Thursday, December 11, 2008

Carol and I went to Houston 12/9, saw the oncologist (Chemo Dr.) on 12/10, and returned home this evening 12/11.

The Dr. was verrrry pleased with the way I look and stated that I do not appear as if I have received treatment. However, he says that I now will receive two Chemo treatments 3 weeks apart. I asked him if we could start that day because we have plane reservations back to Albuquerque today. "OH Yes, I forgot you are from New Mexico. Would you like to take the Chemo there at home?? " Wow, would we prefer that!! So, within a matter of minutes he had arranged with the doctor here at home to give me the Chemo on two occasions. The first will be December 16. and the second dose will be probably JAN 6. Then we will go back to Houston on Jan 27 for a PET SCAN and meet with the Dr. the next day for the results. PET Scan can tell the Dr. if there is Cancer anywhere, and thus how well they have or have not done with the treatments.

The Chemo doses that I will get are 3 times as large as the ones I got in Houston during the Radiation/Chemo treatments. The ones I got there did a number on my stamina and made me sick at my stomach. Guess we will see what the much larger dose will do!!!

We are thrilled that we can do this here At MD Anderson-Albuquerque because it will be much easier logistically for we only live about 5 miles fro MDA here. Also, We really like the Woman Oncologist we have here. MDA Houston has been sending her all the reports on me thru my whole treatment. She is the one that told us we were doing the right thing when we went to Houston for the Proton treatments.

Thats the current news from here and we wanted to share it with you. - Stan

Friday, November 14, 2008

IT'S BEEN A GOOD WEEK !!

First of all , all of our kids but Placitas Daughter & Hubby Stacie and Barry were here at Kenneth's house for an early celebration of my 80TH Birthday. Which was actually on Tuesday Nov. 11. We had a great deal of visiting, A lot of GREAT Birthday cards, chips and dips, and a SUPER CAKE. (NO, it did not have 80 candles as the local fire ordinance will not permit such a blaze!!!)

Then, Tuesday the 11th was an easy day down at MD Anderson, so that was celebration enough for the real day.

A MINOR CELEBRATION YESTERDAY THE 13TH!! The Last Chemo was taken yesterday!!! The last one, that is, until Dec 10th. Dr. Blumenschein may or may not order another one then and again on January 7 maybe another one. But at least they are all over for now!!

Including today there are only 4 more Proton Radiation treatments. HURRRRRAY!! Next Wednesday the 19th will be the last Proton and we fly home on the 20th!! I get a haircut on the 21st. (Of what's still left of the grey stuff) I have found the ONE TINY benefit of Chemotherapy. Takes about 3 minutes to shave every third day. The beard REALLY slowed down it's growing!! I assume that it will resume it's normal growth along with the hair on the head once all this Chemo stuff stops. It's my understanding that both the chemo and the radiation continue to do their work for about 2 to 3 weeks after the last treatment.

Everyone have a good week-end and rest assured that all is going well here because of your prayers and the incredible treatments that I am receiving.

Stan & Carol

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Yesterday we met with Dr. Blumenschein, the Oncologist (Chemo Dr.) He had not seen me in 3 weeks. He did his usual exam of listening, poking and prodding and a lot of questions about how I have been coping with the usual side effects. He was thrilled with what he SAW, HEARD, and MY ANSWERS. Then he said "YOU just don't look like you are in treatment. You don't look it at all, your chest doesn't sound like you are in treatment, and the side effects you have are like those of a person JUST STARTING treatment." We were thrilled!!

We talked a bit about when we come back for the larger dose of Chemo. He said, "originally I had said 3 weeks and 3 weeks. Let's plan on 5 weeks from today and that makes it Dec. 10. We'll examine you and decide if you need another Chemo at that time. Chances are we will do one, and it will be a very much larger dose. Then see you again on Jan 7 and examine you, and probably another Chemo, and then probably about 6 weeks later have a CT scan to see if we got it all. (With all those trips in the near future I need to remember to buy stock in Southwest Airlines!!)

Then he really blew me away. He said something like "this is the worst of it." I took him to mean the two larger doses were the worst of it, and I said, "I've heard that the larger doses are the worst." Then he said, "NO, NO, I mean right now is the worst of it! You will skate thru the larger doses because they are not every 7 days like these have been and your system has more time to recuperate and you won't be getting Radiation at the same time."

He is about 6' 4" or 5", and at one time I was standing on a small stool getting down off the exam table and therefore was about an inch taller than him. I said, " I'm really losing my hair right now," and I looked at the top of his head and even though I have about 35 years on him, I right now have more hair than he does. Oh, wow, he looked at me and simply said, "It'll probably come back in RED."

As he was walking out the door, he was saying, "YOU just don't look like you are in treatment." Carol and I were on top of the world and did a little dance there in the exam room and did some high 5's to Celebrate.

On Monday past I sent out an update that told of my increased nausea and fatigue. Must have been a sort of phase I was going thru because that is actually somewhat better now. (Three Cheers) I am currently leaving a Grey trail behind me. Hair seems to be falling out fast. (The good news is that my beard has actually slowed down it's growth.) - Stan

November 3, 2008

The effects of both Chemo and Radiation are both building. They are
cumulative and we see it almost daily. In fatigue and nausea. Don't
I look tired in the photo above?? But I get some really good rest in
between bouts. Soooo... I would say that I'm doin fine and can FEEL all
the prayers that are being said for us. Only 13 more Proton Radiation
treatments and only TWO more Chemo's before we go home for a while.
We do fly home on Nov. 20. We should find out this week just exactly
when we will be coming back twice for the two large doses of Chemo
about 3 weeks and 6 weeks after this main regimen is over. So, when
we find that out, I'll let you know. Stan & Carol

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