I tried to get all the posts to show up on the front page but they get pushed to the back. I talked to Dad last night and he is doing better than earlier this week. He was having the same symptoms, just getting worse with the accumulation of the chemo effects. He was in pretty good spirits and said he had a doctors appt today and would find out if round #4 would start on Wed or Friday this week. I plan on spending the weekend with Mom as Dad will likely be in the hospital. The DNC is in Denver this week witch will make driving there a nightmare. I suggested they stay home as much as possible. Dad did say the days get long and he really appreaciates phone calls. He says we are welcome to visit any time but not to feel obligated. I got the feeling that shorter visits in smaller groups are better for them given their physical and emotional limitations, but they do miss us and want to see us. Dad was having quite a bit of pain from the regenerating bone marrow and blood cells but the doctor got him some medicine for it and it has helped a lot. He still is very concerned for all of us and for our financial health as a family. He is addimate that we all (himself included) preserve means to provide for our families in the future and that this illness is only temporary. He remains greatful for all of the support that has come in many forms.
We spent the weekend with Mom as Dad was in the hospital working on chemo treatment #4. He was really feeling pretty good the whole time we were there. He usually feels the effects the week after (this week). Dad thought he was done with spinal tap chemo but they gave him 2 more doses of it. He should be home now and recovering. The doctors won't say much about the plan for the bone marrow transplant but I'm sure that we will have some details on the plans in the near future. I will be moving to a rotation with Walgreens in Denver in 3 weeks, but I am not sure how much time I will actually be in Denver as my preceptor travels all over the North Denver Region. I am also working on swithching my January rotation to the Presbyterian/St. Luke's Hospital where Dad has been going so that I can be there and the rest of you will not have to travel on bad roads if you don't want to. Dad still does best with short visits but I think Mom would have us there all the time. Over the weekend we got Mom a keyboard and set her up with a grocery delivery service. She is feeling very independent but gets lonely. I think phone calls and letters will be wonderful for both of them.
Dear Family and Friends- Well the deed is done! Dad had the bone marrow transplant yesterday, October 16th. Joanne has been in the city for about a week, having treatments to prepare to donate the stem cells. She had to have several painful (and very expensive) shots that made her ill. However, she is a champion donor. We believe that the target harvest was 5-6 million cells and she produce 7.5 million. The harvesting procedure was grueling but she came through it and hopefully will be feeling better this morning. We are ever grateful to Joanne, Ranae (personal slave) and their families for their sacrifice on our behalf.
In preparation for the transplant, Dad had to undergo several days of chemo and then two radiation treatments to suppress his immune system. Then the nurses pumped him full of tylenol, a steroid and benedryl to fight a possible allergic reaction and the immediate side effects of the transplant. The doctor came in to administer the stem cells. He and the nurse cross checked to be sure patient and stem cells were a match, then the nurse hung them on the IV machine, observed for about 5 minutes and left. Dad had to be on the vital statistics machine for a few more hours, monitoring heart, blood pressure and temperature every 15 minutes or so. The cells took about 3 hours to be administered and Dad did not have the allergic reaction. The stem cells themselves looked like ketchup water, the kind that has separated in the bottle.
Dad is now expected to get pretty sick over the next 5 days with chemo, radiation and transplant after effects. He is very isolated in his hospital room but would love visitors in person or on the phone.
Dad is doing great, he now has a stationary bike and is trying to build up his endurance. He has had some rough days and they are adjusting his medicine to help deal with the side effects. They miss everyone wish you all a Merry Christmas.
A little update for family, we recently got news that Lee's cancer is back. He is back in the hospital and they will try a new form of Chemo. This round will last 3 weeks, 6 days of drugs and then recovery time. The cancer is being very aggressive, so we are all being cautious and careful. Lee and Jeri both have great attitudes and are very strong people. Your thoughts and prayers are all appreciated!
With the cancer back, Dad has been going through another round of chemo that has really taken its toll. Dad is very weak and has had more serious complications like mouth sores and bad intestinal effects. He has also developed 2 viral infections and C.Diff (a nasty bacterial infection) in his colon. Mom has good days and bad days and they both really need our prayers and support. It has been difficult at best to get information at this point, but I hope that will change soon as I will be on a rotation at his hospital in January. It appears that the plan for treatment is less defined and may be a trial and error process.
Dad is doing a little better than he was last week. Mom said he was getting up and about a little more. his mouth sores have made it difficult to eat so they have given him IV nutrition and a pump for pain medication. I heard that the doctors may try a second bone marrow donation of T-cells to try and boost the graft vs. host disease that will help fight the cancer, but will be really tough on Dad. They have to wait at least 2 weeks to try that to give Dad some time to recover and build up enough strength to live though it. I'm sorry I have not been faithful at updating this blog, but as his condition has gotten more serious, I will try to do better. I know there are a lot of you out there that are concerned about him. As a family we can't thank you enough for you love, support, and generosity. Dad has no immunity right now so it is important not to expose him to further infection, but we have been trickling down there to be with him. Dave went last week, and Rachel and Cherilyn and her family are there now. I believe Darrin's family is planning to be there for the new year. Joe and Annie are getting ready to have a baby, and my family has been plagued with sickness for the last few weeks so we are keeping our distance.
Dad has had some very trying days in the last few weeks. He has had a lot of pain and was diagnosed with pneumonia on Sunday. Most of the family went down on sunday night to give dad a blessing. by tuesday he was starting to turn around. His neutrophil count was up to 125 and his mouth sores are starting to heal, and his kidneys are doing better. He recognized me right away when I came in yesterday even though I was wearing a mask. We talked about how he was, the flavor of his IV food, and the BCS bowl. Both him and Mom seem to be doing much better in both body and spirit. There is talk of more treatment, but not for a few weeks when he gets healthy enough for them to knock him down again. We will keep moving on one day at a time. Mark
Just one more thing, the most recent biopsy after this last chemo did not show any cancer. That does not mean that it is gone, just that it is low enough they can't see it. Just FYI.
Dad is not quite himself today. He has been given every drug available to try to treat his pneumonia. The CT from Thursday showed that it got worse over the previous 4 days. They will do another CT on Monday which should define the course from that point forward. His kidneys are not in great shape but have been stable for the last 4 days so unless they get worse he will not need dialysis. His neutorphil count is up to 800 which is a great improvement. That will allow his body to start to fight back against all of the infections in his body and help his mouth sores to heal. He still has trouble talking. He is also very weak. He has trouble walking and manipulating things with his hands but he is able to sit up in a chair for 6-8 hours a day. He will have a long recovery if he makes it though this. The entire family was here this weekend with the exception of Joe and Annie who are in the middle of having a baby. We hope to here some good news from them at any minute. The emotional struggle is exhausting but Kirsti and I were able to go to the temple yesterday and as we walked in, the tension just seemed to melt away for a while. Just FYI, there is a chance that they will need to put Dad on a respirator. If that happens he will be sedated and unable to communicate. He continues to express gratitude at every visit. Mark
Today Dad is looking better but is not quite himself. The nurses have been listening to his lungs and think that the pneumonia is getting a little better each day but the CT tomorrow will tell us more. His kidneys have stopped producing urine so they did an ultrasound and are considering dialysis for tomorrow. he is in quite a lot of pain but in his current mental state it is difficult to determine its origin. It is on his face that he has a bad belly ache though. He is still very weak and is unable to get out of bed without a lot of help. I will keep you updated on the news that we hope will come tomorrow. Mark
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I tried to get all the posts to show up on the front page but they get pushed to the back. I talked to Dad last night and he is doing better than earlier this week. He was having the same symptoms, just getting worse with the accumulation of the chemo effects. He was in pretty good spirits and said he had a doctors appt today and would find out if round #4 would start on Wed or Friday this week. I plan on spending the weekend with Mom as Dad will likely be in the hospital. The DNC is in Denver this week witch will make driving there a nightmare. I suggested they stay home as much as possible. Dad did say the days get long and he really appreaciates phone calls. He says we are welcome to visit any time but not to feel obligated. I got the feeling that shorter visits in smaller groups are better for them given their physical and emotional limitations, but they do miss us and want to see us. Dad was having quite a bit of pain from the regenerating bone marrow and blood cells but the doctor got him some medicine for it and it has helped a lot. He still is very concerned for all of us and for our financial health as a family. He is addimate that we all (himself included) preserve means to provide for our families in the future and that this illness is only temporary. He remains greatful for all of the support that has come in many forms.
We spent the weekend with Mom as Dad was in the hospital working on chemo treatment #4. He was really feeling pretty good the whole time we were there. He usually feels the effects the week after (this week). Dad thought he was done with spinal tap chemo but they gave him 2 more doses of it. He should be home now and recovering. The doctors won't say much about the plan for the bone marrow transplant but I'm sure that we will have some details on the plans in the near future. I will be moving to a rotation with Walgreens in Denver in 3 weeks, but I am not sure how much time I will actually be in Denver as my preceptor travels all over the North Denver Region. I am also working on swithching my January rotation to the Presbyterian/St. Luke's Hospital where Dad has been going so that I can be there and the rest of you will not have to travel on bad roads if you don't want to. Dad still does best with short visits but I think Mom would have us there all the time. Over the weekend we got Mom a keyboard and set her up with a grocery delivery service. She is feeling very independent but gets lonely. I think phone calls and letters will be wonderful for both of them.
Dear Family and Friends-
Well the deed is done! Dad had the bone marrow transplant yesterday, October 16th. Joanne has been in the city for about a week, having treatments to prepare to donate the stem cells. She had to have several painful (and very expensive) shots that made her ill. However, she is a champion donor. We believe that the target harvest was 5-6 million cells and she produce 7.5 million. The harvesting procedure was grueling but she came through it and hopefully will be feeling better this morning. We are ever grateful to Joanne, Ranae (personal slave) and their families for their sacrifice on our behalf.
In preparation for the transplant, Dad had to undergo several days of chemo and then two radiation treatments to suppress his immune system. Then the nurses pumped him full of tylenol, a steroid and benedryl to fight a possible allergic reaction and the immediate side effects of the transplant. The doctor came in to administer the stem cells. He and the nurse cross checked to be sure patient and stem cells were a match, then the nurse hung them on the IV machine, observed for about 5 minutes and left. Dad had to be on the vital statistics machine for a few more hours, monitoring heart, blood pressure and temperature every 15 minutes or so. The cells took about 3 hours to be administered and Dad did not have the allergic reaction. The stem cells themselves looked like ketchup water, the kind that has separated in the bottle.
Dad is now expected to get pretty sick over the next 5 days with chemo, radiation and transplant after effects. He is very isolated in his hospital room but would love visitors in person or on the phone.
Love to all, Cherilyn
Dad is doing great, he now has a stationary bike and is trying to build up his endurance. He has had some rough days and they are adjusting his medicine to help deal with the side effects. They miss everyone wish you all a Merry Christmas.
A little update for family, we recently got news that Lee's cancer is back. He is back in the hospital and they will try a new form of Chemo. This round will last 3 weeks, 6 days of drugs and then recovery time. The cancer is being very aggressive, so we are all being cautious and careful. Lee and Jeri both have great attitudes and are very strong people. Your thoughts and prayers are all appreciated!
With the cancer back, Dad has been going through another round of chemo that has really taken its toll. Dad is very weak and has had more serious complications like mouth sores and bad intestinal effects. He has also developed 2 viral infections and C.Diff (a nasty bacterial infection) in his colon. Mom has good days and bad days and they both really need our prayers and support. It has been difficult at best to get information at this point, but I hope that will change soon as I will be on a rotation at his hospital in January. It appears that the plan for treatment is less defined and may be a trial and error process.
Dad is doing a little better than he was last week. Mom said he was getting up and about a little more. his mouth sores have made it difficult to eat so they have given him IV nutrition and a pump for pain medication.
I heard that the doctors may try a second bone marrow donation of T-cells to try and boost the graft vs. host disease that will help fight the cancer, but will be really tough on Dad. They have to wait at least 2 weeks to try that to give Dad some time to recover and build up enough strength to live though it. I'm sorry I have not been faithful at updating this blog, but as his condition has gotten more serious, I will try to do better. I know there are a lot of you out there that are concerned about him. As a family we can't thank you enough for you love, support, and generosity.
Dad has no immunity right now so it is important not to expose him to further infection, but we have been trickling down there to be with him. Dave went last week, and Rachel and Cherilyn and her family are there now. I believe Darrin's family is planning to be there for the new year. Joe and Annie are getting ready to have a baby, and my family has been plagued with sickness for the last few weeks so we are keeping our distance.
Dad has had some very trying days in the last few weeks. He has had a lot of pain and was diagnosed with pneumonia on Sunday. Most of the family went down on sunday night to give dad a blessing. by tuesday he was starting to turn around. His neutrophil count was up to 125 and his mouth sores are starting to heal, and his kidneys are doing better. He recognized me right away when I came in yesterday even though I was wearing a mask. We talked about how he was, the flavor of his IV food, and the BCS bowl. Both him and Mom seem to be doing much better in both body and spirit. There is talk of more treatment, but not for a few weeks when he gets healthy enough for them to knock him down again. We will keep moving on one day at a time.
Mark
Just one more thing, the most recent biopsy after this last chemo did not show any cancer. That does not mean that it is gone, just that it is low enough they can't see it. Just FYI.
Dad is not quite himself today. He has been given every drug available to try to treat his pneumonia. The CT from Thursday showed that it got worse over the previous 4 days. They will do another CT on Monday which should define the course from that point forward. His kidneys are not in great shape but have been stable for the last 4 days so unless they get worse he will not need dialysis. His neutorphil count is up to 800 which is a great improvement. That will allow his body to start to fight back against all of the infections in his body and help his mouth sores to heal. He still has trouble talking. He is also very weak. He has trouble walking and manipulating things with his hands but he is able to sit up in a chair for 6-8 hours a day. He will have a long recovery if he makes it though this. The entire family was here this weekend with the exception of Joe and Annie who are in the middle of having a baby. We hope to here some good news from them at any minute.
The emotional struggle is exhausting but Kirsti and I were able to go to the temple yesterday and as we walked in, the tension just seemed to melt away for a while.
Just FYI, there is a chance that they will need to put Dad on a respirator. If that happens he will be sedated and unable to communicate. He continues to express gratitude at every visit.
Mark
Today Dad is looking better but is not quite himself. The nurses have been listening to his lungs and think that the pneumonia is getting a little better each day but the CT tomorrow will tell us more. His kidneys have stopped producing urine so they did an ultrasound and are considering dialysis for tomorrow. he is in quite a lot of pain but in his current mental state it is difficult to determine its origin. It is on his face that he has a bad belly ache though. He is still very weak and is unable to get out of bed without a lot of help. I will keep you updated on the news that we hope will come tomorrow.
Mark
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