This must be why I never kept a diary - I am bad at doing it consistently!
So, I am fired ... in a few days anyway.
Lots to update about and for Kel:
This is his last week of chemo planned. There is a small, small chance that after we get the CT results in April that he might need more blah blah blah ... not gonna happen, so not gonna write it. He is 3 days in to his last week, overall finishing up his 24th chemo day of 26 total. Looks like he has 15-30 min left on today's treatment, gauging by his last bag of medicine right now.
The i.v. he has in now has been in since Monday, which is good for Kel. Some of the worst time for him is getting an i.v. line. This one has to come out today, since it is starting to give troubles, so hopefully the one they place tomorrow can stay in for one more day. His Friday appt is at 12 or 12:30, and he should be done between 3 and 4. I've heard the nursing staff has a little ceremony for the last days, and I will be here with a camera for that. :)
We met with Kel's oncologist last week. While his markers weren't quite down in the normal range yet, they had decreased by 90% again (this has been pretty consistent), and the big one was down to 36 (from 13700 to start). If the trend continues of 90%, he will be in normal range at next check.
Speaking of the next check, it is a little different from the previous schedules. There is one more week wait and a CT scan in there. The CT scan will be 4/13, bloodwork on 4/14 and the very important and anticipated results on tax day 4/15.
That reminds me, I still haven't done my taxes. Ugh.
So, on 4/15 there are 3 options ... I should say possibilities, because some of these 'options' I am not allowing. They are:
1 - all is done! The mass in his back is less than 1cm x 1 cm and he is just under maintenance monitoring.
2 - the mass in his back is a little larger, but less than 2cm x 2 cm, in which case he waits 6 weeks, another CT scan and then decide.
3 - not allowed, and only 1 in 5 chance - the mass is larger and requires surgery. From this, 60% of the time nothing more is required. And if there is still tumor (40% chance of the 1 in 5 ... so 8% overall) then more extensive surgery to remove lymph nodes and 2 more, different, chemo cycles.
Like I said, some of these are possibilities, but not options.
Kel is hanging in there, and doing alright, but he is, in his own words, 'Sick of being sick'. He got a cold this weekend on top of it all, and has been miserable with that. His cough is disturbing him, although it is getting better. Tea with honey seems to help a lot, so we have been making him plenty of that. He is still not sleeping well either.
The next month will be a lot of hard waiting, for all but especially for Kel. He has an appt on next Monday to (hopefully) schedule the removal of his ureter stent ... should be no more tumor compressing kidney draining, and the pain from the stent is worse anyway. A few other things to keep his mind busy, so we hope before we know it 4/15 will be here and Kel will no longer be sick.
He has been trying to see if his hair will grow back, and to date nothing, so hopefully some stubble will make him feel better in a few weeks. His weight has been holding steady and creeping back up (which is good for a cancer patient), and I know he is looking forward to getting that back on track too - with lots of Nutrisystem food waiting for him (the stuff I don't like).
I can't tell for sure, but I think Kel being sick for so long is wearing on David too. He misses his jungle gym daddy. He acts up sometimes and for no apparent reason ... ummm, both Kel and David do this, but I am referring to David ... hitting and kicking me, or just running away. When his world is back to normal I think it will help. He is still being good overall, just a few blips now and then.
Kel's i.v. stand is beeping, looks like day 24 is done. Today's sux are two fold: i.v.'s and sitting around in cancer centers making me snack too much ...
Kel's veins are REALLY rejecting all of the needle punctures. He was hoping the i.v. could stay in all week, and while 3 days was good it is coming out today. His anxiety will go up again overnight and tomorrow what he will dread most is the i.v. stick. It is coming out now, so on the upside he can take a shower tomorrow without a bag on his arm!
And sitting here for 3-4 hours a day really just makes me snack too much ... :( But I can deal.
Kel is up and ready to go, and I will write more tomorrow.
With love,
Tracy
No comments:
Post a Comment