Life has been a bit of a blur lately.
Marc's last round of chemo was predictably more difficult than the last. He noticed that the "fuzziness" in his hands and feet didn't totally go away after treatment eight. So, when we went in for treatment nine (the first time), the nurses were concerned. They haven't heard it described as "fuzzy" before, but the consensus was neuropathy. The nerve endings are being damaged. This is another side effect of the chemo. However, this side effect can become permanent and is directly linked to Oxaliplatin - one of the chemo drugs. Paula relayed the information to Dr. B to see if he thought the dosage should be reduced.
Marc's first appointment for treatment nine was last week. His count was low. 1.4 rather than 1.5. Bummer. The good news is it only took one more week for it to come up and Marc was able to have a nice Christmas. He'll have a chemo-brain New Year, but at least he's moving forward again.
Dr. B did reduce the dose of Oxaliplatin. We'll see if it makes a difference in the side effects. He's pretty wiped out tonight, but that's normal for this point in the treatment.
The kids went in with us today. While we waited for Marc to be checked in, I rode the tram up the hill and back down with Rose (no crowds). Brett had no interest, but Rose wanted to ride so off we went. When we returned, Marc was checked in and they had drawn his blood. He came out (Rose is too young to be in the infusion room so she and I were in the waiting room) with a big grin - he was 1.9. Brett and Rose both had gift certificates to Everyday Music so we took the streetcar across town while Marc had his treatment. It was very quiet in town. The slow holiday retail sales seemed to be continuing today. It was nice for us - no crowds.
Somehow this blog about Marc's disease has come to include more than just what is happening with Marc's treatment. Since the last blog I've done report cards (they went home the 10th), had a major repair done on the car (catalytic converter went out), traveled to Walla Walla for mom's memorial service (the 15th), hosted our family Christmas (18 on Saturday/Sunday), and had a quiet family Christmas (just us Christmas Eve - Mike, Steph and Masen joined us on Christmas day for dinner).
Report cards are my least favorite part of teaching - one of my least anyway. They take forever and I'm not sure the parents have any clearer idea of how their child is doing than before the hours of work.
While I was swamped in report cards my sister planned mom's service with input from us and some writing/editorial help from my sister-in-law. They did a beautiful job. If you happen to lose someone dear and need to see a program example that will knock your socks off, let me know. Donna created a trifold program. The entire inside was an expanded obituary with pictures. The front had mom's picture, name, etc. The flap you saw when you first open it had the order of the service and the back had a list of things "Grandma Loved." It was perfect.
Mom would have been pleased with the service. We know because we kept thinking, "I wish mom were here. She'd like this." Brett played Amazing Grace on his guitar. My cousin John read the even more expanded obituary. Two ladies sang a medly of children's songs like Jesus Loves Me, This Little Light of Mine, etc., as a tribute to the years mom spent working with the babies at church. Greg, a friend of my brother's, sang the last song. I didn't recognize it from the title and the title is escaping me right now, but I knew it when I heard it. Mom's dear friend Eunice put her head in my brother's lap and sobbed. What an amazing tribute to the lasting strength of friendship. Even now, it brings tears to my eyes to think of it.
We all grieve in our own way. My siblings and I had been through Alzheimer's with mom - from the beginning when she began to forget little things to the day she died with family and friends by her side that she no longer knew. Our pain is different than the pain of friends who knew her and shared the laughter and tears that only girlfriends can share. Mom's girlfriends were true to her through it all. Mary Ellen and Martha visited mom regularly even through her final months when it was so painful to see her vacant stare or her anxious running or her own tears of grief when she was aware enough to understand how far along her disease had progressed. Eunice lived further away. Even so when she was in town, she would stop in and see mom. There were others who were faithful to mom as well - Aunt Hilda, Bea, and other College Place friends. Our family is eternally in their debt for being close and comforting her through it all.
Christmas was a whirlwind. My siblings and their families were here last weekend. We missed Jennifer and Kim, two of my nieces, but maybe next year they can join us too. We laughed and ate and laughed some more. It was good to be together. I'm hoping Christmas brought as much joy to your family as it did to ours. We are counting the days till 2007 is over and we can start fresh in 2008. We're holding out for bliss.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Round 8 Take 3
Marc's numbers were up. He needs to be 1.5 and he had gone from 1.4 to 1.6. Not as much as in the past, but we'll take it. He's looking forward to being finished - four more treatments. Next appointment is on the 19th.
In all my spare time, I read Rhett Butler's People. If you are a fan of Gone with the Wind, you must read this book. I love the movie, but have never read the original book. I know, I know it's a classic.... So, now it's on my Christmas list. Sometimes I do things backwards.
It's report card time. Ick. Assessments take so much time. It's good though. I have so many kids who scored so much higher on their insect post-test. Some of the answers were so cute. In the pre-test, one boy labeled the grasshopper's nes(knees). Did you know grasshoppers have knees? In the post-test in answer to how you know something is an insect, one boy wrote "if it has sexe (six) legss." His mom will laugh - she's a teacher. My favorite is in answer to what a "life cycle" is - one boy wrote "haw (how) he graws (grows) up." AWWW, so cute. He was one of my most improved 6/18 to 15/18.
In all my spare time, I read Rhett Butler's People. If you are a fan of Gone with the Wind, you must read this book. I love the movie, but have never read the original book. I know, I know it's a classic.... So, now it's on my Christmas list. Sometimes I do things backwards.
It's report card time. Ick. Assessments take so much time. It's good though. I have so many kids who scored so much higher on their insect post-test. Some of the answers were so cute. In the pre-test, one boy labeled the grasshopper's nes(knees). Did you know grasshoppers have knees? In the post-test in answer to how you know something is an insect, one boy wrote "if it has sexe (six) legss." His mom will laugh - she's a teacher. My favorite is in answer to what a "life cycle" is - one boy wrote "haw (how) he graws (grows) up." AWWW, so cute. He was one of my most improved 6/18 to 15/18.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Round 8 Take 2
Marc's count was low again yesterday. It had come up from 1.0 to 1.4, but needs to be 1.5. He's fighting a bit of a cold. It seemed to be better yesterday, but this morning he it is back.
The new stove was delivered. We love it.
Betsy
The new stove was delivered. We love it.
Betsy
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Round 8 Take 1
We are growing accustomed to Marc's counts being low the first time he goes in for chemo. It seems that his body isn't ready in two weeks. We are hoping his count will be up next week.
When he was there on Wednesday there was a student nurse who needed to interview someone so she could practice planning treatment for patients. They felt she should talk to Marc since he is "interesting." He said he'd met lots of interesting people there. What it came down to is Marc is MEDICALLY interesting.
Because he was unable to have chemo, our Thanksgiving was easier. I know it was far more pleasant for Marc. Steph, Mike, and Masen came over. They actually cooked the turkey and brought it over. We made everything else. We weren't sure we'd be able to bake anything as our gas range is temperamental these days. Sometimes - ok most of the time - the ignition won't light the burners or oven. We can light the burners with a match, but no one wants to risk hair and eyebrows to light the oven. We went Wednesday and purchased a new one, but they can't deliver it till Tuesday. Hence, Mike and Steph cooked the turkey. Fortunately, the ignition decided to work on Thanksgiving so we were able to bake the stuffing, green bean casserole and some cranberry bread in the regular oven rather than in the toaster oven.
Steph was so disappointed that she had to work Friday and we wouldn't be able to shop the Day-After-Thanksgiving sales. I had heard on the radio that the outlet mall south of Portland was going to be open Thanksgiving night so I asked her if she wanted to go. She did, so we headed out. I was sure I'd heard the stores opened 10:30 so we arrived about 9:50. The parking lot was mostly empty except for a couple news crews. The stores didn't open till midnight... We decided to stick around and see if anything opened early. Sure enough about every half hour a couple stores would open. Up till midnight it was really fun. After that - not so much. Marc heard on the news the next day that the 2000 car parking lot was full by 11:30. It was a zoo. People are crazy. I know I was there. We finally headed for home about 1:30 (that's a.m.). As we crossed over I-5, the cars lined up in either direction to exit and come to the outlets stretched as far as the eye could see. We checked. The one coming from the north was THREE MILES long. We will not be doing that again next year.
Brett and I went to the Billy Joel concert tonight. Brett wasn't sure he'd like it. We BOTH loved it. Billy Joel is an amazing performer. On the way in, I made some comment about the crowd being older. Brett said he wondered how many other parents "dragged" their kids to it. When it was over, he was glad his had.
We have so much to be Thankful for this year. That sounds strange in light of cancer, mom dying, and a range that wasn't reliable enough to cook the turkey. More important than those things, we have fabulous friends, great colleagues, and amazing family members that have shown us how God works in obvious and not so obvious ways.
Thank you all for being part of this crazy, scary, frustrating, wonderful journey.
When he was there on Wednesday there was a student nurse who needed to interview someone so she could practice planning treatment for patients. They felt she should talk to Marc since he is "interesting." He said he'd met lots of interesting people there. What it came down to is Marc is MEDICALLY interesting.
Because he was unable to have chemo, our Thanksgiving was easier. I know it was far more pleasant for Marc. Steph, Mike, and Masen came over. They actually cooked the turkey and brought it over. We made everything else. We weren't sure we'd be able to bake anything as our gas range is temperamental these days. Sometimes - ok most of the time - the ignition won't light the burners or oven. We can light the burners with a match, but no one wants to risk hair and eyebrows to light the oven. We went Wednesday and purchased a new one, but they can't deliver it till Tuesday. Hence, Mike and Steph cooked the turkey. Fortunately, the ignition decided to work on Thanksgiving so we were able to bake the stuffing, green bean casserole and some cranberry bread in the regular oven rather than in the toaster oven.
Steph was so disappointed that she had to work Friday and we wouldn't be able to shop the Day-After-Thanksgiving sales. I had heard on the radio that the outlet mall south of Portland was going to be open Thanksgiving night so I asked her if she wanted to go. She did, so we headed out. I was sure I'd heard the stores opened 10:30 so we arrived about 9:50. The parking lot was mostly empty except for a couple news crews. The stores didn't open till midnight... We decided to stick around and see if anything opened early. Sure enough about every half hour a couple stores would open. Up till midnight it was really fun. After that - not so much. Marc heard on the news the next day that the 2000 car parking lot was full by 11:30. It was a zoo. People are crazy. I know I was there. We finally headed for home about 1:30 (that's a.m.). As we crossed over I-5, the cars lined up in either direction to exit and come to the outlets stretched as far as the eye could see. We checked. The one coming from the north was THREE MILES long. We will not be doing that again next year.
Brett and I went to the Billy Joel concert tonight. Brett wasn't sure he'd like it. We BOTH loved it. Billy Joel is an amazing performer. On the way in, I made some comment about the crowd being older. Brett said he wondered how many other parents "dragged" their kids to it. When it was over, he was glad his had.
We have so much to be Thankful for this year. That sounds strange in light of cancer, mom dying, and a range that wasn't reliable enough to cook the turkey. More important than those things, we have fabulous friends, great colleagues, and amazing family members that have shown us how God works in obvious and not so obvious ways.
Thank you all for being part of this crazy, scary, frustrating, wonderful journey.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
My Mom
I haven't mentioned mom in my updates because this blog has been about our journey with Marc's cancer. However the events of this last week bring her to the forefront.
The following paragraphs were written by my sister in her travel journal.
"When we sent out our last update, my mother was not mentioned because I didn't know what to say - she's continuing to decline? she's back on Hospice care? the right words just wouldn't come.
So instead, she gets her own place in our updates. At 2:35 am on November 15, Mary Vixie peacefully passed away at Eagle Springs in College Place, WA. My sister, Betsy and one of mom's best friends, Mary Ellen, along with the wonderful caregivers were with her. We are all honored that she is part of a University of Washington research study (8 siblings, 7 have been affected with Alzheimer's.) They now have mom's brain tissue along with 3 of her siblings.
A memorial service will be held on December 15. Dick and I had already been planning to be at my sisters in Vancouver for Christmas and this will allow us and my brother/sister-in-law in Colorado to make just one trip north.
Sadness has been a big part of our lives especially for the past two years. I feel overwhelming relief that the long battle (16 years) mom fought so valiantly is finished."
My mom was an amazing woman. She was my model for how to get through difficult situations. When we lived in North Dakota she had an aneurism and had brain surgery. A few years later, we moved back west so my dad could work with my Uncle Alden. Dad was in a construction accident that left him paralyzed from the rib cage down. Mom was his constant companion, cheerleader, and caregiver for 25 years. They inspired many people with their strength, courage, and positive outlook on life.
Mom began her long battle with Alzheimer's about the time Brett was born. She took every herb she read about that might help. She worked puzzles, read books, made quilts and exercised regularly to keep the brain connections growing to replace the ones that were being damaged by the disease. She lived on her own until April of 2006. At that time she required a bit more help so she moved from her independent retirement apartment to an assisted living apartment in the same building. In July of that year she required surgery for a major bladder repair. She was never the same after surgery and was moved from the hospital to a Memory Care Facility.
Her care in the last year and a half was incredible. The people who worked at Eagle Springs loved mom as if she were their own. We couldn't have asked for anything better for her.
One of the nurses called me last Tuesday with the news that mom probably wouldn't make it more than 48 hours. My friend Debora and I wrote quick lesson plans and I left. I was able to spend Wednesday sitting with my mom. My Aunt Hilda sat with us in the morning. After we went to lunch, I went back and then returned again after running some errands and having dinner.
When I arrived in the evening, Mom's eyes were open and she was gasping for air. I was able to talk to her and calm her by stroking her arms and telling her that she had cared for us all those years and now I was there to care for her and she could just relax. I told her about Brett and Rose and what good kids they had become. She relaxed and I went to find the nurse. She was at dinner, but one of the caregivers came and raised the head of Mom's bed. He breathing eased. When the nurse returned 15 minutes later, she gave Mom some morphine and she relaxed and went back to sleep.
They said I could spend the night, but I decided to return to Mary Ellen's house. She was one of Mom's very dear friends. About midnight my phone rang. Mary Ellen and I joined Bea (the administrative assistant who had taken Mom on as her special patient. Bea went to high school with my brother and sister) at Mom's bedside.
She quietly, peacefully stopped breathing at 2:36 a.m.
Mary Ellen and Martha (another of mom's dear faithful friends) helped me clean out Mom's room Thursday. I stayed on in Walla Walla to finish up a few last details and returned home last night.
We are planning a memorial service. However, because of Mom's love of life and fun, we are also planning a celebratory popcorn party afterwards. We will play games and laugh ourselves silly. It's what mom would have wanted.
The following paragraphs were written by my sister in her travel journal.
"When we sent out our last update, my mother was not mentioned because I didn't know what to say - she's continuing to decline? she's back on Hospice care? the right words just wouldn't come.
So instead, she gets her own place in our updates. At 2:35 am on November 15, Mary Vixie peacefully passed away at Eagle Springs in College Place, WA. My sister, Betsy and one of mom's best friends, Mary Ellen, along with the wonderful caregivers were with her. We are all honored that she is part of a University of Washington research study (8 siblings, 7 have been affected with Alzheimer's.) They now have mom's brain tissue along with 3 of her siblings.
A memorial service will be held on December 15. Dick and I had already been planning to be at my sisters in Vancouver for Christmas and this will allow us and my brother/sister-in-law in Colorado to make just one trip north.
Sadness has been a big part of our lives especially for the past two years. I feel overwhelming relief that the long battle (16 years) mom fought so valiantly is finished."
My mom was an amazing woman. She was my model for how to get through difficult situations. When we lived in North Dakota she had an aneurism and had brain surgery. A few years later, we moved back west so my dad could work with my Uncle Alden. Dad was in a construction accident that left him paralyzed from the rib cage down. Mom was his constant companion, cheerleader, and caregiver for 25 years. They inspired many people with their strength, courage, and positive outlook on life.
Mom began her long battle with Alzheimer's about the time Brett was born. She took every herb she read about that might help. She worked puzzles, read books, made quilts and exercised regularly to keep the brain connections growing to replace the ones that were being damaged by the disease. She lived on her own until April of 2006. At that time she required a bit more help so she moved from her independent retirement apartment to an assisted living apartment in the same building. In July of that year she required surgery for a major bladder repair. She was never the same after surgery and was moved from the hospital to a Memory Care Facility.
Her care in the last year and a half was incredible. The people who worked at Eagle Springs loved mom as if she were their own. We couldn't have asked for anything better for her.
One of the nurses called me last Tuesday with the news that mom probably wouldn't make it more than 48 hours. My friend Debora and I wrote quick lesson plans and I left. I was able to spend Wednesday sitting with my mom. My Aunt Hilda sat with us in the morning. After we went to lunch, I went back and then returned again after running some errands and having dinner.
When I arrived in the evening, Mom's eyes were open and she was gasping for air. I was able to talk to her and calm her by stroking her arms and telling her that she had cared for us all those years and now I was there to care for her and she could just relax. I told her about Brett and Rose and what good kids they had become. She relaxed and I went to find the nurse. She was at dinner, but one of the caregivers came and raised the head of Mom's bed. He breathing eased. When the nurse returned 15 minutes later, she gave Mom some morphine and she relaxed and went back to sleep.
They said I could spend the night, but I decided to return to Mary Ellen's house. She was one of Mom's very dear friends. About midnight my phone rang. Mary Ellen and I joined Bea (the administrative assistant who had taken Mom on as her special patient. Bea went to high school with my brother and sister) at Mom's bedside.
She quietly, peacefully stopped breathing at 2:36 a.m.
Mary Ellen and Martha (another of mom's dear faithful friends) helped me clean out Mom's room Thursday. I stayed on in Walla Walla to finish up a few last details and returned home last night.
We are planning a memorial service. However, because of Mom's love of life and fun, we are also planning a celebratory popcorn party afterwards. We will play games and laugh ourselves silly. It's what mom would have wanted.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Round 7 take 2
Marc's white count was high enough this week for chemo!!! He has never been this happy to be this sick. His doctors ok'd the herbal supplement and he feels it made a difference for him. However, they also want him to continue taking the injections of what I refer to as the "wonder" drug. That part he was not so thrilled about.
He has also re-figured his time-line and should still be finished by the end of January - if all goes according to the new schedule. He is currently scheduled for his next treatment the day before Thanksgiving. This schedule means he will get treatment on the 19th of Dec. and not until the 2nd of January. That would be great for the holiday festivities.
Rose moves from Novice 1 to Novice 2 next week. The challenge will be good for her. We may also have a carpool worked out for at least one day a week. It's amazing what swimming does for her stress level. She's a different person when she gets out of the pool than when she gets in when she's stressed out and having a bad day.
The guitars are hung up in the living room and look fabulous. Even better they are easy to access when anyone wants to play.
Tomorrow is Friday. There's no school Monday. Marc had his 7th treatment. Things are looking up.
He has also re-figured his time-line and should still be finished by the end of January - if all goes according to the new schedule. He is currently scheduled for his next treatment the day before Thanksgiving. This schedule means he will get treatment on the 19th of Dec. and not until the 2nd of January. That would be great for the holiday festivities.
Rose moves from Novice 1 to Novice 2 next week. The challenge will be good for her. We may also have a carpool worked out for at least one day a week. It's amazing what swimming does for her stress level. She's a different person when she gets out of the pool than when she gets in when she's stressed out and having a bad day.
The guitars are hung up in the living room and look fabulous. Even better they are easy to access when anyone wants to play.
Tomorrow is Friday. There's no school Monday. Marc had his 7th treatment. Things are looking up.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
round 7 take 1
Well, once again we are on hold. Marc's white count was too low for treatment again today. The new wonder drug didn't seem to make a difference.
The first time he took the wonder drug, we weren't sure if it was the drug that brought the white count up or if it was the fact that he was a month from his last treatment. Now it seems that it was time alone that took care of the white count.
Needless to say, Marc is discouraged.
This pushes his end date into February. Last I heard we were three days short of having enough shared leave to get us through December. I continue to marvel at the generosity of our coworkers.
The doctors are looking into some alternatives. Marc's mom found something on-line that he talked to them about. They had heard of it and are checking to see if it will interfere with anything he is already taking.
Brett has joined the cell phone age. It was time to renew our contract on our cell phones. Since he turned 16 and will get his license soon, we added him to our plan. Marc and I both have new phones as well and are thrilled with the changes in technology. Our old ones were outdated and horrible. Once again - Rose is ticked off! She actually took this better. She must be getting used to being told her turn is coming.
Steph, Mike and Masen came over Sunday. We had dinner, played in the leaves, and carved pumpkins. It was so fun. (Wow - that's a sentence right out of my second graders writing folders...)
We are blessed with family and friends who continue to support us in a myriad of ways. We don't understand why Marc's counts continue to be low, but as with everything, things will work out.
The first time he took the wonder drug, we weren't sure if it was the drug that brought the white count up or if it was the fact that he was a month from his last treatment. Now it seems that it was time alone that took care of the white count.
Needless to say, Marc is discouraged.
This pushes his end date into February. Last I heard we were three days short of having enough shared leave to get us through December. I continue to marvel at the generosity of our coworkers.
The doctors are looking into some alternatives. Marc's mom found something on-line that he talked to them about. They had heard of it and are checking to see if it will interfere with anything he is already taking.
Brett has joined the cell phone age. It was time to renew our contract on our cell phones. Since he turned 16 and will get his license soon, we added him to our plan. Marc and I both have new phones as well and are thrilled with the changes in technology. Our old ones were outdated and horrible. Once again - Rose is ticked off! She actually took this better. She must be getting used to being told her turn is coming.
Steph, Mike and Masen came over Sunday. We had dinner, played in the leaves, and carved pumpkins. It was so fun. (Wow - that's a sentence right out of my second graders writing folders...)
We are blessed with family and friends who continue to support us in a myriad of ways. We don't understand why Marc's counts continue to be low, but as with everything, things will work out.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Round 6 Take 3
Third time is definitely a charm. The new medicine worked wonders. Marc's blood counts were WAY up. He is currently getting his sixth treatment and as of Saturday when the pump comes off, he will be half finished with his chemo. If the new drug continues to work, we will not have the low white count issue. But, if we have learned anything in this process it is that things rarely work the same way for long before changing or something new popping up.
Marc is both happy and bummed that the new medicine worked so well. Now he gets to keep using it. Not only is it an injection which he hates, but the side effect he experiences from it is extreme muscle pain - in his back. He has been moving like an old man. I've encouraged him to take something for the pain. This time it is a good thing he doesn't want to. He can't. He's on blood thinner. They don't want him taking Motrin and especially not Aspirin. So, he just has to tough it out.
We continue to be blessed with friends, like Carol today, who are willing to take Marc down to OHSU so I can continue to teach. I was stressed this morning since the last two times hadn't gone so well and was wondering out loud if I should take Marc's chemo days off and just go with him. My friend/co-teacher asked if I had enough sick leave to do that. I do. It's just that if something dreadful comes up, I want to have sick leave to cover. If I use all my sick leave on routine appointments, then I'll be in a pinch. As it worked out, Marc was able to have treatment and finished about 20 minutes before I arrived to pick him up. Good timing today.
My nose is feeling better. No more nose bleeds so I guess it can be called a success. It hurt way worse and for way longer than expected. I have a greater sympathy for Marc's back pain.
Rose has a swim meet in Hood River this weekend. She's a bit nervous as she hasn't competed since July. She has to do the 100 meter freestyle, breast stroke, and butterfly. They didn't sign her up for back stroke and that's her favorite. I overheard a parent at the pool last night saying his son was signed up for the 100 meter drown. Pretty funny as that's what it looks like when the beginners are doing the butterfly.
Brett is LOVING his new room. Rose was really ticked when we found out that he gets the networks on his TV with no cable or rabbit ears or anything. So far he's been quite responsible about getting enough sleep on school nights and has only watched football in there on the weekend. We are so blessed to have such great kids - teenagers at that. (Rose has been a teenager since about 10.)
With the extra injections that start 24 hours after chemo ends, Marc should be feeling better about Saturday of next week. His next chemo treatment is scheduled for the 31st.
Marc is both happy and bummed that the new medicine worked so well. Now he gets to keep using it. Not only is it an injection which he hates, but the side effect he experiences from it is extreme muscle pain - in his back. He has been moving like an old man. I've encouraged him to take something for the pain. This time it is a good thing he doesn't want to. He can't. He's on blood thinner. They don't want him taking Motrin and especially not Aspirin. So, he just has to tough it out.
We continue to be blessed with friends, like Carol today, who are willing to take Marc down to OHSU so I can continue to teach. I was stressed this morning since the last two times hadn't gone so well and was wondering out loud if I should take Marc's chemo days off and just go with him. My friend/co-teacher asked if I had enough sick leave to do that. I do. It's just that if something dreadful comes up, I want to have sick leave to cover. If I use all my sick leave on routine appointments, then I'll be in a pinch. As it worked out, Marc was able to have treatment and finished about 20 minutes before I arrived to pick him up. Good timing today.
My nose is feeling better. No more nose bleeds so I guess it can be called a success. It hurt way worse and for way longer than expected. I have a greater sympathy for Marc's back pain.
Rose has a swim meet in Hood River this weekend. She's a bit nervous as she hasn't competed since July. She has to do the 100 meter freestyle, breast stroke, and butterfly. They didn't sign her up for back stroke and that's her favorite. I overheard a parent at the pool last night saying his son was signed up for the 100 meter drown. Pretty funny as that's what it looks like when the beginners are doing the butterfly.
Brett is LOVING his new room. Rose was really ticked when we found out that he gets the networks on his TV with no cable or rabbit ears or anything. So far he's been quite responsible about getting enough sleep on school nights and has only watched football in there on the weekend. We are so blessed to have such great kids - teenagers at that. (Rose has been a teenager since about 10.)
With the extra injections that start 24 hours after chemo ends, Marc should be feeling better about Saturday of next week. His next chemo treatment is scheduled for the 31st.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Round 6 Take 2
I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to start this blog entry. We teach kids that they need to start their writing with a sentence/paragraph that will grab the readers and draw them in - it's just not working for me tonight. If I start with the bad, does it sound pessimistic? If I start with the good, does it sound too Pollyanna-ish? The other thing we teach kids about writing is that you just start and somehow it gets you going and then you figure it out. Well, here we are a paragraph into this and you still don't have any information...
Let's start with the bad/frustrating. Marc's white count was lower today than it was last week. This is a major disappointment to him. Because he was 1.4 last time and needed to be 1.5, he fully expected to be able to have his chemo treatment today. I guess that's not how it works. I asked the nurses if it could be lower because the kids and I are back at school and are bringing germs home. They said definitely no. It is caused by the chemo. This was reassuring to me and frustrating to Marc. I feel better that I am not delaying his treatment and he wants to have a reason for the delay that we can do something about - although I'm not sure how we'd completely keep germs out of the house.
Yesterday Marc had a call from one of the nurses at OHSU. She told him that they want to start him on a new drug to help keep his white count up. We had talked about this drug in the past, but couldn't take it because of the study that Marc is in. We were both surprised that they were suggesting that he take it now. Dr. B debated about it, according to Paula, but decided it is what is best for Marc. The study would like to have patients not use this drug, but it doesn't stipulate that he has to drop out of the study if Dr. B decides he needs it. It is called Neupogen and is supposed to help his body make white cells. Marc felt yesterday that it was "going backward" to take more drugs. I think today he realizes that it could help him get through this process faster and get back to his regular life.
Now for the good news. Our co-pay for this prescription is $20. It is five syringes of medication. One a day for five days. He hates the fact that it is in a syringe and he has to poke himself again. Without insurance the five syringes of medication would have been $2081.75. We are ever thankful for medical insurance.
I had a dr. appointment myself today so was able to go with Marc to chemo - or not chemo as it turned out. Last week I had 5 nosebleeds. A couple years ago I had a very severe sinus infection and went to an ENT. Dr. Thomas is wonderful, but I hate going to him. It usually ends up being painful. Today was no exception. He put a scope up my nose and found the cause at least I hope this was the cause. It was the predictable blood vessel too close to the surface. (...and here I thought it might be stress - Dr. Thomas said the nose never bleeds from stress) It had healed fine between the last nosebleed on Saturday and today, but he cauterized it just to make sure. If you haven't had the lining of your nose cauterized before, thank your lucky stars. I'm sure it isn't in the league with chemo, but it hurts. Thankfully he was able to report there is nothing out of the ordinary up there. I've never been so thankful to be ordinary!
Oh, another good note. Marc has enough shared leave to cover through part of November. It just keeps trickling in as people fill out the paperwork to donate. This is fabulous since now it is looking like he won't be back to work until mid to late February.
Thanks for the notes of encouragement and prayers. They sustain us daily.
Betsy
Let's start with the bad/frustrating. Marc's white count was lower today than it was last week. This is a major disappointment to him. Because he was 1.4 last time and needed to be 1.5, he fully expected to be able to have his chemo treatment today. I guess that's not how it works. I asked the nurses if it could be lower because the kids and I are back at school and are bringing germs home. They said definitely no. It is caused by the chemo. This was reassuring to me and frustrating to Marc. I feel better that I am not delaying his treatment and he wants to have a reason for the delay that we can do something about - although I'm not sure how we'd completely keep germs out of the house.
Yesterday Marc had a call from one of the nurses at OHSU. She told him that they want to start him on a new drug to help keep his white count up. We had talked about this drug in the past, but couldn't take it because of the study that Marc is in. We were both surprised that they were suggesting that he take it now. Dr. B debated about it, according to Paula, but decided it is what is best for Marc. The study would like to have patients not use this drug, but it doesn't stipulate that he has to drop out of the study if Dr. B decides he needs it. It is called Neupogen and is supposed to help his body make white cells. Marc felt yesterday that it was "going backward" to take more drugs. I think today he realizes that it could help him get through this process faster and get back to his regular life.
Now for the good news. Our co-pay for this prescription is $20. It is five syringes of medication. One a day for five days. He hates the fact that it is in a syringe and he has to poke himself again. Without insurance the five syringes of medication would have been $2081.75. We are ever thankful for medical insurance.
I had a dr. appointment myself today so was able to go with Marc to chemo - or not chemo as it turned out. Last week I had 5 nosebleeds. A couple years ago I had a very severe sinus infection and went to an ENT. Dr. Thomas is wonderful, but I hate going to him. It usually ends up being painful. Today was no exception. He put a scope up my nose and found the cause at least I hope this was the cause. It was the predictable blood vessel too close to the surface. (...and here I thought it might be stress - Dr. Thomas said the nose never bleeds from stress) It had healed fine between the last nosebleed on Saturday and today, but he cauterized it just to make sure. If you haven't had the lining of your nose cauterized before, thank your lucky stars. I'm sure it isn't in the league with chemo, but it hurts. Thankfully he was able to report there is nothing out of the ordinary up there. I've never been so thankful to be ordinary!
Oh, another good note. Marc has enough shared leave to cover through part of November. It just keeps trickling in as people fill out the paperwork to donate. This is fabulous since now it is looking like he won't be back to work until mid to late February.
Thanks for the notes of encouragement and prayers. They sustain us daily.
Betsy
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Round 6 Take 1
Marc went in for his sixth round of chemo today. One of his blood count numbers has to be 1.5 for treatment. It was 1.4. Bummer. He's rescheduled for next Thursday. Marc's other major disappointment today was that one of the nurses told him that many patients who get blood clots end up staying on the medication for an extended amount of time. Some have to take it indefinitely. The difficulty this presents for Marc is that he is not allowed to participate in any contact sports of any kind while on the blood thinner. The news today brought home the reality that it could be a very long time before he spars or grapples again, if ever. He is struggling emotionally with accepting one more major blow.
On the other hand, Marc and Brett had a wonderful time at camp. I guess Brett's "guard duty" was at 2 a.m. one night and 3 a.m. the other. Marc didn't have night duty as he wasn't a participant. Marc was able to help teach knife throwing. He also used the time observe teaching strategies. Brett loved it all.
Both commented on the new office area and Brett is quite excited about getting moved into his new room. We will be scrubbing wallpaper glue off this weekend...
It's a good thing I used to teach first grade. I'm about finished with my reading assessments - finally - and I have kids in every level from C-F (beginning to mid first grade). I then have some at H, J (beginning second), K, and above L (beginning third grade). I'm a bit overwhelmed with planning for that much diversity.
Thanks for the continued prayers of support. We had no idea the enormity of all of this when we started.
On the other hand, Marc and Brett had a wonderful time at camp. I guess Brett's "guard duty" was at 2 a.m. one night and 3 a.m. the other. Marc didn't have night duty as he wasn't a participant. Marc was able to help teach knife throwing. He also used the time observe teaching strategies. Brett loved it all.
Both commented on the new office area and Brett is quite excited about getting moved into his new room. We will be scrubbing wallpaper glue off this weekend...
It's a good thing I used to teach first grade. I'm about finished with my reading assessments - finally - and I have kids in every level from C-F (beginning to mid first grade). I then have some at H, J (beginning second), K, and above L (beginning third grade). I'm a bit overwhelmed with planning for that much diversity.
Thanks for the continued prayers of support. We had no idea the enormity of all of this when we started.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Arizona
This weekend has been a departure from the normal routine around here. Marc and Brett are in Arizona at a martial arts camp. They have looked forward to it for two years. The big question looming over us since Marc's diagnosis has been - would he get to go to camp? The answer was yes. He was so excited. He and Brett flew to Phoenix on Wednesday.
Not only has this been an incredible experience for he and Brett to enjoy together, it has been a chance for him to get away from the daily reminder that he is dealing with cancer treatments. He hasn't had to sit at home while the rest of us go off to school and/or work. More details on the trip when they get home and tell us all their stories.
Rose and I have been working our tails off at home. Last week, I worked a bit extra at school and Rose caught up on some homework from when she stayed home sick on Monday. By the end of the week, Rose was feeling awful again. I took her to the dr. on Friday. He didn't think she had strep, but swabbed her anyway when I mentioned that I wanted to get her checked so if it was strep she could begin treatment and not be contagious by the time Marc got home on Tuesday. We'll hear Monday. He did the longer lab test so it would be more reliable. She's feeling better already so I'm sure it isn't strep.
I have cleared out the office - with the help of Donna. Steph drove down the gorge and picked her up. She and Dick have been spending time near Goldendale. Donna spent the last two days here with us. She helped me peel wallpaper border out of the old office, organize the office area in the loft, and was just a general all around adviser for what needed to be kept and what could be pitched. I have five grocery bags of papers for recycling! We went to IKEA and got some great organizing boxes to put on the bookshelves to sort all the mail into (one for each family member plus a couple extra) and some magazine boxes for magazines and specialty printer paper and labels. We also have a big box for things to shred - Rose's new way of making an extra buck or two. We even found a map of Priest Lake that I tacked up over the computer.
When Brett gets back he'll help me paint the office and move all his stuff in there. We decided that one of the privileges of turning 16 was to have the biggest room. He'll also get to have the TV with his game system in his room. No cable, but he'll have a DVD/VCR. Rose is pretty ticked. Bummer to be younger sometimes. It all started when we moved the music stuff into the living room. We ended up moving the couch we had here in the loft downstairs so there wasn't any seating for the tv with the game system. By moving it into his room we have more space in the loft for the exercise equipment and he and Marc have a comfortable place to play games. Besides then they can shut the door and we don't have to listen to it!
We are uncertain what will end up in his old room. It is a the end of the loft and the smallest of the bedrooms. We thought it was the same size as Rose's, but it seems smaller now that his stuff is in there. I have my eye on it for a sewing/guest room. Come visit us so I can have a great reason to make it into a guest room!
Marc's next chemo is Wednesday. His coag numbers have been in range and Sara from the anti-coag clinic has been pleased. That's always a good thing! I'll be posting again as he goes through his next round. September has been rough dealing with finding the right dosage for the anti-coag meds, getting back to school, and the stress of not knowing about this camp. Hopefully October will be routine and smooth sailing.
Not only has this been an incredible experience for he and Brett to enjoy together, it has been a chance for him to get away from the daily reminder that he is dealing with cancer treatments. He hasn't had to sit at home while the rest of us go off to school and/or work. More details on the trip when they get home and tell us all their stories.
Rose and I have been working our tails off at home. Last week, I worked a bit extra at school and Rose caught up on some homework from when she stayed home sick on Monday. By the end of the week, Rose was feeling awful again. I took her to the dr. on Friday. He didn't think she had strep, but swabbed her anyway when I mentioned that I wanted to get her checked so if it was strep she could begin treatment and not be contagious by the time Marc got home on Tuesday. We'll hear Monday. He did the longer lab test so it would be more reliable. She's feeling better already so I'm sure it isn't strep.
I have cleared out the office - with the help of Donna. Steph drove down the gorge and picked her up. She and Dick have been spending time near Goldendale. Donna spent the last two days here with us. She helped me peel wallpaper border out of the old office, organize the office area in the loft, and was just a general all around adviser for what needed to be kept and what could be pitched. I have five grocery bags of papers for recycling! We went to IKEA and got some great organizing boxes to put on the bookshelves to sort all the mail into (one for each family member plus a couple extra) and some magazine boxes for magazines and specialty printer paper and labels. We also have a big box for things to shred - Rose's new way of making an extra buck or two. We even found a map of Priest Lake that I tacked up over the computer.
When Brett gets back he'll help me paint the office and move all his stuff in there. We decided that one of the privileges of turning 16 was to have the biggest room. He'll also get to have the TV with his game system in his room. No cable, but he'll have a DVD/VCR. Rose is pretty ticked. Bummer to be younger sometimes. It all started when we moved the music stuff into the living room. We ended up moving the couch we had here in the loft downstairs so there wasn't any seating for the tv with the game system. By moving it into his room we have more space in the loft for the exercise equipment and he and Marc have a comfortable place to play games. Besides then they can shut the door and we don't have to listen to it!
We are uncertain what will end up in his old room. It is a the end of the loft and the smallest of the bedrooms. We thought it was the same size as Rose's, but it seems smaller now that his stuff is in there. I have my eye on it for a sewing/guest room. Come visit us so I can have a great reason to make it into a guest room!
Marc's next chemo is Wednesday. His coag numbers have been in range and Sara from the anti-coag clinic has been pleased. That's always a good thing! I'll be posting again as he goes through his next round. September has been rough dealing with finding the right dosage for the anti-coag meds, getting back to school, and the stress of not knowing about this camp. Hopefully October will be routine and smooth sailing.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Round 5
There really isn't a great fraction for this treatment. 5/12ths doesn't have the ring to it that 1/4 and 1/3 had. Next treatment though will mark the 1/2 way point!
After a rocky few weeks, things have settled back into more of a routine. Marc gets his blood drawn about once a week for the anti-coag clinic. Now that we are regulars we don't have to call it the Anti-coagulation clinic - we just say anti-coag. Cool, huh?! The last two draws his numbers have been in range and he is simply maintaining his meds and wearing his support stockings.
This round of chemo seems rather routine, yucky, but routine. Marc's wiped out and his brain isn't functioning at its regular capacity. Rose called me for help with math homework - that indicates things aren't normal for sure. Fortunately, we made it through this lesson. He needs to get well for the hard stuff.
Marc is still on the anti-nausea research study drugs, but no longer has to fill out a journal for that study. What a blessing. I was afraid he'd have to go to "standard of care" drugs for the remainder of his chemo, but he still gets the good stuff.
School is also settling into a routine. I take Rose and two friends to school on my way. Three 12 year old girls can be quite entertaining. One morning I was so distracted by their chatter that I drove right by their school. My friend Deb happened to be in the car behind me and called me to see if they were coming to school with us.
The team of teachers I have joined is wonderful. Sandy, John, Lorri, and Laura have all welcomed me with such graciousness. I feel truly blessed to be working with them. They have been working together for several years. Laura gives me practical advise like giving me a quick run down on the silk worms, meal worms, and milk weed bugs that were delivered to go with our science kit this week. Sandy continually surprises and entertains me with her fabulous sense of humor and grounded attitude about second graders and life in general. Lorri keeps us all organized and John has been a true encouragement to the new kid on the block. Come see us at the community open house on October 11th. (The school district web site has all the details.)
Donna and Dick are here for 10 days. It has been like the cavalry arriving. I took 1/2 of a personal day to hang out with her. It was nice to sit and relax for a while. Donna is helping me move and organize the office. We are moving the computer to the loft area and giving this larger bedroom to Brett as part of the benefit of turning 16. Rose was not happy about it at all but her turn is coming sooner than we can imagine.
Brett's birthday is Monday. He and Marc leave for Arizona for a martial arts camp next week. Marc will be an observer. They have been planning to go for 2 years. Marc will have his blood levels checked to make sure it is safe for him to fly. They will be gone about six days. While they are gone, I will take down the wallpaper border and paint so he can move into his new room when he gets back. He has been taking pictures of himself and photo shopping them with different backgrounds. I have about 5 of them as a screen saver at school. He's quite the talented kid.
Marc received enough shared leave to get through September. He won't have to go onto long-term disability until at least October. The lady at the district office said it trickles in for a bit as people fill out the paper work. We are praying more people take the time to donate. It makes such a difference for us!
Thanks for your continued support and prayers. Love to you all!
After a rocky few weeks, things have settled back into more of a routine. Marc gets his blood drawn about once a week for the anti-coag clinic. Now that we are regulars we don't have to call it the Anti-coagulation clinic - we just say anti-coag. Cool, huh?! The last two draws his numbers have been in range and he is simply maintaining his meds and wearing his support stockings.
This round of chemo seems rather routine, yucky, but routine. Marc's wiped out and his brain isn't functioning at its regular capacity. Rose called me for help with math homework - that indicates things aren't normal for sure. Fortunately, we made it through this lesson. He needs to get well for the hard stuff.
Marc is still on the anti-nausea research study drugs, but no longer has to fill out a journal for that study. What a blessing. I was afraid he'd have to go to "standard of care" drugs for the remainder of his chemo, but he still gets the good stuff.
School is also settling into a routine. I take Rose and two friends to school on my way. Three 12 year old girls can be quite entertaining. One morning I was so distracted by their chatter that I drove right by their school. My friend Deb happened to be in the car behind me and called me to see if they were coming to school with us.
The team of teachers I have joined is wonderful. Sandy, John, Lorri, and Laura have all welcomed me with such graciousness. I feel truly blessed to be working with them. They have been working together for several years. Laura gives me practical advise like giving me a quick run down on the silk worms, meal worms, and milk weed bugs that were delivered to go with our science kit this week. Sandy continually surprises and entertains me with her fabulous sense of humor and grounded attitude about second graders and life in general. Lorri keeps us all organized and John has been a true encouragement to the new kid on the block. Come see us at the community open house on October 11th. (The school district web site has all the details.)
Donna and Dick are here for 10 days. It has been like the cavalry arriving. I took 1/2 of a personal day to hang out with her. It was nice to sit and relax for a while. Donna is helping me move and organize the office. We are moving the computer to the loft area and giving this larger bedroom to Brett as part of the benefit of turning 16. Rose was not happy about it at all but her turn is coming sooner than we can imagine.
Brett's birthday is Monday. He and Marc leave for Arizona for a martial arts camp next week. Marc will be an observer. They have been planning to go for 2 years. Marc will have his blood levels checked to make sure it is safe for him to fly. They will be gone about six days. While they are gone, I will take down the wallpaper border and paint so he can move into his new room when he gets back. He has been taking pictures of himself and photo shopping them with different backgrounds. I have about 5 of them as a screen saver at school. He's quite the talented kid.
Marc received enough shared leave to get through September. He won't have to go onto long-term disability until at least October. The lady at the district office said it trickles in for a bit as people fill out the paper work. We are praying more people take the time to donate. It makes such a difference for us!
Thanks for your continued support and prayers. Love to you all!
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Above and Beyond
In the last blog, I think I worried everyone too much. Sorry. Yes, this is hard, but we are getting through it. We have as many gifts along the way as we have difficulties.
Our trip up the hill was a nightmare, but, wow, was it the right place to go. This last week Marc had to go every day to have blood drawn at Legacy hospital. On Wed. they drew extra at chemo so he didn't have two trips that day. Anyway, Sara from the anticoag clinic has been monitoring his information and talked to Marc on the phone on Thursday about a new plan for his meds.
Thursday was not the best day for Marc to process information as he was in the midst of chemo #4. I asked if he would be offended if I contacted Sara to get the information directly from her because I didn't understand what he was supposed to do.
Friday morning I emailed Sara requesting that she go over the plan with me. She emailed back asking me to call her before noon. Fortunately, my kids have a morning recess this year so I was able to try to reach her. We played a bit of phone tag, but about 11:40 we were able to talk. She was waiting for Marc's info to come from Legacy and hadn't gotten it yet. It would determine his weekend meds.
I called home and he hadn't left for the hospital yet. By the time he reached the hospital and had his blood drawn, Sara had already left OHSU for the day. When we talked, she gave me the plan for his meds in case she was unable to get his numbers before leaving home. The plan included going back onto the Lovenox shots through the weekend to get his number up. I guess up is a good thing. In this experience, sometimes you want numbers up and sometimes you want them down. Marc hates the Lovenox more than anything and I knew this would not be good news for him.
I went to Fred Meyer to pick up the new Lovenox prescription yesterday evening. While there, Sara called my cell phone. She had checked his latest numbers from home. His numbers were coming up. The new plan for Marc's meds only has him do the Lovenox through tonight. Three shots rather than five. Sara may not be warm and fuzzy or have the tenderest "bedside manner," but she is a gift. Her willingness to go above and beyond made a tough week end on a good note.
Marc's chemo this time initially hit him pretty hard. He has had times he feels well enough to mix up the cookie dough for cookies he was craving and times where he just doesn't have energy to do more than crash on the couch. His friend Georgia from martial arts has been another gift this week. She took him to OHSU for chemo and then took him to Legacy two days for blood draws. He is truly blessed to have friends like Georgia.
One other good note. We have fabulous insurance. When I picked up the Lovenox, it was $20 rather than the normal $10 we pay for prescriptions. When I questioned the guy, he said it was a name brand drug rather than generic. If we didn't have insurance the 10 syringes would have cost $911.11. I gave him the $20 and did just what my dad would have wanted me to do - I smiled and said thank you.
Our trip up the hill was a nightmare, but, wow, was it the right place to go. This last week Marc had to go every day to have blood drawn at Legacy hospital. On Wed. they drew extra at chemo so he didn't have two trips that day. Anyway, Sara from the anticoag clinic has been monitoring his information and talked to Marc on the phone on Thursday about a new plan for his meds.
Thursday was not the best day for Marc to process information as he was in the midst of chemo #4. I asked if he would be offended if I contacted Sara to get the information directly from her because I didn't understand what he was supposed to do.
Friday morning I emailed Sara requesting that she go over the plan with me. She emailed back asking me to call her before noon. Fortunately, my kids have a morning recess this year so I was able to try to reach her. We played a bit of phone tag, but about 11:40 we were able to talk. She was waiting for Marc's info to come from Legacy and hadn't gotten it yet. It would determine his weekend meds.
I called home and he hadn't left for the hospital yet. By the time he reached the hospital and had his blood drawn, Sara had already left OHSU for the day. When we talked, she gave me the plan for his meds in case she was unable to get his numbers before leaving home. The plan included going back onto the Lovenox shots through the weekend to get his number up. I guess up is a good thing. In this experience, sometimes you want numbers up and sometimes you want them down. Marc hates the Lovenox more than anything and I knew this would not be good news for him.
I went to Fred Meyer to pick up the new Lovenox prescription yesterday evening. While there, Sara called my cell phone. She had checked his latest numbers from home. His numbers were coming up. The new plan for Marc's meds only has him do the Lovenox through tonight. Three shots rather than five. Sara may not be warm and fuzzy or have the tenderest "bedside manner," but she is a gift. Her willingness to go above and beyond made a tough week end on a good note.
Marc's chemo this time initially hit him pretty hard. He has had times he feels well enough to mix up the cookie dough for cookies he was craving and times where he just doesn't have energy to do more than crash on the couch. His friend Georgia from martial arts has been another gift this week. She took him to OHSU for chemo and then took him to Legacy two days for blood draws. He is truly blessed to have friends like Georgia.
One other good note. We have fabulous insurance. When I picked up the Lovenox, it was $20 rather than the normal $10 we pay for prescriptions. When I questioned the guy, he said it was a name brand drug rather than generic. If we didn't have insurance the 10 syringes would have cost $911.11. I gave him the $20 and did just what my dad would have wanted me to do - I smiled and said thank you.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Nightmare on the Hill and Round 4
Sorry for the delay in posting. I know that I thought I'd get something posted over the long weekend, but just didn't. Long story follows...
Thursday we went to see Dr. Blanke for a follow up visit regarding Marc's blood clot(s). He was very helpful and was willing to answer any questions we had - much like before. Only about 30% of people on chemo develop blood clots. It does not change the long term prognosis at all. Dr. B went to get the report from Legacy Hospital online and decided to send us "up the hill" to the anticoagulation clinic as this is their specialty. We are learning about specialties we never knew existed. Dr. B is a wonderful dr., but this time he stretched my endurance to the limit.
Up the hill refers to taking the tram literally up the hill to OHSU hospital. We then had to cross the street to another building and find the anticoagulation clinic. Let me back up. Marc was unsure if he should be putting weight on the leg so was using his crutches - left over from his knee surgery many moons ago. The tram was not crowded on the way up, the weather was beautiful, and the scenery was amazing - as long as you didn't look down.
When we walked through the building and outside, we had to go down a flight of stairs to cross the street. The last time I had been on the hill was when my Uncle Alden died so that added an emotional layer to the trip. I had forgotten that the two buildings were linked by a skybridge, but wouldn't have known what level to find that on anyway as the hospital is built on a hill and you enter on the 9th floor. Confusing to say the least.
By the time Marc got down the stairs, across the street and into the other building he was exahausted. We then had to find an elevator to the 3rd floor and find check in 3. We managed to locate the correct place without much trouble. However, the girl at the desk was brand new. She had no idea who we were or why we were there. We thought someone down below had called and gotten us an appointment or at least told them we were coming. The girl at the desk went to get someone to deal with us (me really as Marc needed to sit down in the waiting area). The lady came out and kept saying "this is not a walk-in clinic." I tried to tell her we didn't mean to be walk-ins, but were sent there by a dr. Long story short, she took pitty on us and fit us in her schedule.
Marc has to be on Warfarin (generic for Coumadin) for at least three-six months maybe longer. It needs to be taken in the evening on an empty stomach, but at the same time each day. He needs to eat foods high in vitamin K consistently daily. Because it was a holiday weekend coming up - of course it was we had surgery right before Memorial Day, started chemo around the 4th of July, and now this at Labor day - he couldn't start taking the medicine that day, but had to wait till Saturday. Which meant he had to keep giving himself shots until yesterday (he hated this more than anything else he has had to do so far). The Warfarin takes a couple days to kick in. Then he has to have his blood tested five days in a row to make sure the dosage is correct. Then he has to have bloot tests weekly for the remainder of the time he is on the medication. It is trickier to regulate because of the chemo. She also gave Marc a prescription for compression stockings.
On the way back down the hill, there was a group of Japanese university students on the Tram with us. It was packed hot and I managed to hold it together, but for someone who hates heights and is claustrophobic, it was about all I could do to ride down.
Once back in the car we decided to pick up the stockings and get it taken care of all at the same time. The lady had recommended we go to a lingerie shop call Just Like a Woman. She said they take the time to measure and fit the stockings and have them in stock. It was a beautiful shop. They have pretty panties and bras and I may go back there someday myself. It is on Macadam about 10 minutes from the bottom of the tram. Stockings in hand, we headed for home.
I was an emotional wreck by the time we finished the day. My sister and friends did a nice job of picking up the pieces. Plus I was babysitting Masen that night so I got to play with a 20 month old and not think about anything else for a while.
Friday and the weekend are a blur of getting my classroom ready for 28 second graders and getting our two kids and myself ready for school to start. Most of the school shopping was done. We just needed to get groceries and take care of laundry. Marc went to Winco and I took Trader Joe's.
People keep asking about the kids. This is the classic answer. Monday night Rose and I were headed to Fred Meyer to pick up last minute things. She was going on and on about how she couldn't believe school was starting and summer was over. Then she said, "This has been a really uneventful summer." I burst out laughing.
My first day of school started out great. The kids actually know how to do things. I love second graders. All 28 of them. By the end of the day we were all tired and beginning to unravel. We lined up to go out front. There was a mob - I mean mob - of parents and siblings waiting to pick kids up. Remember this is a brand new school. We are putting together procedures as best we can without experiencing things first. I walked about 20 feet out of the building, turned and looked and all but about 3 or 4 of my kids had vanished into the crowd. It was horrifying. They all came back today so they must have been picked up by the right people. We did things a bit differently today and it was much better.
I did get a note in my box today to send home with the kids about curriculum night next Tuesday. Next Tuesday? The teachers will do two presentations that evening in their classrooms so parents can get to the classrooms of two kids. Really? This was news to me...seriously, can we please just try to get through the beginning of a year in a new school. Could we not have waited one more week? Oh well, what's the saying? In for a penny, in for a pound. or something like that... The technology makes it all worthwhile. Love the microphone system! The document camera! The computer that doesn't freeze multiple times daily. Ok, I'll do a curriculum night presentation twice. At least I already knew about the dedication/community open house in October. That one won't be a surprise.
Marc's 4th round of chemo was today. His friend Georgia, from martial arts, took him down. I picked him up when I finished school. It has hit hard and quickly this time. My sister ordered us a book from Amazon about cooking and eating during chemo. It has some helpful information and lots of yummy recipes in it.
I cannot say enough times that we would not make it through this without the support of each and every one of you. The roles you play are so vital. From the prayers to the logistical help. From the emails to the listening ears. You are our strength.
Thursday we went to see Dr. Blanke for a follow up visit regarding Marc's blood clot(s). He was very helpful and was willing to answer any questions we had - much like before. Only about 30% of people on chemo develop blood clots. It does not change the long term prognosis at all. Dr. B went to get the report from Legacy Hospital online and decided to send us "up the hill" to the anticoagulation clinic as this is their specialty. We are learning about specialties we never knew existed. Dr. B is a wonderful dr., but this time he stretched my endurance to the limit.
Up the hill refers to taking the tram literally up the hill to OHSU hospital. We then had to cross the street to another building and find the anticoagulation clinic. Let me back up. Marc was unsure if he should be putting weight on the leg so was using his crutches - left over from his knee surgery many moons ago. The tram was not crowded on the way up, the weather was beautiful, and the scenery was amazing - as long as you didn't look down.
When we walked through the building and outside, we had to go down a flight of stairs to cross the street. The last time I had been on the hill was when my Uncle Alden died so that added an emotional layer to the trip. I had forgotten that the two buildings were linked by a skybridge, but wouldn't have known what level to find that on anyway as the hospital is built on a hill and you enter on the 9th floor. Confusing to say the least.
By the time Marc got down the stairs, across the street and into the other building he was exahausted. We then had to find an elevator to the 3rd floor and find check in 3. We managed to locate the correct place without much trouble. However, the girl at the desk was brand new. She had no idea who we were or why we were there. We thought someone down below had called and gotten us an appointment or at least told them we were coming. The girl at the desk went to get someone to deal with us (me really as Marc needed to sit down in the waiting area). The lady came out and kept saying "this is not a walk-in clinic." I tried to tell her we didn't mean to be walk-ins, but were sent there by a dr. Long story short, she took pitty on us and fit us in her schedule.
Marc has to be on Warfarin (generic for Coumadin) for at least three-six months maybe longer. It needs to be taken in the evening on an empty stomach, but at the same time each day. He needs to eat foods high in vitamin K consistently daily. Because it was a holiday weekend coming up - of course it was we had surgery right before Memorial Day, started chemo around the 4th of July, and now this at Labor day - he couldn't start taking the medicine that day, but had to wait till Saturday. Which meant he had to keep giving himself shots until yesterday (he hated this more than anything else he has had to do so far). The Warfarin takes a couple days to kick in. Then he has to have his blood tested five days in a row to make sure the dosage is correct. Then he has to have bloot tests weekly for the remainder of the time he is on the medication. It is trickier to regulate because of the chemo. She also gave Marc a prescription for compression stockings.
On the way back down the hill, there was a group of Japanese university students on the Tram with us. It was packed hot and I managed to hold it together, but for someone who hates heights and is claustrophobic, it was about all I could do to ride down.
Once back in the car we decided to pick up the stockings and get it taken care of all at the same time. The lady had recommended we go to a lingerie shop call Just Like a Woman. She said they take the time to measure and fit the stockings and have them in stock. It was a beautiful shop. They have pretty panties and bras and I may go back there someday myself. It is on Macadam about 10 minutes from the bottom of the tram. Stockings in hand, we headed for home.
I was an emotional wreck by the time we finished the day. My sister and friends did a nice job of picking up the pieces. Plus I was babysitting Masen that night so I got to play with a 20 month old and not think about anything else for a while.
Friday and the weekend are a blur of getting my classroom ready for 28 second graders and getting our two kids and myself ready for school to start. Most of the school shopping was done. We just needed to get groceries and take care of laundry. Marc went to Winco and I took Trader Joe's.
People keep asking about the kids. This is the classic answer. Monday night Rose and I were headed to Fred Meyer to pick up last minute things. She was going on and on about how she couldn't believe school was starting and summer was over. Then she said, "This has been a really uneventful summer." I burst out laughing.
My first day of school started out great. The kids actually know how to do things. I love second graders. All 28 of them. By the end of the day we were all tired and beginning to unravel. We lined up to go out front. There was a mob - I mean mob - of parents and siblings waiting to pick kids up. Remember this is a brand new school. We are putting together procedures as best we can without experiencing things first. I walked about 20 feet out of the building, turned and looked and all but about 3 or 4 of my kids had vanished into the crowd. It was horrifying. They all came back today so they must have been picked up by the right people. We did things a bit differently today and it was much better.
I did get a note in my box today to send home with the kids about curriculum night next Tuesday. Next Tuesday? The teachers will do two presentations that evening in their classrooms so parents can get to the classrooms of two kids. Really? This was news to me...seriously, can we please just try to get through the beginning of a year in a new school. Could we not have waited one more week? Oh well, what's the saying? In for a penny, in for a pound. or something like that... The technology makes it all worthwhile. Love the microphone system! The document camera! The computer that doesn't freeze multiple times daily. Ok, I'll do a curriculum night presentation twice. At least I already knew about the dedication/community open house in October. That one won't be a surprise.
Marc's 4th round of chemo was today. His friend Georgia, from martial arts, took him down. I picked him up when I finished school. It has hit hard and quickly this time. My sister ordered us a book from Amazon about cooking and eating during chemo. It has some helpful information and lots of yummy recipes in it.
I cannot say enough times that we would not make it through this without the support of each and every one of you. The roles you play are so vital. From the prayers to the logistical help. From the emails to the listening ears. You are our strength.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Test
This is a test blog to see if it is emailed to the "guinea pigs" on my yahoo group. My classroom is almost ready - thanks to the help of my family. Rose came and assembled things and made labels with my new label maker. I still had my $150 classroom fund left from last year and needed to have the receipts dated by the 31st so we went shopping on Friday and bought things for the new classroom. Worked out perfectly. Then today I went to WalMart and bought a few things out of this year's fund. It makes it seem like I have more money in my classroom fund. Some districts in the Seattle area have $1500 per year per classroom. Amazing differences even in the same state.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
ER
Last night Marc discovered that one of his calves was larger than the other and his foot was swollen. It had been bothering him a bit for a week, but he felt it was getting better until yesterday. The mom of one of his martial arts students is an oncologist. She looked at it told him to go to ER and have it imaged. So off we went.
Last time we were at ER, he had a superficial vein clot. This time he had a deep vein clot. The ER doc called the oncologist on duty at OHSU. Marc had to have blood drawn to check his platelets before they gave him the blood thinner. The good news is that his counts are already up. So, next chemo treatment will go on schedule! He has been put on lovenox. It is a blood thinner that he has to inject into his abdomen twice a day. The nurse asked who was going to give him the shot. NOT ME. He was a bit freaked out by it and kept saying he'd never put metal into his body on purpose before. I told him I could probably do it if he needed me to, but he finally poked the needle in and didn't even feel it. When he began putting in the medicine, he said he could feel it stinging. The nurse told him that his abdomen would bruise and that he should give the injection in a different place each time. He will be on this med for 7 days.
We will see Dr. Blanke for a follow up in the next few days. Marc will probably be put on another blood thinner at that point that is an oral med.
The other good news is that I don't have a meeting at school till 10:00 this morning and my room looks passable for the open house tonight.
My good friend Debora, the best K teacher at Yacolt, had said last time we went to ER that the kids could call her if they didn't want to stay alone. She lives about 1.5 miles from us. Last night Rose called her about 10:00. She took Rose to her house for the night and Brett went to his friend Jordan's house. Debora and Jordan's mom Kim are also good friends. Brett and Jordan have gone to school together since we moved to Yacolt. His parents both work at my new school. Kim is a school Psych at the middle school and George teaches 3rd grade in my building. They are wonderful people. We are so blessed. Especially since there are many others who are willing to step in and help out. Many have already and many more will will get their turn as time passes.
This morning Marc said he doesn't know what is wrong with himself. It feels like his body is falling apart. The bummer is that is chemo's job.
My goal is to get all my planning done before Labor Day Weekend so I can finish painting in the living room. The dr. appointment may throw a monkey wrench into that. The other thing I am working on is getting pictures on this site and finding a way for it to email when a blog is posted. Thanks for your prayers and patience.
Last time we were at ER, he had a superficial vein clot. This time he had a deep vein clot. The ER doc called the oncologist on duty at OHSU. Marc had to have blood drawn to check his platelets before they gave him the blood thinner. The good news is that his counts are already up. So, next chemo treatment will go on schedule! He has been put on lovenox. It is a blood thinner that he has to inject into his abdomen twice a day. The nurse asked who was going to give him the shot. NOT ME. He was a bit freaked out by it and kept saying he'd never put metal into his body on purpose before. I told him I could probably do it if he needed me to, but he finally poked the needle in and didn't even feel it. When he began putting in the medicine, he said he could feel it stinging. The nurse told him that his abdomen would bruise and that he should give the injection in a different place each time. He will be on this med for 7 days.
We will see Dr. Blanke for a follow up in the next few days. Marc will probably be put on another blood thinner at that point that is an oral med.
The other good news is that I don't have a meeting at school till 10:00 this morning and my room looks passable for the open house tonight.
My good friend Debora, the best K teacher at Yacolt, had said last time we went to ER that the kids could call her if they didn't want to stay alone. She lives about 1.5 miles from us. Last night Rose called her about 10:00. She took Rose to her house for the night and Brett went to his friend Jordan's house. Debora and Jordan's mom Kim are also good friends. Brett and Jordan have gone to school together since we moved to Yacolt. His parents both work at my new school. Kim is a school Psych at the middle school and George teaches 3rd grade in my building. They are wonderful people. We are so blessed. Especially since there are many others who are willing to step in and help out. Many have already and many more will will get their turn as time passes.
This morning Marc said he doesn't know what is wrong with himself. It feels like his body is falling apart. The bummer is that is chemo's job.
My goal is to get all my planning done before Labor Day Weekend so I can finish painting in the living room. The dr. appointment may throw a monkey wrench into that. The other thing I am working on is getting pictures on this site and finding a way for it to email when a blog is posted. Thanks for your prayers and patience.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Round 3 Take 3
Yippee!!! Marc's numbers were way, way up yesterday and he was able to have treatment number three. The long break gave him time to regain some strength and stamina. However, he is finding today that it is gone with the wind.
Marc and I have disagreed on how his treatments have effected his energy level. He feels it from the inside while I observe the outside. His first treatment was very hard on him. He maintains that the second was easier. That's not what I observed. Last night I came up with a new theory that might work for both of us. Before the first treatment, he was feeling good. It had been six weeks since surgery and he felt better than ever. The chemo treatment slammed him against a wall - so to speak. He had regained some strength and energy, but wasn't feeling normal before the next treatment. By this treatment, he was feeling great again, and again has been slammed by it. The new theory is that he felt the second treatment was easier because the change in how he was feeling wasn't as dramatic. If you are feeling like a "10" and chemo slams you to a "-1," that feels different than if you are only feeling like a 3 or 4 and drop to a -1. Does that make sense to anyone else besides me? Marc thought it might.
Last week Brett went to the beach with some friends and had a wonderful time. Marc and Rose spent several days at his parents' house, and after dropping them off, I spent a couple of days with Donna in Port Townsend. It was wonderful. We shopped, made jewelry, relaxed, walked on the beach, saw the lighthouse, and ate wonderful Thai food. The weather was perfect and I must admit to being a bit of a brat. I just had to call my friend Allen to remind him that THIS is God's country. Poor guy is stuck in LA.
I picked up my keys to my new classroom yesterday. The school is still strewn with boxes, table parts, and many other remnants of the building process. There were several teachers working on unpacking. Already some people are unhappy about the rooms not being identical. In some respects (lack of storage in some rooms), I support their gripes. In others, not so much. Some rooms have fewer windows than others. Yes, it's not equal, but really, in the grand scheme of things, is it the end of the world? I reread the schedule last night that the principals had mailed. We have all day tech training on Friday. Then we have meetings Monday - Wednesday. Wednesday night is open house. Today is going to be a long day. Panic is just below the surface!
Marc's next appointment is September 5th. I am working on a way to send out an automatic email when blogs are posted. In the FAQ section of this blog site, there seems to be an answer to this question. However, with school just around the corner, that will have to wait for a bit.
Marc and I have disagreed on how his treatments have effected his energy level. He feels it from the inside while I observe the outside. His first treatment was very hard on him. He maintains that the second was easier. That's not what I observed. Last night I came up with a new theory that might work for both of us. Before the first treatment, he was feeling good. It had been six weeks since surgery and he felt better than ever. The chemo treatment slammed him against a wall - so to speak. He had regained some strength and energy, but wasn't feeling normal before the next treatment. By this treatment, he was feeling great again, and again has been slammed by it. The new theory is that he felt the second treatment was easier because the change in how he was feeling wasn't as dramatic. If you are feeling like a "10" and chemo slams you to a "-1," that feels different than if you are only feeling like a 3 or 4 and drop to a -1. Does that make sense to anyone else besides me? Marc thought it might.
Last week Brett went to the beach with some friends and had a wonderful time. Marc and Rose spent several days at his parents' house, and after dropping them off, I spent a couple of days with Donna in Port Townsend. It was wonderful. We shopped, made jewelry, relaxed, walked on the beach, saw the lighthouse, and ate wonderful Thai food. The weather was perfect and I must admit to being a bit of a brat. I just had to call my friend Allen to remind him that THIS is God's country. Poor guy is stuck in LA.
I picked up my keys to my new classroom yesterday. The school is still strewn with boxes, table parts, and many other remnants of the building process. There were several teachers working on unpacking. Already some people are unhappy about the rooms not being identical. In some respects (lack of storage in some rooms), I support their gripes. In others, not so much. Some rooms have fewer windows than others. Yes, it's not equal, but really, in the grand scheme of things, is it the end of the world? I reread the schedule last night that the principals had mailed. We have all day tech training on Friday. Then we have meetings Monday - Wednesday. Wednesday night is open house. Today is going to be a long day. Panic is just below the surface!
Marc's next appointment is September 5th. I am working on a way to send out an automatic email when blogs are posted. In the FAQ section of this blog site, there seems to be an answer to this question. However, with school just around the corner, that will have to wait for a bit.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Round 3 - Take 2
Technically, I guess I missed updating on Friday like I said I would. But since it is only slightly into Saturday, I'm feeling ok about it. Bummer for you guys is that you are all sleeping and if you checked before going to bed, you are still wondering how Marc's appointment went this morning.
The short answer is that he did not have chemo today.
The long answer is that Marc's body's ability to make white blood cells is improving ever so slowly. He went from 0.3 to 0.4. He needs to be at 1.5. However, today we had a far better explanation of the game plan. Dr. B's nurse, Ann, talked with us about the drugs available to help with this process. The shot that was mentioned when we were there on Wednesday has to be given within 24 hours of chemo ending. So, even if he weren't part of the study and could have that drug, the timing isn't right. The drug's job is to make the white blood cells live longer. Marc doesn't seem to have a huge problem with the life-span of his white cells, just in his ability to produce them. So for now he plans to stay in the study.
Dr. B. also has an alternative plan. First, he will reduce the dose of Oxaliplatin. Second he will discontinue the bolus of the fluorouracil (5fu). Dr. B. feels that with these two changes Marc's body will be able to handle the chemo better and be able to keep the white blood cell factories in working condition. Marc was originally a bit concerned about the amount of lectures that Dr. B. gives around the world and the amount of time he spends out of the office. Today was so reassuring to him - Dr. B. is monitoring his case closely even if we don't see him in person. Dr. B. wants Marc to wait until his next regularly scheduled appointment for his next chemo treatment rather than coming in to be checked in between. So, the next treatment is scheduled for the 22nd. As it stands all plans for visiting family and friends will still work out!
Once we came home from OHSU, I had to take the kids to the fair. Rose was in 4-H a few years ago with Jack. She became good friends with one of the other girls her age and they like to go on the rides one day during the fair. Rose has continued this tradition even though she isn't in 4-H any more. I was planning to be there just for the afternoon, but it stretched a bit further. Then Rose stayed even longer to attend a 4-H dance with her friends. It was in the sheep barn. :-) I met Kayla's mom 1/2 way to pick Rose up. Rose's report was that the dance was "lame." There were mostly "little kids" there. She had a good time and came home and crashed. Brett didn't stay at the fair very long and took the bus home. I guess he's outgrown it or just wasn't in the mood today.
All in all it was a busy, but satisfying day.
The short answer is that he did not have chemo today.
The long answer is that Marc's body's ability to make white blood cells is improving ever so slowly. He went from 0.3 to 0.4. He needs to be at 1.5. However, today we had a far better explanation of the game plan. Dr. B's nurse, Ann, talked with us about the drugs available to help with this process. The shot that was mentioned when we were there on Wednesday has to be given within 24 hours of chemo ending. So, even if he weren't part of the study and could have that drug, the timing isn't right. The drug's job is to make the white blood cells live longer. Marc doesn't seem to have a huge problem with the life-span of his white cells, just in his ability to produce them. So for now he plans to stay in the study.
Dr. B. also has an alternative plan. First, he will reduce the dose of Oxaliplatin. Second he will discontinue the bolus of the fluorouracil (5fu). Dr. B. feels that with these two changes Marc's body will be able to handle the chemo better and be able to keep the white blood cell factories in working condition. Marc was originally a bit concerned about the amount of lectures that Dr. B. gives around the world and the amount of time he spends out of the office. Today was so reassuring to him - Dr. B. is monitoring his case closely even if we don't see him in person. Dr. B. wants Marc to wait until his next regularly scheduled appointment for his next chemo treatment rather than coming in to be checked in between. So, the next treatment is scheduled for the 22nd. As it stands all plans for visiting family and friends will still work out!
Once we came home from OHSU, I had to take the kids to the fair. Rose was in 4-H a few years ago with Jack. She became good friends with one of the other girls her age and they like to go on the rides one day during the fair. Rose has continued this tradition even though she isn't in 4-H any more. I was planning to be there just for the afternoon, but it stretched a bit further. Then Rose stayed even longer to attend a 4-H dance with her friends. It was in the sheep barn. :-) I met Kayla's mom 1/2 way to pick Rose up. Rose's report was that the dance was "lame." There were mostly "little kids" there. She had a good time and came home and crashed. Brett didn't stay at the fair very long and took the bus home. I guess he's outgrown it or just wasn't in the mood today.
All in all it was a busy, but satisfying day.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Round 3
Round 3 of chemo did not go as expected. It didn't go at all. The routine at the infusion center is for Marc to check in, get weighed, and have blood drawn. They run three different checks on his blood. Two are done quickly right at the infusion center and the third goes up the hill to check potassium levels or something like that...You think I'd know that by now! If all the levels are within range, the chemo drugs are started.
This week, one of Marc's blood levels was off. His white count was low, but not too low for chemo. However his ability to produce white cells was low. It was 0.3 and it needed to be between 1.1 and 5.5. He also had two enzymes from his liver that were elevated. The nurse said that could be from any number of things.
We will go back Friday to check again. If that level has come up, he will have chemo on Friday. If not, we will go in on Monday morning and try again. If not, the next try will be Thursday.
This has been quite hard for Marc. He feels pretty good and had no outward physical indications that things were off. He asked the nurse what he could do to raise the level, and she said "nothing." That's probably the hardest of all for him!
We are supposed to leave for his parent's house on Monday. If he is able to have chemo on Monday, we can still go, but he will have his chemo bag attached and will be feeling extremely fatigued. If his blood levels are too low on Monday, we'll go and he'll be checked when we come back on Thursday.
I'm planning to leave Marc and Rose with his parents and go on to Port Townsend with my sister Donna for a bit of R&R. Their good news is that Dick's lymphoma was misdiagnosed. The specialist at Virginia Mason had special tests run on the tissue that was removed in Utah and concluded that there is no cancer! Yippee!!!
If you just read all that and wondered if we are abandoning poor Brett. No worries. He is leaving us to go to the beach with two friends. I told his friend's mom she was a brave woman to take three teenage boys to the beach for five days! She just laughed. They really are good kids and will have a blast.
More news Friday.
This week, one of Marc's blood levels was off. His white count was low, but not too low for chemo. However his ability to produce white cells was low. It was 0.3 and it needed to be between 1.1 and 5.5. He also had two enzymes from his liver that were elevated. The nurse said that could be from any number of things.
We will go back Friday to check again. If that level has come up, he will have chemo on Friday. If not, we will go in on Monday morning and try again. If not, the next try will be Thursday.
This has been quite hard for Marc. He feels pretty good and had no outward physical indications that things were off. He asked the nurse what he could do to raise the level, and she said "nothing." That's probably the hardest of all for him!
We are supposed to leave for his parent's house on Monday. If he is able to have chemo on Monday, we can still go, but he will have his chemo bag attached and will be feeling extremely fatigued. If his blood levels are too low on Monday, we'll go and he'll be checked when we come back on Thursday.
I'm planning to leave Marc and Rose with his parents and go on to Port Townsend with my sister Donna for a bit of R&R. Their good news is that Dick's lymphoma was misdiagnosed. The specialist at Virginia Mason had special tests run on the tissue that was removed in Utah and concluded that there is no cancer! Yippee!!!
If you just read all that and wondered if we are abandoning poor Brett. No worries. He is leaving us to go to the beach with two friends. I told his friend's mom she was a brave woman to take three teenage boys to the beach for five days! She just laughed. They really are good kids and will have a blast.
More news Friday.
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