Just a quick update on Dad.....

Met with the RO today. He is pleased with the way the tumor is shrinking. Lots of drainage from the site, which they say is good. Still not sure if they will go to 2 tx a day, guess it all depends on how things progress. RO said that we have at least 12 more treatments to go, maybe more, again depends on how things continue.

Side effects from the chemo seem to be getting worse. Nausea seems to hang around a few more days than it did. They prescribed the substitue for zofran today. At 40 dollars a pill we are hoping it will be better than what he has been on. Blood levels are going down, as expected. Chemo is tomorrow so we aren't sure how much they have changed from last week so he may not get it - just depends on those levels. Now suffering from Chemo Brain in a big way. He can't concentrate. Reading is pointless. Once he gets to the second paragraph he can't remember what he read in the first.

The Carnation VHC has been a blessing. Dad lost 2 pounds this week, but he's been nauseated since Friday. Food doesn't taste right - well actually he said it tastes bad and it makes him even more nauseated to even try to eat - but he does manage to get in at least 4 cans of the VHC a day. A year ago he was in a size 44 pants. He finally let Mom get him some new pants. She got him a 42 - they were too big so she went back and got him a 40. She said he looks so much better now that he is wearing pants that fit....haha.

The best news of the day was when the RO told him that he had gotten through the second round of radiation without the PEG tube.

It's hard to believe that just a little over a month ago he was in the hospital and I wasn't sure if he would survive another round of treatment. While things still don't look great, things are looking up. They have determined that what happened after the second treatment was not a heart attack, but rather the tumor squeezing the carotid artery.

Dad is very tired these days and very unsteady on his feet. He took a fall yesterday in the hallway. This has been a big fear of ours for a while now. Fortunately he only suffered a few bruises. Mom has now convinced him to use a cane.

Unfortunately I haven't been much help the last couple of weeks. I came down with a bad cold/sinus thing and I haven't wanted to expose mom or dad to it. They both agreed that it was in everyone's best interest for me to stay away. I'm on the mend and trying to get a grip on my school work.

Thanks again to everyone for your encouragement and support.

Hugs,

Joy

"Chemo brain" is an urban myth. Typically chemo agents can't cross the "blood/brain" barrier. More than likely it's due to weakness from malnutrition, poor hydration, constipation and/or pain medications. I had a number of dizziness/fainting spells in the late Tx and early post Tx stage and it is very common. The inner ear can get clogged up with fluids and also cause balance problems. One must be very careful when standing up or getting out of bed. One thing that helped me was to sit upright first, for a while, before I got on my feet. He should ask for help. A walker might give him even more stability. He certainly does not need a broken hip.

You are wise to stay away while you are sick. Exposure to a common cold could easily give him pnuemonia.

Gary,

I sometimes think my agents learned how to cross my blood/brain barrier but then my kind wife points out my age. I'm still going with the chemo brain explanation for my own sanity.

Update

Dad's last chemo and radiation will be next Tuesday. He will have two weeks off and then they will decide if they will do more radiation and chemo.

Other than all the usual side effects of radiation and chemo he seems to be doing ok. The Carnation VHC has been a true blessing. I can't even begin to say enough good about it. Just went and picked up two more cases for him today. He's been managing to get in at least 5 cans a day.

I'm looking forward to the day that I can say that he is through with treatments.

Thats great news that your father is doing so well. It sounds like he is doing very well with the nutrition part, thats probably why he is doing so well. Keep up the good work and this will be over before you know it. Hang in there.

Joy,

I am so glad your Dad is doing so well. That is a rough journey and after what he had been through already. He is certainly a trooper no doubt.

I look forward to you posting about finishing treatments and positive follow up results.

From one Richmond girl to another,
Cindy