The First Week of the Big Dose

As I said on my blog post on Monday, this week was Joe's first treatment with the increased dosage to last three weeks. There are several advantages to doing it every three weeks. Obviously there is the time savings by not going every week. There is the money savings by not paying the insurance co-pay every week and there is the less time away from work for me by not going to the infusion every week. Those are the pluses. We are now discovering the negatives: extreme fatigue, extreme joint pain and extreme "I don't want to do anything but lay on the couch" syndrome. Joe today questioned whether he wants to continue with the increased dosage or go back to each week. I think we will see it through the holidays with just the one more treatment on December 17th and then maybe after the new year, go back to weekly.....possibly.

We also got the lab results from the "specimen" jars he dropped off at the Duke Cancer Center back on Wednesday. He did test positive for the C-Diff infection but not positive for the Odon parasite. He's back on an antibiotic and having to supplement his diet with pedialyte and bananas. Not sure what purpose the banana has other than potassium but he's eating a couple a day. He was having a pretty good day today, better than the last two days, up until this evening when he started feeling nauseous and began throwing up. We had been so pleased that this treatment didn't seem to be causing any nausea, or at least minimal. We are hopeful that tonight is maybe from the C-diff and not the chemo. Regardless, he feels really bad tonight. It always seems to start on Saturday evenings. With his music all planned out for Sunday, it upsets him a lot when he has a bad Saturday. He then gets very anxious about how he will feel the next day. Me, I just stay anxious each and every day. It's really disappointing for this to be happening tonight since we've had a good day. We went to PGUMC this morning and I helped with the Christmas decorations and Joe practiced his music for tomorrow and then we had a quick lunch and a very quick trip to Costco. The Costco trip was shorter than usual because he was tiring. Another symptom he's been having the last three days is dizziness, and I don't mean the quirky kind. The actual room spinning, I feel like I'm going to fall down kind. There will be another call to the Duke Cancer Center triage come Monday with that symptom. I know that typically it can be caused by dehydration and that may be all that it is. I'm becoming quite the pusher of water and fluids. I'm also becoming quite annoying to Joe when it comes to that topic, I do believe.

We had Dolly cremated while we were in the mountains (that ever so brief trip) and this week we got her remains from the vet. We haven't gotten her a permanent container like we have for our last three kitties but we will. Until then, she will stand tall in her fake marble container from the vet's office. Her brothers are jumping with joy to have her with them in "kitty heaven" chasing butterflies. (Joe's words, not mine)

The photo is the urns for (left to right): Hannibal, Nona, Dolly, and Bud. Our family of kitties that will always be in our hearts and minds.

Bacteria, Bacteria Please Go Away

Joe got a call from Leigh Howard, our NP at Duke before 8am this morning that one of the blood cultures that were drawn yesterday has already (in less than 24 hours...which is really quick) started bacteria growth.  This means that once again there is bacteria in his bloodstream.  What this means is a trip to the "Duke Spa" i.e. hospital once again.  Most likely during this stay they will remove his port.  Although, the growth came from the sample that was drawn from his arm, not the port.  Time will tell as to exactly what they will do.  I am at work, early I might add and have already entered a listing.  Joe is busy getting his hospital bag together, calling the vet to get more drugs for Dolly and ultimately waiting for the hospital to call and tell him to come to Admitting when they have a room for him.  Looks like we will be seeing our friends on 93 again really soon.  As much as I hate that he is going back in, I am so very hopeful that they can pin-point the problem and get these fevers under control once and for all.  My nerves & emotions have been all over the place the last couple of weeks.  Until the call comes, I will wait at work and Joe will clean himself up and wait at home.

Cancer is a huge pain in the a**!

At Duke now waiting in admitting for someone to come get him to take him up to the room (3:30pm).

Wow! The fastest time in admitting ever. It's 3:40 and we are already up in the room (9307)

It's Been A Hard Days Night......

...and I've been working like a dog ( we all know that's not true in my case). It's been a hard days night! I should be sleeping like a log. (Now we're talking! That's more like it). Yes friends, I've been reduced to Beatles lyrics. But truer words have almost never been spoken, at least about the sleeping part. Joe has worked hard this week: piano lesson Monday (yes on Memorial Day- is that dedication or what?), piano lessons on Tuesday, 2 1/2 hours of chorus rehearsal Tuesday night, piano lesson on Wednesday, choir practice on Wednesday night (followed by McFlurries from McDonalds) and then chemo today. But today he does get to sleep later. His lab appointment is at 9:20a.m. and chemo at 10:30a.m. at Duke. First time in a long time that his lab appointment isn't at 7 something. Not that he is complaining! But of course, the later in the day meant the more backed up they were so he had to wait 30 minutes for his blood to be drawn and then an hour up in the chemo waiting room before getting buzzed.in to a vacant chair.  He also had a new nurse who was not very good at getting a good vein so he had to be stuck 3 times.  That always makes for a fun time!  Me?, I'm just putting in my 8-5 routine. Although with it being the end of the month that means closings and an increased workload but at least the day goes by quicker.

Before I close, Joe insisted that I mention that he got to brush Dolly really well this morning before leaving for Duke.  Why that is so important to him that it needs mentioning, I have no idea.  However, Joe does have a few idiosyncrasies.

Thank you for all the prayers and good wishes.  This makes 2 weeks down with a chemo treatment next week and then his CT scan on June 20th.

Thank Goodness It's Thursday...

Not that I'm wishing my life away, but I do wish it was Friday already.  It's been a long week, both at work and at home.  The biggest hurdle for me this week has been my allergies.  The biggest hurdle for Joe has been fatigue and swelling in his right calf along with some pain.  Yesterday he said it was feeling better but that will be something on the radar for his oncology appointment next Thursday morning at Duke.  During each exam they are always checking his feet and ankles for swelling, so I am assuming this might be a normal reaction, but none the less we will be sure and mention to the doctor.  This has been his week off from chemo until the next round of 3 weeks starts next week.  Also next week he has a new CT scan to check on the status of the tumor.  The scan is Monday but we won't know the results until Thursday (April 26) at his regular appointment.  I like it much better when there is only a day or 2 before we get results.  Four days is just torture.  Talk about anxiety!

But enough about him, let's talk about me!   Just kidding.   However, at work it looks like a decision on where we are moving our office has been determined.  The new office location is just about 1/2 mile up the road but there is so much to be done.  Besides just the physical move, there are a myriad of other things to get done:  phones, internet, copier/printer set up, moving the server, installation of the new desks & cubicles, new lobby furniture & furnishings, new reception desk and on and on and on.  I made more phone calls yesterday than I have in the last 2 weeks combined.  I talked to so many service folks that when they started calling me back, I didn't know who was who.  I thought at one point I was talking to the IT guy and it turned out to be the phone guy and then I thought I was talking to the cubicle supplier and it was the cleaning service.  Too many names to remember!!!  I need an assistant to get through this.  But that's enough complaining.

Today, Joe took Dolly to the vet for her annual check-up at 9am, then a piano lesson at 10:30 and then wait around the house for the garage door repair people.  Last night when we got home from choir practice, the garage door would only open about 2 feet.  Even with Joe's Beetle, it would not fit under.  We had to manually open the door (it's very heavy by the way and get Joe's car inside.  Then this morning manually open the door again (it's even heavier at 7:30am) to get my car and Joe's outside.  Hopefully it will be an easy and not to expensive fix.  It does mean that Joe is trapped at the house until they show up.

Dolly on the way home from her check-up

This weekend will be a busy one:  Joe will be accompanying the Durham Public Schools Elementary Honors Chorus today and tomorrow. Concert tomorrow at 7pm at Riverside HS. He has done this for the past several years and is looking forward to working with the conductor, Tom Shelton.  Saturday we will go do early voting at our precinct, a Costco run, and round up all old electronics for the free disposal/recycle in Durham on Sunday.  Sunday we will have church starting at 7:30am, after the 11am service drive to downtown Durham to drop off the electronics, be at the church before 5pm for Joe to work with the youth, then be back in downtown Durham by 6:30pm to be at DPAC for "Bring It On".  It should be a good weekend and as long as I can keep my sneezing and wheezing to a minimum, all will be fine.

*****Breaking News*****
3:30pm - Joe called me at the office and is running a fever and has chills. He called the Duke oncology triage phone number and left a message for Dr. Zafar. His nurse Daryl called back shortly thereafter and Joe told her what was going on. She told him to keep taking the Tylenol periodically and if he starts getting naseaus or throwing up, head to the ER. His temp is like a bouncing ball: up & down, up & down. He had to cancel playing for the elementary honors chorus and I'm not sure if I will go to Bible study or not. As most of you know, I worry.
6:00pm - He has eaten, temp is down for the moment. Hopefully this has all been a fluke and will be over soon.

Thank you for everyone's continued prayers and support.  We have the best friends in the world!