Donna,

Dan's roughest week was the first one post radiation. He was so tired and down, he got very dehydrated.

I wrote down Dan's weight every morning, and after he went 5 days loosing a pound a day, I called his doctors to set up home hydration for him. He got 7 days of IV fluids without having to make the haul to the hospital...and, what a huge difference that made!

Now, if he wouldn't have gotten the infection in his elbow and on his skin (which is totally unrelated to chemo/rad) he'd be in great shape...all things considered.

Wishing you and Rose the best!

Amy and Margaret-
Thanks for sharing that with me. If I hear or figure out anything I of course will share it with you.

What happened to Dan's elbow?

Hi Donna,

Dan got an infection...they didn't drain it to find out for sure, but it might have been a staph infection.

I called his MO when he couldn't bend his elbow and it got all red and puffy. We ended up in the ER getting him an IV antibiotic and also some fluids as long as we were there. But, they blew out a vein and ended up putting fluids in his arm instead of his vein...that was a very bad thing. Then they had to start up another IV in another spot.

He's finally recovered from the infection and the excess fluid that gave him one "Popeye the Sailor" type looking arm.

How is your mom doing with calories and fluids?

Margaret-
I don't know how I missed this post...
Not too suprising, I've been scattered all week.

I like the Popeye description. Too funny.

Mom is doing poorly with calories and fluids are questionable. She's so afraid to put anything into her mouth. Her tongue yesterday looked so odd. I can't say i blame her for not wanting to put anything in it.

I tried to reach you last night. What I think will only take a little time, I get side tracked and never call when I say I a going to. Sorry.

Hoep you guys are doing well.

Donna

Oh dear the euphoria of finishing treatment and the reality of the first few weeks post tx are hitting home again.
I remember clearly Robin walking in to the pub the afternoon his treatment finished and downing a pint of beer with relish and telling everyone he would be back at work in a few days.

He didnt go out again for 4 weeks.They were simply the worst few weeks of his treatment.

Feeding,thrush,pain,depression,sleeping 18 hours a day all the things that everyone on the forum warned us about, happened.The worst was no hospital visits,no daily support system and nothing to do but wait for things to improve.
but they do girls,so dont worry too much.

David told me to allow one week of recovery for every week of Tx and he was about right. Rob was up and about more or less six weeks after he finished ,and eating bits and pieces of joined up food,so dont lose heart it will happen.

love liz