#Robstrong T-Shirts 
Want to get your Christmas shopping done early?  Would you like to avoid multiple stores?  Do you need an outfit you can buy for your entire family so you match in your next family photo?  Look no further!  For a limited time, you can buy a #Robstrong t-shirt.  My fabulous co-workers in the hc1 marketing department have designed 2 #Robstrong t-shirts.  They look basically the same, but one has Romans 12:12 on the back.  The ordering deadline is August 14th, however there may be a 2nd order placed.  The link below will take you to the hc1 store, where you can buy a t-shirt.  You can look at the descriptions to see which shirt has Romans 12:12 and which shirt doesn’t.

The shirts are $20, and all proceeds will be sent to Lindsey and I.  You have a few options for shipping:

1. You can pay to have the shirt shipped directly to you.
2. You can enter Robstrong into  the discount box on the checkout page and your t-shirt will be shipped to the hc1 office  free of charge (near 96th and Zionsville on the northwest side of Indy).  You would then need to pick up the t-shirt.
3. You can enter Robstrong into the discount box on the checkout page and then let Lindsey or me know you ordered a shirt and what size (via email, facebook, comments on here, etc).  The shirts will be shipped to hc1 free of charge and we’ll have your t-shirt brought to our house so you can pick them up from one of us.

Thank you to everyone who will buy a shirt!  Now that marketing has supported the #Robstrong cause, let’s see if Product and Dev can put a #Robstrong Easter Egg into hc1 code.  Just kidding Brad! (Brian and Jason, I bet you can totally pull this off.  Go for it!)

Buy a t-shirt here >>>>>http://shophc1.com/collections/robstrong <<<<< Buy a t-shirt here

My Basilic Vein
My PICC line is inserted into my basilic vein.  If you’re like me, before I ever had a PICC, I couldn’t tell my basillic vein from my….well, actually I don’t know the names of any other veins.  But the basilic is a vein that runs through you arm.  I  bring this up because I’ve had 2 PICCs inserted since June.  They were inserted by 2 different nurses.  And both nurses complemented me on how big my basilic veins were.  Now in no way is the size of one’s basilic vein related to the size of ones, um, feet.  But there is something psychological about people telling you you have big veins that makes you walk out of the procedure room walking a little taller.

Continue reading You (and All Your Friends) Need a #Robstrong T-Shirt

Status Quo
I haven’t updated in a bit because not much is going on.  Tiredness is my main side effect.  I’ve had minor fevers everynow and then, but nothing over 100F.  I would say I’m a bit slower mentally but nothing too bad.  I’ve also been told I’m a bit cranky, so I apologize if you notice.  I’ve been to the pool a few times to watch the kids from the deck.  I don’t usually stay too long, but it’s still fun to watch them and hear “Daddy Daddy, watch this!”

Getting My Hub Rubbed
Getting my hub rubbed is very important.  If it doesn’t happen regularly, I could have medical complications and end up in the ER.  It is also important that alcohol is involved.  Getting my hub rubbed is key in the process to make sure my blood is still flowing and things aren’t blocked.  I get my hub rubbed by different people.  Home care does it every other day and Lindsey does it on the days when home care isn’t here.  I had my hub rubbed in clinic on Wednesday, but I was a little disappointed.  The nurse only rubbed for a few seconds, which is dangerous in my book.  Granted you don’t want to have to rub the hub forever, but there is a certain amount of time that is required.  I told Lindsey that the next time we go to clinic, I’m going to rub my hub myself before I see the nurse so I can be sure it is done correctly.  So let this be a lesson to all of you.  If you have a PICC line, be sure they use alcohol swabs and rub the hub of the line for 30 seconds.  Otherwise you may introduce bacteria into the blood stream and end up in the ER.

And the Powerball Numbers Are:
I’m getting a CBC every other day with my blood draws.  Overall the numbers are trending up, which is good.  Granted my numbers trended up after the first round of chemo, so we aren’t out of the woods yet.

7/27: WBC- 1.5, Hemoglobin 8.5, Platelets 102
7/29: WBC- 1.6, Hemoglobin 9.4, Platelets 125
7/31: WBC- 1.6, Hemoglobin 9.0, Platelets 146

Duck Dynasty Prayer
Thank you God for continued health and limited side effects.  Thank you for care at home.  Thank you for good sleep at night and the energy that I do have during the day.  Thank you for trips to the pool and cuddles on the couch.  Most of all, thank you for another day.

I’m On Parole 
My discharge on Saturday was pretty uneventful.  I had a fever Friday night, but that broke on its own and I was good to go on Saturday morning.  Today is day 11 of Blinatumomab.  I’ll continue to get Blinatumomab for 17 more days and then I’ll have 2 weeks off.  The goal is to not get my parole revoked and have to go back to the hospital.  I’m not sure I can do too much to control that, but I’ll try.  After the 2 week break is up, I’ll start Blinatumomab for 28 more days.  We’ll check for remission before I start my 2nd cycle, and if I’m in remission we’ll start the ball rolling on the SCT.

Home Care
Home care will be at our house every other day.  They’ll change out my bag of Blinatumomab and draw labs.  They’ll also take vitals and do a general checkup.  We received a box full of home care supplies that Lindsey has organized in 3 plastic drawers.  We also keep the bags of Blinatumomab at home.  They’ll ship us 3 bags at a time, which we keep refrigerated.  One hour before home care comes (9 am), we’ll take a bag out of the refrigerator, so it’s not to cold when they hook me up.

And the Powerball Numbers Are:
My next lab draw will be tomorrow when home care comes.  I’ll then have draws every other day.  My Friday counts were up because of the steroids I received Thursday.  Saturday’s numbers came down a bit, but the WBC and Platelets are still trending up.

7/24: WBC 2.3, Hemoglobin 8.4, Platelets 89
7/25: WBC 1.3, Hemoglobin 7.2, Platelets 76

A Duck Dynasty Prayer
Thank you God for life at home.  Thank you for little hugs and little kisses.  Thank you for the cuddles I received today.  Help me to be patient with my treatment and take one day at a time.  Thank you for another day.