huffdog
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Greetings to all my CC family on this Thanskgiving Day! May we all be thankful for what blessings we do have. Sometimes these blessings can seem a bit obscured, so here’s wishing all your blessings are amplified tenfold for all of you today.
Been a particular struggle this Thanksgiving for our family as it has always been Kathy doing all the cooking. My wife, Kathy’s sister, makes some side dishes but Kathy always took charge and prepared the rest. It always been tradition to have Thanksgiving at Kathy’s. We had it again this year but as you can imagine quite a bit differently.
Our Church Family took care of us this year. We are so blessed to be part of such a loving and caring congregation. They brought us a huge Turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casseroles, all sorts of side dishes and pies! We are overwhelmed at their kindness. Made all of us cry especially Kathy.
Well Kathy’s radiation ended Tuesday. The Dr took her off of the xeloda for now as the nausea was a bit too much. Kathy didn’t object. I think they did it to see if her eating won’t improve. Today she’s still a bit nauseous and not eating but overall better today than yesterday. She gets a break until Dec 8 then and if the stars align the gemzar/cisplatin will begin. A lot can change between now and then.
Jim
Well the tylenol and her unwillingness to go back in the hospital seemed to have done the trick – no fever today. The heartburn is a little better from the Mylanta and Pepcid AC. Still nauseous and not able to hold anything down. We’ll see the onc doc tomorrow.
Kathy’s only other liquid intake other than the IV is the little bit she drinkes when she swallows her pills. The Doc suggested Mylanta and Pepcid AC for her heartburn. She’s been trying that today.
Also now she’s battling a 101.5
Kathy Update….
She just won’t eat! No appetite, Nothing tastes good, No desire to drink anything either. She’s experiencing extreme heart burn up and down her throat. She is still is getting nauseated and gagging a bit each day. Because she has hardly anything in her stomache not much comes up. Is this where her heartburn is coming from?
She has 2 more days of radiation left, this Monday and Tuesday. She will have been on xeloda 12 days by then. Our question to the Onc Dr on Monday is when is she planning on starting the Gemzar / Cisplatin? and is she strong physically enough to start it?
She currently is taking 15mg morphine pills 3x a day. Zofran for nausea … also not to be taken less than 8 hrs apart. She gets miratzipan (remerol) once each evening as a sedative / mood / appetite enhancer. We are giving her IV hydration 3x a week. She’s heavily fatigued and can walk from the car to radiation each day but that’s about it.
Just can’t seem to get her to eat, drink, sooth her burning esophogus, and keep from getting nauseous. Do you think they’ll start her on the gem / cisplatyin?
Tom,
Love your journaling of your chemo process, been very insightful, best wishes.Jim (huffdog)
Thanks for the encouragement. Originally they said no radiation but the bag was giving her so much distress they decided to try radiation in an attempt to slow the leakage. It appears to working. Her bandage this morning for the first time wasn’t drenched.
Wishing all of you a good Thanksgiving.
Its been awhile so I will update you all on Kathy. She is starting her second week of radiation today. In addition she started chemo taking xeloda 1000mg 2x a day last friday. We have been trained and giving her IV hydration through her port-a-cath 3x a week. First encouraging sign we had is that her stent isn’t leaking so terrible as it was before. The bandages aren’t near as saturated as they were before. She is very fatigued, and has no appetite. She is very dependent and needs someone with her 24/7. So far she is faring OK. Radiation ends the Tues before Thanksgiving. The chemo of choice is gemcitabine and cisplatin but the Dr didn’t want to do it during radiation. We’ll see what happens. Keep Kathy in your prayers. She’s giving it everything she’s got – she’s got more courage than one would ever know. I hate this rollercoaster.
WOW! I am posting in the Introductions Forum when I read this. I did not know Walter had this terrible disease. I have a Bear’s jersey with his number and name on it. Haven’t worn it in years. I’ll wear it proudly now!
Thanks alot for all your responses. Kathy was re-emitted yesterday back in the hospital. She wasn’t eating or drinking, she lost 20 lbs!, she was dehydrated. It’s amazing what a bag or 2 of fluids in an IV can do. She feeling alot better and looks better. We are hoping they keep her for awhile to get her strength back. We are worried if her appetite will ever return. The drain is still worrisome, the bandages are always saturated but the bag is still filling. She hates that thing with a passion. She is supposed to see the Radiation Oncologist today for a consult. We’ll see. The radiation was approved, the chemo is of course on hold until she’s feeling better.
Thank you so much for the responses. She is feeling better today even though the bandage was soaked from leakage. At least her bag was filling. It appears her body position has alot to do with how much leakage occurs at the bandage. It was dry all night and draining, dry in the morning, but for some reason got saturated when she move around a bit today on the couch. We changed it since and now appears to be fine. An option talked about was a suture (I assume at the skin) but the Dr. was a little reserved about that and wanted to wait. Anyone have simular experiences with this drain? When it is draining properly do the liver counts drop pretty rapidly and do you feel better relatively quicker?
Kris, when I read her your reponse, that people here have alot of problems with drains, especially 2 years ago when you had yours, really perked her up. Believe or not that was first encouraging or comforting thing she’s heard since diagnosis.
Her oncologist called today to tell her now they will radiate first. When is this roller coaster ever going to start climbing up again?
