RED LETTER DAY! October 22, 2008

Wish you were here to celebrate with us!!! TODAY IS TRULY A RED LETTER DAY !!! Last week they took a CT scan (My term is super x-ray) of my chest to see if there was any progress at all from the chemo and radiation. Today, the Dr. burst into the room where I was waiting for her and she said, "Oh, by the way, the CT scan shows that the TUMOR HAS SHRUNK! AND NOT JUST A BIT.. IT HAS SHRUNK SIGNIFICANTLY!! NOW SMALLER THAN WHEN IT WAS FIRST SEEN. SHE WAS THRILLED, AND IF SHE IS, I'M JUST ALMOST WITHOUT WORDS, WE ARE SO HAPPY. SO, WANTED YOU TO BE IN THE KNOW ALSO.

We are certain that it is a result of a combination of Your Prayers, a little Chemo and some Radiation. Thank you again and again,

Stan & Carol

October 18, 2008

Haven't had a lot to really report over the past week. Just one overriding thing and that would be Nausea! On Thursday evening the 9th Oct. I had my 2nd chemo treatment. No big deal....at the time. The next day I had a Proton Radiation treatment at 1:00 to 1:30. Then we stopped to eat lunch at a Luby's Cafeteria because we were going to do a bit of shopping before getting home and did not want to eat too late. I complained bitterly all during the meal that the meal tasted terrible and that I would never eat at a Luby's again. The taste kept lingering and got worse and worse. Shopping was cut a bit short for the feeling was just one of almost food poisoning. It wasn't. Nausea had hit. From just below my rib cage to the top of my Adams Apple in a strip about 4 inches wide I felt full and acidic. Finally took some nausea medicine (a pill) that the Dr. had previously prescribed and like a good boy scout I had bought it to be prepared. It helped for about an hour. (you can take it every 8 hours as needed) SO... I had a lot of time to continue with the nausea. I certainly did not feel like eating that evening nor the next morning. Then I remembered that it is imperative that I eat and maintain my weight, so I began pushing myself to eat anyway. Miserable. (Haven't lost a pound nor a hair)

Kenneth has a LOT of medications left over from Dianne that he cannot give away nor sell or anything, and in these meds was a couple of large boxes (not expired) of a very expensive Nausea medication named Zofran. My Dr. had prescribed that too, but Walgreens wanted only $700 for 30 pills! For some reason I declined. Well, let me tell you, this little miracle pill (Zofran) you put on your tongue and it dissolves in about 20 seconds is wonderful. It does take away the Nausea and does it for about 8 hours. Then take another one. So, even though they can give you some pretty nasty stuff here at MDA they also have some great things to relieve the bad symptoms.

Then after that, for some reason I developed a rattling cough that sounded just awful. Well, they have a prescription for a little blue pill (No, not THAT kind of blue pill) for a cough and it really, really, helps. So far, it seems that there is no reason for me to be uncomfortable from almost anything. I told the Dr. again yesterday, I sure do feel good for you guys to tell me I am SO sick. Actually, they don't anymore, they just say that I'm looking good and that my lungs sound good and all is going well. I just reply to that by saying "I'M GONNA BEAT THIS THING!"

Our schedule continues to change quite a bit and it takes some doing to stay on top of it. But even that is a very small inconvenience for getting the best treatment available. So far, I have had 3 Chemo treatments (one every Thursday) and 12 Proton treatments. (One every day, five days a week) Let's see, that means only 27 more Protons and only 4 more Chemo treatments. We finish on November 18. Then 3 weeks later return for a FULL dose of Chemo. Then 3 weeks after that return again for another FULL Chemo dose. I suspect by they way that the Dr. emphasizes FULL dose that it must be really strong. Oh, and then he says return for a check-up in 6 months, then 2 years, then every 2 years after that.

Every day we are thankful that we can be here in what we are sure is the very best place in the whole world to be treated for this horrible disease. It would be extremely expensive to do so if it were not for staying with Kenneth and even using one of his cars to commute! For that, we are truly grateful. And the nice side benefit is to see so much of Kenneth.

I want to thank you for all the thoughts and prayers. I can truly feel them

Stan

October 11, 2008

Alan and I drove over this Saturday to League City to see Mom, Dad, and Kenneth, heretofore known as the League City Trio ("LCT"). The weather was very nearly fall-like, and we were very happy to see that except for the piles of tree branches perched on the front curbs of many of the houses, Kenneth's subdivision looked almost normal. Kenneth was waiting for the cable installer to come back to the house. Apparently, early that morning Kenneth had looked out the window to see the cable guy drive up to the house, walk up to the front door of the next door neighbor, ring that bell, and when no one there answered the door, then get in his truck and leave. All this before Kenneth could throw on his pants and dash to the front door to hail the cable installer. Naturally, Kenneth would now be required to place at least 10 phone calls to the cable company in order to retrieve the installer before days' end. He was still waiting for them when we left at 5:45 pm.

Mom and Dad were looking fantastic, and it was especially good for me to be able to see them and touch them for the first time in a long while. We shared some laughs over our gourmet Sonic Drive-In delicacies, watched a little OU v. UT football (Sorry OU fans), and then gluttoned ourselves on Marie Calendar's Coconut Cream Pie. The men later worked on connecting Kenneth's platforms for his new-fangled front loading washer and dryer. They look so efficient and spiffy sitting up pretty and high like that, you'd have thought we would have wanted to do some laundry. Nah.....

Dad said he's feeling fantastic, just feeling a wee little bit of nausea off and on today. But, as Aunt Margie said, Stan is too far above getting sick. We'll be going over again soon. - Kat

10-09-08

I just wanted to let everyone know I talked to daddio today. He sounded really great. Barry and I are looking in on their house and watering and such while they are gone. I was talking to daddy about that around 5ish and he was unsure when they would call him in to have chemo. He must have been called in around 5:30 since we had to get off of the phone quite suddenly. It will take 4 hours as he's said before for the chemo treatment. He said he can watch tv or snooze or read or what not throughout. I thought he'd be quite happier with a computer instead of a tv and he said yes! But a Mac! hmmmm......well everyone has their preference I suppose. ;-) Anyway, I wanted to let you all know that he sounded wonderful - wants to come home but that's understandable.
Love, kisses and hugs,
Stacie

October 3, 2008

What a Week!!! I had all 5 Proton treatments and there is really nothing to that so far. What does the future bring?? Maybe somethings.

However Black Wednesday got in there this week. Wednesday is the day both my Doctors see their patients. And one of them The Chemo guy is famous for being from 2 to 3 hours late for his appointments. Then he comes in like a storm and acts as if you have 15 seconds to ask all the questions you want. After a few minutes he settles down and you do have time to get in your questions and for him to check you.

So, on Wednesday this week I had: Blood draw (in line with about 100 other people) Dr. appt with Dr Blumenshein at 2:40, Dr app with Dr. McAleer at 3:00 Proton at 4:30 and Chemo at 6:30. After waiting for Dr. Blumenschein for quite some time, they sent us to the Proton Center to get that done early. So, down two elevators, across a 3rd story walkway to the garage, up that elevator, get car and drive about 6 blocks to Proton center. Get the Proton Treatment, then return to main building same way, only to find that we are still waiting to see Blumenschein. Finally see him about 4:45 and then down to other end of MDA to see Dr McAleer who is waiting to see me for she was to go home at 4:30. Then to Chemo lab at 6:30 The Chemo lasted 4 hours and we finally left at 11:15 p.m. and home at Midnight!!!

Thursday morning was spent trying to re-arrange the schedule to prevent another Wednesday like that. Still not fixed well, but some better.

It was a long rough day and we were 2 days catching back up. The Chemo was just a boring 4 hours and so far no ill effects from it. However I'm told it is cumulative and the future infusions could prove to be rather nauseous among other symptoms. We'll see. till later, Stan