Chemo #2 Round 2

Dad had an extra week off last week to give him one more week of recovery before starting back on the chemo treatment today. Of course he was starting to feel a little better and eat a little more just in time to start the next round! We are certainly praying around here that this time goes a little smoother than last time. Pray that the fluids will help him to keep his blood pressure up and that he tolerates the chemo well, all while it is doing its work. Our goal here is to make those cancer cells sick and kill off as many as we can before determining what the next fighting step will be. He is getting the same meds as last time although I think they backed off just a little on the dosage because it hit him so hard last time. They added two new drugs to the scene today as well. He is now getting XGEVA and Carboplatin. If I am not mistaken, the XGEVA is much like the Zometo he was on before and helps to prevent further damage to the bone when it is evident that primary solid tumors have metastasized to the bone. It helps to prevent any "skeletal event" such as breaks, pain and/or spread. It is new and just recently FDA approved so we will see how that goes. The carboplatin is an antibody (chemotherapy) that, like the others, works to kill cancer cells but is most efficient when the cancer cells are are "sick". I pray that these two new meds are worth it and we see great results! His pain seems to be a little less severe which would indicate that the cancer area is not growing as much and pressing on the jaw bone/tooth area. Also, by looking at the site, you can tell that it is still there, but not growing, so that is good. Please keep Dad and Mom in your prayers as I know you do. This is a marathon battle, but they are hanging in there! Pray that this round of chemo does what it needs to do, but that he can handle it much easier than last time! They did mention the words "round 3" in the appointment...I will keep you posted! Love, Michelle

Update

Dear Friends,

It is Thursday and wow has it been a long week. Dad has gone Tuesday, Wednesday and today to get IV Fluids from the CCI. Good news..today when he went his blood pressure was PERFECT! That will help him feel better just in itself. He is just so weak and having a hard time eating to get any energy! (Thank you for the meals brought to mom and dad because I am sure mom runs out of "ideas" to tempt him with and having things they don't normally have inspires him to "taste" it!) You are all so wonderful. I just wanted to check in and let you know that he is doing a little better and simply "pushing through" this chemo treatment. I believe he is scheduled to get fluids again tomorrow and that should get him through the weekend without any problems.

So today I am praying with a hopeful heart. Hopeful that he will feel better, gain strength and get back to his old self! I know without a shadow of a doubt that I personally cannot fix this situation. Oh how I wish I could! But what I can and must do is give it all to God. When I do, I find that the simple joys of everyday life reveal themselves to me and for this I am so grateful! Won't you join me? Our God is so good and promises to never leave us. He promises that when we run into life's most massive difficulties that we bounce off of them right in to his everlasting arms and TRUST. When we do this, we can find joy even in the middle of major problems! I am soooooo glad for that!

Praying hard for complete healing. Praying for you, your families, the friendships and support you give to my parents..THANK YOU!

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."
2 Corinthians 5:7

He's Going HOME!

Dad is being discharged this evening and is on his way home! After all the crazy test they ran all weekend, it was agreed on by all docs that he was severely dehydrated (and still is a little) and the blood pressure dropping low is most likely a result from that. (Hence, the black out/fall!) He is to go home and then report to the CCI in the morning to see Dr. Becdach and get fluids. I believe it is in the plan to "schedule" fluid treatments while he is on chemo instead of "waiting until we need it"! :)

I will be in touch!
Michelle

Just to Update

Wanted to quickly post to inform those of you who may not have heard... Dad has been admitted to Decatur General Hospital until most likely Monday morning sometime. He had a rough end to the first week of chemo, it really did hit him hard. He was very tired, weak and just not feeling well on Friday. Early Saturday morning (around 2 am) he had gotten up and felt really dizzy. He tried to catch himself as he felt himself falling to the right, but didn't reach the door frame in time. He took a fall and landed on a table/box by the door and cut a pretty big gash in the back of his head! Poor Daddy! Mom called an ambulance to help her and they took him to the ER where he got stitched up. His blood pressure was very low so they ended up keeping him for that along with observation because of the head injury. He is having a tough time with the blood pressure and pain management so he is still there today and most likely will spend the night tonight. They are running different test to try and figure out exactly what the low bp is a result of so they can do something about it. It could be from the chemo, the meds, dehydration...several things. I am glad he is there while he feels this bad so that he can have constant care with fluids, etc. Hopefully tomorrow morning we will get some answers and get him home to rest more comfortably. Thank you for your prayers, I just wanted to let you all know what was going on. I will post when we have a plan as to how long he will be there and what they are going to do about the blood pressure problem.

Love,
Michelle