some strength in usage of his legs. The pain in the area of the surgery seems to have reached manageable limits, even without pain killers. He seems to have developed a pronounced twitch or jerk in one of his hands. According to the doctors this is also attributable to that location of the brain. The doctors believe, with continued physio therapy to his limbs he will start to lose the weakness and pain and is expected to make full recovery.

He is also being treated for the infection, by a managed dose of antibiotics to quell or control the infection in his head. The doctors are working towards finding the right formula of medicine and dosage to keep him infection free.

His spirits have also started to soar a bit. He is still unable to have any conversations over the phone. So please do not try to reach him. Any updates on his condition can be gotten from his father or wife.

Keep him in your prayers.

HelpRajesh team.

Headache, literally and figuratively

Rajesh was admitted to the hospital after his headache took a turn for the worse and was accompanied by some dizziness. A scan of his head apparently revealed some growth/lesions. Subsequently, he successfully underwent surgery to remove the growth.

According to the doctors, his surgery was successful. He is recovering in the ICU and is heavily sedated to quell the pain from the surgery. The good news is that the doctors think it might just be some bacterial infection of the brain in the cerebellum area. Apparently, this is not very uncommon for people whose immune systems are compromised due to anti-cancer drugs. They believe they have cleaned up most of the infection. And any traces remaining can be treated with anti-biotics.

Let us all continue to pray that he faces this hurdle also as he has in the past.

Help Rajesh Team

p.s: Please note that the opinion/information presented above is not made by a medical professional. It is a loosely packaged information based on conversation with Rajesh's dad and wife and their iinterpretation of what they have gathered from the doctors treating Rajesh.

New year greetings and update

Rajesh and his family wish to convey to all his well wishers, a very happy, health and prosperous new year.

He just returned back to Vellore after a short break. He visited Palakkad and spent the holidays with his in-laws. He is suffering from some neck pain and headache. Hopefully it is not related to his BMT. He has his routine check up scheduled for the 5th of Jan (tomorrow). He will post an update after the results of the check up become available.

Best wishes
HelpRajesh team

Update

Dear All,

An update has been long over due. The delay is due to the fact that I was in and out of hospital few times -  from 29th of October to 13th Of November. I was down with GVHD (Graft-versus-Host-Disease ). Well, the good part is that having GVHD  indicates that the body(T-cells) is capable of fighting out foreign cells. This also means that the chances of relapse are reduced. So it was sort of a mixed reaction for my admission as the Doctors were happy that I had some form of GVHD ( Stage 2 ) and they could bring its effects down by administering some steroids and Cyclosporin which was in-fact stopped about a week before 29th.

As the GVHD had effected my liver and stomach detailed Endoscopic studies and tissue biopsies were done to ensure the extent of problem and decide on the dosage of the drugs regime that was to be followed. The GVHD was brought under control with in the first week. However, due to the Steroids, my body had bloated up and the water retention in my body increased which increased my weight from 54 kg to 61 kg within 7 days.

Normally it is un-coded law that what you get within the 1st 100 days of your BMT is considered or termed Acute GVHD and what appears after 100 days is considered as Chronic GVHD. What I have had is both Acute and Chronic but within controllable limits. This is why for the 1st 100days they want you closer to the hospital so that any sort of Acute GVHD can be treated by them.

Now they would have to stabilize my condition with the dosage of the Steroids which they tapper down the bare minimum and also the dosage of the cyclosporine is regulated for a normal level.

I am going for weekly check ups and the good news is with all these variations my counts are all holding good and hence the general health condition is fine.

Coming weeks would answer the future plans for me and my Vellore stay is fast approaching 365 days( One year so to say).

Regards

Rajesh