Astute -- Word for the Day -- Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Astute
DEFINITION: (adjective) observant, intelligent, and shrewd.

Hello, Kids... I apologize for the delay in updates. It has been hectic the last couple of days. ChemoSabe was down much of the weekend and our doctor's visit and schedule was confusing and off course yesterday.

To start, I had another round of illness with severe vomiting throughout Saturday night. Oh my gosh!!! We both stayed in bed late on Sunday from exhaustion. I believe ChemoSabe was just about at his wits end with his pain and mine, too. We both got up early to make it to the doctor visit yesterday. He was walking better and I felt like poo poo. After visit with our doc we discovered she was unaware of ChemoSabe's blood clots. After advising her of the twice a day stomach injections for blood thinner she informed us the port could not be put in yesterday as scheduled because of the possibility of bleeding. We have to be off the shots for at least 24 hours before port insertion. So, we have been knocked off schedule at least one full day.

ChemoSabe had labs yesterday morning and his CRP (crap) is up to 114.60 and if you remember it usually runs 6.0. So that means he has a low grade infection. We are hoping his labs today come back with a lower reading. His platelets are still high with a 228 register for last Thursday. That is good, because they will be dropping within the next week. WBC is still at 9.0.

He did get his port inserted this afternoon with a lot less pain than before. He even made the visit by himself so I could catch up on work. Tomorrow we are scheduled early for the BIG chemo injection, Melphalan. Sounds like that yard chemical you use to kill insects, doesn't it? This will clean out EVERYTHING. Then we will have 24 hours to get the stem cell transplant. We do not have a time for that, as yet, but we know it will have to be by 9:00 a.m. Thursday. I am still thinking we ought to have a baby shower.

We also received his bone marrow biopsy report, the MRI report and the cardiac report yesterday. I will just give you a brief run down. The BMB indicates there is no myeloma in the marrow. The MRI reports there are still lesions in the same areas as before, but they have not increased in size. In fact, one on the left shoulder has decreased to 1 cm. He still has a fracture in the T7 and T9 area of his spine, but it indicates there is no concern. The left ventricle shows no indication of heart damage. NOT BAD FOR A CANCER PATIENT, huh? Looks like the first two chemo treatments has cleared everything out. This last one with the new babies just makes things more definite. Haven't we learned so much in so little time? It has just made us more astute. Now you all will be ready for tests throughout the duration.

God has really blessed us through it all. Especially with our work. We could not have made it without the release of being able to work and keep our minds occupied and busy. We could not have made it without the people we work for and with. You all have definitely come to 'BAT' for us in every shape and/or form.

Our family has been here to help us when we need to talk, when we don't want to talk and when we need those damn hard things done around the house. All we have to do is pick up the phone and they are here in minutes. Better than On-Star.

Then we have our friends to call and surprise us with news that our neighbors from H__ are putting their house up for sale. Thank you.....!!! That's another story from Paul Harvey. I will have to get back with you on that one.

It has been a very stressful last seven days as far as medical, financial, mental and physical. But, Hey... we are still here. What does that tell us? God NEVER gives us more than we can handle. Amen? Amen!

It is early, so I will take this opportunity to close out before 10:00.

Thank you for everything. Good night and Love --- Pepper