Smaller clothes

Both Kel and I got some smaller jeans today. Woohoo, go weight loss! Felt good for us both, and both were down 2 sizes.

The boys were supposed to go to karate today, for David, but Saja being bad nixed those plans. I was at work, so this is all second-hand, but apparently Saja had climbed up on the kitchen table where David had left his chocolate milk, and Kel's disciplining of the dog got him bitten on the hand. This is the second time Saja has responded to Kel's discipline (just yelling) with teeth. Never to me, but I approach him differently because he has done this to Kel.

This dog is truly evil some days.

And thanks to the coumadin that Kel is on, a little bite leads to a lot of bleeding, and stopping that made the boys miss karate. Damn dog.

Kel is doing ok. He is eating well, and figuring out what he can still taste. Hasn't had any weight loss this week, which is good. As he is reminding me, he even had some fruit today!

And on the good side, he just told me (while knocking on wood) that it has been a few days where he has not had any of the peripheral pain. Awesome!

I ended up not yet hearing about that potential new job. They asked for some more information, and told me they are meeting again next week. I am a ball of nerves! Should hopefully know more next week. It is a great fit for me, and a great opportunity, so we would be very excited to get the job. Only a few more days to wait...

Nothing much to write about, just life going by ... so Kel's contributed sux/doesn't suck:

What sux: the excessive bleeding. Kel gets a lot of bloody noses this time of year since it is so dry, but now they are getting difficult to control because of the coumadin. So he bleeds a lot. Plus I can tell he is anemic because he is so pale, so it is a double whammy. Even Saja's bite to Kel's hand took a while to stop. :( We won't know how the clot is progressing for a while either, so it will be a few months that Kel is on this medicine.

What doesn't suck: not having to shave. Since Kel shaved his head before the cancer could take his hair, he never had clumps fall out. Instead, his hair just isn't growing anymore. He only has to shave once a week for his head or his face and even then he doesn't really need to do so. So cancer = saving $ on razor blades!

Anyone in need of a destructive and sometimes evil pup? He is cute as heck ... anyone?

Going to bed now with the red devil dog curled up at my feet,

Tracy

My bewwy hurts

That is the only thing we ever hear from David. Usually it is when he wants some candy .. I mean medicine, but it is also all we heard this time. Turns out days of 103F fever actually equals a double ear infection.

David is the king of never letting us know he has bad ear infections. He has done this before.

Antibiotics and some tylenol are helping him a lot. Knocking him out a lot too, since he slept through most of daycare this morning, but he is getting better.

And thankfully, it isn't contagious for his immune-system-challenged Daddy.

Kel met with another police officer who had testicular cancer before and beat it. They had lunch today, and it was good for Kel. Good for him to talk to someone else who had been through a similar experience, if not in therapy (the other person had radiation following the surgery, but no chemo), at least in fears, and thoughts.

I can explain the science and the therapies, etc, but I don't really know what he is going through. I can empathize, but it is not the same. So I am glad that Kel was able to get more information and validation about his experiences.

Back to the belly thing - mine doesn't feel good. :( I have not been sticking to my 'eating well' plan this past week (I blame Dad. He is too good of a cook, and got me started on not eating well!), and we even went out to Chili's for dinner tonight. Too much yummy, but not so good for you food is really wreaking havoc on me. So, back to Nutrisystem tomorrow. We still have SO much food leftover since Kel isn't eating it anymore and I have been only 1/2 on the wagon since his diagnosis.

My new goal: lose 10 more lbs by St. Patrick's day. That will make a total of ~35 since November. I need all of the cheerleaders I can get too!

For things that suck tonight: Gonna go with Saja. We were just commenting on how he is doing better lately and getting out of the puppy stage ... and then he goes and pulls up the carpet on the stairs and decides it is snack-time. UGH! We have never had a puppy this destructive! He is getting better than before, but how much more house can he destroy?!?!

Gonna go curl up in a ball and will my tummy to feel better. :)

G'night,

Tracy

Halfway

Today marked Kel being halfway done with chemo ... at least until evaluation. It was was a bleomycin day - in the past those have been both his worst days, and uneventful days, with no clear predictive clues as to which it will be. Today was mostly uneventful.

Kel drove himself to chemo (at his insistence), and took his car to be washed beforehand (also his insistence). Chemo was quick, and over by 1:30-ish. He drove home and did ok for a while - was just tired. I think he even cleaned the inside of his car when he got home? He loves that car ...

I got home, said a quick hi and then left to get David and go to Storytime at the library. By the time that we got home ~8pm, Kel was in bed and struggling to stay awake. Hopefully he will sleep well tonight, since last night was a bit broken.

Although he has been tired and had a few days of not feeling well, Kel is really handling chemo very well. As I have said before - the 'helping' meds that they give to control side effects are amazing. It is not a pleasant experience, and he is finding a few more annoying a long lasting effects like peripheral pain and a loss of tastebuds/tastes, but it is also not something that he (and we) can't handle. So back to cheerleading: go chemo, kill the cancer!

Nothing much with David and I either - he was a really good boy at school today, and moderately ok for me through storytime and bedtime tonight. Poor guy's fever is gone, but he has a cough that is settling into his chest and waking him up. I think I will have to use the nebulizer with him to clear it up.

Just a busy week for me ... busy few weeks really, but what else is new. It is test time for all of my classes, so I am making and giving those. I have papers to work on, grant progress reports to write, and experiments to do. On the upside, I think one of the positions to which I applied, and for which I am a finalist, will be making a decision this week! So I may know soon if I will be offered the job. Very exciting!!

For the sux/doesn't suck portion of tonight's blog:

Hmmmm, feeling unimaginative today (everyone can feel free to suggest stuff, btw) ... It seems like the "middle" chemo week in each 3 week cycle doesn't suck. The bleomycin day of week 2 last cycle, and today went pretty well. The only effect was a bit of fatigue, and that is easily managed by sleeping! Now we just wait a week and hope that the trend of a tough 3rd week doesn't hold up. We will also meet with the oncologist again next week and get a general report of progress and bloodwork check. David actually timed getting sick pretty well - Kel has a normal white blood cell count right now, and shouldn't be myelosupressed until next week. Good job on timing David! Well done. :)

Off to do more work, so goodnight for now,

Tracy

Sympathy chemo side effects

Yesterday and into today Kel has had a not so good feeling belly. Perhaps in sympathy, I have also had an icky-belly. Could there really be sympathy chemo side effects?

Dad said that he had it too with mom. Sounds like a good excuse for a scientific study - is there such a thing as sympathetic sickness for the caregivers?

Nothing overly wrong is going on, Kel is just tired and his belly isn't feeling well, either from the chemo or the pain. He is eating well, mostly since Dad is cooking and he is a great cook. I didn't think Kel would be up to eat anything last night, but Dad had prepared and brought a beef wellington and Kel was really looking forward to it, so it was made and enjoyed by all! (less enjoyed by me, but that was purely by volume).

Actually, as of today I am down 26 lbs! Woohooo! Most of that was before Kel's stuff started, and it has only been 4 lbs since the beginning of the year, but still.

Kel is down just over 30 lbs. 20 of that was before all of this started too, and most of the other 10 was in the first chemo cycle. But darned it - he eats a bunch more food now and is still losing! Cheater... ;)

In another joyful turn of events, David is sick with something or other. He started off and on with a fever yesterday, is was worse overnight with a little bit of sick belly too, and has held steady at 102 or 103 until the latest dose of Motrin. It is down to 99 now, and he is doing a little better. We will see how we fare through the night.

Thankfully, although he is on chemo, Kel is not too myelosuppressed and thus not too at risk for whatever David has. We are keeping them from sharing food, etc, just in case, but Kel shouldn't have any problems from this.

My poor boys.

All 5 of my boys (Kel, David, Dad and 2 male dogs) are crashed on the couch now watching the Superbowl. The Pats aren't in it, so Kel isn't too excited, which is probably good for him.

Thanks, Pats, for throwing the game v the Jets just for Kel - mighty thoughtful of you!

And in a message from the sick David:

alkklsk vmckrk ,dw,,,dms

Things that suck:

Too many sick boys in the house and not really being able to help any of them. David has been miserable all day, and while I can cuddle him I can't really help him. Kel isn't doing horrible - definitely not what you think of post-chemo 40 years ago, but he isn't feeling great either. The peripheral neuropathy is starting (pain in his extremities), and he is exhausted. The feeling of helplessness really sux.

Cancer sux.

Having a poor sick little boy sux.

Off to watch the end of the Superbowl - g'night,

Tracy

Chemo causes cavites

I wouldn't be surprised if Kel ends up with a few more cavities out of all of this. He is eating a bit more chocolate and sugar then he used to, so I believe we will have to increase his dentist visits in a few months.

The good thing is that he is eating fairly well. Kel didn't even lose too much weight this week - it has held steady since the end of the first week of the first cycle! It is definitely making my diet hard though! Grrrrr, no fair. ;)

The heavy chemo week of cycle 2 is done, and overall Kel did very well. He had a bit of pain this morning that woke him up, and was definitely tired by the end of the day, but on the whole it was better than the first cycle. Maybe he just knew what was coming and how to work with it?

Dad is here now and David is ecstatic! He loves his Papa. He was even so excited that he couldn't really read the Lion King ... It was hard to get him to go to bed, because he just wanted to come back downstairs and give one more hug and one more kiss.

Tomorrow I will teach while the boys play, and then we will do some mundane things. Dad made a beef wellington again, and Kel is really, really looking forward to eating more of it without feeling guilty (he was on Nutrisystem the last time dad brought one of them for us).

I wish Dad would just stay with us full time and be our live in chef. Forget that pestering lawyering career-thing and just cook for/with us. :) Dad is actually looking into taking more structured cooking classes from a few different places, including the Cordon Bleu Institute (the place Julia Child went to) in Vegas, because hours of watching cooking shows makes him want to learn more. Always the eternal student ... gee, I wonder where I got it from.

Hmmm, what sux, or doesn't, today? Kel is doing pretty well, came to work with me this morning before chemo and ate well, so I will go with curing testicular cancer doesn't suck. We got word today that the blood markers are decreasing, which is really good, and means that the chemo is working. The side effects are well managed, and he is doing well. Go cure!!!

Nighty night,

Tracy

Another day come and gone

Day 4 of the heavy chemo week is done, and Kel is still hanging in there pretty well. He said he didn't feel too well, but nothing overt or specific. Not too much fatigue compared to the first cycle either. Maybe he is just more comfortable with knowing what to expect?

Thanks to a gift from a friend from afar (Thanks Beki!!) we had some Boston Market chicken tonight, and Kel ate well (as did David ... and me). Kel's appetite has done better this cycle, and I don't think he is losing weight this week. Most likely holding steady.

From the start of this until he will be evaluated, there will be a total of 26 chemo days and 11 are already done! Next Tuesday will actually mark halfway. Woohoo!!

In non-cancer news, but wth is going on in Tucson news ... we had no water this morning because most of the town had frozen pipes. Really. Frozen pipes in southern Arizona. We have lived here for 7 years and that is a first. A friend even had her water dripping all night and it made no difference.

So Kel and I didn't get to take showers this morning, and we made sure to do so tonight because we don't know what tomorrow will hold. I believe it is supposed to be as cold - it was below 20 last night, and felt like 1. Really?! I thought I lived in the desert! This was just too surprisingly cold, and I definitely don't like having water!

I am amazingly on top of grading this semester, which is surprising considering I am juggling 3 different classes on top of normal work (Bio 101, 201 and 202). It may be that I am waiting for the day to come when I won't be able to do anything for my classes because more is needed of me here, and so I am trying to not get behind? Not sure, but I am not going to try and change it! It is much less stressful this way - a trickling of work often, rather than a mass of work at one time.

On the good news front, David had a really good day at school! We enjoyed a nice dinner with all of us at the kitchen table and no tv on, and avoided anything electronic for David all night (no tv, no iPad, etc). It was nice. He went to bed well, and even tried to read me our 'The Lion King' book - we have read it so much that he knows most of the words on each page.

For things that suck ... I don't know. Overall it has been an ok week, despite some early behavior 'kinks' with David. Kel hasn't been made too sick or tired this round (knock on wood for tomorrow). Work isn't too stressful for me - actually we are getting lots done and it is going well in the lab. Dad comes into town tomorrow through the weekend, and we are all looking forward to that (including his beef wellington for Kel).

So on the whole - cancer still sux, but not so bad this week.

G'night,

Tracy

R2D2 ... and 3

Round 2 Day 2 (R2D2). and since I didn't post yesterday, and day 3.

Halfway through the heavy chemo week now, and Kel is doing very well. The major side effect is crankiness. He is mega-cranky, with very low tolerance, and I am trying hard not to react to it. He and I don't do well when the other is cranky - we tend to just make it worse. So lots of deep breathing for me and short temper for him.

The other side effect, which we noticed the first round but I think is worse this time around is the 'chemo smell'. I am not actually sure how to describe it, but only during the first of the 3 weeks he has a smell about him. It isn't the bleomycin, since he gets that all 3 weeks and this side effect is only the first week. And I don't think it is the cisplatin since Mom was on the carboplatin and I never noticed this. So it is probably the etoposide. Strange really.

Kel decided (as we are watching the Futurama with 'Superpowers') that the chemo smell is his super power. Hmmm - superstink? Yuck!

A friend sent me a forwarded email about free/donated housekeeping service for women undergoing chemo treatment. My question is why only women? This assumes a) that only women do housecleaning and b)when they are a down for the count, others can't help? What about single men? Or men who do housework? Or couples who share? Why only for women undergoing chemo? The overall thought is really nice, just surprising with the assumption that only women need help.

Now for us, while this would be a good help, it isn't necessary. Kel and I actually split the housework normally. And while I have picked up most of it through the first cycle, he is feeling better and is back to sharing (despite my objections). He did dishes and laundry tonight while I taught - amazing for a chemo day.

Overall, other than handling chemo well, Kel is feeling better. He only took pain meds once today, and was even up for taking care of a few things after chemo. It is amazing how much the 'auxiliary' medications help.

In my research I am always thinking of drugs that both work better at killing cancer than the present drugs, and ones that are less toxic to normal tissues. But looking at how well the side effects can be managed (i.e. what the chemo does to the normal tissues), the latter seems like less of a concern. More efficacious - yes. Especially in cancers where chemo doesn't do much or for long, like pancreatic cancers. But less toxic? Bonus if it is, but looking at how mom, and Kel, and a friends mother all handled the side effects, it doesn't seem as high of a priority.

Interesting how life experiences can effect my take on on my research.

Ok, onto things that suck ... David with the iPad takes the cake tonight! He was playing with it while Kel did work around the house and I was teaching. Despite the frequent asking by Kel about needing to use the potty, David decided to not leave the iPad and just to go pee where he was. It is a serious issue we have with him with the iPad, and even with tv sometimes - he won't leave the entertainment, even though he has been potty trained for almost 1.5 years.

And he was a bit of a monster at school this morning too. Looks like he is going to lose all iPad privileges and maybe even karate for a bit. :(

That is all I have, so good night!

Tracy