Michael is still on his antibiotics and is still running a low fever. Yesterday his fever was running anywhere from 98.0 – 100.2. Last night I did get worried when it reached 100.2, but that is the highest it reached. It did come down and we stayed home.
Today so far, it has been going between 97.5 and 99.6. He is not really coughing, no sore throat, no stuffy / runny nose, etc. He just feels “blah” and is achy. His color still does not look very good and he is still weak and tired. I feel like a mom looking after her sick infant. I “bug” him every hour or so checking his temp. I even wake up every hour or so to check his temp. I am sure he is real tired of me. The fever is really worrying me. You would think this antibiotic would begin to work by now.
I am going to continue my motherly type checking his temp. If it does go up through the night, I will make the trip to Dallas to get him to the hospital. Please keep Michael in your prayers. I will update again if anything changes.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Running a Fever
Yesterday after lunch, Michael started running a fever, had chills, and the shakes. He called his oncologist. At one point it was up to 101.2. By the time doctors office called back, his fever had dropped down to 100. 2. They called him in some stronger antibiotics and told him to come into the office today to get his blood work and see the doctors. They also said that if it went over 100.4 again to go straight to the emergency room.
We went to his appointment and they did his blood work. Currently all his blood counts are the lowest they have ever been. His white count is only at .2K (normal is 5K – 10K). Also his platelet count is at 24. They are concerned with his counts, but since we are able to keep the fever below 100.4 right now, they let him come home. If it his fever goes over 100.4, I have to get him to the hospital so they can admit him, put him into isolation and get him started on IV antibiotics. We will still go to his appointment on Monday and check his counts again. They did say that if some of his counts get any lower, Michael will have to have a blood transfusion.
Michael is still very week and tired. His skin color doesn’t look right. His balance is off. He just doesn’t feel right. We are going to keep are fingers crossed that his fever doesn’t get much higher. Currently he has been staying between 99.0 and 99.5 since he’s been back from the doctor’s office. They did say depending on what his counts are on Monday, they may post-pone his 6th cycle.
Please keep Michael in your prayers this weekend. I will update you if anything changes.
We went to his appointment and they did his blood work. Currently all his blood counts are the lowest they have ever been. His white count is only at .2K (normal is 5K – 10K). Also his platelet count is at 24. They are concerned with his counts, but since we are able to keep the fever below 100.4 right now, they let him come home. If it his fever goes over 100.4, I have to get him to the hospital so they can admit him, put him into isolation and get him started on IV antibiotics. We will still go to his appointment on Monday and check his counts again. They did say that if some of his counts get any lower, Michael will have to have a blood transfusion.
Michael is still very week and tired. His skin color doesn’t look right. His balance is off. He just doesn’t feel right. We are going to keep are fingers crossed that his fever doesn’t get much higher. Currently he has been staying between 99.0 and 99.5 since he’s been back from the doctor’s office. They did say depending on what his counts are on Monday, they may post-pone his 6th cycle.
Please keep Michael in your prayers this weekend. I will update you if anything changes.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The Uglier Side of Cancer
Michael has faced this with tremendous courage. Here you take the “man of the house” down for the second time in the past 3 years. And this time, he is down more than he is up. He can not work. He actually struggles just to get around the house. Any thing he does he gets extremely tired. It tires him out just to walk down to the mail box and back. He now has to rely on me or the kids to do things around the house. Usually it is more me than the kids (they are teenage kids). And if you know Michael, he can NOT stand that. He was very independent before all this and does not like me to do anything for him.
Someone asked me the other day how we do it. They said reading our blogs and journals; it doesn’t seem too bad for us. I am not one to complain much or even ask for help. This journey had been very hard and very trying for all 4 of us. With cancer striking Michael, it is affecting us in so many ways.
It affects us with Michael’s health. I have to watch every little thing around him to make sure he doesn’t get sick or to make sure it isn’t a “new” side-effect starting up. He is on so many different preventative medications and medications to counter-act against the different side effects. He can’t even stand to take a Tylenol for a headache. I feel like I treat everyone around me like they are 2 again with the “make sure you wash your hands”. None of us can even get a cold around him. The slightest little cough / sniff in one of us, I have to get us in to see our doctor. In the past, Michael and I use to love to go to the store together. Now he can’t go without the fear of getting around some stranger that might be sick so he stays home. He never gets to go into the real world hardly any more.
It is affecting us financially as well. Michael and I have had to come up with a major decision this week. We have gone from a 2 income-family down to a 1 income-family. Our income has decreased more than half. We are not sure how long we will be riding this cancer journey. At this point, we can no longer afford to live where we are living. We have decided to give up our house and land. We will only have a few weeks to move. It is financially impossible to stay here.
We have to continue to pay for his insurance through COBRA, which if you don’t know, paying for your insurance through COBRA can be quite expensive. We will have to do this so we have continuous medical coverage for him. His insurance isn’t too bad, but it does not cover everything. Our medical bills are piling up and fast. We have already reached a very large amount we owe and it will continue to grow as his new benefit year is coming up and we will have to start all over with the deductibles and out of pocket expenses.
Also financially is the fact we have 2 beautiful children that are seniors in high school. I know some of you have had seniors, or can remember when you were a senior, all the little costs, senior pictures, announcements, trips, cap & gowns, etc. Now just double that because they both seniors. I do not want to deny them any of that. I will find a way to try to make this a good senior year. And don't even get me started on college...
We have received some tremendous help from some wonderful, caring people, our family and friends and co-workers. We will never be able thank you enough. If it wasn’t for you, we would have been on the streets along time ago. Most people you read about going through their journey with cancer, you never see them speak of the financial burden it puts on them. I do know when it is the husband, the father it really is not easy. It is a hard thing, at least for me, to even speak of the financial burden it has put on us.
It has affected us mentally, physically, and spiritually as well. Mentally it is putting a huge strain on Michael and me. I know for me, I tried to keep the “financial worry” away from Michael so he could concentrate on getting better, but it doesn’t work. I know we both lay in bed at night wondering, worrying about how we can get through this financially with him not being able to work. Wondering where the money is going to come from.
We worry about the kids and how this is affecting them. I know it has affected both of them differently. I can tell you it has but a wedge between one of the kids and us. It’s not easy to deal with a teenagers and having your husband have cancer at the same time.
Physically, the weeks he is in the hospital, I get up at 5 in the morning, head to the hospital, stay with him through is whole treatment, leave the hospital late in the evening, run by the office and finish up what ever work I could not do from my laptop at the hospital and head home. I get home between midnight and 1am. I repeat this step all week long. Then the weeks I have him home, I go to work and then come home and try to do everything I can to make sure he is comfortable. I am tired but I can not stop, I must keep going. Some say that I am going to “crash” soon and I say nope. Just like when he had his back surgeries almost 3 years ago, I keep telling him my day will come when he will get to treat me like the pretty princess and I know he will.
Sorry if there was some rambling, but if any of you know me, I do love to talk once you get me started.
Please continue to pray for Michael. I am sure we still have a long road ahead and we can use all the spiritual help and guidance we can get and well as everyone’s love and support.
Someone asked me the other day how we do it. They said reading our blogs and journals; it doesn’t seem too bad for us. I am not one to complain much or even ask for help. This journey had been very hard and very trying for all 4 of us. With cancer striking Michael, it is affecting us in so many ways.
It affects us with Michael’s health. I have to watch every little thing around him to make sure he doesn’t get sick or to make sure it isn’t a “new” side-effect starting up. He is on so many different preventative medications and medications to counter-act against the different side effects. He can’t even stand to take a Tylenol for a headache. I feel like I treat everyone around me like they are 2 again with the “make sure you wash your hands”. None of us can even get a cold around him. The slightest little cough / sniff in one of us, I have to get us in to see our doctor. In the past, Michael and I use to love to go to the store together. Now he can’t go without the fear of getting around some stranger that might be sick so he stays home. He never gets to go into the real world hardly any more.
It is affecting us financially as well. Michael and I have had to come up with a major decision this week. We have gone from a 2 income-family down to a 1 income-family. Our income has decreased more than half. We are not sure how long we will be riding this cancer journey. At this point, we can no longer afford to live where we are living. We have decided to give up our house and land. We will only have a few weeks to move. It is financially impossible to stay here.
We have to continue to pay for his insurance through COBRA, which if you don’t know, paying for your insurance through COBRA can be quite expensive. We will have to do this so we have continuous medical coverage for him. His insurance isn’t too bad, but it does not cover everything. Our medical bills are piling up and fast. We have already reached a very large amount we owe and it will continue to grow as his new benefit year is coming up and we will have to start all over with the deductibles and out of pocket expenses.
Also financially is the fact we have 2 beautiful children that are seniors in high school. I know some of you have had seniors, or can remember when you were a senior, all the little costs, senior pictures, announcements, trips, cap & gowns, etc. Now just double that because they both seniors. I do not want to deny them any of that. I will find a way to try to make this a good senior year. And don't even get me started on college...
We have received some tremendous help from some wonderful, caring people, our family and friends and co-workers. We will never be able thank you enough. If it wasn’t for you, we would have been on the streets along time ago. Most people you read about going through their journey with cancer, you never see them speak of the financial burden it puts on them. I do know when it is the husband, the father it really is not easy. It is a hard thing, at least for me, to even speak of the financial burden it has put on us.
It has affected us mentally, physically, and spiritually as well. Mentally it is putting a huge strain on Michael and me. I know for me, I tried to keep the “financial worry” away from Michael so he could concentrate on getting better, but it doesn’t work. I know we both lay in bed at night wondering, worrying about how we can get through this financially with him not being able to work. Wondering where the money is going to come from.
We worry about the kids and how this is affecting them. I know it has affected both of them differently. I can tell you it has but a wedge between one of the kids and us. It’s not easy to deal with a teenagers and having your husband have cancer at the same time.
Physically, the weeks he is in the hospital, I get up at 5 in the morning, head to the hospital, stay with him through is whole treatment, leave the hospital late in the evening, run by the office and finish up what ever work I could not do from my laptop at the hospital and head home. I get home between midnight and 1am. I repeat this step all week long. Then the weeks I have him home, I go to work and then come home and try to do everything I can to make sure he is comfortable. I am tired but I can not stop, I must keep going. Some say that I am going to “crash” soon and I say nope. Just like when he had his back surgeries almost 3 years ago, I keep telling him my day will come when he will get to treat me like the pretty princess and I know he will.
Sorry if there was some rambling, but if any of you know me, I do love to talk once you get me started.
Please continue to pray for Michael. I am sure we still have a long road ahead and we can use all the spiritual help and guidance we can get and well as everyone’s love and support.
Chemo Cycle 5 – Days 4 & 5 and Home
Day 4:
They did do Michael’s blood work today. His counts were ok for where he is at through his treatment but his potassium count is a little low. He woke up for lunch and had a weakness in arm. We walked with me across to the deli and had some weakness in his legs. This is the first time he has actually had the weakness. He is having the twitching again, and his hands are shaky. He slept most of the day. They did not begin his hydration until around 5:00 pm. He did not get unhooked from "Wall-e" until around 5:00 am Friday.
Day 5:
Michael talked to the doctors about how he was feeling yesterday and about the weakness and they did say that he is slightly anemic and that could be the reason for the weakness and twitching. They are going to keep him on his new medicine for his abdominal pains. They gave Michael his Neulasta shot and lets us head home. He is always so ready to go home. If everything goes OK once we get home, they want to have him begin his 6th cycle on February 9th.
Today he has slept most of the day. He is already getting the sores in his mouth and is very weak and tired. He’s whole body just aches. So far we have been able to keep his nausea under control.
They did do Michael’s blood work today. His counts were ok for where he is at through his treatment but his potassium count is a little low. He woke up for lunch and had a weakness in arm. We walked with me across to the deli and had some weakness in his legs. This is the first time he has actually had the weakness. He is having the twitching again, and his hands are shaky. He slept most of the day. They did not begin his hydration until around 5:00 pm. He did not get unhooked from "Wall-e" until around 5:00 am Friday.
Day 5:
Michael talked to the doctors about how he was feeling yesterday and about the weakness and they did say that he is slightly anemic and that could be the reason for the weakness and twitching. They are going to keep him on his new medicine for his abdominal pains. They gave Michael his Neulasta shot and lets us head home. He is always so ready to go home. If everything goes OK once we get home, they want to have him begin his 6th cycle on February 9th.
Today he has slept most of the day. He is already getting the sores in his mouth and is very weak and tired. He’s whole body just aches. So far we have been able to keep his nausea under control.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Chemo Cycle 5 – Day 3
They didn’t begin his pre-hydration until about 5:00 pm yesterday. He did pretty well through this one. He only had a little nausea but he is still extremely tired. He actually finished up around 5:00 this morning. His counts are where they should be within the cycle. They will continue to monitor all his side effects.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Chemo Cycle 5 – Day 1 & 2
Once again, his chemo treatments are late in the day this cycle. He did not get finished and hooked from Wall-e (that is what he named his IV pole) for his first chemo dose until 10:00 in the morning Tuesday.
The doctor decided to have a few other “specialists” come in and check on a few things. He has started with a few more “side-effects” last week and the doctor wants to make sure they are just “side-effects” from the chemo and not a new problem we will have to look at. The specialist came by and spoke with Michael and did an exam. She ordered a few tests and put him on another medication (more pills, he just can’t stand taking pills). There are a few more tests they want to run, but they do not want to be running those tests while he is doing chemo. We will either have those done right before his next cycle depending on his counts or after cycle 6 before he begins radiation.
They began his day 2 pre-hydration around 5:00 last night. He did ok. He had a little nausea. He didn’t get finished with all his pre-meds, chemo and post-meds until around 8:00 this morning. With them running his treatment so late and through the night, he is not getting any sleep. His color looks good at this point, but you can see where the fatigue has set in. His blood counts look ok for the point we are at in his cycle.
He will probably not start his treatment until this afternoon again. This does give him time for the tests the other doctors want to run while he is here but it makes for a long day for the both of us.
The doctor decided to have a few other “specialists” come in and check on a few things. He has started with a few more “side-effects” last week and the doctor wants to make sure they are just “side-effects” from the chemo and not a new problem we will have to look at. The specialist came by and spoke with Michael and did an exam. She ordered a few tests and put him on another medication (more pills, he just can’t stand taking pills). There are a few more tests they want to run, but they do not want to be running those tests while he is doing chemo. We will either have those done right before his next cycle depending on his counts or after cycle 6 before he begins radiation.
They began his day 2 pre-hydration around 5:00 last night. He did ok. He had a little nausea. He didn’t get finished with all his pre-meds, chemo and post-meds until around 8:00 this morning. With them running his treatment so late and through the night, he is not getting any sleep. His color looks good at this point, but you can see where the fatigue has set in. His blood counts look ok for the point we are at in his cycle.
He will probably not start his treatment until this afternoon again. This does give him time for the tests the other doctors want to run while he is here but it makes for a long day for the both of us.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Back to the Hospital - Beginning of Chemo Cycle 5
We stopped by the doctor’s office this morning and check his blood counts there. With his counts being as low as they were last week, they said it would be more beneficial to check his counts at the office. His platelet count last Monday was only 46. Normal count is between 150 and 300. He needs to be at least 60 to begin Chemo. This morning his platelet count is 243 and his white blood count is at 6K. So we walked over to the Jackson building and checked in. He still is not feeling that great. It’s just one of those blah feelings that he just can’t shake. They say it just may be where we are in his treatments.
They started his hydration around 4:00 this afternoon, so he is starting his treatments late again. If he has no breaks in the treatment, he should finish up around 3 or 4 in the morning. The first day is usually his longest day and takes right at 12 hours.
I will give an update either later tonight or again in the morning on how he is doing.
They started his hydration around 4:00 this afternoon, so he is starting his treatments late again. If he has no breaks in the treatment, he should finish up around 3 or 4 in the morning. The first day is usually his longest day and takes right at 12 hours.
I will give an update either later tonight or again in the morning on how he is doing.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Michael's Latest Update
Sorry I have not updated lately. Michael has not been feeling good this time and the days just seem to slip by lately. He did not "bounce back" as well this time. You can tell the treatments are taking a toll on him. You can see it in his face. He still is fighting a cold and just don't feel right. He is still experiencing some neuropathy in his fingers and is having some pain in his back and legs.
We did go to the oncologist on Monday. His counts are "OK". Most of them are on the "low" side of normal, but his platelets are the lowest they have been. Currently they are too low to begin his Chemo-Cycle 5 on Monday the 19th. We will go to the meet the oncologist in his office on Monday and have more lab work done. If his platelet count does not come up by then, they will postpone his treatment one more week.
The doctors are also concerned with his neuropathy. They will re-evaluate his neuropathy on Monday and decide at that time if they might cut back on one of his chemotherapy meds.
I will try to give an update later in the week. Please keep him in your prayers.
We did go to the oncologist on Monday. His counts are "OK". Most of them are on the "low" side of normal, but his platelets are the lowest they have been. Currently they are too low to begin his Chemo-Cycle 5 on Monday the 19th. We will go to the meet the oncologist in his office on Monday and have more lab work done. If his platelet count does not come up by then, they will postpone his treatment one more week.
The doctors are also concerned with his neuropathy. They will re-evaluate his neuropathy on Monday and decide at that time if they might cut back on one of his chemotherapy meds.
I will try to give an update later in the week. Please keep him in your prayers.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Chemo-Cycle 4, Day 5 – WE GET TO GO HOME!!
The doctor came in bright and early this morning, said things look like they should at this point and that he can take his shot of Neulasta and go home. They put in on an antibiotic for now. I think Michael jumped out of that bed to start packing. If all goes well we should be back at the hospital again on January 19th.
Of course heading home we got stuck in all the “Cotton Bowl” traffic. That was worse than normal rush hour traffic in Dallas. Good thing he slept all the way. Once I did get him home, he spent a few minutes with his babies. Yes his little dogs missed him terribly. They don’t even give him a chance to sit down when he gets in the door. He did eat a little and then went to lie down. He pretty much slept most of the night. He will be resting most of the weekend.
Of course heading home we got stuck in all the “Cotton Bowl” traffic. That was worse than normal rush hour traffic in Dallas. Good thing he slept all the way. Once I did get him home, he spent a few minutes with his babies. Yes his little dogs missed him terribly. They don’t even give him a chance to sit down when he gets in the door. He did eat a little and then went to lie down. He pretty much slept most of the night. He will be resting most of the weekend.
Chemo-Cycle 4, Day 4
His counts are where they should be in the cycle. They are down a little from yesterday, but that is to be expected. The doctors are not sure why his counts did what they did. He started at around 5K on Monday; Tuesday dropped to 1.6K, yesterday went back up to 4.9K, and is at 4K this morning.
They started his hydration and pre-meds around 4:00 pm and he was done around midnight. Today he is extremely tired and did have a little nausea again. We get to go home tomorrow!!
They started his hydration and pre-meds around 4:00 pm and he was done around midnight. Today he is extremely tired and did have a little nausea again. We get to go home tomorrow!!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Chemo-Cycle 4, Day 3
Day 3 was an OK day. His counts have come up so this is a good thing. We will continue and complete this cycle. They started his hydration and pre-meds around 5:00 pm. This allowed him to get finished around 2:00 am. The fatigue is setting in more and he did have a little nausea.
We hope everyone had a safe and Happy New Year. I will update again later on how his Day 4 goes.
We hope everyone had a safe and Happy New Year. I will update again later on how his Day 4 goes.
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