We just got back from the oncologist and Dad got a really good report. His blood work was really good...his white blood cells are back to normal...which is fantastic. They said the tumor has gone down even more since last week. Also, the results of an ultrasound that was done last week on Dad's testicles showed no lymphoma...they were just checking. So that is also really good news.
The doctor, after conferring with another oncologist at the med center in Omaha, has decided to stick with the chemo every 3 weeks instead of switching to a 2 week schedule. The 2 week schedule hasn't proven itself completely...so they are sticking with the proven 3 week one. So Dad will not do chemo tomorrow...but rather next Thursday. That way he can get his Nuelasta shot (the one that helps produce the white blood cells in the bone marrow) on Friday at the doctor's office rather than having to get it on Sat. at the hospital if he has the chemo on Friday.
They are very pleased with Dad's condition and all is going well. Other than the picc line itching a bit from time to time, Dad is feeling great. He looks great...in his new smaller size shirts that Sara and I got for him this weekend...now that Jabba is shrinking. His appetite is good and as he says, he's "happy as a clam"!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Update Monday
Dad had a good day today. He had been cooped up in the house all weekend so on a spur of the moment deal...I called the Saltdogs...the local baseball club here...and found out that the game tonight wasn't very crowded (which is good)...so we went to a 5:00 game and there were only 2 other people in our section. We had front row seats in the first upper tier...so we had a great breeze...of course, on the 3rd baseline...and Dad had a great time doing something normal!
Sara, in her eternal quest to be termed "favorite child" (and because there were no people in close proximity) managed to get a foul ball that landed several rows in back of us...and she gave it to Dad. Well, that really made his day! He has the baseball sitting on the fireplace mantel...in the prime spot! The fresh air and a good baseball game was just what he needed!
He plans on going to work tomorrow and not much is going on until his doctor visit on Thursday. I'll keep you all posted.
Sara, in her eternal quest to be termed "favorite child" (and because there were no people in close proximity) managed to get a foul ball that landed several rows in back of us...and she gave it to Dad. Well, that really made his day! He has the baseball sitting on the fireplace mantel...in the prime spot! The fresh air and a good baseball game was just what he needed!
He plans on going to work tomorrow and not much is going on until his doctor visit on Thursday. I'll keep you all posted.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Update Sunday AM
Dad is feeling much better today. The pain in his lower back and bones has subsided...so that's really good.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Update Saturday PM
Well, last night and today were a bit rough for Dad. It was as a result of the Neulasta shot that he got last Saturday...the day after chemo. What it does is stimulate the production of white blood cells in the bone marrow to compensate for the destruction of the white cells due to the chemo. So it spiked the white cell count until the last blood draw on Friday...where the white cells were down (and to be expected) and then it gradually builds up the white blood cells before the next chemo. Because of the unusually rapid production of the cells in the marrow, it causes pain in the lower back, hips, legs...where the cells are increasing. He was pretty uncomfortable during the night and most of today, but he's sure that it will be improving tomorrow. All he could take was Tylenol and that didn't help much. The highlight of his day was a webcam with Delia where her "I love you Grandpa" warmed him for the rest of the day!
The office visit and blood draw on Friday went well. The doctor was pleased with the reduction in size of the tumor mass in his abdomen and was also pleased with his blood work. All was fine,except for the white blood cell count and that was to be expected at this point in the chemo cycle. They did find out that the lymph node that was removed and biopsied was a more agressive kind of lymphoma, but the lymph node was small and that's good. The doctor thinks the main mass was still the slow growing kind...so all of this doesn't change the formula of the chemo since it's a very potent one. The doctor was going to check with another doctor at the med center in Omaha to see what he thought of changing the chemo to every 2 weeks (instead of 3) since Dad weathered the first chemo so well. With a shorter time in between the chemotherapies, that gives the remaining cancerous cells less time to recover...so Dad was all for that if it turns out that that will be the plan. So we're keeping next Friday open in case that works. We won't find out until the office visit on next Thursday whether the decision is to go with next Friday.
Other than that, Dad's appetite is good. He's been dining on favorites like chicken stew and dumplings and stroganoff...so he's doing fine on that accord. Last evening we took quite a hike...about 1 1/2 miles and he was just starting to feel the bone pain during the last half of the walk. He just layed low today and will do the same tomorrow. He passed on going to the farmer's market today, so Sara & I went to get some great fresh produce...the asparagus here is fantastic right now. We're just waiting for the strawberries to come on and we (Sara & I) will do the U-pick strawberries...hopefully withing a week or 2.
We decided to cancel our usual anniversary trip to the island this year. We just can't be away for a week...with the chemo, blood work, dressing changes, and office visits. Also, it won't be good for him to be around crowds (such as on the airplane) because of his compromised immune system. Nurse Ratchet is pretty picky about everyone washing hands every time one of us goes out and comes back in the house. Dad just can't be around any sick people right now. So as far as the trip....we'll have to just plan on next year...and I'm sure we'll enjoy it more then.
Guess that's it for now. I'll post more tomorrow as to how he's doing and we'll probably be talking to all of you tomorrow, too.
The office visit and blood draw on Friday went well. The doctor was pleased with the reduction in size of the tumor mass in his abdomen and was also pleased with his blood work. All was fine,except for the white blood cell count and that was to be expected at this point in the chemo cycle. They did find out that the lymph node that was removed and biopsied was a more agressive kind of lymphoma, but the lymph node was small and that's good. The doctor thinks the main mass was still the slow growing kind...so all of this doesn't change the formula of the chemo since it's a very potent one. The doctor was going to check with another doctor at the med center in Omaha to see what he thought of changing the chemo to every 2 weeks (instead of 3) since Dad weathered the first chemo so well. With a shorter time in between the chemotherapies, that gives the remaining cancerous cells less time to recover...so Dad was all for that if it turns out that that will be the plan. So we're keeping next Friday open in case that works. We won't find out until the office visit on next Thursday whether the decision is to go with next Friday.
Other than that, Dad's appetite is good. He's been dining on favorites like chicken stew and dumplings and stroganoff...so he's doing fine on that accord. Last evening we took quite a hike...about 1 1/2 miles and he was just starting to feel the bone pain during the last half of the walk. He just layed low today and will do the same tomorrow. He passed on going to the farmer's market today, so Sara & I went to get some great fresh produce...the asparagus here is fantastic right now. We're just waiting for the strawberries to come on and we (Sara & I) will do the U-pick strawberries...hopefully withing a week or 2.
We decided to cancel our usual anniversary trip to the island this year. We just can't be away for a week...with the chemo, blood work, dressing changes, and office visits. Also, it won't be good for him to be around crowds (such as on the airplane) because of his compromised immune system. Nurse Ratchet is pretty picky about everyone washing hands every time one of us goes out and comes back in the house. Dad just can't be around any sick people right now. So as far as the trip....we'll have to just plan on next year...and I'm sure we'll enjoy it more then.
Guess that's it for now. I'll post more tomorrow as to how he's doing and we'll probably be talking to all of you tomorrow, too.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
In Other News...
Jabba is shrinking...big time.
If you lean in close you can hear it say "I'm melting...I'M MELLLTTIINNNNGGGG....what a world! what a world!"
See also: dad needs to go shopping for new clothes! :-)
If you lean in close you can hear it say "I'm melting...I'M MELLLTTIINNNNGGGG....what a world! what a world!"
See also: dad needs to go shopping for new clothes! :-)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Tuesday
Dad went to work this morning and stayed the whole day...yay! He took a walk at lunchtime around the lake near his work and then this evening we went on another walk around the neighborhood...so he's doing great. He's planning on a repeat tomorrow!
From Grandpa
To all of you. Sara thanks for setting this up. Linda who will always be my Nurse Ratchet. and all of you who will and have conveyed your concerns and wishes for my success in the treatment of Lymphoma. Please know that you are helping me more than any of you can realize. Each positive message helps me focus the work of the chemo to stay on its task and rid me of the cancerous cell that currently inhabit my body. I know that this will be difficult at times and yet with all of your help it will become a much more tolerable task. I am amazed right now at the effect that positive thinking has had to ease my mind and allows me to be as calm and at ease with everything that has been happening. Family, friends and a wonderful wife make this possible. To hear little Delia cheer Go, Grandpa,Go has left me with no choice but to succeed and so I will.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Update
Just got back from the oncologist's for a blood draw and everything is looking fine with the results that are back. There are a few more results not back from the lab...but no news is good news. So he gets 4 whole days without going to a doctor/hospital/chemo room !! He goes in on Friday for more blood work and a change of the dressing for the picc line (which has to be done once a week). He worked half a day today and was glad to get back into a normal routine...so today was a good day.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Weekend update
Dad made it through this weekend with flying colors. He had no adverse reactions to the chemo. His appetite remained good. His blood work was good yesterday and today. His kidneys are functioning well...and that was the concern this weekend because of the breakdown of cancerous cells and the amount of processing that the kidneys needed to do to pass these cells. So all in all it was a good weekend. He also passed Nurse Ratchet's (me) copious-drinking-of-water test...I think his teeth are floating tonight!
If he feels good tomorrow morning, he's going in to work for a half day. The other half will be at the oncologists office getting more blood work done. Luckily, they draw the blood from his picc line so he doesn't have to get poked each time. I'll send off a report after we get back late tomorrow afternoon from that Dr. visit. That's it for now.
If he feels good tomorrow morning, he's going in to work for a half day. The other half will be at the oncologists office getting more blood work done. Luckily, they draw the blood from his picc line so he doesn't have to get poked each time. I'll send off a report after we get back late tomorrow afternoon from that Dr. visit. That's it for now.
Notes
Thank you Sara, for setting this up. I love the name of the blog! Thank you, Delia, for your input! I think this blog will be a good place to pass on updates and for everyone to connect and communicate. I know it means a lot to Dad to have everyone a part of this.
I think as a general request, I would ask that it would be best to not have this blog be the place to talk about particulars of lymphoma, or statistics, etc. We have been inundated with this type of scientific information by the nurses & doctors and it’s to the saturation point. I’d rather see this as a place to show our support, love, and good intentions to Dad and to each other. I know everyone has been so supportive and positive and it is so important to continue this for all involved.
However, we do welcome information on alternative treatments…such as Andy pointed out an article in the paper about using ginger pills to help with nausea with chemo treatments. This is fine… (actually the same article was in the Lincoln paper that day & I am going to ask the doctor about that before the next chemo treatment). Information like this is positive and hopeful. So things that include those elements are always good to communicate.
I’ll be writing updates regularly and I’m sure everyone will be hearing about white blood cells, and platelets, and other fairly foreign words to most of us. It will be a learning experience for all involved as we move through this.
I can tell you that Dad is very strong and very focused on beating this and to have all of your support and love only helps him more. So for now….Go Grandpa, Go!!
I think as a general request, I would ask that it would be best to not have this blog be the place to talk about particulars of lymphoma, or statistics, etc. We have been inundated with this type of scientific information by the nurses & doctors and it’s to the saturation point. I’d rather see this as a place to show our support, love, and good intentions to Dad and to each other. I know everyone has been so supportive and positive and it is so important to continue this for all involved.
However, we do welcome information on alternative treatments…such as Andy pointed out an article in the paper about using ginger pills to help with nausea with chemo treatments. This is fine… (actually the same article was in the Lincoln paper that day & I am going to ask the doctor about that before the next chemo treatment). Information like this is positive and hopeful. So things that include those elements are always good to communicate.
I’ll be writing updates regularly and I’m sure everyone will be hearing about white blood cells, and platelets, and other fairly foreign words to most of us. It will be a learning experience for all involved as we move through this.
I can tell you that Dad is very strong and very focused on beating this and to have all of your support and love only helps him more. So for now….Go Grandpa, Go!!
A convergence of information
Hi All,
Mom asked me to set this up...which means that inevitably I will have to spend a good week or so schooling her on on things like "what does blog mean?" "How do I make a post?" and "will the perverts on the internet be able to access this information?" But after the initial trial period, I think this will be a great place to gather and I will give everyone who wants it access to post as an author on here as well.
This way mom will only have to make one post instead of all the texting and emailing to everyone.
The title obviously comes from Delia's new cheer for Grandpa. :-)
Anyway welcome to the new blog! Let's keep the good vibes coming in!
Mom asked me to set this up...which means that inevitably I will have to spend a good week or so schooling her on on things like "what does blog mean?" "How do I make a post?" and "will the perverts on the internet be able to access this information?" But after the initial trial period, I think this will be a great place to gather and I will give everyone who wants it access to post as an author on here as well.
This way mom will only have to make one post instead of all the texting and emailing to everyone.
The title obviously comes from Delia's new cheer for Grandpa. :-)
Anyway welcome to the new blog! Let's keep the good vibes coming in!
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