What an Exciting Week ~ NOT

And it has been a week. Sorry if this one goes for a bit, but we have been busy and not stopping (well until the other night).

We spent most of every waking moment from Thursday through Sunday trying to get everything moved. We did get everything moved out of the house and still had a few thinks left outside to move (his cars, the pig, the storage unit, tractors, etc.) But that was ok as Michael and my dad could work on that during the week and get it all done by this coming weekend. And let me tell you, I think everyone was worn out by Saturday night, but we kept on going. Even though Michael is now 5 weeks out from his last chemo treatment, he still gets very tired so easy.

We did hear back from all the doctors by Monday and had gotten all his appointments scheduled for this week. So Michael’s week was supposed to go like this. Wednesday he was scheduled to have tests with his Gastroenterologist. Thursday he was to meet with his Radiation Oncologist and go to the imaging center to have a chest x-ray done and to get one of his MRI done. Friday he was to go get his last 2 MRI’s done at the imaging center. Plus continue to get the “outside” things moved. We did get one thing done on his list. Well maybe 2 but not in the right order as planned.

We went to his testing on Wednesday as planned. Everything looked good. Later in the day, Michael started to experience the same pain that has been coming and going. This pain would begin at the right of his back, and then go around to the side and then into the abdomen. He would generally double over with this and it would last around 2 – 3 hours then go away. At first, he would have it every few weeks, sometime in the middle of his chemotherapy cycles. Everyone thought it was something possibly in his intestines, stomach, etc. That was the whole reason for seeing the Gastroenterologist. We could never put our finger on why he was having these pains or even a pattern to them.

The pain on Wednesday began last afternoon, and kept getting a little stronger through the evening. We sat down around 7pm to eat dinner. He was able to eat his dinner and keep it down, but the pain was still there. By the time we were going to bed, he had finally asked for some pain medicine. He was not able to sleep, still doubling over, asked for another does since it was not working. Finally around 1:30 in the morning, he called his Gastroenterologist. He could not take the pain any longer. She suggested we meet her at the ER. We got up and took our hour drive to the hospital).

We check in, wait an hour in the waiting room, and finally get to go back to an exam room around 4:15 am. His doctor ordered a CT scan. After answering a ton of questions, the nurse accessing his port, drinking that lovely (nasty) stuff you have to drink for a CT scan, he was able to get it done around 7am. They said it would take about an hour to read the scans and get the results back to the doctors. Around 9am, his oncologist came into the ER room and told us the results. Michael had an inflamed gallbladder and a 1.3 cm gallstone blocking. They called a general surgeon in. She suggested they remove the gallbladder laproscopically. She said she could get him in that afternoon.

By 10:30 am, they took him down to pre-op. The doctors felt he would be more comfortable waiting there than waiting in the ER (he had a real loud patient yelling all the time in the room next to him). The doctors said it would only take about 1 – 1 ½ hours. By 1:00 they took him off to surgery. By 2:20, the doctor came and found me in the waiting room (and had to wake me up, I finally got a little sleep). She said that everything went well, and they were able to remove his gallbladder laproscopically. She was suggesting we stay at the hospital at least one night for observations but it was going to be up to his oncologist.

They kept Michael in recovery for quiet a long time. They were waiting on getting him a bed on the surgical floor. Finally around 5:00, they had a room for him and we were able to get him up there. For about the first hour or two, he was really out of it. He was experiencing some pain. He had a lot of discomfort throughout the night. He did feel better this morning, ready to go home. As he said, we were not getting the care that we normally get when we go to the Jackson building. He was in the main building this time and they are a lot busier there. We weren’t getting that “personal” touch we get when he goes into the oncology ward.

With all this excitement, we had to cancel his Thursday appointment with his radiation oncologist and all his x-ray, MRI’s. At the time he was supposed to get these done, we were in pre-op. We were able to get his appointment with his radiation oncologist rescheduled for Friday.

His appointment was supposed to be at 2pm, but once again, we were still at the hospital. Finally they discharged him around 4pm. We drove over to meet with the radiation doctor. He explained what to expect when he starts radiation. He did say that he wants to get the MRI’s done that the oncologist ordered before we begin his work-up for his radiation. This will give us a clear picture to make sure there isn’t anymore tumors’ floating around in his spinal cord.

I finally got him home around 6:30 this evening. I was able to get him settled in and fix him something to eat. He was able to keep the food down so that is a good sign. He finally asked for some pain medication before he decided to go to bed. Now he is sleeping well. I hope he is able to sleep through the night.

As for the “moving” of the things left, I will work on getting everything done tomorrow. The hardest part is going to keep Michael out of the way and in the house. It is going to take everything we all have to keep reminding him we will get his things moved and do it the “right” way.

So now on Monday, we will go back to see his oncologists’ and get is blood work done. They want to re-check his blood counts and check on his “liver” counts also. Also on Monday we will call and re-schedule his chest x-ray and MRI’s. Once we get his MRI’s done and the results to all his oncologists, we will schedule is radiation work-up. He will go back and see the general surgeon in 2 weeks.

It keeps going and going…
Anyways, thanks for all the prayers and please keep them coming.