Radiation Update

Well, when the doctors warned that the side effects of radiation would peek AFTER he completed the 12 treatments, they weren't kidding! Thanksgiving weekend was a rough one! Today he saw the doctor just to keep an eye on things and make sure he was maintaining his weight during all this "metabolic need" time. You could tell he felt so bad just looking at Dad, but encouraged him nonetheless! Blood work was perfect, weight was maintained which is great. Hopefully, things will start to improve over the next week. He stayed for his Erbitux and Zometo infusions and back home to rest.

We will see the doctor again in two weeks to check on things. Other than that, he will press on! Please continue to pray for these side effects and for the radiation to be working and destroying the cancer. Join me as we boldly pray for the report on January 12 to show good news!

Tis the season..Merry CHRISTmas!

FINISHED!

Dad finished his radiation treatments on Friday! The nurses awarded him a "purple heart" certificate and he well deserves it! We met with Dr. Becdach this morning before his Erbitux infusion. He said that we should expect the side effects from radiation to slowly creep up and hit the max point by next week. They are going to watch him closely and see him each Monday morning during this time. The effects of this radiation can be particularly hard and sometimes the question becomes should they give him a break on the Erbitux to help manage these side effects, or keep going. The doctors both here and in Birmingham said if it were them, they would keep with the Erbitux so on we went.

Everything else looked fine. Blood work, weight, etc. The plan is to go each Monday for now to see the doctor, get Erbitux infusions and heal from the radiation. Your continued prayers are so important to us. Thank you all!

Two More To GO!

Dad had his 10th treatment yesterday and has one today and one tomorrow to finish the round of radiation. We met with Dr. Spencer for a check up and she seemed pleased and reacted positively. She looked at his neck and was happy that the skin seems to be trying to form new cells each day. Although they get trampled on each day as he gets a treatment, it is a positive sign to see the skin trying to heal itself. Our prayer is that the radiation kills the cancer and new skin grows to heal up the spot! As for the collar bone area, it has substantially gotten smaller and it just sitting there. The one on the back of the neck of course we can't see so we don't know what is taking place there. Tomorrow is the last day and we have been told that since this radiation treatment was only 12 days and very accelerated, the side effects will continue to go up over the next week or so before they slowly come back down. He can take it though and we are prepared! After that he needs to wait several months before a complete set of scans can be done. However, she wants to see us back on January 12 to a neck CT at Kirkland Clinic and then meet with her later that afternoon to take a look at thing. Start praying now and continue during the next 8 weeks! What a blessing that we get to enjoy the holidays with no scans, no radiation, no appointments. Just a little Erbitux infusion every Monday. Ha! What a gracious God we serve!

I will check back in next week to let you all know how he is doing. Until then, enjoy your families, count your blessings and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Michelle

Check Up With the Radiology Doctor/Treatment Number 5!

Today Dad had a "check up" appointment with Dr. Spencer after his treatment. The clinic had a machine down and we actually met with her BEFORE the treatment. She was very nice and informative again today. So far our experience with UAB has been wonderful. (Unlike the visit last March if you remember!!!!!). She looked at the neck and believes he still has some bacterial infection on the neck skin area so prescribed another round of antibiotics. She went over his symptoms and felt things were going well. We asked her about why he had only twelve visits as opposed to the 4 weeks we had heard before and she explained that once the board reviewed all the radiation that his spinal cord and brain had gotten already, they decided this was the amount of treatments he could "safely and effectively" receive. She did mention that they wanted to monitor him after this number of treatments and that they were "holding a few in their pockets". We trust to believe that this is the plan we need. He is feeling well..a little tired, but that is to be expected. The "happy pill" is such a blessing to get through the treatments!

We will meet with the doctor again next Wednesday. I hope she will give us a plan for the next couple of months. As far as I know, he will have to heal 4-6 weeks from radiation before the next scans will be done. Please pray that this radiation will work and kill the cancer cells still growing. I believe it ...I visualize it!

Day 3, DONE!

Just a quick update...Dad is on his way home from the third treatment. Over the weekend he felt pretty good and hasn't had any major side effects from the treatment yet. I noticed that one of the spots has substantially gotten smaller in just two treatments. I am so thankful to see it working!!! Please join me each day in prayer, but more specifically if you remember daily around 2:55 to take a minute to pray for safe and successful treatments. Let's not forget safe travel as well! We are so thankful for our Lord who has done good things. We are specifically thankful for good doctors, great friends and such a huge support team.

The feeding tube is working out well. He gained 1 pound since starting the feedings. It is quite a job for Mom and Dad to schedule "real" eating and tube feeding to get it all in within waking hours, but they are managing.

Just a thought...I never thought to pray for all the people and their families effected by this horrible disease very often before I was directly effected. If asked to pray for someone of course I would, but I mean just praying for all those out there that we don't know who are battling cancer in any way, form or fashion. Funny how until I was directly effected, I just didn't completely "get it". As we sit in the waiting room at the oncology center at UAB, it breaks your heart. There are so many people YOUNG and old who have it so bad. There is one specific young man who comes in every day with his mom and from what we know, he has cancer of the tongue. It is just heartbreaking to watch him lay his head on his mom waiting for his radiation appointment unable to talk. He goes in for treatment, comes out and they leave together..no words spoken. You can just feel the sadness around him. Please pray for this young man. He has been on my heart since last week when I saw him there. Remember to be thankful for all good things big and little. Always count your blessings! They are out there and they are abundant!

Michelle

Day 1 DONE!

We have just gotten home from Day 1 of the radiation treatment. We found out today that the plan is for 12 treatments! So day 1 done...only 11 more to go!!! We didn't meet with the doctor today so we don't really know how they arrived at that number or what exactly it means, but we are assuming that it is becasue of this new machine and how it treats more intensly and faster than the one he had the first time. This is a super duper radiation machine!

This morning the nutrition nurse came over and fed him the "baby formula" as he calls it in his tube. It was easy breezy and all went well. I sure hope this makes him feel so much better this go around. We left for Bham and his radiation appointment was at 12:30. Once he got called back it only took about 30 minutes and we have been told it will be faster from now on. He goes tomorrow at 1:30 and the next ten days (Monday thru Friday) will be at 2:55. This is exactly what we hoped it would be. He can work in the mornings, come home for lunch and then take off to Bham hopefully avoid any major work traffic on the way home. Please pray for safe travels over the next couple of weeks!

He took his "happy pills" and he said that this time in was still rough but not as bad as last time and it was a lot quicker. All good things.

The last time he had about 6 weeks of radiation and they explained to us that the side effects that are bothersome happen gradually, and usually peek about three weeks in to the process. Since his treatments are only planned for 12 days, he probably won't get any major side effects until the treatments are over. It is just a guessing game of course and everybody reacts differently. We do meet with the doctor on Wednesdays during this treatment series so I am sure we will have more information about "the plan" once we see her on the 10th.

I guess that is about it. He did fine and will be taking off again tomorrow for Day 2! Join me in prayer for radiation success! Thank God for the treatments available and the nurses, doctors and technicians. We are so thankful for all of you as well!

Michelle

Surgery Update

Just to let everyone know, the out patient surgery this morning to put in the feeding tube went fine. Dad was a little mad at us when he woke up because the "tube" is bigger than he expected and he is very sore! Oh well...I think the benefits will out weigh him being a little mad. Hope so anyway! Poor thing!

He is just taking it easy for the rest of today. The nurse came over this afternoon to teach Mom and Dad how to clean it as well as give instructions on how to get started, when to use it, etc. I went over to listen as well for some "extra ears". I think it will be fairly easy and dad can do it himself even at work. Since he can still eat at normal meal times, this will just serve as extra calories and extra protein at "snack times" in between meals. Hopefully, he will feel more energy and much better after getting this nutrition for a few days. He cannot actually start to use the tube until tomorrow, so the nurse is coming back in the morning for the first time to make sure they are confident on how to use it.

Tomorrow starts the radiation. We are to be in Birmingham at 12:30 and have been told that tomorrow being the first appointment will last about an hour. He has his "happy pills" to help with the anxiety of this treatment. Please be in prayer for this whole process! Boldly ask God to be with the doctors and technicians that perform this radiation therapy so that it kills the cancer and has minimal side effects for Dad! Pray that they are careful and precise in every move! Hopefully we will know our schedule tomorrow so that I can get back with many of you who have asked about taking a turn to drive him there and back.

I will update tomorrow evening.
Thanks!