Today is Wednesday June 30th and things are going great! Chad is still feeling really good. His blood work has come back okay the last two times and other than his blood clotting level still not being where they would like it to be, his levels are good. He still has swelling in his feet and legs and it gets worse as the day goes on but really that's the worst side effect he has right now. If he puts his feet up for a while here and there through the day and at night, the swelling goes way down. Don't get me wrong, he is not feeling 100% by any means. He gets short of breath and tired easy and is on lots of medicine including a steroid, blood thinner, and morphine which all have side effects of their own. All things considered though, and compared to his 20 day stay in the hospital... he is feeling and looking GREAT! His doctors even said it is okay for him to travel to Lynchburg for the 4th of July weekend to visit family & friends and we are all really looking forward to it.
He is scheduled to have his third round of chemotherapy next week. He is supposed to have a CT scan next week too, to check the progress of his treatment. I have a feeling the tumors in his lungs and lymph nodes will be gone or almost gone! Everyone keep those prayers up, they are working!!
Thank you again to all of you for your continued support, prayers, and encouragement. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives. People continue to amaze us with their words, cards, gifts and genuine acts of kindness. We will be forever grateful for everyone and everything.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Control Issues, who me?
Today is Wednesday June 23rd and Chad is doing really well. Having him home has been wonderful and we've been enjoying every minute. He had to get another blood transfusion yesterday because his hemoglobin level was back down to 7.4, besides taking 6 hours it went just fine. He has lots of doctors visits scheduled because they are still monitoring his blood levels very closely. It's not that bad though, we live very close to the hospital so it's not a big deal to go and we both feel better after they check everything. He had to double up on his daily blood thinning medicine because his blood is still too thick which means he is still at risk for clots. I am sure they will get it straight soon.
He still hasn't had any sign of nausea after his second round of chemo so that's a huge blessing! He's been able to keep the mouth sores under control with a prescription mouth wash so they haven't been bothering him either. The only real side effects so far have been lot's of swelling in his feet and legs and being tired. They say the swelling is normal from being pumped with so much fluid. He has to keep his feet elevated a lot but the swelling goes down when he does. Overall, he is doing really, really good! He's had a good appetite and has been in great spirits.
Justice is in Lynchburg this week, he is attending camp at Chad's parent's church and is loving it! As much as we miss him, we love that he is having a good time. We talk to him everyday and know he's in great hands. He loves being there as much as Chad's parents love having him.
I am doing better, I won't talk much about myself since this is a blog about Chad's journey but I have to admit I have been having a hard time. They say knowledge is power but it seemed the more I read and the more I researched, the more depressed I got. The Internet can be a scary place and too much information isn't always a good thing. I found that the more I read, the further I felt from that peace that God had given me early on. I found myself trying to control everything like what Chad was eating, when he was eating it, when he took his pills, when he slept and..... well you get the point. I got a little crazy. (poor Chad) I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach all the time and was filled with fear and doubt. It was horrible.
SO I stepped away from the Internet and the books and the statistics and put my faith and trust right back where it should be, with God, his son, his book and his spirit. From now on, the only research I'm doing will be found in the BIBLE! To some of you this probably sounds extreme or weird but I am telling you I feel a million times better and have that peace back. The peace that tells me everything will be okay because I am NOT in control of Chad's recovery! Thank GOD haha ;)
He still hasn't had any sign of nausea after his second round of chemo so that's a huge blessing! He's been able to keep the mouth sores under control with a prescription mouth wash so they haven't been bothering him either. The only real side effects so far have been lot's of swelling in his feet and legs and being tired. They say the swelling is normal from being pumped with so much fluid. He has to keep his feet elevated a lot but the swelling goes down when he does. Overall, he is doing really, really good! He's had a good appetite and has been in great spirits.
Justice is in Lynchburg this week, he is attending camp at Chad's parent's church and is loving it! As much as we miss him, we love that he is having a good time. We talk to him everyday and know he's in great hands. He loves being there as much as Chad's parents love having him.
I am doing better, I won't talk much about myself since this is a blog about Chad's journey but I have to admit I have been having a hard time. They say knowledge is power but it seemed the more I read and the more I researched, the more depressed I got. The Internet can be a scary place and too much information isn't always a good thing. I found that the more I read, the further I felt from that peace that God had given me early on. I found myself trying to control everything like what Chad was eating, when he was eating it, when he took his pills, when he slept and..... well you get the point. I got a little crazy. (poor Chad) I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach all the time and was filled with fear and doubt. It was horrible.
SO I stepped away from the Internet and the books and the statistics and put my faith and trust right back where it should be, with God, his son, his book and his spirit. From now on, the only research I'm doing will be found in the BIBLE! To some of you this probably sounds extreme or weird but I am telling you I feel a million times better and have that peace back. The peace that tells me everything will be okay because I am NOT in control of Chad's recovery! Thank GOD haha ;)
Friday, June 18, 2010
Home Sweet Home
Chad is HOME!! After 20 days in the hospital, he is home. Chad got to go to Justice's 5th grade graduation yesterday and him being there made Justice beam a smile from ear to ear. He was so proud to have his Dad there. Chad and I fought back happy tears the whole time. It was a beautiful day.
Chad went back a few hours later for his chemo treatment and then he came home for the night. The three of us just hung out last night and watched a movie. We felt "normal" for the first time in a long time. It is amazing how something as simple as watching a movie and eating popcorn with your family can mean so much. I will never take things like that for granted ever again.
Chad is receiving his last day of chemo in the second round today. Then he gets two weeks off! He will still be back and forth to the doctor's office a lot so they can keep an eye on everything but no chemo for two weeks. He is looking forward to some down time.
We plan on spending the weekend just being together and being HOME! I have a feeling this will be one of Chad's best father's days ever.
Chad went back a few hours later for his chemo treatment and then he came home for the night. The three of us just hung out last night and watched a movie. We felt "normal" for the first time in a long time. It is amazing how something as simple as watching a movie and eating popcorn with your family can mean so much. I will never take things like that for granted ever again.
Chad is receiving his last day of chemo in the second round today. Then he gets two weeks off! He will still be back and forth to the doctor's office a lot so they can keep an eye on everything but no chemo for two weeks. He is looking forward to some down time.
We plan on spending the weekend just being together and being HOME! I have a feeling this will be one of Chad's best father's days ever.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Half way there and Almost HOME!!
Today is Wednesday June 16th and Chad is still in the hospital. BUT it looks like he will get to come home in the morning!! YEAH! Dr. May heard that Justice's graduation from elementary school is in the morning and decided to do whatever necessary to get Chad out of here so he can go. Dr. May and all the nurses here are really just amazing. They have treated us like family and really care about their patients. I hope no one else we know has to come here and get to know them, but if Chad had to be in a hospital, I am so glad it was here. We will be forever grateful to all of them.
SO DID I MENTION HE IS COMING HOME!!!! I really believe it will happen this time. Chad looks so good. I think everyone that sees him is surprised at how well he looks and feels. His blood clotting levels are still not exactly right but Dr. May has a plan and will monitor him very closely. Chad has been receiving chemo all week with very few side effects. He has been tired and a little swollen from all the fluids, but other than that he is doing great! He will receive the last two days of chemo this week as an outpatient. He will get to leave for a while in the morning, then come back tomorrow afternoon for chemo.
We are just feeling on top of the world right now and are so thankful for God's strength and love. We never lost faith and never will. After this round of chemo Chad will be at the half way point of his treatments and I truly believe things will go much smoother from here on out!
SO DID I MENTION HE IS COMING HOME!!!! I really believe it will happen this time. Chad looks so good. I think everyone that sees him is surprised at how well he looks and feels. His blood clotting levels are still not exactly right but Dr. May has a plan and will monitor him very closely. Chad has been receiving chemo all week with very few side effects. He has been tired and a little swollen from all the fluids, but other than that he is doing great! He will receive the last two days of chemo this week as an outpatient. He will get to leave for a while in the morning, then come back tomorrow afternoon for chemo.
We are just feeling on top of the world right now and are so thankful for God's strength and love. We never lost faith and never will. After this round of chemo Chad will be at the half way point of his treatments and I truly believe things will go much smoother from here on out!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Code Atlas!! Code Atlas!!
Today is Monday June 14th and day 17 for Chad in the hospital. He is still on the slow drip of blood thinner and hasn't been off since Thursday. He had a great weekend anyway though, had some very close friends visit and his parents were here.
They are starting his second round of chemo today as planned. So he will have the blood thinner going in an IV in his arm and the chemo going through the port in his chest. His blood levels are good. The Hemoglobin is down a little again but not quite low enough to require another blood transfusion, but they will monitor this closely.
We have heard numerous codes called over the intercom while we've been at the hospital. Like code blue, code red, code rapid response. A new one we heard the other day was code Atlas. Chad asked the nurse what it meant and she told him it means a patient is having a break down, losing it, is very emotional upset, becoming a physical threat, could possibly even need restraints! That poor patient we don't know. We said a prayer for the mystery patient. :)
After spending all this time in here with Chad, I can totally understand how a patient can go "code Atlas." In fact, Chad is not far from a code Atlas in here! hahaha (kind of kidding but you never know) He has been so strong and positive and consistently strong in his faith but good lord, he's only human! It just really sucks sometimes and today is one of those really hard days....
So for those of you that don't know, Chad collects LP vinyl records - mostly 60s & 70s Soul, jazz, and funk. I'd love to get some for him to cheer him up. (Thanks Liz for the ones you found him last week!) He usually looks at yard sales and flea markets and Goodwill stores. Since I can't go out on the hunt for them myself too much right now, I am asking for everyone's help. Will you all keep your eyes open for records and pick them up if you find some that aren't too expensive? He normally doesn't pay more than $3 a record, and most are a $1 each or so. Even if it's just one or two records, he loves them all and they would make his day!
Wik's verse picks...
2nd Cor 11:23
"...I'm talking like a mad man - far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received 39 lashes..."
2nd Cor 12:10
"For when I am weak, I am strong."
They are starting his second round of chemo today as planned. So he will have the blood thinner going in an IV in his arm and the chemo going through the port in his chest. His blood levels are good. The Hemoglobin is down a little again but not quite low enough to require another blood transfusion, but they will monitor this closely.
We have heard numerous codes called over the intercom while we've been at the hospital. Like code blue, code red, code rapid response. A new one we heard the other day was code Atlas. Chad asked the nurse what it meant and she told him it means a patient is having a break down, losing it, is very emotional upset, becoming a physical threat, could possibly even need restraints! That poor patient we don't know. We said a prayer for the mystery patient. :)
After spending all this time in here with Chad, I can totally understand how a patient can go "code Atlas." In fact, Chad is not far from a code Atlas in here! hahaha (kind of kidding but you never know) He has been so strong and positive and consistently strong in his faith but good lord, he's only human! It just really sucks sometimes and today is one of those really hard days....
So for those of you that don't know, Chad collects LP vinyl records - mostly 60s & 70s Soul, jazz, and funk. I'd love to get some for him to cheer him up. (Thanks Liz for the ones you found him last week!) He usually looks at yard sales and flea markets and Goodwill stores. Since I can't go out on the hunt for them myself too much right now, I am asking for everyone's help. Will you all keep your eyes open for records and pick them up if you find some that aren't too expensive? He normally doesn't pay more than $3 a record, and most are a $1 each or so. Even if it's just one or two records, he loves them all and they would make his day!
Wik's verse picks...
2nd Cor 11:23
"...I'm talking like a mad man - far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received 39 lashes..."
2nd Cor 12:10
"For when I am weak, I am strong."
Friday, June 11, 2010
drip...drip....drip
Today is Friday June 11th and day 14 straight for Chad in the hospital. Not much has changed since yesterday's post which isn't a bad thing, we are okay with no major changes...
He is still on the IV drip of blood thinner and they are still just giving it to him super slow. They have not said how long he will have to stay on it. The hardest part is him just being here, he is very ready to come home and we are more than ready to have him there. It has been a very long 2 weeks. Everything else is going well and he feels great! Almost there, I'm sure of it!!
He is still on the IV drip of blood thinner and they are still just giving it to him super slow. They have not said how long he will have to stay on it. The hardest part is him just being here, he is very ready to come home and we are more than ready to have him there. It has been a very long 2 weeks. Everything else is going well and he feels great! Almost there, I'm sure of it!!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The Chemo is working!!
The chemo is working!! WOO HOOO! Today is Thursday June 10th and it's been a great day. Dr. May told us this morning that the CT scan that they did yesterday to see the blood clot showed that the tumors in his lungs have already gotten smaller! He wasn't due for a follow up CT to see the progress until after his next round of chemo so this was a surprise update. Not that we doubted for a second that the chemo would work, but it was so nice to hear it.
It was/is a new clot in his lung that was hurting so bad the other day. Again, thank GOD we were still here and hadn't went home yet. All Chad's doctors talked this morning and decided it would be ok to put him on a very slow IV of blood thinner to treat the clots. He has had the IV on since 10am this morning and it will go all night. It is very, very slooowww... the bag is still 3/4ths full and it's 10:15pm. They are taking blood every four hours and are watching his levels very close. He feels really good, pain is under control, mouth sores are better, blood levels are all up. His white blood cells are up to 10,000 now! So really, life is good. Just waiting on thinner, clot free blood.
Chad started losing his hair and beard in clumps yesterday and decided to go ahead and shave them both off. His Mom, Justice and I all helped. We had scissors, clippers and razors going! Justice had fun cutting his Dad's hair and I think it made the transition easier on all of us to do it together. Chad never ceases to amaze me, as much as I know it was hard for him to lose his hair and beard, he was the one that made us laugh! I haven't seen him without facial hair in years and we don't think Justice ever has... he may look different but he's as good looking as ever.
The next round of chemo starts on Monday. I am hopeful things will go much smoother this time and that things are settling down. God has and continues to answer our prayers and thank you to all of you that are praying diligently. The prayers, faith and chemo are working!!
It was/is a new clot in his lung that was hurting so bad the other day. Again, thank GOD we were still here and hadn't went home yet. All Chad's doctors talked this morning and decided it would be ok to put him on a very slow IV of blood thinner to treat the clots. He has had the IV on since 10am this morning and it will go all night. It is very, very slooowww... the bag is still 3/4ths full and it's 10:15pm. They are taking blood every four hours and are watching his levels very close. He feels really good, pain is under control, mouth sores are better, blood levels are all up. His white blood cells are up to 10,000 now! So really, life is good. Just waiting on thinner, clot free blood.
Chad started losing his hair and beard in clumps yesterday and decided to go ahead and shave them both off. His Mom, Justice and I all helped. We had scissors, clippers and razors going! Justice had fun cutting his Dad's hair and I think it made the transition easier on all of us to do it together. Chad never ceases to amaze me, as much as I know it was hard for him to lose his hair and beard, he was the one that made us laugh! I haven't seen him without facial hair in years and we don't think Justice ever has... he may look different but he's as good looking as ever.
The next round of chemo starts on Monday. I am hopeful things will go much smoother this time and that things are settling down. God has and continues to answer our prayers and thank you to all of you that are praying diligently. The prayers, faith and chemo are working!!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Good News - Bad News
Hello Everyone, it is Wednesday June 9th. Chad's gamma knife brain surgery went well yesterday and there was only the one spot - YEAH! It was a long day, he went down at 7am and we didn't get back to his room upstairs until 6pm. The whole day was a little intense but in the end everything went well with he surgery and that is all that matters. They had actually discharged him from his room upstairs and were all ready to send him home...
But, things changed - again. Chad started having severe chest pain in the area underneath his port about an hour or so before they brought him back upstairs after surgery. He said it felt like he had been stabbed. He couldn't move his arm and it hurt when he took a breath. It was so severe that they decided to keep him and run some tests. He had a scan last night and at this time they believe it to be a new blood clot in his lung. Dr. May came in this morning and decided to call in a pulmonary doctor for a consult. There is still the issue with Chad not being able to have blood thinners because of the tumor in his brain. Even though he had the gamma knife surgery he still can't have blood thinners for at least 7 t0 10 days. The gamma knife didn't remove the tumor, it will just make it shrink over time. This means there is still the risk of it bleeding and possible brain damage if they put him on blood thinners again too soon.
The pulmonary doctor came in just a little bit ago and he said that this is not something they see very often. Since Chad had the Vena Cava filter put in, he said the clot more than likely came from his upper body, not the lower. Apparently this is rare. He has ordered a couple of scans and tests including one to look at his heart. The pulmonary Dr. and Dr. May are working closely together to see what they can come up with as a solution to the clot problem. Chad's pain is still severe. The morphine is only working for about 45 minutes after he takes it, but he can only have it every 4 hours. Dr. May is also working on changing his pain medicine as we speak to get Chad some relief.
Another situation in which we are so grateful he hadn't left the hospital yet. As much as we were disappointed about him not going home last night, we thank God he was still here when the pain started. I will let you know what we find out as soon as we know something.
Love A
But, things changed - again. Chad started having severe chest pain in the area underneath his port about an hour or so before they brought him back upstairs after surgery. He said it felt like he had been stabbed. He couldn't move his arm and it hurt when he took a breath. It was so severe that they decided to keep him and run some tests. He had a scan last night and at this time they believe it to be a new blood clot in his lung. Dr. May came in this morning and decided to call in a pulmonary doctor for a consult. There is still the issue with Chad not being able to have blood thinners because of the tumor in his brain. Even though he had the gamma knife surgery he still can't have blood thinners for at least 7 t0 10 days. The gamma knife didn't remove the tumor, it will just make it shrink over time. This means there is still the risk of it bleeding and possible brain damage if they put him on blood thinners again too soon.
The pulmonary doctor came in just a little bit ago and he said that this is not something they see very often. Since Chad had the Vena Cava filter put in, he said the clot more than likely came from his upper body, not the lower. Apparently this is rare. He has ordered a couple of scans and tests including one to look at his heart. The pulmonary Dr. and Dr. May are working closely together to see what they can come up with as a solution to the clot problem. Chad's pain is still severe. The morphine is only working for about 45 minutes after he takes it, but he can only have it every 4 hours. Dr. May is also working on changing his pain medicine as we speak to get Chad some relief.
Another situation in which we are so grateful he hadn't left the hospital yet. As much as we were disappointed about him not going home last night, we thank God he was still here when the pain started. I will let you know what we find out as soon as we know something.
Love A
Monday, June 7, 2010
Enjoy the Day
Today is Monday June 7th and Chad is still in the hospital. His white blood cells are still low but are climbing! They went down to 100 yesterday but are back up to 300 today. His Gama knife surgery is scheduled for 6:30am tomorrow and he is feeling good about that. He is doing well today, seems they have gotten his pain under control and his mouth sores are getting better. Since his mouth is feeling better, he's been able to eat which has helped his spirits lots. We both had a hard day yesterday, nothing in particular I guess, just everything. We are both missing Justice and our "normal" home life like crazy. Home sick, healthy sick, normal life sick...
But today we both woke up in good spirits. We woke up feeling really good and strong in our faith. Just focusing on the fact that God blessed us with this day to be together so we should enjoy it. We are getting ready to go for another walk, maybe a trip outside to sit in the sun. aaahhh
Psalm 118:24
This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
But today we both woke up in good spirits. We woke up feeling really good and strong in our faith. Just focusing on the fact that God blessed us with this day to be together so we should enjoy it. We are getting ready to go for another walk, maybe a trip outside to sit in the sun. aaahhh
Psalm 118:24
This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
I guess I jinxed it...
It's Saturday, day 8 in a row in the hospital and to be honest, it sucks. His white blood count is down even lower today, at 100. He needs to be at 1000 before they will let him go home. So more IVs of the good stuff that will make his body make more and more waiting. We woke up to the bad news of more days in the hospital so it's been a rough morning. We both understand the importance of him being here, but we're human so it understanding doesn't always make it easier to deal with. His mouth sores are kicking his butt and making it hard to eat. Eating had been taking the place of cigarettes so now that he can't have both, he is struggling. I can't blame him.
So after a little while of sadness. anger, and frustration this morning we listened to some music, prayed and read some versus from the bible. We are feeling better already. I asked the doctor here today if I can wheel Chad outside today to get some sun and fresh air and he said as long as he wears the mask it should be ok. Field trip!! I also brought Chad's MPC in here and he plans on spending time making beats today. I know they will be amazing... I'll try to figure out how to link them to the blog so you can hear them too.
Justice went to Lynchburg again so don't worry, we didn't leave him home alone ;) We miss him so much and can't wait to get back to our normal family life. But we know he is where he will have fun and he likes being there with his family so that's a good thing. He got to come by yesterday to see Chad and he got a kick out of wearing the "Michael Jackson" mask. haha He also loves the medicine robot named Gybsy that delievers prescriptions around the hospital. He likes to follow her around to see where she will go next...
I'm not even going to try to guess when he will get to go home from now on, no more jinxing it!
So after a little while of sadness. anger, and frustration this morning we listened to some music, prayed and read some versus from the bible. We are feeling better already. I asked the doctor here today if I can wheel Chad outside today to get some sun and fresh air and he said as long as he wears the mask it should be ok. Field trip!! I also brought Chad's MPC in here and he plans on spending time making beats today. I know they will be amazing... I'll try to figure out how to link them to the blog so you can hear them too.
Justice went to Lynchburg again so don't worry, we didn't leave him home alone ;) We miss him so much and can't wait to get back to our normal family life. But we know he is where he will have fun and he likes being there with his family so that's a good thing. He got to come by yesterday to see Chad and he got a kick out of wearing the "Michael Jackson" mask. haha He also loves the medicine robot named Gybsy that delievers prescriptions around the hospital. He likes to follow her around to see where she will go next...
I'm not even going to try to guess when he will get to go home from now on, no more jinxing it!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Date night & blessings
Today is Friday June 4, 2010. Chad and I are sitting in his hospital room having date night. We are watching TV and just relaxing. It isn't home, but we'll take it! He is feeling good for the most part and I think the transfusion really helped. His color looks good and he has had more energy today. His only pain has been because he is starting to develop painful mouth and throat sores-Chad calls it the white patch...let's see how many of you know about that ;) This is another side effect of chemo. They gave him a prescription for that and it is starting to help. He has also had terrible acid reflux which they say is probably from all the medicine and all the laying around. Also started medicine for that. So over all, after everything else, these are minor things and he is feeling good. YEAH! Although I'm scared to jinx it I'll say it anyway, he might come home tomorrow!
His hemoglobin level was up to 9.8 this morning up from the low 7s from yesterday so that's good. They kept him again today because his white blood count is very low. Normal is between 4000 & 10,000 and Chad's is only 700. White blood cells are the ones that fight off infections. It is normal for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy to lose white blood cells so they expected this, just not so quickly. This low of a white blood count makes him "neutropenia" - which basically means he is very susceptible to infections and illness. They have put a sign on his door that says NEUTROPENIA - everyone must was their hands when they enter the room, no fresh fruits and no flowers are allowed in and people that are sick should not enter. It looks a little scary and would freak me out if I was coming to visit someone and didn't know what it meant. It is not as bad as it sounds. Basically just gotta be extra careful and wash our hands a lot. Stay away if your sick...Common sense kind of stuff. They gave him a small IV bag of some kind of medicine (forgot the name) this afternoon that will stimulate his body to make white blood cells. I have faith will work quickly and his levels will be up soon.
I want to thank everyone for their unbelievable generosity and support. I about hit the floor today at work when my coworkers surprised me with a heart felt card and a very generous gift. I still tear up when I think about it. I have been with the company for 6 years and I think of them as a second family. I am so blessed to work with such awesome people that genuinely care so much for others. A special thank you to Stephanie who has been going through a similar situation for over a year and a half with her Dad. She is an inspiration to me and she is proof that God puts people in our lives for a reason. We have had many other wonderful people send cards, gifts, and blessings and it just melts my heart every time we receive one. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can't say it enough. really. I wish I had a way to let you all know just how much it all really means to me.
His hemoglobin level was up to 9.8 this morning up from the low 7s from yesterday so that's good. They kept him again today because his white blood count is very low. Normal is between 4000 & 10,000 and Chad's is only 700. White blood cells are the ones that fight off infections. It is normal for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy to lose white blood cells so they expected this, just not so quickly. This low of a white blood count makes him "neutropenia" - which basically means he is very susceptible to infections and illness. They have put a sign on his door that says NEUTROPENIA - everyone must was their hands when they enter the room, no fresh fruits and no flowers are allowed in and people that are sick should not enter. It looks a little scary and would freak me out if I was coming to visit someone and didn't know what it meant. It is not as bad as it sounds. Basically just gotta be extra careful and wash our hands a lot. Stay away if your sick...Common sense kind of stuff. They gave him a small IV bag of some kind of medicine (forgot the name) this afternoon that will stimulate his body to make white blood cells. I have faith will work quickly and his levels will be up soon.
I want to thank everyone for their unbelievable generosity and support. I about hit the floor today at work when my coworkers surprised me with a heart felt card and a very generous gift. I still tear up when I think about it. I have been with the company for 6 years and I think of them as a second family. I am so blessed to work with such awesome people that genuinely care so much for others. A special thank you to Stephanie who has been going through a similar situation for over a year and a half with her Dad. She is an inspiration to me and she is proof that God puts people in our lives for a reason. We have had many other wonderful people send cards, gifts, and blessings and it just melts my heart every time we receive one. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can't say it enough. really. I wish I had a way to let you all know just how much it all really means to me.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
How quickly things change...
Today is Thursday June 3rd. Yesterday seems like a blur now. The CT scan they did after Chad had that terrible headache Tuesday night revealed a spot on his brain. They weren’t sure if it was a bleeder, cancer, both or what. It is about the size of a nickel. Dr. May ordered an MRI to get a better look. He also scheduled a consult with a neurologist. Things started moving quickly after that. The big concern was that Chad was on blood thinners to treat the blood clots in his lungs. They had to stop the blood thinner right away to prevent further bleeding from the spot in his brain. The question was how would they treat both without causing further risk to one or the other.
So within a couple of hours, it was decided he needed to have a Vena cava filter. A Vena cava filter is a metallic, umbrella-shaped device that catches blood clots to prevent them from traveling to the lungs. It’s put in the inferior vena cava, the large vein that carries de-oxygenated blood from the lower half of the body into the right atrium of the heart. It was put in late last night and Chad did just fine. They didn’t put him to sleep, he was just kind of out of it. Immediately following that procedure, he had an MRI. By this time it was about midnight and he was exhausted.
It has been determined that the spot in/on his brain is cancer. It has grown or spread there since the last MRI he had 3 or 4 weeks ago that was clear. The good news is that Johnston-Willis is one of only 3 hospitals in Virginia that offers what’s called Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Gamma Knife is a very precise and effective instrument that uses radiation to treat the brain and is often called radiosurgery. Using this method, doctors are able to focus radiation directly, and very precisely, on the target in the brain without affecting surrounding healthy tissue. He will have this procedure done one day next week. It is done as an outpatient procedure and they are saying it’s not that bad at all. They will do another MRI right before the procedure just to be sure there are no other cancer spots. All cancer spots in the brain they see that morning, will be treated with the Gama knife.
Things have been changing at such a fast rate we can barely keep up. Chad is exhausted and just can’t get a long period of sleep without being woken up or prodded. I don’t know if it’s even physically possible for me to cry anymore and I’m constantly scared to death of what might happen next. We are both losing our stamina, but not our faith. With the number of things that have gone “wrong” we are sure it is all God’s way of making sure everything turns out right in the end. If he didn’t get that headache when he did, they might not have known the cancer had spread to his brain for a long time to come. If lot’s of the “wrongs” didn’t happen at just the “right” time, things could have been much worse, many times. When we look at it this way, it helps to remind us that God’s in control, knows exactly what he is doing, and that all we have to do is have faith in that.
Chad is getting a blood transfusion today, his hemoglobin level dropped to a 7.1 this morning and with everything else going on Dr. May stressed the importance of the transfusion. After talking and thinking about it lot’s, Chad agreed to go ahead with it. Dr. May says this will help him to feel better and to stay strong to fight off infections. He may even be able to come home tomorrow!!
So within a couple of hours, it was decided he needed to have a Vena cava filter. A Vena cava filter is a metallic, umbrella-shaped device that catches blood clots to prevent them from traveling to the lungs. It’s put in the inferior vena cava, the large vein that carries de-oxygenated blood from the lower half of the body into the right atrium of the heart. It was put in late last night and Chad did just fine. They didn’t put him to sleep, he was just kind of out of it. Immediately following that procedure, he had an MRI. By this time it was about midnight and he was exhausted.
It has been determined that the spot in/on his brain is cancer. It has grown or spread there since the last MRI he had 3 or 4 weeks ago that was clear. The good news is that Johnston-Willis is one of only 3 hospitals in Virginia that offers what’s called Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Gamma Knife is a very precise and effective instrument that uses radiation to treat the brain and is often called radiosurgery. Using this method, doctors are able to focus radiation directly, and very precisely, on the target in the brain without affecting surrounding healthy tissue. He will have this procedure done one day next week. It is done as an outpatient procedure and they are saying it’s not that bad at all. They will do another MRI right before the procedure just to be sure there are no other cancer spots. All cancer spots in the brain they see that morning, will be treated with the Gama knife.
Things have been changing at such a fast rate we can barely keep up. Chad is exhausted and just can’t get a long period of sleep without being woken up or prodded. I don’t know if it’s even physically possible for me to cry anymore and I’m constantly scared to death of what might happen next. We are both losing our stamina, but not our faith. With the number of things that have gone “wrong” we are sure it is all God’s way of making sure everything turns out right in the end. If he didn’t get that headache when he did, they might not have known the cancer had spread to his brain for a long time to come. If lot’s of the “wrongs” didn’t happen at just the “right” time, things could have been much worse, many times. When we look at it this way, it helps to remind us that God’s in control, knows exactly what he is doing, and that all we have to do is have faith in that.
Chad is getting a blood transfusion today, his hemoglobin level dropped to a 7.1 this morning and with everything else going on Dr. May stressed the importance of the transfusion. After talking and thinking about it lot’s, Chad agreed to go ahead with it. Dr. May says this will help him to feel better and to stay strong to fight off infections. He may even be able to come home tomorrow!!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
7.9 and climbing!
Today is Wednesday June 2nd and Chad is still in the hospital. He had a rough night and a rough morning but is feeling much better now. We are waiting on the results of a CT scan of his brain to make sure there isn't any bleeding. He had the worst headache/migraine he has ever had in his life last night and into this morning. He is finally feeling better due to some strong medicine but his doctor wants to be sure everything is ok. Since he is on the blood thinner and his hemoglobin is low, they seem to want to be extra careful. The good news is his hemoglobin level came up today, it went down to a 7.3 yesterday but is back up to a 7.9 this morning. The power of prayer! His doctor, Dr. May, came in this morning and seemed to agree with the previous doctors Chad saw this weekend that he may benefit from a blood transfusion but he was also willing to wait since his level came up on its own a little. So everything is quiet for the moment. Just waiting...
Chad has made lots of friends while he's been here. All the nurses and staff love him. He has had a couple of nurses that have just not seemed to care but for the most part they've been really great. I can't say enough great things about Roz, Ginny, Sune, Jennifer, and Bryan. When this is all over we plan to do something special to let them know how much we appreciate all they do. They really love their jobs and it shows.
Either Chad's mom or Chad's dad have been here almost everyday. They've been taking turns coming and I am so grateful they can be here as much as they have been. They are so cute the way they are always calling each other when they aren't together. It's so nice to see a couple that has been together as long as they have still so close. It makes a world of difference to have the support and help of family and we couldn't ask for a better one. My Mom dropped everything and jumped right in the car when I needed her last Friday night and my Aunt Pat will be coming to help us soon as well. To know we both have family we can call on for anything, at anytime is really a beautiful thing. We love you all and can't imagine going through this without you.
Chad has made lots of friends while he's been here. All the nurses and staff love him. He has had a couple of nurses that have just not seemed to care but for the most part they've been really great. I can't say enough great things about Roz, Ginny, Sune, Jennifer, and Bryan. When this is all over we plan to do something special to let them know how much we appreciate all they do. They really love their jobs and it shows.
Either Chad's mom or Chad's dad have been here almost everyday. They've been taking turns coming and I am so grateful they can be here as much as they have been. They are so cute the way they are always calling each other when they aren't together. It's so nice to see a couple that has been together as long as they have still so close. It makes a world of difference to have the support and help of family and we couldn't ask for a better one. My Mom dropped everything and jumped right in the car when I needed her last Friday night and my Aunt Pat will be coming to help us soon as well. To know we both have family we can call on for anything, at anytime is really a beautiful thing. We love you all and can't imagine going through this without you.
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