We embarked on Chris's 3rd and final cycle on Monday. He is now officially halfway through this long week. He has chemo 5 days this week and a neulasta shot on Saturday. However, Friday will mark the end of this awful week and the rest is downhill! One shot on June 17 and one on the 24th. That's it!! Chris asked the nurse to schedule him for a doctor appointment as soon as treatment is done so that he can get his port removed. The port and the awful taste in his mouth have probably been his two biggest complaints. He is ready to get that thing out!
Most of you are wondering how Chris is feeling this week. So, here's a quick summary: Monday wasn't great. Chris was sleep deprived and had done a lot of yardwork on Sunday. Those things combined produced a less than stellar Monday morning. He felt a little better by the end of the day due to the anti-nausea meds given to him during treatment. Tuesday was great. He had a restful night of sleep the evening before and woke up refreshed. He visited for a couple hours with my brother who was awesome and brought Chris and I pizza. As is the norm for Chris these days, he gave Brian very specific order "suggestions." :) that brings us to today. The morning was rough. Chris felt hot (no fever, thankfully!) and nauseous. He hurried to check some things off of his to-do list so that he could nap. My preference would be for Chris to relax and rest all day, but that is not my husband. I expect that his computer will be coming out soon and he will be getting back to work.
Counting down......
Katie
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Kinda like a Pregnant lady
Chris spent most of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in bed unable to do much of anything. On Thursday, he got up and started his day as normal (just a little slower). He worked all day Thursday and Friday and was starting to feel much better. He may have overdone it, because by noon on Saturday he started feeling lousy again. The rest of the weekend was spent on the couch or in bed. I don't want to draw an inaccurate picture. Chris wasn't so ill that he had a fever or extreme nausea and vomiting. He just felt nauseous and had a headache. He was tired. His biggest complaint has been the metallic taste in his mouth that will not go away. Apparently this is a common chemotherapy side effect that many people experience. For Chris, it never goes away so he spends all day trying to mask it. He is constantly searching for foods and drinks that will cover the horrible taste. He's a little bit like a pregnant woman. I get random texts from him saying things like, "On your way home from the baseball game can you stop and pick up some cookie dough ice cream? Preferably Ben and Jerry's." Or, he will order pizza with his brother and eat 1 and 1/2 pizzas on his own before his brother has to tell him he should probably stop. During one long chemo session, I had to run out to get Chris's truck tires rotated. I got a text.... "Can you pick up 5 roast beef sandwiches, curly fries and a strawberry shake?" Sure! I'm not going to tell him no! Fast forward 2 hours when I notice Chris taking short, shallow breaths. I got pretty freaked out because his chemo drugs can cause lung problems. So I asked the nurse to check him. She starts asking questions and Chris says, "oh, by the way, I ate 5 roast beef sandwiches for lunch!" Long story short....The shallow breaths were from his full stomach impeding his diaphragm from taking deep breaths! Awesome. His cravings and aversions change frequently. After he eats one type of food for awhile, he starts to associate it with the chemo taste and no longer wants it. So far the following foods and smells have been affected: apple juice, coffee, jello, peppermint, lavender. There's a bunch more but my memory is failing me at this moment. Anyway, the reason I am writing this long post about Chris's cravings and aversions is that I didn't know anything about this prior to Chris experiencing it. I'm assuming that at least some of you may never have known about this side effect either. I also know that a lot of you are curious about how chemo is affecting Chris. Right now, this is probably his biggest complaint.
Tomorrow is another chemo day. He receives his bleo shot. We are both dreading it. The good news?? Only 3 weeks left!!!
Katie
Tomorrow is another chemo day. He receives his bleo shot. We are both dreading it. The good news?? Only 3 weeks left!!!
Katie
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Quick update
I can't believe it has been a week since I last posted! My intention was to post every day Chris receives some sort of treatment. That's not happening! Oh well...
So, last week was Chris's long treatment week. He handled it really well, considering that it IS chemo he is receiving. I always laugh because whenever anyone asks Chris how he's feeling, he is so enthusiastic with his responses- "can't complain!" "Doing well!" This attitude serves him well I think. I was joking with my sister-in-law this weekend that I would be the complete opposite. I would be curled up in a blanket all day, feeling sorry for myself, moping....not Chris thankfully. He is getting us both through this!!
Chemo finally caught up with Chris this weekend. Not sure what exactly happened but he hit a definite wall. A big, brick one. Yesterday and today have been particularly bad. He has nausea, headache, body aches, and chills. He told me today that he can't even "fake it". He feels that sick. To top it off, he had his bleo injection today. This is the one med he gets during his "off" weeks. He has been in bed for most of the past 48 hours, only coming out to see the kids and eat.
Tomorrow will be better. Thanks for reading.
Katie
So, last week was Chris's long treatment week. He handled it really well, considering that it IS chemo he is receiving. I always laugh because whenever anyone asks Chris how he's feeling, he is so enthusiastic with his responses- "can't complain!" "Doing well!" This attitude serves him well I think. I was joking with my sister-in-law this weekend that I would be the complete opposite. I would be curled up in a blanket all day, feeling sorry for myself, moping....not Chris thankfully. He is getting us both through this!!
Chemo finally caught up with Chris this weekend. Not sure what exactly happened but he hit a definite wall. A big, brick one. Yesterday and today have been particularly bad. He has nausea, headache, body aches, and chills. He told me today that he can't even "fake it". He feels that sick. To top it off, he had his bleo injection today. This is the one med he gets during his "off" weeks. He has been in bed for most of the past 48 hours, only coming out to see the kids and eat.
Tomorrow will be better. Thanks for reading.
Katie
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Hold on tight, here comes some "deep thoughts from Katie!"
Chris went home from chemo last night feeling really good. A little tired, but that didn't stop him from taking the kids to Kyle's baseball game. This was extra nice for me as I got to enjoy a romantic homemade (delicious, kb!) dinner for 1. I even got a run in. I HAD to get a run in after the large amount of chicken bora bora that I consumed. So good! Kyle came home bursting to tell me that 1) he is the best hitter on his team (so modest, and a little bit of an exaggerator!) and 2) that a girl on his team has a crush on him. How could she resist my sweet, funny little toe-head?!? Grace, I totally get it!
Today is a big day for Cameron and I-last brownie meeting of the year. I have to admit, I was pretty much forced into helping to lead her troop this year. 1 did brownies for only 1 year when I was little and I never really considered myself a brownie-type girl, Whatever that means!! But cam really wanted to do it and she needed a troop leader. So, 3 of us came together and here we are on the verge of the last meeting of the year! I can say now that I had NO real idea of what being a troop co-leader would entail or all the great things that Girl Scouts promotes. Cameron and her friends have learned a lot about hardwork, teamwork, sales, cooperation, volunteering, giving back, money management, yoga, pottery, bird classification, etc. Most importantly, she is in a group with 11 other smart and fun little girls that she gets to traverse through the rest of her schooling with. I'm so happy that she will have that support! I tell you all this for a purpose. This whole health scare has made me to stop and appreciate every little part of my life so much more. Brownies is just one example. Stick with me and I'll eventually explain what I mean.
About the time Chris was diagnosed, I received a book from a friend (thanks, jill,) entitled the Happiness Project. It is a great book and one I will surely pick up again soon. I have to tell you that when I first got the book and started reading, it struck me in deeper ways than I'm sure the author intended. I didn't read too much before I became overwhelmed by the content. All of you who have read this book are probably laughing as you read this because I'm SURE I missed the point. What I read was basically that you need to get your life in order in an attempt to be happy. I also read that having your life in "order" helps get you through harder, more stressful times. This is when I panicked(for lack of a better word). I had been cleaning, purging, organizing the house for weeks. Chris and I had finally decided to finish our 2 bonus bedrooms and bathroom. I started volunteering at the school more, and meeting more people. I made new friends. And then.... Chris got cancer. I now look back at all the things I did to bring order to my life as a little nudge from God to have things in place, because a storm was coming. Now that my house had less extra junk and there was a designated spot for everything we did keep, cleaning was easier. The kids can help. Family can help. Now that the bonus rooms are done, friends and family have a place to stay. Brandon and Brent got to come and stay the Saturday before the start of chemo to distract Chris and lift his spirits. (It meant a lot, guys!). If we need help overnight, family has a place to stay. We met some great people during the building process. The poor builder even ended up being the one to talk me off the ledge the morning we got bad news. And the new friends I made and the relationships that we strengthened-these people have made all the difference!! They have put together meal donation lists( Megan), donated warm home cooked meals to my family when they were likely to have gotten only cereal or fast food from me(too many friends to mention), rides and play dates for my kids(you know who you are!), texts, cards, phone calls to check in (all of you). I'm sure I'm missing a lot of what you all have done and I've strayed away from giving shout outs in my blog posts because I'm sure to miss things. I'm sure I have! But all you all have done has been noticed and appreciated more than you will ever know!
This brings me back to brownies... I told you I'd bring it full circle:) Being a brownie co-leader has been an unexpected gift! I met great girls with great parents who I may not have otherwise gotten to know. And the meetings were a FUN distraction. But most importantly, I gained some great friends who have meant so much to me through this process. And the sad thing is, that we may never have gotten to know each other well enough to be friends if it hadn't been for brownies. Melissa, kiersten, and katrina-thank you! At the beginning of the year, my intention as far as Girl Scouts was concerned was one and done! I think I changed my mind...
This brownie diatribe is just one small example of a change in perspective that this cancer diagnosis has afforded me. Cancer sucks! It sucks when it strikes anyone. It sucks more when it hits the one you love most in the world. But for me, this difficult experience has also given me and my family lots of gifts.
Thank you
Today is a big day for Cameron and I-last brownie meeting of the year. I have to admit, I was pretty much forced into helping to lead her troop this year. 1 did brownies for only 1 year when I was little and I never really considered myself a brownie-type girl, Whatever that means!! But cam really wanted to do it and she needed a troop leader. So, 3 of us came together and here we are on the verge of the last meeting of the year! I can say now that I had NO real idea of what being a troop co-leader would entail or all the great things that Girl Scouts promotes. Cameron and her friends have learned a lot about hardwork, teamwork, sales, cooperation, volunteering, giving back, money management, yoga, pottery, bird classification, etc. Most importantly, she is in a group with 11 other smart and fun little girls that she gets to traverse through the rest of her schooling with. I'm so happy that she will have that support! I tell you all this for a purpose. This whole health scare has made me to stop and appreciate every little part of my life so much more. Brownies is just one example. Stick with me and I'll eventually explain what I mean.
About the time Chris was diagnosed, I received a book from a friend (thanks, jill,) entitled the Happiness Project. It is a great book and one I will surely pick up again soon. I have to tell you that when I first got the book and started reading, it struck me in deeper ways than I'm sure the author intended. I didn't read too much before I became overwhelmed by the content. All of you who have read this book are probably laughing as you read this because I'm SURE I missed the point. What I read was basically that you need to get your life in order in an attempt to be happy. I also read that having your life in "order" helps get you through harder, more stressful times. This is when I panicked(for lack of a better word). I had been cleaning, purging, organizing the house for weeks. Chris and I had finally decided to finish our 2 bonus bedrooms and bathroom. I started volunteering at the school more, and meeting more people. I made new friends. And then.... Chris got cancer. I now look back at all the things I did to bring order to my life as a little nudge from God to have things in place, because a storm was coming. Now that my house had less extra junk and there was a designated spot for everything we did keep, cleaning was easier. The kids can help. Family can help. Now that the bonus rooms are done, friends and family have a place to stay. Brandon and Brent got to come and stay the Saturday before the start of chemo to distract Chris and lift his spirits. (It meant a lot, guys!). If we need help overnight, family has a place to stay. We met some great people during the building process. The poor builder even ended up being the one to talk me off the ledge the morning we got bad news. And the new friends I made and the relationships that we strengthened-these people have made all the difference!! They have put together meal donation lists( Megan), donated warm home cooked meals to my family when they were likely to have gotten only cereal or fast food from me(too many friends to mention), rides and play dates for my kids(you know who you are!), texts, cards, phone calls to check in (all of you). I'm sure I'm missing a lot of what you all have done and I've strayed away from giving shout outs in my blog posts because I'm sure to miss things. I'm sure I have! But all you all have done has been noticed and appreciated more than you will ever know!
This brings me back to brownies... I told you I'd bring it full circle:) Being a brownie co-leader has been an unexpected gift! I met great girls with great parents who I may not have otherwise gotten to know. And the meetings were a FUN distraction. But most importantly, I gained some great friends who have meant so much to me through this process. And the sad thing is, that we may never have gotten to know each other well enough to be friends if it hadn't been for brownies. Melissa, kiersten, and katrina-thank you! At the beginning of the year, my intention as far as Girl Scouts was concerned was one and done! I think I changed my mind...
This brownie diatribe is just one small example of a change in perspective that this cancer diagnosis has afforded me. Cancer sucks! It sucks when it strikes anyone. It sucks more when it hits the one you love most in the world. But for me, this difficult experience has also given me and my family lots of gifts.
Thank you
Monday, May 20, 2013
Ding dong
The witch (cancer!) is dead!!! Yep, you read that right:). Chris had bloodwork done today. They tested his tumor markers, which for Chris is HCG. Prior to surgery he was at 400. After surgery, but prior to chemo, he was at 208. Today.... <0.1 which is as low as it could ever be!! Basically, his tumors produce/cause elevated HCG. So, following those levels helps the doctor see if treatment is working. If HCG goes down, it means the meds are working. The nurse was pleasantly surprised by how well Chris responded to treatment!! He does have to continue through the next 2 cycles but it is such a relief to know that the cancer is being eradicated!
His white blood cell count, platelets, etc are still looking good!
If you are keeping track, Chris has now beaten cancer TWO times:)
His white blood cell count, platelets, etc are still looking good!
If you are keeping track, Chris has now beaten cancer TWO times:)
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Post of the day, part 2
Here's a quick update for those who are curious. Chris actually handled today's treatment really well! Phew! We got home around 11:30 and he napped for 3 hours. He woke up feeling pretty good! He has a week to recover until cycle #2 begins. 1 down, 3 to go!
Goodnight,
Katie
Goodnight,
Katie
No news=good news
I know, I know. I haven't written a post in a week. I apologize (sorry Jeff and Dave! I heard you guys "live" for the blog). I'll do better. The good news is that I didn't post anything because Chris did really well last week. Everyday after Monday was better than the day before. The only change was that Chris did develop some mouth sores. So, his diet changed to include a lot of jello, applesauce, yogurt, etc. He began doing a homemade mouth rinse consisting of baking soda and salt and that seemed to help a little. As of today, the sores have mostly gone away. Chris's nurse ordered a special mouthwash too that should also help.
As we speak, Chris is with his nurse who is starting his bleomycin infusion. Chris has been dreading this all week as this is the medicine that caused him to be so ill last Monday. The good news is that the nurse is giving him some Benadryl and extra fluids with the medicine and this will hopefully limit the side effects. He also took some Tylenol and we will keep him on this all day. Cross your fingers, send up some prayers!
On a side note, Chris decided that he should plant a 600 lb tree by himself this weekend. Everything sounds easier in your mind than when you actually try to put the plans into action. We had a few "challenges" but he got it done! I'm sure the neighbors were looking out their windows thinking "what the heck! And why are we bringing them meals.!?!?!" I can assure you that he does in fact have cancer and although I should probably try to discourage him from these grandiose activities, I actually try to encourage them. Well, maybe not planting 600 lb trees, but work, golf, a beer with his buddies, etc. I know Chris well and the best thing for him is to carry on with business as usual. As the nurses here like to say, "life goes on." Cancer doesn't stop all of life's other happenings. Although sometimes I wish they could be placed on pause:). To that point, I will say that I appreciate the meals more than even Chris does. My brain thinks cancer and chemo and that's pretty much it right now. The rest of life's details are on auto pilot. Meals are often an after thought and thanks to all of you wonderful friends and family, my kids and husband are assured a healthy home cooked meal at least 3 times a week! I have some guilt about the meals and all the other extra help we are receiving from family and friends. My sister and I had a talk about this on Friday when I was feeling particularly guilty. The fact is, I COULD do it. But I am a soooo very thankful that I don't need to!
I will do another post tonight or tomorrow to let you know how Chris responded to the bleo this week.
Enjoy the sunshine today!
Katie
As we speak, Chris is with his nurse who is starting his bleomycin infusion. Chris has been dreading this all week as this is the medicine that caused him to be so ill last Monday. The good news is that the nurse is giving him some Benadryl and extra fluids with the medicine and this will hopefully limit the side effects. He also took some Tylenol and we will keep him on this all day. Cross your fingers, send up some prayers!
On a side note, Chris decided that he should plant a 600 lb tree by himself this weekend. Everything sounds easier in your mind than when you actually try to put the plans into action. We had a few "challenges" but he got it done! I'm sure the neighbors were looking out their windows thinking "what the heck! And why are we bringing them meals.!?!?!" I can assure you that he does in fact have cancer and although I should probably try to discourage him from these grandiose activities, I actually try to encourage them. Well, maybe not planting 600 lb trees, but work, golf, a beer with his buddies, etc. I know Chris well and the best thing for him is to carry on with business as usual. As the nurses here like to say, "life goes on." Cancer doesn't stop all of life's other happenings. Although sometimes I wish they could be placed on pause:). To that point, I will say that I appreciate the meals more than even Chris does. My brain thinks cancer and chemo and that's pretty much it right now. The rest of life's details are on auto pilot. Meals are often an after thought and thanks to all of you wonderful friends and family, my kids and husband are assured a healthy home cooked meal at least 3 times a week! I have some guilt about the meals and all the other extra help we are receiving from family and friends. My sister and I had a talk about this on Friday when I was feeling particularly guilty. The fact is, I COULD do it. But I am a soooo very thankful that I don't need to!
I will do another post tonight or tomorrow to let you know how Chris responded to the bleo this week.
Enjoy the sunshine today!
Katie
Monday, May 6, 2013
Week 2
Chris managed to make the trek up north with the kids this weekend. He went out fishing Saturday night and Sunday morning. I really can't think of much worse than getting in a rocking boat for several hours while feeling nauseous. But Chris did it, and he will tell you that the worst part wasn't how he felt but that they didn't catch hardly anything.
Today started with us again racing to make it to chemo on time. Chris made it, but I was late as I had forgotten to find a place for the kids to go. Chris had some bloodwork done. Apparently his white blood cell count was too high? What?!? The neulasta shot must have worked! Then, we were led to the back where his infusion was to take place. Today Chris only received the B part of his BEP chemotherapy medications. It was a Short infusion-10 minutes only- and then we were sent on our way. We split up, Chris heading home to work and me running some errands. All seemed well. Then, three hours after the treatment, Chris called me to say he wasn't feeling well and needed to lay down. By the time I returned 45 minutes later, he was in pretty bad shape. I found him in bed, covered in blankets, shaking like crazy. He had a fever and couldn't warm up. We got some meds in him and I did some research to make sure this was a normal reaction. It was. I thought about calling the nurse, but we waited it out and 45 minutes later he started to remove some of the layers covering him.
It is 10 PM as I write this and Chris has definitely improved since this afternoon. He had a good dinner and has kept Tylenol and ibuprofen in his system. He is running a low grade fever, but we are hanging out and he seems to be doing okay.
Tomorrow is another day, and as Chris just said "it's gotta be better than today! Can't get worse"..... I hope not!
Have a great night,
Katie
Today started with us again racing to make it to chemo on time. Chris made it, but I was late as I had forgotten to find a place for the kids to go. Chris had some bloodwork done. Apparently his white blood cell count was too high? What?!? The neulasta shot must have worked! Then, we were led to the back where his infusion was to take place. Today Chris only received the B part of his BEP chemotherapy medications. It was a Short infusion-10 minutes only- and then we were sent on our way. We split up, Chris heading home to work and me running some errands. All seemed well. Then, three hours after the treatment, Chris called me to say he wasn't feeling well and needed to lay down. By the time I returned 45 minutes later, he was in pretty bad shape. I found him in bed, covered in blankets, shaking like crazy. He had a fever and couldn't warm up. We got some meds in him and I did some research to make sure this was a normal reaction. It was. I thought about calling the nurse, but we waited it out and 45 minutes later he started to remove some of the layers covering him.
It is 10 PM as I write this and Chris has definitely improved since this afternoon. He had a good dinner and has kept Tylenol and ibuprofen in his system. He is running a low grade fever, but we are hanging out and he seems to be doing okay.
Tomorrow is another day, and as Chris just said "it's gotta be better than today! Can't get worse"..... I hope not!
Have a great night,
Katie
Friday, May 3, 2013
I think I'll Pass!
Today was the last day of the first week of Chris's chemotherapy. Glad to have that one behind us! While he won't be receiving any chemo drugs this weekend, He does go in for a quick shot tomorrow. The neulasta shot really shouldn't be a big deal. Chris could feel some joint Achiness as the bone marrow starts to work to produce more healthy white blood cells but that's it. I'm pretty sure he would pick that over nausea any day!
Today Chris woke up feeling much like he did yesterday. He was nauseated all day and his appetite was pretty much zero. However, he knows the importance of getting in good nutrition and hydration so I didn't have to nag him TOO much. Chris wasn't able to work today, but he got in several good naps. I walked away for a couple minutes this morning so I could mail some letters and I couldn't help but laugh when I returned. Chris had retired to his own private "room" for a nap.
Today Chris woke up feeling much like he did yesterday. He was nauseated all day and his appetite was pretty much zero. However, he knows the importance of getting in good nutrition and hydration so I didn't have to nag him TOO much. Chris wasn't able to work today, but he got in several good naps. I walked away for a couple minutes this morning so I could mail some letters and I couldn't help but laugh when I returned. Chris had retired to his own private "room" for a nap.
Our cubicle neighbor mentioned that Chris reminded her of her 4 yr old son. Hmmmm....
As lousy as Chris feels, I actually think he is handling his treatment really well. If you didn't know him well, you might not even know how lousy he feels. He's making jokes, helping around the house even though I tell him not to, and is even going to attempt fishing with his brother tomorrow. He really is trying to carry on with his normal routine, only with a few more naps and meds along the way. I'm really proud of him!
I feel like I need to put out a disclaimer to everyone whose path I may cross over the next 8 weeks. If I stare at you blankly while you try to tell me something simple like how to reheat a meal, or if I forget to return your text or call you back, or even if my kids show up to school in all sorts of crazy outfits and dirt on their faces, please forgive me. People joke about chemo brain. I think I have it. Seriously.
Now for the story behind the title of this post. Chris and I arrived to the lovely oncology unit today at 8:30 am. We had been rushing to arrive on time and Chris was feeling pretty crappy. He hadn't said much all morning and I was trying to respect the fact that he probably just needed some time to himself. So, we were sitting in silence waiting our turn as person after person was called back for their treatment. Out of the silence that was between us Chris says in a very flat tone "I think I'll pass today." What?! I ask. I have no idea what he is talking about. With a deadpan expression, He repeats himself saying, " I think when the nurse calls my name, I'm just going to pass." I'm hoping you can imagine the inflection in his voice and the half smirk he gave me as he said it the second time, because it was hilarious. I'm not sure how appropriate it is to start laughing hysterically in the waiting room of an oncology unit, but I did it anyway. Even in the throes of illness, Chris can effortlessly lighten the mood and make me laugh.
Have a great weekend!
Katie
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Bring on the ginger....
Well, at least my ginger arsenal won't go to waste! Chris is having a less than stellar morning. But we pumped him full of anti-nausea meds (and ginger tea!) and I'm hoping that when he wakes up from his little siesta that he will feel much better. It is so helpful to have caring people in our lives and on days like this, especially survivors who have been there/done that. We got a great recommendation to set up a med schedule and stick to it, even if Chris is feeling ok. I'm on it. I'll use any excuse to make a list! (michele, I know you get this!). On a personal note, it sucks to watch Chris feel so crappy. It's not like we weren't expecting it, but now that it's here, I can't say that I was prepared for it emotionally. As a friend keeps reminding me, this yuckiness is temporary. And it is oh so worth it! And I'm thankful for the 2 weeks "off" so Chris will have time to recover from this intense treatment.
On a positive note: it's beautiful outside, I'm rockin' my happy green capris, and we have the room with a view again today:)
Katie
On a positive note: it's beautiful outside, I'm rockin' my happy green capris, and we have the room with a view again today:)
Katie
The patio
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Room with a view
Day three
We are gradually moving up the food chain. Our cubby today comes with a view of downtown Grand Rapids. Here's a pic of Chris in his temporary office. He hasn't stopped working. I think it's good for him to keep on with his everyday activities. In the background you can kind of see the view. Right out that window is the patio that we are about to head out onto. Looking forward to taking in some of the sun and 80 degree weather!
Chris woke up with nausea this morning. They pumped him full of anti-nausea meds and he is feeling a little better. Here's to hoping tomorrow is better!
Katie
Katie
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The treatment plan
Day two of chemo. Chris is sitting next to me getting ready to head to bed. I'm surprised he has even made it to 9:30. He was really exhausted all day and even took a little nap during treatment. It might have been longer if I hadn't called him and woke him up. Oops! I snuck out of treatment for a bit to run some errands that needed to be done. Besides the fatigue, Chris has really sore legs and minor nausea. Kyle and I took turns massaging his legs and that provided some minor relief. Chris is handling the nausea just fine. He hasn't needed to take any meds for this at home yet, and I haven't needed to break into my arsenal of ginger- ginger snaps, ginger ale, ginger tea, ginger candy, etc. I stocked up last week:)
A lot of you have asked about chemo and what it entails. So, I'm going to give you an overview of Chris's typical day. Everyone's treatment plan is individualized so this is only what Chris's looks like. Today we dropped the kids off at school at 8:00 and headed right to the hospital for Chris's 8:30 appointment. He checked in and sat in the waiting room to be called back. The waiting room is full of people waiting for a chair. It's hard for me to be in this room. There are too many people with cancer. And too many scared and concerned loved ones sitting with them. Chris is often the youngest and one of the healthiest looking. I can't help but scan the room and try to figure out who the patients are and who are the loves ones. Most of the time it is easy to tell, but not always. I suspect that some people look at Chris and I and try to discern patient from loved one. I also sit and wonder what type of cancer they have, what their treatment is like, how are they handling it, what is their prognosis. But mostly I look at the very crowded waiting room and get overwhelmed by the amount of people affected by this horrible disease...
Back to the daily schedule. When Chris's nurse comes to get him (2 nurses-Cheryl is MWF and Bree is Tue/Thur) he is weighed and his vitals are taken. He is supposed to be weighed at the end of treatment as well so they can be sure his body is able to eliminate all the fluids he is taking in during his long day of infusions. This hadn't happen yet, but he uses the little boys room all day long so I suspect they aren't too concerned. We head back to his chemo cubicle. This looks just like a little office cubicle except there are only half walls. So, you can see everyone and they can see you. There are open spaces between cubicles so there is definitely an opportunity to get to know your neighbors. As expected, Chris has been meeting lots of people. There is an unspoken camaraderie between patients. At least I can sense it. I haven't asked Chris if he feels it too. It's nice to not feel alone In this battle against the big C! The nurse preps Chris for his infusion-cleans the port access site, "numbs" it (although Chris says it doesn't help and still hurts like hell), and inserts the needle. She flushes his port with a saline solution and then he gets hydration for about an hour. From there it's Chemo meds for about 5 hours. During this time, Chris mostly works. And goes to the rest room. A lot! We occasionally go for walks around the floor. We go say hi to Neda who is the sweet lady in the patient resource room. She's the one who gave me a huge hug when I started crying after Chris's first appointment with his oncologist. We eat the lunch I packed in the little cubicle. So far Chris's appetite has been unaffected. After the big drugs are done, he receives another hour of hydration, they flush his line with heparin and we are sent on our merry little way. Today we rushed out hoping we would make it in time to pick up the kids, but were 5 min late. Thank goodness we have awesome friends and teachers to help us out with rides and watching the kiddos.
Hopefully that gives you an idea of what Chris's day looks like. Please feel free to comment and ask questions. We have heard that some of you have tried to comment, but have been unsuccessful. I think anyone can comment, but you're comment will show up on the blog as an anonymous user unless you are a registered google plus user. If you aren't, just leave a comment but sign your name at the end so we know who you are:)
Goodnight!
Katie
A lot of you have asked about chemo and what it entails. So, I'm going to give you an overview of Chris's typical day. Everyone's treatment plan is individualized so this is only what Chris's looks like. Today we dropped the kids off at school at 8:00 and headed right to the hospital for Chris's 8:30 appointment. He checked in and sat in the waiting room to be called back. The waiting room is full of people waiting for a chair. It's hard for me to be in this room. There are too many people with cancer. And too many scared and concerned loved ones sitting with them. Chris is often the youngest and one of the healthiest looking. I can't help but scan the room and try to figure out who the patients are and who are the loves ones. Most of the time it is easy to tell, but not always. I suspect that some people look at Chris and I and try to discern patient from loved one. I also sit and wonder what type of cancer they have, what their treatment is like, how are they handling it, what is their prognosis. But mostly I look at the very crowded waiting room and get overwhelmed by the amount of people affected by this horrible disease...
Back to the daily schedule. When Chris's nurse comes to get him (2 nurses-Cheryl is MWF and Bree is Tue/Thur) he is weighed and his vitals are taken. He is supposed to be weighed at the end of treatment as well so they can be sure his body is able to eliminate all the fluids he is taking in during his long day of infusions. This hadn't happen yet, but he uses the little boys room all day long so I suspect they aren't too concerned. We head back to his chemo cubicle. This looks just like a little office cubicle except there are only half walls. So, you can see everyone and they can see you. There are open spaces between cubicles so there is definitely an opportunity to get to know your neighbors. As expected, Chris has been meeting lots of people. There is an unspoken camaraderie between patients. At least I can sense it. I haven't asked Chris if he feels it too. It's nice to not feel alone In this battle against the big C! The nurse preps Chris for his infusion-cleans the port access site, "numbs" it (although Chris says it doesn't help and still hurts like hell), and inserts the needle. She flushes his port with a saline solution and then he gets hydration for about an hour. From there it's Chemo meds for about 5 hours. During this time, Chris mostly works. And goes to the rest room. A lot! We occasionally go for walks around the floor. We go say hi to Neda who is the sweet lady in the patient resource room. She's the one who gave me a huge hug when I started crying after Chris's first appointment with his oncologist. We eat the lunch I packed in the little cubicle. So far Chris's appetite has been unaffected. After the big drugs are done, he receives another hour of hydration, they flush his line with heparin and we are sent on our merry little way. Today we rushed out hoping we would make it in time to pick up the kids, but were 5 min late. Thank goodness we have awesome friends and teachers to help us out with rides and watching the kiddos.
Hopefully that gives you an idea of what Chris's day looks like. Please feel free to comment and ask questions. We have heard that some of you have tried to comment, but have been unsuccessful. I think anyone can comment, but you're comment will show up on the blog as an anonymous user unless you are a registered google plus user. If you aren't, just leave a comment but sign your name at the end so we know who you are:)
Goodnight!
Katie
Monday, April 29, 2013
The battle begins
The day we have been waiting for has arrived. It feels strange to say we were excited to start chemo, but it's true. Until 11:30 this morning, we were just passengers along for the ride. Now Chris has the chance to fight his cancer head on. (If you ask him, he will tell you he already beat cancer once.... The so-called burned out cancer cells that they found after surgery are proof positive that his body is able to put up a hell of a fight!). We got off to a rocky start. We were told that the orders for chemo had never been written and therefore no per-authorization was obtained. The chemo nurse educator politely told us that Chris would need to wait until Wednesday to start. I was thankfully absent from this conversation or I am convinced that I would have caused a major scene, lots of tears included. Chris, also very politely, told the nurse that this is not acceptable and we need to start today. I believe he told her that if she couldn't make it happen, SHE would have to be the one to tell me! So, Yvette worked her magic and Chris officially began his treatments at 11:30. This first week of treatments is intense- 5 days a week x 7 hours, plus a shot on Saturday that will promote increased white blood cell production. The second two weeks of this first cycle(each cycle is 3 weeks. Chris will have 3 cycles of chemo) is just 1 quick shot of one of the meds. This shot only takes about 5 minutes.
This first day of treatment is drawing to an end... Only about an hour left. Chris is the only patient left for the day. It's been a long one, but Chris is so far unaffected and is feeling great. He worked all day in his "office" and made lots of new friends:)
Please bear with me as I get used to writing this blog. Chris pushed me to do this and I'm a little uncomfortable with the whole blog concept. Hopefully it allows you all to feel more connected to his journey.
Katie
This first day of treatment is drawing to an end... Only about an hour left. Chris is the only patient left for the day. It's been a long one, but Chris is so far unaffected and is feeling great. He worked all day in his "office" and made lots of new friends:)
Please bear with me as I get used to writing this blog. Chris pushed me to do this and I'm a little uncomfortable with the whole blog concept. Hopefully it allows you all to feel more connected to his journey.
Katie
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