Anxiety

Here we are again. In Texas. The route has gotten predictable . . . we have our routine down pat at the airport (I go get the rental car while E. gets the luggage), we know our way to the hotel, we've got the parking figured out, we know our way around the hospital, we know some good places to eat. It is strangely comforting in a way.

There always seems to be a kink or two, no matter how much we think we have everything planned out. We scrambled to make final kid arrangements, thankful to all those willing to help us out (Uncle Kirk, Oma, JenniferRemy, Grandma and Poppy). A couple of prescriptions didn't get filled because of poor planning on my part (darn the three-day weekend) - again, thankful to Jen who came to the rescue. And some things were just out of our control . . . over an hour on the tarmac in a completely full airplane in the Arizona heat wasn't exactly part of the plan. Nor was having to change rental cars after we absolutely could not get Peanut's car seat to fit in the back seat of the first car they gave us.

We made it though. We're sitting in our comfy hotel room, looking out the window at the overcast drizzly sky, appreciative of the lower temperatures the thunderstorms bring. In an hour or so, we'll meander across the sky walk and make our way through the hospital maze to E.'s various appointments . . . including the "big" PET/CT. The day is scheduled minute to minute with appointment after appointment. We won't be done until after 5:00 pm.

And then we won't know a darn thing until we meet with the doctor tomorrow afternoon. As much as we are ready and as hopeful and optimistic we are, our anxiety level is palpable.

S.

Final Round of Chemo

Or actually, I should say "Final Round of Chemo that We Know About Right Now."

We're sitting in the hospital infusion room (aaaah, the beauty of a laptop and WiFi) while bag after bag drips into E. Pre-hydration, followed by two pre-meds, then the three chemo drugs, and finally post-hydration. So, 7 bags in all. Some are pretty quick, while others seem to take forever. These are long days for E. We did have a welcome distraction today though with a cheery visitor who even brought a delicious lunch. (Thanks Mapper!)

E. will take his oral chemo (3 pills in the morning and 3 at night) for the next week and that's as far as the plan goes. For right now. Then it's a matter of E. getting the rest he needs and getting some of his strength and energy back. The side effects seem to be piling up on top of each other with each chemotherapy session back to back. Not fun stuff.

We'll be headed to Texas again on September 8th and the following day, E. will undergo a battery of tests including lab work, CT scans and a PET scan. On the 9th, we'll meet with the doctor to hear how effective this regimen of chemotherapy has been and what the plan is from there. E. knows it may possibly include more chemo, either with this current protocol or maybe even with something different.

Last time we were at MD Anderson, we were told that the earliest surgery could happen would be 8 to 12 months from now, depending on how E. responded to the treatment. Since that is still a long way off, we're assuming there will be continued chemotherapy or something (???) in the interim. Guess we'll wait and see what the doctors have to say.

Also, E.'s platelet count is in the low range again (low platelets can cause excessive bruising and bleeding; really low platelets can cause dangerous internal bleeding). He's back to getting lab work every few days (instead of weekly) to monitor his platelets. According to the doctor, if they get too low, E. will have to have a platelet transfusion.

That's the update for now,

S.

Little Peanut

Just to add a little "charm" . . . a little "warm fuzziness" . . .

How can you not smile when you see that smile? those eyes? those cheeks?

Don't you just want to gobble him up?

(And notice the adorable onesie he's sporting? It doesn't get any cuter than that!)

Flu

Unfortunately I got the flu a few days ago. Knocked me on my butt. I was totally miserable. E. wasn't feeling great either (considering he's in middle of Round #5 of chemo) but being the stud he is, he picked up the pieces. He held the homefront together while I went back and forth from the bed to the toilet.

How did I repay him and his kind deeds? I gave him the flu! How horrible is that? Trust me, I know . . . horribly horrible!

You might guess that he's feeling especially yucky right now. You'd be right.

You might guess that I have some making up to do. You'd be right again.

S.

Chemo After-Effects

E. is just about done with Round #5 of chemo. He seems to be doing better with this round than he has with the prior two rounds. While he's still tired and lethargic, there seems to be much less "chemo brain" going on. Even though he hardly ever complains, E. now admits that those first two rounds of this new regimen were pretty bad. Hindsight is some pretty powerful stuff. Gotta be thankful that the side effects are getting better rather than worse though.

E. is sick of chemo. Sick of meds. Sick of doctor appointments.

Antibiotics

E.'s been really having a time of it with a constant runny nose, lots of coughing, excessive sneezing and a sore throat to boot. Not really sure if the symptoms are side effects of the chemo, if he caught a cold or some other bug, or if he's just experiencing allergies. Any which way you look at it though, he doesn't feel great.

At his weekly check-up with the oncologist today, concern was expressed about a possible sinus infection. The doctor would rather be safe than sorry and didn't want to wait to see if the infection got worse before doing anything, so he prescribed some antibiotics. (And surprise, surprise, we actually filled the prescription and E. is actually TAKING the prescription. It goes to show that he really is feeling like crap.)

And as a side note, I'm not exactly sure how the co-pay for a $2,000 chemo drug was 20 dollars while the co-pay for a simple antibiotic wound up being 40 bucks. Go figure.

E.'s resting up and trying to feel better before Wednesday and the next round of chemo rolls around agin.

S.

Chemo Update

Since we've received a few phone calls wondering how E. was doing, I figured I'd post an update. But there really isn't much of an update. He powered through the last infusion day just like the others and has about wrapped up the oral medications as well. Round #4 almost done.

The side effects have been pretty much the same . . . lots of fatigue, some general discomfort and restlessness, tummy troubles, and that weird cold sensitivity. Even though he dozes on and off all day long, he never gets that feeling of being rested as it is never that deep refreshing sleep. For several days after the IV chemo, he also experiences some "chemo brain" . . . out of whack equilibrium, a bit of confusion, slow reflexes, and an all-around sense of being "off." He has been able to avoid any hand-foot syndrome though and for that we've been thankful (the pictures in the brochure looked grusome).

I told E. that I was posting an update to the blog and asked if there was anything he wanted to add.

"Hi."

Wow. Heartfelt. Moving. After razzing him a bit, he added . . .

"Thanks for all the continued support. Your thoughts and prayers mean a lot."

Awwww.

He's right though. It really does mean a lot.

S.