Chemo Day Went Smooth As Silk

We couldn't have asked for the day at the Duke Cancer Center to have gone any better.  Maybe it was just an anomaly or maybe the powers that be were trying really hard to make up for the last couple of treatments but everything was on time.  However, it may also be that Joe's appointments were the earliest he has ever started.

Labs were at 6:40am (yes, ladies and gents, that is very early to be up and at the DCC), doctor's appointment at 8:00am (we've done that before) and then his chemo appointment was at 9:30am.  I dropped Joe off in front of the DCC at 6:30am and headed on to my office (another first, never been there at 6:45am either).  By 6:56am we were texting and Joe was already down in the food court eating his breakfast.  He checked in on the 3rd floor (doctor's offices/exam rooms) at 7:38am and at 8:15am we were talking via Facetime while waiting for Leigh Howard to come in.  She was in there very soon after and Joe checked in on the 4th floor (Chemo Infusion) at 8:52am.  I left work at 9am to head over to the DCC and arrived at 9:20am (traffic was a pain).  Joe had already been taken to one of the infusion rooms so the lady that always talks to me at the reception desk, escorted me back to Joe.  Of course I had stopped at the cafe and gotten my coffee- with employee discount - a sure sign I have been there too much!  Therefore by the time I got to Joe's room it was 9:35 and he already had his fluids hooked up and running.  Apparently, he went back at 9:30am on the nose!  That is a HUGE first.  Within 15 minutes they started his Benadryl and about 10 minutes later, he was getting sleepy.  He tried to watch last nights episode of "Revenge" on his iPad but it didn't take long before he was out like a light.

From there on for the next 2 hours, it was really exciting sitting with him as he was hard and fast asleep.  I guess if you have to have chemo, it's best to sleep through it!  He finally woke up around 11:30am, but only because he had to go to the bathroom.  I unhooked the IV machine and he started walking down the hall when the machine starts beeping because one of the bags has finished.  Since he was right next to the nurses desk, he joked that he brought the machine to them instead of having them walk to his room.  They turned off the beeping, he continued on to the bathroom and within 15 minutes of his return, his infusion was complete.  By 11:50 we were walking out the front door and into the rain (with a small umbrella) on over to the parking deck.  Joe handled the Benadryl much better this time and was steadier on this feet so I let him (yes LET HIM) walk instead of pushing him in a wheelchair like last week.  Also this week we had a perfect room next to the outdoor patio area for infusion (it wasn't very well thought out by the designers but is quite lovely).  Too bad it was raining the entire morning or I could have gotten a little sun since Joe was sleeping.

Hopefully this week Joe will react better and not have the fevers on a daily basis like last week.  Only time will tell as far as that goes.  But one thing is for sure, we will enjoy the extra sleep time in the morning!

Thank you for all the prayers and concern.  Joe and I are so blessed to have friends who care so much for both of us.



Third Chemo Infusion of this 3 Week Cycle...CHECK!

This morning Joe had his final round of this chemo cycle at the Duke Cancer Center.  He now gets a week off!  Lucky him!  Although his lab work was done in a timely manner, he had to wait until 9:30ish for his 8:30am appointment.  His lab work this time showed his white cell count very low so he has to be aware of anyone with sniffles or cold/flu like symptons for the next week or so.  I'm sure there will be a lot of hand washing going on along with lots of hand sanitizers.  But he got his infusion done and that is the most important thing.

This has been a particularly trying week for Joe.  On Sunday afternoon soon after returning home from church, he received a text from his sister informing him that his Aunt Sue had died during the night.  This came as a big shock to the entire family since she had not previously been ill.  They did an autopsy to determine the cause of death but as of yet, we have not learned the cause.  His late aunt and her husband, Ward, live in Rocky Mount so that is where we will be spending a large portion of the weekend.  Tomorrow evening is the visitation and then the funeral will be on Saturday.  Besides having to deal with the loss of his aunt, whom he loved dearly, this weekend means that we will be in the presence of his mother and sister for the first time since the "ruckus" of March.  Already, both of us are tensing up over that aspect.

On a lighter note, we will have the chance to see our niece Brittany.  This will be the first time we have seen her since her recent gall bladder surgery.  That part we are both looking forward too.  Also, this week, of course, was the Amendment One debacle.  That right there was enough to cast a dark shadow over everything but last night we shook off the blues and went to see "Wicked" at DPAC.  This was our 4th time and we loved it as much as the first time.  Ironically, Joe's Aunt Sue had been at DPAC last Thursday to see "Wicked" and had remarked to Joe afterwards that she wanted to see it again.  We wish she could have been there with us last night.  Joe had organized a group of 48 people, mostly from PGUMC, to see the show and from what I overheard from those in attendance, it was a big success.  It was great to see so many people out of the usual PGUMC setting.  I don't even remember everyone who was there but we did have a chance to talk to Challie, Lucinda, Danny, Julie, Elizabeth, Colin, Meredith, Julia, Paul, Meagan, Donna, Mike....oh, there's no use in me trying to remember everyone we talked too.  Joe's cousin Steve Woolum even came over from Asheville for the show.  We had a great time and hope everyone who was in attendance did too!

Thanks to everyone who has emailed, called and texted us this week offering support.  Your prayers and good thoughts are so greatly appreciated.

 

Round 3, Going, Going, Gone!

Today is the last of this chemo cycle for Joe at the Duke Cancer Center.  He texted me at 8:25a.m. this morning that he was done with his lab work and was in the food court getting his breakfast.  We have our fingers crossed that this chemo infusion goes off without a hitch.  His neutrofile count was only 1.9 for last week's labs and the magic number for not being able to get the infusion is 1.5.  Here's hoping he doesn't get a message once he is up in chemo that his numbers didn't drop much.  There have been other occassions where his round 2 counts have been low and rebounded for round 3, but then there have been others where they have dropped.  He's never had to skip an infusion due to low counts, but we've known since this chemo regiment began that it is a likely possibility at some point.  Just hope today isn't that point.  It's been a good week coming off the PGUMC Maundy Thursday Cantata, "The Shadow of the Cross" and the special Easter Sunday music.  He's still getting very positive feedback from Sunday.  Monday was my day off so we went out for lunch and did a couple of errands.  That night we went to Playmakers Theatre at UNC to see a staged reading of Dustin Lance Black's play, "8".  We had seen the LA staged reading on YouTube with an All Star Cast.  We were hoping that Brad Pitt & George Clooney might fly in to repeat their roles, but alas.......  All in all a relaxing day.  His cousin Steve from Asheville came to see us on Tuesday night so Joe and Steve spent the day yesterday exploring downtown Durham and Hillsborough (while I trudged along at work I might add).  Specifically they went to Ayr Mount in Hillsborough.  An estate dating back to 1815.  Both of them were quite impressed.  Here's a photo from Joe's phone, but let me warn you, his phone takes crappy photos.

But they had a great time and that is all that matters.  Steve left last night around dinner time to head back.  Me?  The spring allergies have finally caught up with me.  I usually start the minute the first pollen starts floating around, but I've managed to keep it at bay until the last couple of days.  And they have come on with a vengence!  I was asleep on the sofa around 7:30 last night and managed to wake up long enough around 8:30 to drag myself up to bed.  I'm throwing every allergy medication possibly at it.  Today, I sit at work with water running down my cheeks from my itchy eyes, my trash basket is filling up quickly with disgarded/used tissues and thus far my record for continuous sneezing is 7 in a row.  The phrase "Calgon, take me away" comes to mind.  How long will I last, who knows. 

9:20am and Joe is in his chemo infusion room so his blood counts must have been ok.  That is a big relief.  Now if they will just get him hooked up so he can be out before 10:30am and all will be right with the world, except for my sneezing!

The situation with Joe's family has yet to be resolved.  Joe isn't ready yet to open the lines of communication.  His pain runs too deep right now and it is all too fresh in his mind.  We have talked about him writing to them one day soon but for right now it is status quo with regard to them.

Thank you for all your continued prayers and support.  We are touched each time someone offers a prayerful thought or reaches out to us either online, by phone or in person.  We are surrounded by a lot of love and feel it each and every day.  Thank you.



WooHoo! A New Record!!!!!!!

This is what I'm talking about!  I love the new Duke Cancer Center.  Joe had a 7a.m. lab appointment followed by an 8:20am chemo appointment.  He was done with the labs by 7:05am, in the food court getting his breakfast and then went on up and checked into the chemo infusion center.  They buzzed him for his chemo treatment around 7:55a.m. and had the saline (that comes before the chemo & steriods) flowing by 8:05 a.m..  At 9:06am, he had completed the infusion and by 9:15 was already out of the parking deck and on Erwin Road!  WooHoo!  He has a full day to relax and do whatever he wants with this behind him.  The other best part, no more doctor/chemo/lab appointments until March 29. 

Ok, Joe has been pestering me for weeks to post his photos of one of the bathrooms at the Duke Cancer Center. Why, I have no idea.  Seems a bit crude to me, but even last night on the way home from PGUMC choir practice, he asked me again when was I going to post them.  So in an effort to stop his whining, here are the 2 photos.  One outside the bathroom and one inside the bathroom.  I'm sure everyone will share my enthusiasm (sarcastic moment here) about these photos.

Water fountain outside mens bathroom (please don't ask me why he took a photo of this)

Inside the bathroom (note Joe's bag and Chic-fil-A cup - Again, I have no idea why this was so important to him)

But that's it for now.  Chemo cycle completed, a week off for Joe, and I continue my normal routine.  I hope everyone has a great week and I look forward to seeing some of you in the coming days.

Thank you for the continued prayers and support.  All our readers and friends are the best!!!