Hi All:
Sorry it's been a while since I've checked in. Here's the latest . . .
The Fundraiser was a huge success. THANK YOU to everyone who attended, bought raffle tickets, bid on silent auction items and spent the day mingling with our family and friends and listening to some of Milwaukee's best bands. Thank You also to all the musicians and production staff for donating their time and talents to pull-off such a fantastic show. And the biggest Thank You of all to Kevin, Chris, and the boys for initiating the event and seeing it through to a very successful completion. We are impressed and humbled and flattered and honored and all kinds of other adjectives! THANK YOU!!
While everyone was contributing to The Cause, Jeff and I were in the hospital (and still are) fighting the good fight. Jeff's fared very well during this Fourth Cycle and has, again, escaped a lot of the most severe side effects. He even managed to open his eyes for bits and pieces of some Sweet 16 basketball games. Otherwise, he has mostly slept, but he has managed to talk on the phone a couple of times and hasn't been as forgetful as he has been during prior cycles. For example, he remembered that he still hadn't heard Kevin's radio interview and asked me to play it for him. He also gave my brother a recipe for maple syrup from memory--so he's doing very well!
I can't say as much for his blood counts. His white blood counts had dropped to .5 (they are supposed to be up around 10,000. Point 5 is more like 500--so his white count is WAY low). It is so low, that the nurses want him to wear a surgical mask when he leaves his hospital room (Sexy!) and they have placed a warning on his door urging visitors to stay away if they have a cold, have had recent immunizations, or are in possession of raw meat or fresh produce, etc. So, please know that if you have sent Jeff a little pick-me-up of ground chuck or pork ribs, your delivery will be rejected at the nurse's station.
His red blood counts are also low (9.2 for all the nurses out there who know what that means!). So, he is back on his regimen of weekly Procrit shots to correct his anemia. But, he looks good (as always!) and hasn't lost a lot of weight during this cycle. Hopefully he'll be able to maintain his appetite and stamina next week and won't have so much nausea. We haven't seen Dr. Legha yet today, but we're assuming he will let Jeff go home tomorrow or Thursday.
Finally, I want to welcome my brother John and his wife Anni, and my sweet baby niece, Ella, to Milwaukee! They traveled all the way from Kansas City to help care for the kids this week. Sounds like they are having a lot of fun. I am so glad to have them there and can't wait to see them when we change shifts at the end of the week.
Until then, please continue to pray that Jeff's treatments are working and for his peace of mind and smooth recovery. It really does help so much.
Kelly
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
Brain Scans and Fundraisers!
Hi All:
Kelly here. It's been a while since I've posted--Jeff has been so diligent in updating everyone I haven't had to commandeer the blog. However, I'm happy to report that Jeff is once again incapacitated by the biochemo that started last night.
Jeff had a brain MRI yesterday which worried him considerably. Although he had no reason to believe the disease had invaded his brain and all the objective evidence seemed to indicate the contrary, he feels like he must perpetually brace himself for awful news. Fortunately, it did not come yesterday and the brain scan was "clean"--meaning there is presently no evidence of disease in his brain. When he received this news his mood immediately lightened and he was visibly relieved.
However, that relief was short-lived after Doctor Legha mentioned that he was hoping Jeff's subcutaneous nodules would have receded more noticeably by this point. Dr. Legha said that he will do more scans after this (Fourth) cycle of biochemo to see if he can "justify going forward with additional cycles." As he explained, it is possible for patients to show a quick response to biochemo (as Jeff apparently did after the first two cycles) only to "plateau" and show no further response to additional treatments. He said that although he would have liked to see a more marked reduction in the size of Jeff's subcutaneous nodules at this point, he is primarily concerned with the liver lesion and as long as it continues to shrink, more treatment will be justified.
Jeff was very disturbed and discouraged by the doctor's hint of concern and it bothered him into the night when the biochemo started. Therefore, Jeff asks for your continued prayers that the treatments work to their maximum potential and that any remaining tumors continue to shrink substantially. Jeff dreads the thought of what will come next if the biochemo does not render him disease-free. He does not want to have to continue to live far away from his family and he does not like the prospect of undergoing additional treatments that are so physically and emotionally hard to tolerate.
I guess I don't look at biochemo as an all-or-nothing proposition. Even if Jeff only makes it through four treatment cycles (instead of six), and even if the tumors are no longer responding as well as the doctor would like, we DO know that after two cycles Jeff had a substantial reduction in the size and number of his lesions which means that he is now better-off than he was in January when we discovered the cancer had returned. He knows for a fact that after two treatment cycles he had at least beaten it back a bit and who knows how much extra time that will give him to find alternative treatment options that may give him an even better chance of beating it into submission for good?
However, at this point, all of this is pure speculation. We won't actually know how well the biochemo is or is not working until the next round of scans. Until then, Cycle Four gives Jeff one more time "at bat" and he needs to focus on knocking it out of the park instead of being afraid to swing because there's a possibility he might miss.
So, before I move on to the next topic: pray, pray, pray both for Jeff's peace of mind and that the treatments are working.
Now, onto happier news: the BIG FUNDRAISER is this Sunday, March 25th at the CoachHouse Grill in Big Bend. It's not as far out of town as it seems and it's right off the interstate, so it's an easy drive. I continue to be utterly amazed at how much the band has done to pull this together and at the incredible response they have received so far. So, I hope for their sake that they have a great turn-out. They have really gone above and beyond the call of duty to put together a very professional event. Plus, the entertainment is first-class. I wish I was going to be there to see it. I'll still be here in Houston in the hospital with Jeff, but I trust our family and friends will represent us well! So, I hope you'll honor us by making your way out to the event this weekend. Bring your kids and your friends and your kids' friends and your friends' kids and make a day of it.
In the meantime, I want to wish Aubrey good luck tonight at her big debut in her first high school play (yes, HIGH school!). She is in Wauwatosa East's production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" which starts its run tonight. I also want to thank our dear friend Barbara Hayes-Dineen for helping with the kids earlier this week and for making sure Aubrey makes it to and from play practice (and that she gets fed somewhere along the way). I really can't thank you enough.
And, finally, thank you to all of you who continue to read this blog and leave posts and send Jeff mail. Knowing that you are all pulling for him has made this burden much easier for him to bear and continues to encourage him when he is down. We appreciate all of it more than you will ever know.
Kelly
Kelly here. It's been a while since I've posted--Jeff has been so diligent in updating everyone I haven't had to commandeer the blog. However, I'm happy to report that Jeff is once again incapacitated by the biochemo that started last night.
Jeff had a brain MRI yesterday which worried him considerably. Although he had no reason to believe the disease had invaded his brain and all the objective evidence seemed to indicate the contrary, he feels like he must perpetually brace himself for awful news. Fortunately, it did not come yesterday and the brain scan was "clean"--meaning there is presently no evidence of disease in his brain. When he received this news his mood immediately lightened and he was visibly relieved.
However, that relief was short-lived after Doctor Legha mentioned that he was hoping Jeff's subcutaneous nodules would have receded more noticeably by this point. Dr. Legha said that he will do more scans after this (Fourth) cycle of biochemo to see if he can "justify going forward with additional cycles." As he explained, it is possible for patients to show a quick response to biochemo (as Jeff apparently did after the first two cycles) only to "plateau" and show no further response to additional treatments. He said that although he would have liked to see a more marked reduction in the size of Jeff's subcutaneous nodules at this point, he is primarily concerned with the liver lesion and as long as it continues to shrink, more treatment will be justified.
Jeff was very disturbed and discouraged by the doctor's hint of concern and it bothered him into the night when the biochemo started. Therefore, Jeff asks for your continued prayers that the treatments work to their maximum potential and that any remaining tumors continue to shrink substantially. Jeff dreads the thought of what will come next if the biochemo does not render him disease-free. He does not want to have to continue to live far away from his family and he does not like the prospect of undergoing additional treatments that are so physically and emotionally hard to tolerate.
I guess I don't look at biochemo as an all-or-nothing proposition. Even if Jeff only makes it through four treatment cycles (instead of six), and even if the tumors are no longer responding as well as the doctor would like, we DO know that after two cycles Jeff had a substantial reduction in the size and number of his lesions which means that he is now better-off than he was in January when we discovered the cancer had returned. He knows for a fact that after two treatment cycles he had at least beaten it back a bit and who knows how much extra time that will give him to find alternative treatment options that may give him an even better chance of beating it into submission for good?
However, at this point, all of this is pure speculation. We won't actually know how well the biochemo is or is not working until the next round of scans. Until then, Cycle Four gives Jeff one more time "at bat" and he needs to focus on knocking it out of the park instead of being afraid to swing because there's a possibility he might miss.
So, before I move on to the next topic: pray, pray, pray both for Jeff's peace of mind and that the treatments are working.
Now, onto happier news: the BIG FUNDRAISER is this Sunday, March 25th at the CoachHouse Grill in Big Bend. It's not as far out of town as it seems and it's right off the interstate, so it's an easy drive. I continue to be utterly amazed at how much the band has done to pull this together and at the incredible response they have received so far. So, I hope for their sake that they have a great turn-out. They have really gone above and beyond the call of duty to put together a very professional event. Plus, the entertainment is first-class. I wish I was going to be there to see it. I'll still be here in Houston in the hospital with Jeff, but I trust our family and friends will represent us well! So, I hope you'll honor us by making your way out to the event this weekend. Bring your kids and your friends and your kids' friends and your friends' kids and make a day of it.
In the meantime, I want to wish Aubrey good luck tonight at her big debut in her first high school play (yes, HIGH school!). She is in Wauwatosa East's production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" which starts its run tonight. I also want to thank our dear friend Barbara Hayes-Dineen for helping with the kids earlier this week and for making sure Aubrey makes it to and from play practice (and that she gets fed somewhere along the way). I really can't thank you enough.
And, finally, thank you to all of you who continue to read this blog and leave posts and send Jeff mail. Knowing that you are all pulling for him has made this burden much easier for him to bear and continues to encourage him when he is down. We appreciate all of it more than you will ever know.
Kelly
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Here we go again
Hi all . . . Jeff here. Tomorrow (Thursday) is the day I'm scheduled to begin Round 4 of biochemo. I'm also scheduled to have an MRI brain scan tomorrow morning to make sure the cancer still hasn't spread to my brain. I have no objective reason to believe it has but the test--like every test I have to take--still makes me nervous. I think I'm a little nervous about beginning treatment too; now I know what to expect, and I know to expect that it won't be fun. Needless to say, I'm having a hard time thinking about much of anything except cancer. The good news is that my sister, Michelle, and her fiance, Jeff, are in town. They're a lot of fun and doing a good job of entertaining me. We're also going over to my college roommate's (Kevin Gardner) for dinner tonight, and Kevin is always good for many laughs. Best of all, Kelly is here; having her here always makes me feel good. Once again, I'm thankful that I don't have to go through this alone.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Good things in Houston
Hi all . . . Jeff here. First of, let me just say that I wish I wasn't in Houston. The thing that's keeping me here is the same thing that has thrown so many lives into total upheaval. My mom could be at home helping to plan my sister's wedding instead of doing my laundry and driving me to get blood tests; my neighbors and friends could be relaxing with their families instead of shoveling my driveway and making dinners for us; my kids would have a mom and dad at home with them instead of far away for too long. It really sucks that I have to be in Houston.
BUT . . . having said that, I also have to say that this whole experience has given me many opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise. I had the opportunity to spend the weekend with Marc Schulte, a very good friend (and one of Aubrey's godfathers) who came to visit me in Houston from his home in Seattle. I have had the opportunity to reconnect with Kevin Gardner, one of my college roommates, and get to see what his life is like (and get to play with his very cute toddler son). I had the opportunity to eat lunch at PubFiction, a very hip and happening place owned by Jim Crable, one of my high school classmates. And I've had the opportunity to personally thank my old babysitter, Betty (Hanigan) and her husband, Stefano Costantini, for recommending Dr. Legha and helping us find the wonderful apartment where we are staying.
Being here, I also have met some amazing people, including Cathy Connors, the tireless and very generous president of the ND Club of Houston (and recently elected director of the national board of the Notre Dame Alumni Association!), and Jerry and Margaret Toomey, who have welcomed me, Kelly, my kids, and my mom into their car, their home, and their lives. We had a wonderful meal at Jerry and Margaret's last night, and it gave me a chance to feel like life was back to normal for a few hours instead of preoccupied by blood counts and biochemo side-effects. My mom said when she sees Jerry and Margaret at the airport, it's like she's seeing family. And for giving us that experience in this big city so far from home, I can't thank them enough.
So even though I wish I wasn't here and hate the reason for being here, life is still good in so many ways.
BUT . . . having said that, I also have to say that this whole experience has given me many opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise. I had the opportunity to spend the weekend with Marc Schulte, a very good friend (and one of Aubrey's godfathers) who came to visit me in Houston from his home in Seattle. I have had the opportunity to reconnect with Kevin Gardner, one of my college roommates, and get to see what his life is like (and get to play with his very cute toddler son). I had the opportunity to eat lunch at PubFiction, a very hip and happening place owned by Jim Crable, one of my high school classmates. And I've had the opportunity to personally thank my old babysitter, Betty (Hanigan) and her husband, Stefano Costantini, for recommending Dr. Legha and helping us find the wonderful apartment where we are staying.
Being here, I also have met some amazing people, including Cathy Connors, the tireless and very generous president of the ND Club of Houston (and recently elected director of the national board of the Notre Dame Alumni Association!), and Jerry and Margaret Toomey, who have welcomed me, Kelly, my kids, and my mom into their car, their home, and their lives. We had a wonderful meal at Jerry and Margaret's last night, and it gave me a chance to feel like life was back to normal for a few hours instead of preoccupied by blood counts and biochemo side-effects. My mom said when she sees Jerry and Margaret at the airport, it's like she's seeing family. And for giving us that experience in this big city so far from home, I can't thank them enough.
So even though I wish I wasn't here and hate the reason for being here, life is still good in so many ways.
Friday, March 16, 2007
A Day in the Life
Hi all! Jeff here . . . I thought some of you might be interested in what I do every day while I'm down here in Houston. It's nothing exciting, but here's the routine:
Wake up around 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. Take a compazine and benadryl (my antinausea medications). Yes, your basic OTC Benadryl is one of my medications. It counteracts the side-effects of the compazine.
Start eating breakfast around 8:30. I have to wait a half hour for the antinausea meds to kick in before I can start eating. I usually have a couple glasses of juice, a banana, and my waffles. : )
During the morning I usually take a nap and maybe a shower. Showering is kind of a pain because I have to tape a large sheet of Saran Wrap over the Graschong catheter in my chest (that's the tubes that deliver the biochemo drugs). Yes, we literally tape a piece of Saran Wrap to my chest. It's a bit awkward and is why I don't shower every day. Well, that and the fact that I do nothing and so don't really get dirty.
I eat lunch around noon. I have been eating egg-and-bean burritos for lunch. They're filling and full of protein, so I figure they have to be good for me.
During the afternoon, we might head over to the computer lab, go to the grocery store, read the newspaper, or take another nap. I spend a lot of time laying on the couch during the day. That's the most comfortable position to be in.
At 4:00, we watch Take Home Chef on TLC. It's the one show that has become a must-watch (well, actually, the second show; we also watch American Idol religiously). If you've never seen Take Home Chef, it's worth a try. The chef is funny and he makes food that I would actually like to eat. Plus it's quite entertaining watching the women on the show fall all over themselves when the chef comes around.
I take another compazine and benadryl around 6:00 pm in preparation for dinner, then we eat about a half hour later. Right now, I'm able to eat almost anything I want so that's been nice. Tonight I think we'll have a four-bean chili.
At 7:00 pm we try to find something to watch on TV for the evening. Unfortunately, this is usually more difficult than it sounds. There just aren't that many great shows on TV. If we're lucky, we'll find a decent movie to watch. Otherwise, it's a lot of channel surfing until 9:00. Then we might watch King of Queens. I usually talk to the kids at this time of day, too. They'll call me or I'll call them and we'll talk about what's going on in their worlds. Jack always asks to do a "family quiz", which means I ask him a question like "who is your dad's mom?" and he has to tell me the name of the person. He's getting pretty good at it.
Bedtime usually comes at around 9:30. Then it's off to dreamland till the next day comes.
Like I said, it's nothing exciting but that gives you some indication of how I spend my days down here . . . and why I can't wait to get home!
Wake up around 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. Take a compazine and benadryl (my antinausea medications). Yes, your basic OTC Benadryl is one of my medications. It counteracts the side-effects of the compazine.
Start eating breakfast around 8:30. I have to wait a half hour for the antinausea meds to kick in before I can start eating. I usually have a couple glasses of juice, a banana, and my waffles. : )
During the morning I usually take a nap and maybe a shower. Showering is kind of a pain because I have to tape a large sheet of Saran Wrap over the Graschong catheter in my chest (that's the tubes that deliver the biochemo drugs). Yes, we literally tape a piece of Saran Wrap to my chest. It's a bit awkward and is why I don't shower every day. Well, that and the fact that I do nothing and so don't really get dirty.
I eat lunch around noon. I have been eating egg-and-bean burritos for lunch. They're filling and full of protein, so I figure they have to be good for me.
During the afternoon, we might head over to the computer lab, go to the grocery store, read the newspaper, or take another nap. I spend a lot of time laying on the couch during the day. That's the most comfortable position to be in.
At 4:00, we watch Take Home Chef on TLC. It's the one show that has become a must-watch (well, actually, the second show; we also watch American Idol religiously). If you've never seen Take Home Chef, it's worth a try. The chef is funny and he makes food that I would actually like to eat. Plus it's quite entertaining watching the women on the show fall all over themselves when the chef comes around.
I take another compazine and benadryl around 6:00 pm in preparation for dinner, then we eat about a half hour later. Right now, I'm able to eat almost anything I want so that's been nice. Tonight I think we'll have a four-bean chili.
At 7:00 pm we try to find something to watch on TV for the evening. Unfortunately, this is usually more difficult than it sounds. There just aren't that many great shows on TV. If we're lucky, we'll find a decent movie to watch. Otherwise, it's a lot of channel surfing until 9:00. Then we might watch King of Queens. I usually talk to the kids at this time of day, too. They'll call me or I'll call them and we'll talk about what's going on in their worlds. Jack always asks to do a "family quiz", which means I ask him a question like "who is your dad's mom?" and he has to tell me the name of the person. He's getting pretty good at it.
Bedtime usually comes at around 9:30. Then it's off to dreamland till the next day comes.
Like I said, it's nothing exciting but that gives you some indication of how I spend my days down here . . . and why I can't wait to get home!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Feeling Better So Time To Get Fat
Hi all . . . Jeff here. Dr. Legha tweaked my antinausea prescription so I've been feeling much better the last couple of days. Still a bit tired, but at least I can eat. In fact, we're going to try to do a big pasta meal tonight. After several days of not eating due to the nausea, my weight was down to less than 135, which is what I weighed as a freshman in high school. So my focus from now until the next hospital visit is to eat, eat, eat. Hopefully the pasta will stick to my ribs and add a few pounds per day. I would like to get back up in the 150+ range.
I received word yesterday day that my blood counts are back to normal so I don't have to take my daily Neupogen shot. I give it to myself and it really isn't that difficult to do (fortunately), but I find that I don't like poking myself. It gives me a new appreciation for what diabetics must go through. I think of my grandma Bonnie (my dad's mom), who had diabetes for many years and had to give herself an old-fashioned injection every day. You do what you have to do, of course, but it isn't fun.
Not much else to report from this end. I'm spending a lot of time resting. It seems like I can lay down and nap at just about any time of day. It's probably because my red blood count is low and that takes longer to build back up (the Neupogen shot is for white blood count). I get a weekly Procrit shot for the red blood count but it takes four weeks to work effectively. The goal is to keep the counts high enough to continue the treatment schedule.
Thanks for all your posts, letters, and prayers. I've really been trying to focus on going through this just one day at a time, and your outpouring of support has helped me do that. Take care, Jeff
PS A special big thanks to everyone involved with the fundraiser next weekend. I'm humbled and amazed at what a production it is turning out to be. They'll be doing a feature article in the Wauwatosa News Time, and Mr. Kev from Kelly's band is doing radio interviews in town to get out the word. You don't know how badly I wish I could be there to join everyone. I think my mom and dad and the kids will be there, though, so the Dodd family will be well represented.
I received word yesterday day that my blood counts are back to normal so I don't have to take my daily Neupogen shot. I give it to myself and it really isn't that difficult to do (fortunately), but I find that I don't like poking myself. It gives me a new appreciation for what diabetics must go through. I think of my grandma Bonnie (my dad's mom), who had diabetes for many years and had to give herself an old-fashioned injection every day. You do what you have to do, of course, but it isn't fun.
Not much else to report from this end. I'm spending a lot of time resting. It seems like I can lay down and nap at just about any time of day. It's probably because my red blood count is low and that takes longer to build back up (the Neupogen shot is for white blood count). I get a weekly Procrit shot for the red blood count but it takes four weeks to work effectively. The goal is to keep the counts high enough to continue the treatment schedule.
Thanks for all your posts, letters, and prayers. I've really been trying to focus on going through this just one day at a time, and your outpouring of support has helped me do that. Take care, Jeff
PS A special big thanks to everyone involved with the fundraiser next weekend. I'm humbled and amazed at what a production it is turning out to be. They'll be doing a feature article in the Wauwatosa News Time, and Mr. Kev from Kelly's band is doing radio interviews in town to get out the word. You don't know how badly I wish I could be there to join everyone. I think my mom and dad and the kids will be there, though, so the Dodd family will be well represented.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Slow Road . . .
Hi Everyone:
Well, Jeff's having a hard time. His "second week" (of Cycle Three of biochemo) ends today. This was supposed to be the rest and recovery week, however, he has been extremely nauseous since he was released from the hospital. This means that for the past week he has been unable to eat anything of substance or hold anything down. He's frustrated and discouraged because all he can do is suffer through it--he can't change it. Dr. Legha changed Jeff's anti-nausea medications with hope that a different drug combo would work better for him, but so far he hasn't seen any change for the better. Dr. Legha said that Jeff needs to try to drink as much as possible so he doesn't get dehydrated. If he can't hold liquids down, Dr. Legha threatened to put him on IV nutrition.
Jeff had a rough day yesterday as well, in addition to the usual nausea and throwing up, he had blood tests (which meant he couldn't eat or drink anything), and due to an administrative error in the doctor's orders, he was unable to get a time-sensitive Procrit shot to improve his red blood count, and he also had to wait 2 and a half hours in the doctor's office due to a scheduling error. So, he started his day around 8:00 a.m. and ended it around 5:30 p.m., in the meantime he was completely malnourished and backlogged in multiple medical appointments--all of which only exacerbated his nausea and fatigue.
Today, he goes back for more blood tests and his Procrit shot. I pray that all goes well for him and that he can begin to regain some weight and strength. I wish with all my heart there was more that I could do for him. I'm sure having such a difficult recovery week makes him feel all the more alone. Even though he always has people in his presence (generally, me or his mom), we, unfortunately, cannot bear this terrible burden for him. Although we can empathize, we cannot truly comprehend his feelings and fears. Ugh! I don't even know what else to say . . .
On a more positive note, one of Jeff's best friends is coming to visit him next week. Marc Schulte is flying to Houston from Seattle to spend a couple of days with Jeff and Mary. Like Jeff, Marc is philosophical and intellectual, but also fun and an all-around cool guy. Even if Jeff doesn't feel good while Marc is there, I'm sure they'll have a good time.
On the home front, Jack is on the mend but Regan and I have colds. Aubrey is starting to cough. Oh well. That's the way it goes.
I have a work meeting, so I have to sign off. Until next time . . .
Kelly
Well, Jeff's having a hard time. His "second week" (of Cycle Three of biochemo) ends today. This was supposed to be the rest and recovery week, however, he has been extremely nauseous since he was released from the hospital. This means that for the past week he has been unable to eat anything of substance or hold anything down. He's frustrated and discouraged because all he can do is suffer through it--he can't change it. Dr. Legha changed Jeff's anti-nausea medications with hope that a different drug combo would work better for him, but so far he hasn't seen any change for the better. Dr. Legha said that Jeff needs to try to drink as much as possible so he doesn't get dehydrated. If he can't hold liquids down, Dr. Legha threatened to put him on IV nutrition.
Jeff had a rough day yesterday as well, in addition to the usual nausea and throwing up, he had blood tests (which meant he couldn't eat or drink anything), and due to an administrative error in the doctor's orders, he was unable to get a time-sensitive Procrit shot to improve his red blood count, and he also had to wait 2 and a half hours in the doctor's office due to a scheduling error. So, he started his day around 8:00 a.m. and ended it around 5:30 p.m., in the meantime he was completely malnourished and backlogged in multiple medical appointments--all of which only exacerbated his nausea and fatigue.
Today, he goes back for more blood tests and his Procrit shot. I pray that all goes well for him and that he can begin to regain some weight and strength. I wish with all my heart there was more that I could do for him. I'm sure having such a difficult recovery week makes him feel all the more alone. Even though he always has people in his presence (generally, me or his mom), we, unfortunately, cannot bear this terrible burden for him. Although we can empathize, we cannot truly comprehend his feelings and fears. Ugh! I don't even know what else to say . . .
On a more positive note, one of Jeff's best friends is coming to visit him next week. Marc Schulte is flying to Houston from Seattle to spend a couple of days with Jeff and Mary. Like Jeff, Marc is philosophical and intellectual, but also fun and an all-around cool guy. Even if Jeff doesn't feel good while Marc is there, I'm sure they'll have a good time.
On the home front, Jack is on the mend but Regan and I have colds. Aubrey is starting to cough. Oh well. That's the way it goes.
I have a work meeting, so I have to sign off. Until next time . . .
Kelly
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