Sixth chemo cycle

Sixth chemo cycle was cancelled by my Doctor as a result of low WBC count (3000) and low neutrophil percentage (29.9%) even after 36 days from fifth cycle. I was asked to go for a CT scan which showed that nodes in the armpit have been reduced to normal but left inguinal node is still 2 cm. The report also mentioned improvement over first scan but the new report mentions about tiny hypodense lesion on the lower third of spleen. The films of CT scan report do not specifically mark out the abnormality (by separate ink as in the first scan report of December 2009). My doctor in TMH never saw the CT scan films but relied only on the text report (possible that only radiologists can understand the films). Doctor in TMH informed me that a quarterly Retuximab maintenance schedule for next one year will have to start now. My next appointment with TMH is on 15th June 2010.

Calcium deficiency

After the third cycle I started feeling a gradual increase in weakness in legs with continuous pain in femur (thigh bone). I was forced to reduce my morning and evening walks inside the house from one hour in each session to about 15-20 minutes. No much attention was paid by the doctor to my complaining about this pain. I thought as I had taken 100 mg of Prednisolone, a steroid for first 5 days in each chemo cycle, it might have caused depletion in calcium level in my body. At the end of 5th cycle, I started taking a distributed dose of 3 tablets of Calmag (600 mg of calcium with 405 mg of magnesium) and alternatively Shelcal (500 mg of elemental calcium+250 IU of vitamin D), which relieved me of the pain. This was informed to the doctor, who had no objection. (serum calcium was tested on own initiative after 10 days, which was 8.4 mg/dL, 8.2 mg/dL is the lower limit), but I still had some pain in the knees. I was advised by my orthopaedic consultant after detailed investigations that I had no serious problem in the knees and as far as possible, should avoid folding the knees. This precaution worked well and pain in the knees gradually started subsiding. My capacity to walk at normal pace is now slowly returning (after about 50 days from the 5th cycle).

Apaan Mudra

My legs started aching unusually, (the pain was in the muscles above knees) after the second cycle and continued till I deeply analysed the cause. It was not due to electrolyte imbalance because I was not experiencing cramps and pain in the wrists as in the first cycle. I noticed that my urine output was like a normal person in spite of more liquids in the diet. I thought that the pain might be due to extra toxins stored in the body that are not getting flushed out. I had read about various mudras and their advantages to body, I then started practicing Apaan Mudra, which helps the body to flush out waste material from the body. Apaan Mudra is performed by joining tips of thumb,middle finger and ring fingure with little pressure, keeping index finger and little finger as straight as possible. I do it for 30 minutes at a stretch for two times a day during my pranayam and music therapy sessions. I could notice a good change within 24 hours, the urine output increased and pain started subsiding. After practicing it for 4-5 days the pain and weakness felt in the legs completely disappeared. I am now practicing Apaan Mudra followed by Praan Mudra as additional exercise for maintaining fitness.