Yesterday was Don's birthday and the last chemo treatment. The nurses at the radiation place were all ready for him with a card and they sang happy birthday to him. The nurses also were all ready with a card and they sang to him with tamborines and one of the nurses did the Marilyn Monroe edition. Very funny. Don had a good time with it.
Despite the festivities he went through chemo yesterday and seems a bit more coherent this morning than he did that first time. But the exhaustion of it all is catching up with him big time. They are all telling him that sleep is the best thing so his energy can be focused on healing. My guess is he will sleep for most of the week which is good.
So that milestone is over except for this week and probably next's discomfort. We see the radiation doctor on Thursday and that might be the last time we see him also. We saw the chemo oncologist on Monday and that is the last time we will see her also. So the field is narrowing down quickly.
The symptoms are getting somewhat worse from the cumulative affect of the medications. He is starting to have trouble swallowing and his throat is sore. and I imagine that will continue for a bit. I think everything keeps working for a few weeks after treatment, particularly the radiation. So we are in for more discomfort before this is over, I think.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
beginning of the end
We went to see the dr that is going to be following through with Don after the treatments are done. They keep watch for 5 years. He was very upbeat and said things were going great with the treatments. He said that the food taste would get worse before it gets better. He also said that it's okay to lose weight to get down to the weight that he wants to be and then maintain that. That's pretty much where Don is with his weight now so that's good. The trick is not to gain when he gets back on real food. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. He was full of lots of info. This dr only treats patients with head and neck cancer. Who would have know it was a specialty.
So I think Don is feeling better about things. That's good because Tuesday and the rest of the week he will need things to feel good about. Monday night we are having girls night at our house to watch Argos and eat chinese food. We figure we'll cheer him up so he's not dwelling on the next day. It will be fun between the girls, the food, the dogs (and cat) and the movie, Don won't be able to think, much less dwell on anything.
So I think Don is feeling better about things. That's good because Tuesday and the rest of the week he will need things to feel good about. Monday night we are having girls night at our house to watch Argos and eat chinese food. We figure we'll cheer him up so he's not dwelling on the next day. It will be fun between the girls, the food, the dogs (and cat) and the movie, Don won't be able to think, much less dwell on anything.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
the week before the next chemo is best
I just have to say that the week before chemo I get the husband I know back. This morning we were lying in bed laughing about the dogs in the bed with us. It's so good to hear him laugh again. He goes back to his teasing and having fun. It should be a nice weekend. Next Tuesday we start the cycle again but for the last time! Stefan is smart - he comes when it's all done! But that will be good because they will be able to enjoy each other while Don continues to recouperate. We plan a trip to Taos shortly after that to just get away, break the radiation routine, and get back to life as we knew it.
Our Taos home is prefect for getting away and we love it up there. something to look forward to is always good to keep moving forward. We haven't been up there since the beginning of December.
Our Taos home is prefect for getting away and we love it up there. something to look forward to is always good to keep moving forward. We haven't been up there since the beginning of December.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Better this time
Last Tuesday Don had his second chemo and I waited to see the effect it would take before I posted this. I'm glad to say that this one wasn't as hard on him as the last one. He is sleepy and has an upset stomach that he is fighting with medication and sheer will, but other than that he is in pretty good shape. Not lying in bed moaning like last time. It was quite a picture with him lying in bed and the dogs trying to take care of him and see what was wrong. Very sweet. Actually, I think Frieda slept through most of it last time (old and blind) but she was right there on the bed with him keeping him warm.
We saw the radiation dr today and he is pleased with the way things are going. They keep wanting to give him pain medication but he isn't in any pain. and he gained back a couple of pounds which is good so we didn't get in trouble over that one again. The things that they said he would most likely get (very sore throat so he couldn't swallow, sores inside the mouth, sunburnt like skin on his neck) haven't really happened at all. The radiation technology women said he is really doing well with the treatments.
So we are about half way through. Things are getting a bit easier as we adjust to a new routine. I think that by the weekend Don will be feeling well enough to drive himself around and get moving again a bit. Next week should be much better for him that the second week after chemo last time.
P.S. no wonder everyone was complaining - this one never posted to the blog. It was written I believe on February 7th. so it's a bit out of order.
We saw the radiation dr today and he is pleased with the way things are going. They keep wanting to give him pain medication but he isn't in any pain. and he gained back a couple of pounds which is good so we didn't get in trouble over that one again. The things that they said he would most likely get (very sore throat so he couldn't swallow, sores inside the mouth, sunburnt like skin on his neck) haven't really happened at all. The radiation technology women said he is really doing well with the treatments.
So we are about half way through. Things are getting a bit easier as we adjust to a new routine. I think that by the weekend Don will be feeling well enough to drive himself around and get moving again a bit. Next week should be much better for him that the second week after chemo last time.
P.S. no wonder everyone was complaining - this one never posted to the blog. It was written I believe on February 7th. so it's a bit out of order.
All the ups and downs
Well, its been almost two weeks since the last chemo. It was a bit different this time. Things are tasting so bad for Don that he really hates to eat anything so he is surviving mostly on the liquid diet that we are supplied for exactly this reason. Not an easy task for the fun foody guy who loves a good meal and a good glass of wine. When this all started he asked if he could still drink wine during it all and they said he could eat or drink anything he wanted but he wasn't going to want any of it. Boy was that the truth. So no great food, none of the cooking and entertaining we usually do, no dinners out. We are both losing weight. Only Don's not supposed to.
Ironically, Don is looking pretty good. A few pounds lighter makes and improvement and if he wasn't so exhausted all the time and feeling so lousy it would be great. No pain at all though - the drs keep asking him what he takes for pain and does he want something for it but he keeps telling them there isn't any pain. So that's good. Pain on top of feeling this lousey would be pretty bad.
Yesterday we checked out the new Trader Joe's nearby and by the time we left he was so disgusted with all the great things he couldn't eat that he said not to let him go to the grocery store again. I was pretty surprised when he wanted to go this time, actually. It really gets him down to not be able to enjoy the things we have fun at - our dinner parties and time with our friends. So much of what we do with everyone revolves around our friends and great food. But I keep reminding him that it will all be back soon.
He has been going throught the radiation pretty well. He is mourning the slow loss of his mustache and beard and some of the hair on the back of his neck but other than that it's going well. The drs are happy with the results they are seeing. They can just look down his throat and tell it's doing well. The radiation dr asked me if I wanted to look, but I passed on that one.
The whole radiation process is pretty amazing with all the machines and equipment. His guy friends keep volunteering to drive him to his radiation treatments because the nurses let him go in and watch Don get bolted down and then they let them go in the room with all the controls and watch the whole process. It is pretty amazing if you aren't the one on the table with the mask on.
I do need to say that our friends have been just great. They are always checking on him and complain when I don't do this blog often enough. We have made a couple of dates to get together with people but Don is usually so exhausted he cant hang around for long. A short outing just exhausts him.
The drs keep telling him to sleep and that it is the best thing for healing and he has taken them at their word. He slept practically all day yesterday and we have a movie planned for the afternoon today and I'm half expecting him to bail out and just want to stay home and sleep. That's okay too. I'm letting him completely decide what he wants to do because I think he needs to listen to his body and let it tell him what's best. His energy needs to be used to mend after the radiation and poisoning that the chemo does.
Speaking of chemo, his next one is a week from this tuesday (on his birthday, the 26th) and then he is done with it! Radiation ends a week later during the first week of March. We are almost there! Unfortunately it's not easy for him to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now. He still has to go through the awful weeks after chemo when he feels so bad. It really takes him two weeks to recuperated from it. I think today is the first day since the last chemo that he was laughing at the Sunday comics. It is good to hear him laugh.
In a couple of weeks Stefan (Don's son) will be down from Seattle for the weekend to visit and that always cheers Don up. We have so much fun with him and his sweet little family. Stefan is just coming himself this time because we haven't told Sammy (THE grandchild) that his Grandpa is sick. We talk to them on Skype and that's always fun. No reason to upset Sammy since it will all be over soon. He is so crazy about his Grandpa.
So there we are. Getting closer to having it be over. This should be a better week. the one just before the next chemo is always better. as Nadine, a friend of ours who has been through it all said, the day you feel the best is the day before your next chemo. She sure knew what she was talking about there.
Ironically, Don is looking pretty good. A few pounds lighter makes and improvement and if he wasn't so exhausted all the time and feeling so lousy it would be great. No pain at all though - the drs keep asking him what he takes for pain and does he want something for it but he keeps telling them there isn't any pain. So that's good. Pain on top of feeling this lousey would be pretty bad.
Yesterday we checked out the new Trader Joe's nearby and by the time we left he was so disgusted with all the great things he couldn't eat that he said not to let him go to the grocery store again. I was pretty surprised when he wanted to go this time, actually. It really gets him down to not be able to enjoy the things we have fun at - our dinner parties and time with our friends. So much of what we do with everyone revolves around our friends and great food. But I keep reminding him that it will all be back soon.
He has been going throught the radiation pretty well. He is mourning the slow loss of his mustache and beard and some of the hair on the back of his neck but other than that it's going well. The drs are happy with the results they are seeing. They can just look down his throat and tell it's doing well. The radiation dr asked me if I wanted to look, but I passed on that one.
The whole radiation process is pretty amazing with all the machines and equipment. His guy friends keep volunteering to drive him to his radiation treatments because the nurses let him go in and watch Don get bolted down and then they let them go in the room with all the controls and watch the whole process. It is pretty amazing if you aren't the one on the table with the mask on.
I do need to say that our friends have been just great. They are always checking on him and complain when I don't do this blog often enough. We have made a couple of dates to get together with people but Don is usually so exhausted he cant hang around for long. A short outing just exhausts him.
The drs keep telling him to sleep and that it is the best thing for healing and he has taken them at their word. He slept practically all day yesterday and we have a movie planned for the afternoon today and I'm half expecting him to bail out and just want to stay home and sleep. That's okay too. I'm letting him completely decide what he wants to do because I think he needs to listen to his body and let it tell him what's best. His energy needs to be used to mend after the radiation and poisoning that the chemo does.
Speaking of chemo, his next one is a week from this tuesday (on his birthday, the 26th) and then he is done with it! Radiation ends a week later during the first week of March. We are almost there! Unfortunately it's not easy for him to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now. He still has to go through the awful weeks after chemo when he feels so bad. It really takes him two weeks to recuperated from it. I think today is the first day since the last chemo that he was laughing at the Sunday comics. It is good to hear him laugh.
In a couple of weeks Stefan (Don's son) will be down from Seattle for the weekend to visit and that always cheers Don up. We have so much fun with him and his sweet little family. Stefan is just coming himself this time because we haven't told Sammy (THE grandchild) that his Grandpa is sick. We talk to them on Skype and that's always fun. No reason to upset Sammy since it will all be over soon. He is so crazy about his Grandpa.
So there we are. Getting closer to having it be over. This should be a better week. the one just before the next chemo is always better. as Nadine, a friend of ours who has been through it all said, the day you feel the best is the day before your next chemo. She sure knew what she was talking about there.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
almost two down and one to go
So Don is in his second chemo treatment today. I went by at lunch and he was a happy camper because his arm was bothering him so they gave him vicodin. All smiles and kind of goofy. Probably the best way to be in that room with all those other bald people. It makes me realize how lucky we are that we are having to go through this without the negative prognosis some of these other people have. There are plenty of way worse stories in that room. Most likely Don won't be thinking that when he is sick as a dog tomorrow.
They weighed him in at the dr office yesterday and he has lost more weight so we got in trouble. he has to do more of the hospital drinks and still try to eat. He can eat just fine, but he says it all tastes terrible. So that isn't much fun, especially for such a foodie as Don is. and he says wine tastes terrible to so no more going into the wine cabinet for those expensive bottles of wine (anything over $20) until he can taste them again. The think about him losing weight is that he really needed to and he looks great. Today I brought him a Wendy's burger, fries and a milk shake. I can't tell you the last time I could eat like that!!
So here he is spending the day in the hospital barco lounger. And here are his green Ikea shoes that he always wears to these things.
They weighed him in at the dr office yesterday and he has lost more weight so we got in trouble. he has to do more of the hospital drinks and still try to eat. He can eat just fine, but he says it all tastes terrible. So that isn't much fun, especially for such a foodie as Don is. and he says wine tastes terrible to so no more going into the wine cabinet for those expensive bottles of wine (anything over $20) until he can taste them again. The think about him losing weight is that he really needed to and he looks great. Today I brought him a Wendy's burger, fries and a milk shake. I can't tell you the last time I could eat like that!!
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