Dad is home this evening and feeling a bit better. He was so dehydrated that when they tried to take his blood pressure while standing they weren't able to get anything to register. So - after some fluids - he is feeling better. He even requested cereal. Cocoa Puffs to be exact. Mom said in their 40 years together she's never seen him eat a bowl of Cocoa Puffs - but that's what he wanted so he got it!
He will go back to Carti in the morning for more fluids, another shot to help increase his white blood cells. They will know his magnesium and potassium levels and if either of those are low he will have to receive them intraveneously as well.
Mrs. Virginia sent out an e-mail earlier but I just wanted to say again the "rules". He can not leave the house or be around anyone except immediate family until his white cell count has improved. He is so immuno-compromised that he won't even be able to eat the food that has been brought in from the church. So I think she has cancelled the meals for this week. We hate to inconvenience you but we're just doing what's best for Dad. He has a LONG list of things he can't eat - even bananas!
So just continue praying.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Not a good day
Dad has really been struggling since his last appointment. Mom and I were calculating today and we think that in the 5 days since his last treatment he has been up and out of bed a total of 8 hours. He is lethargic, nauseated and weak. There are quite a few everyday, normal activities that he should be able to do that he just can't. He can't life Audrey up on to the couch. He can't get out of the car without having to stop and get his bearings. Today at lunch he had to go lay in the car when we were only half way through our lunch.
We called Dr. Reid's office when we got home and asked the nurse to return our call. After Mom spoke with her they told her to bring Dad in immediately. After running a few tests they found out he is EXTREMEMLY dehydrated and his white cell count has bottomed out.
Please pardon me if I get any of this wrong - this is what I remember from Laine's phone call and the medical jargon has been lost on me. His white cell count at the lowest should be 2.5 - Dad's was 0.8. He has been placed on a 48 hour quarantine from anyone but his immediate family - and from us if any of us are exhibiting and cold like symptoms. (Continue to pray for Audrey's health through this. I'm sure you all know what it's like having a baby who is cold prone. Just pray that she stays healthy through all of this so Dad doesn't have to miss seeing his baby girl.) He will also have to give himself some kind of shots to up his white cell count. They have also placed him on a preliminary antibiotic - just in case. There are no signs of any infection right now but they don't want to take any chances.
He is also on IV fluids right now. He just hasn't been drinking enough. He is supposed to have AT LEAST 2 liters of liquid a day and Mom has been lucky to get him to drink 8 ounces. Laine told me within 5 minutes of being placed on IV fluids he was already acting like he felt better.
Mom is trying to speak with a doctor. Dr. Reid is out until Wednesday so she's hoping to get a chance to talk with Dr. Tsuda. We're just hoping they will ease off a little bit of the strong medication they are giving him. This is just overwhelming him and his body.
Just keep Dad in your prayers. This is only week 2 and he already is so miserable and having quite a few problems. I don't know what the next 14 weeks will bring but pray that it gets much, much, MUCH better.
We called Dr. Reid's office when we got home and asked the nurse to return our call. After Mom spoke with her they told her to bring Dad in immediately. After running a few tests they found out he is EXTREMEMLY dehydrated and his white cell count has bottomed out.
Please pardon me if I get any of this wrong - this is what I remember from Laine's phone call and the medical jargon has been lost on me. His white cell count at the lowest should be 2.5 - Dad's was 0.8. He has been placed on a 48 hour quarantine from anyone but his immediate family - and from us if any of us are exhibiting and cold like symptoms. (Continue to pray for Audrey's health through this. I'm sure you all know what it's like having a baby who is cold prone. Just pray that she stays healthy through all of this so Dad doesn't have to miss seeing his baby girl.) He will also have to give himself some kind of shots to up his white cell count. They have also placed him on a preliminary antibiotic - just in case. There are no signs of any infection right now but they don't want to take any chances.
He is also on IV fluids right now. He just hasn't been drinking enough. He is supposed to have AT LEAST 2 liters of liquid a day and Mom has been lucky to get him to drink 8 ounces. Laine told me within 5 minutes of being placed on IV fluids he was already acting like he felt better.
Mom is trying to speak with a doctor. Dr. Reid is out until Wednesday so she's hoping to get a chance to talk with Dr. Tsuda. We're just hoping they will ease off a little bit of the strong medication they are giving him. This is just overwhelming him and his body.
Just keep Dad in your prayers. This is only week 2 and he already is so miserable and having quite a few problems. I don't know what the next 14 weeks will bring but pray that it gets much, much, MUCH better.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
2 Down
Dad woke up yesterday morning, the day of his second chemo treatment, feeling better than he had in a week. I think he was considering cancelling his treatment just to enjoy a day of feeling normal. He didn't, of course, and headed to CARTI yesterday around 8:30 and was there all day - he didn't leave until 6.
He did much better yesterday than he did last week. He didn't feel sick until AFTER he left - which was an improvement.
He woke up this morning feeling awful. I suppose the pattern will be to feel his worst the day after chemo and pretty horrible the days thereafter until the Wednesday he heads back for treatment. Poor Daddy.
Just keep praying for him. I think this is a lot harder than we all expected it to be.
And just in case you didn't receive his e-mail, he has a new e-mail address for home. For some reason he can't access his Conway Corp e-mail at home. (If anyone knows why that would be happening, could you lend a technical hand??) The new address is dhatfield1949@hotmail.com
He did much better yesterday than he did last week. He didn't feel sick until AFTER he left - which was an improvement.
He woke up this morning feeling awful. I suppose the pattern will be to feel his worst the day after chemo and pretty horrible the days thereafter until the Wednesday he heads back for treatment. Poor Daddy.
Just keep praying for him. I think this is a lot harder than we all expected it to be.
And just in case you didn't receive his e-mail, he has a new e-mail address for home. For some reason he can't access his Conway Corp e-mail at home. (If anyone knows why that would be happening, could you lend a technical hand??) The new address is dhatfield1949@hotmail.com
Thursday, August 7, 2008
1st Treatment
Daddy's first treatment was yesterday. He arrived at 8:30 am and didn't leave until nearly 7 pm. It was a long, exhausting day for him. It started off with bloodwork, waiting for those results, then IV fluids and THEN they started the chemo around 1:30.
The medication they are giving him is incredibly strong. He will have two doses of that a month and the last two weeks of the month will be a milder medication. The oncologist told him to expect to feel pretty awful the first 72 hours after receiving the strong stuff. He was right.
Dad started feeling pretty sick before he even left the office. He's still feeling bad today. They gave him Phenergen for nausea but it's not helping much. We're hoping to get him something stronger before he starts feeling worse.
The doctor told him to expect to start losing his hair within the next 7 days - that's how strong this medicine is.
So please pray that he can make it through the first two rounds every month. Those are going to be the hardest. 1 down. 7 more to go of the toughies.
It's difficult to see Dad feeling so low. Pray for him - the next 15 (1 down!) weeks are definitely going to be tough.
The medication they are giving him is incredibly strong. He will have two doses of that a month and the last two weeks of the month will be a milder medication. The oncologist told him to expect to feel pretty awful the first 72 hours after receiving the strong stuff. He was right.
Dad started feeling pretty sick before he even left the office. He's still feeling bad today. They gave him Phenergen for nausea but it's not helping much. We're hoping to get him something stronger before he starts feeling worse.
The doctor told him to expect to start losing his hair within the next 7 days - that's how strong this medicine is.
So please pray that he can make it through the first two rounds every month. Those are going to be the hardest. 1 down. 7 more to go of the toughies.
It's difficult to see Dad feeling so low. Pray for him - the next 15 (1 down!) weeks are definitely going to be tough.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Starting Wednesday
First off, I apologize for not updating recently. Mostly it would have read like this, "Today he feels good. Today he feels bad. Today he is resting. Today he is out and about." Not very exciting stuff.
Overall, he's doing well. The past three days have been really good. He's almost seemed like his old self again. Feeling good just in time to feel bad again.
He spoke with his oncologist today and he will begin chemo Wednesday. So here we go. We're all a little shook today. It's real now. It's been an "In a few weeks" kind of thing and now they will begin on Wednesday.
We just ask that you pray for the next 16+ weeks. Pray that the side effects are minimal and that gets through this without too many problems. We know it won't be easy but we pray for as easy as possible.
Overall, he's doing well. The past three days have been really good. He's almost seemed like his old self again. Feeling good just in time to feel bad again.
He spoke with his oncologist today and he will begin chemo Wednesday. So here we go. We're all a little shook today. It's real now. It's been an "In a few weeks" kind of thing and now they will begin on Wednesday.
We just ask that you pray for the next 16+ weeks. Pray that the side effects are minimal and that gets through this without too many problems. We know it won't be easy but we pray for as easy as possible.
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