Dad slept good last night and woke up feeling good. He had breakfast and we're now at the chemo place and he's getting one of the 2 chemicals de jour. His blood pressure was a bit up today as was his heart rate. The nurse said it was probably from the steroid dose given intravenously yesterday (standard pre-chemo drugs). It must be ok because they gave him more of the steroids before starting the chemo this morning. Right now he has a persistent case of the hiccups which he had for a day or 2 last time he went through chemo. It's mostly just irritating because his hiccups can be really loud...so I think this outdoes his snoring yesterday! He didn't have any benadryl today so is awake and alert. We've already played several hands of gin rummy.
I think we should be out of here by noon today. As far as I understand, he will be good to go as long as he has good urine output today...and so far so good. I need to get off of the computer so that Dad can do some work on it. I'll post something a bit later.
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that's really weird because i just got a case of the hiccups at work just now. and i hardly ever have hiccups. who's winning at gin rummy?
ReplyDeleteGo Leo!
ReplyDeletePossible Roid rage AND hiccups? Yikes! My guess is that the hiccups also increase blood pressure, and I can't imagine trying to get an accurate reading from the cuff while someone is hiccuping.
Jason hiccups like that. It's quite alarming!
Try this: Put your pointer fingers in your ears and use your thumbs to crimp your nose shut. Then drink from a straw some warm water in a cup. Then relax and take a bunch of controlled deep breaths, spaced out as far as you can tolerate. Good luck!!!
Shanna, I will give you $10 if you make a youtube demonstration video of that method.
ReplyDeleteSara, how much if I get Jason to do it?
ReplyDeletehiccup update: he's over them. Matt, I hope you got over them, too. Shanna, thanks for the suggestion...luckily he didn't have to attempt that...I'm afraid they might have called in the men in white jackets!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I could get any work done on just benedryl, let alone steroids and chemo.
ReplyDeleteWell if he gets hiccups again here's what I would suggest: have him take his pants off and wear them as a hat, cluck like a chicken, jump on hospital furniture, and repeatedly yell "I claim this barnyard in the name of Orwell".
60% of the time it works every time. And it looks just slightly more ridiculous to outsiders than Shanna's suggestion. :)
Go Grandpa Go!
Haha! Andy, I read this to Dad and he had a good laugh! This all conjures up quite an image...almost as good as Dad chasing after a mouse in the middle of the night in his ghandi's when we lived in the Highlands!
ReplyDeleteAs to Dad working today...he just made a $68,000 sale...not bad for being in the middle of a chemo drip!
My suggestion for the hiccups is a large shot glass full of scotch. You don't think the doctors would disapprove?
ReplyDeleteas an unbiased observer, i have to say that Tom's cure sounds the best to me. although, we might be able to combine that and the straw-drinking one for maximum effectiveness.
ReplyDeleteDad said he is considering this latest suggestion! (although he currently doesn't have the hiccups)...but he'll keep that in mind if they come back.
ReplyDeleteJust spoke to Leo....he sounds, just like Leo....and I didn't hear any hiccups...and forgot to ask. Needed a sounding board about an issue at work ,and as always he was spot on with his advise. Strong Thoughts Leo!! Linda, you're also the best!
ReplyDelete