Setback

I cannot believe I am writing this today.  I feel like I have been in a long nightmare.  Bill is back in the hospital after having been home less than 24 hours from the chemo treatment.  He had another seizure like episode on Sunday morning and I had to call EMS.  He is on a ventilator and heavily sedated, unresponsive.  The Drs. are not sure what is causing these episodes and like before they are treating him for everything they think if might be.  

We are keeping a vigil, I have not really left the hospital since Sunday morning.  Please continue to keep us in your prayers, and I will try and keep the blog updated.  Holly

Going Home

Today completes round 4 of Bill's chemotherapy.  The plan is to head home tomorrow.  We are thrilled and definitely ready!  Hopefully we will be able to spend some long term quality time at home where Bill can rest and work on gaining some weight.  

He has taken about all of the abuse his body can stand, and amazingly he's still hanging in there with determination.  The Drs, Nurses and staff at University Hospital 8 South have been so good to us.  We are extremely grateful to all of them for their kindness and quality of care.  

 

Our plan for the next few weeks is to rest up, relax and enjoy the holidays with our family and friends.  We may not get out to all the usual holiday parties, but we will be there in spirit.  Hopefully, we'll be ready to get out and about soon.  The next step in this battle is another PET scan in Jan. followed by a visit to the Docs at the Brown Cancer Center.  

Please continue to keep in touch, I may not update this blog again until after Christmas.  Just know that no news is good news in this case.  We wish everyone a peaceful and healthy holiday surrounded by family and friends.   Holly

Round Four

Tomorrow Bill is scheduled for the 4th and hopefully final round of biochemo therapy.  If all goes as planned we will enter University Hospital on Monday and come home either Friday night or Saturday morning.  He has had a more difficult time bouncing back this past time, but I guess that is to be expected.  Each time wears him down a little more, and he loses more weight so it takes a little longer to recover each time.  Hopefully, he will be feeling well enough by Christmas to enjoy the family and festivities.    

We had a nice Thanksgiving and it was fun visiting with family and friends over these past few weeks.  It's pretty mind blowing how quickly the holidays are upon us.  We tried to make the AOH Christmas celebration at Molly Malone's but that just didn't work out.  I know Bill misses being a part of all the Irish fun.  Maybe we'll make it to ring in the New Year.  

We wish all of our friends and family members a very warm and loving holiday season.  Thanks for your continued support, prayers and love.   Hopefully we will be home next weekend and Bill's recovery will be a quick one.  Happy Holidays  Holly

Home Once Again, Yeah!!

Bill was discharged from the hospital this morning having finished round 3 of the Biochemo therapy.  As before, he is tired and experiencing a little nausea, but otherwise doing okay.  He will more than likely sleep most of the next two to three days and then hopefully begin to gain his appetite back and gradually his strength.  So far, no additional drama thankfully.  

We will spend the next few weeks working to get him stronger and put on a few pounds if possible.  This is certainly a good time of the year to gain weight, as most of us usually work hard around the holidays not to gain.  Unfortunately, he cannot eat all those sugary goodies that come with Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I'm sure we'll find something for him.  

If all goes according to plan, we will go back to the hospital for the 4th and final round of treatment the second week of Dec.  That should give him time to recover before Christmas.  We definitely have much to be thankful for this holiday season.  We are continuing to stay focused on the positives and as always appreciate your prayers and support.  We wish for you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with those you love.   Holly

Cycle Three Begins Again

Today begins day 2 of Cycle 3 in Bill's chemotherapy treatment.  The labs showed a decrease in his liver enzymes yesterday so the Docs think it was indeed the medication that caused an increase in the enzyme levels.  We have now eliminated two more medications that had been prescribed as a result of the air embolism incident.  The drama lives on.

Already he is feeling pretty bad, the same symptoms, but each time they come on a little sooner in the process.  I guess that's due to the fact the his body is already in a weakened state and the residuals of the last chemo treatment are still there.  We are finding the best way to deal with these cycles is sleeping as much as possible (he sleeps, I keep watch).  

We are in a private room again, which means I am staying overnight with him.  Who could have predicted that a Coleman camping cot would see so much action? It's sure is nice to have it, thanks Mom and Dad!

If all goes as planned (and we know that is not a given) we should be able to come home by Tuesday.  Even though this is such a horrible ordeal for Bill, he is keeping a very positive attitude,  especially since we now have evidence that the process is working against the cancer.  

I know you will continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers and I know those prayers are working.  Thanks so much for your continued support.  Holly

Another Slight Detour

Well, we had good news this morning and bad news.  The good news, or should I say GREAT news is the biochemo treatment appears to be working.  The PET scan was good and the docs were pleased.  The bad new is, we were not able to begin cycle III today as planned.  We went to the hospital, registered and he was in the bed but after about 3 1/2 hours they sent us home.

It seems that Bill's liver enzymes were up significantly just since last week.  Because he just had the PET/CT scan, they are relatively sure that cancer is not the cause.  It could be a viral infection or medication, but in any case,  subjecting him to more chemo with high liver enzymes is not a good idea.  So... we came home this afternoon, he is staying off a couple of the medications he had been taking and we are to go back for more lab work on Thursday morning.  If the labs show a decrease in the enzyme levels or at least no significant increase, we will resume chemo on Thursday.  Nothing is simple in this war, at least not from where we stand.  

We're going to take advantage of the extra days and try to enjoy the time.  I guess we'll see what happens on Thursday, hopefully the chemo will be a go.  It seems bitter sweet to find out that the treatment is working and then encounter yet another barrier.  I guess that's the nature of the illness.  We're hanging in there, trying to maintain a positive attitude.  I'll keep you posted.  

Cycle Three Begins

We have had such a good couple of weeks at home.  Bill began to feel better about the middle of week two and we have been able to enjoy the beautiful weather as well as get some work done around the house.  Unfortunately, this good time is about to be interrupted again.  Tomorrow we are scheduled to begin cycle III of his biochemo therapy.  

We have an appointment with the Doc at the Brown Cancer Center to review the results of the PET scan first thing in the morning.  If the PET scan results indicate that the chemo is working, then we will walk over to University Hospital and check in for the next 5 to 6 days.  Of course we are hopeful that the PET scan results will be good, even though that means more chemo and more feeling bad, it beats the alternative. 

We should be in the hospital until Sunday morning, if things go the way they have before, and then he will feel pretty crappy for another 3 or 4 days at home.  We're hoping that he will feel like eating turkey by Thanksgiving.  

I will do my best to keep the blog updated this week with any changing news.  Please continue to keep us in your prayers.  Bill's attitude has been very good lately, I know he feels very blessed to have so many folks thinking positive thoughts for him.   Thanks so much for your continued support.  Holly