Having another good moment . . .

so I am content.  Have stopped antibiotics regimen.  Never was fighting any infection.  Doctors now think that I have "tumor fever".  Still have the high temperature, but learning how to "manage them" before they get too high.  I am miserable & in pain until the fever breaks, but doctors tell me it is "good pain" because it means that the chemo drugs are still destroying the cancer cells.  Doctors are pleased that I am having a "robust response" to the treatments.  Apparently, my body is "taking the scenic route" & is still working even though the doctors thought the chemo cycle was completed several weeks ago.  (smile)  Still experience severe fatigue, but not as frequent now.  I was unprepared for that side effect, although the liver doctor warned me about it.  I just thought "come on - how much more tired can I possibly get?!"  Obviously, I was wrong.  Here is an example of my "athletic ability" right now.  I am so tired after peeling a grapefruit that I have to take a 4 hour nap before I can eat it.  Then I nap again after eating it.   I see the medical oncologist this Friday to see when we start the systemic chemo treatment again.  Hope that you & your families have a peaceful and healthy 2012!  Please take care. 

An Update

I am very weak now so I will make this short since many of you are concerned that you haven't seen an updates.  Since the last blog, I have been throwing up & became very dehydrated.  After fixing that, I started to and continue to have unexplained high fevers.  They have taken numerous tubes of blood for culture tests, tested for airborne infections, and took my blood and separated the red from the white blood cells and attached a "tracer" on the white blood cells to see what they were attacking.  My immune system is on overdrive & is attacking my body.  All tests came back negative for any infection, but I continue to have the high fevers.  I am now on 2 very strong antibiotics & anti-inflammatory drugs.  I was almost admitted to the hospital twice this month - one for the high fever and last Friday for having half the amount of red blood cells of a normal person.  I received another blood infusion yesterday, but am still weak and tired.  Good news is that the tumor marker dropped from 179 to 141, the liver chemo killed most of the large cancer cells, and my hair is growing back!  My chemo treatment for this month is on hold due to the fact that my condition is unstable.  Doctor checks me every week.  Basically, both doctors and nurses say that I look horrible.  Will keep you posted.  Tired now.  Good night.

Feeling better . .

this week.  Thank you for all of the cards and words of encouragement.  I went into a "dark place" for a while & you all yanked me out of it!  Thank you so much for "hearing" me.   Went to a follow-up medical appointment with the liver specialist.  Told him I was not recovering well & that I had no quality of life.   Things have to change.  He agreed.  The two doctors said that they did not implement an "aggressive treatment" plan.  They know that they were "brutal" to me.  For the past 2 months, I was inunated with chemo drugs every week with no time to recover from each treatment.  If the chemo drugs were "smart" & just destroyed the cancer cells, I would have had some quality of life.  Unfortunately, it destroys both healthy and cancerous cells.  Doctors will give me some time to recover now.  Or as they said "to feel human and alive again instead of a science experiment."  Will run tests either end of December or in January to maximize the effectiveness of each chemo treatment with time.   Will keep you posted.  Enjoy the joys of the holiday season and don't get in the way of those crazy shoppers.  (smile)  I am blessed to have you all as my support system.   Thank you for your continued warmth and friendships.  Take care.  Hugs and love.

Still in pain and nauseus

It has been one week since the liver embo and still nauseus and in pain.  Snafu in communication between nurses & doctor which left Ginny in a lot of pain (level 8) im the hospital.  Blood pressure skyrocketed (clue #1), tears rolling down Ginny's face (clue #2), and Ginny's request to please knock her out so that she couldn't feel anything (clue #3).  Still in a lot of pain and throwing up.  Hoping that Ginny doesn't become addicted to the pain killer meds.  Next systemic chemo is 11/18.  So, she will be down for next few weeks.  She will start blogging when she is feeling better.  Her spirits are very low and she is close to giving up.  Keep praying for her & give her strength to keeping fighting.  Happy Thanksgiving holidays to and your familiies.  We have many blessings to be thankful.

Update after Wed's Liver Procedure

Ginny got a blood transfusion on Monday, Nov 7 and felt like a new person.  Having a supply of red blood cells to carry oxygen to the cells did wonders for her energy.  She also got a shot of white blood cell booster because she was still low going into the procedure on Wed.  Doctor said the liver embolization on the left lobe of her liver went well.  Brought her home Thurs evening and she's been sleeping ever since.  Barely can wake her up to take her anti-nausea, pain relief and antibiotic pills - yes, lots of pills to give to someone who is nauseous and throwing up.  Called the doctor on Friday and asked for some other way to give her anti-nausea meds since she can't really swallow pills right now.  Will just let her sleep for  few days.

Rough week . . . .

It has been a rough week.  Cumulative effects of chemo treatments almost every other week have proven to be too much for this ol' body of mine to recover.  Just when my blood counts get up to normal, I get another chemo treatment.   So, getting a blood transfusion on 11/7, then liver chemo on the other half of the liver on 11/9, getting weekly cancer drugs on 11/10 while I am in the hospital so that I don't have to crawl into the infusion center on 11/11.  I will be very fatigued and will be asleep until 11/18 when I get the next systemic chemo treatment.  Thank you for your warm wishes and continued support.  We are very grateful for the support system that surrounds us.  We wish you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!   Wishing you all good health and peace.   Take care.

Post-systemic chemo treatment

I am very tired & sleeping a lot.  I recovered from the liver chemo the day before I got the next systemic chemo treatment.  This week has been difficult.  Still getting pain from the liver chemo & then the low white & red blood cell counts from the systemic chemo.  Doctor said that in a few weeks I may get secondary post-embolization side effects - pain and flu-like symptoms.  Taking one day at a time, but I am looking forward to getting to the end of November.  Chemo treatments and the severe fatigue are wearing me down.   Happy Halloween to everyone!  Thank you for your continued support and help.  It is greatly appreciated.  Take care.

Well, I recovered from the liver embo just in time for my systemic chemo today.  Impeccable timing, huh?  The doctor wanted me to be very comfortable & not experience discomfort so I was heavily medicated in the hospital.  When I got home, I was blindsided by the pain and severe fatigue (which are all normal).  I was in bed 24/7 for several days.  I didn't think that I could sleep so much!  Anyways, the surgery went well.  He worked on the larger half of the liver this time.   It is nice to see another piece of furniture other than a bed as I am able to move around the house now.  (smile)  My weight is stable.   So, the next couple of weeks will be about trying to elevate my WBC count, avoid an infection, & get strong for the next liver embo on 11/9.   Will draw blood for tumor marker on 10/28.   Next systemic chemo is on 11/18.   Thank you to the soccer & school parents as well as our family for getting Christopher to and from all of his numerous activities.   We are immensely grateful for your support & assistance.    Also, thank you to everyone for your continued prayers & warm healing thoughts.  I am fortunate to have such a loving, caring & large support system (which includes the medical team caring for me).   Wishing everyone good health and peace.  Please take care.
Ginny

Recovery After Liver Procedure is Tough

Brough Ginny home last Thur noon and she's pretty much been sleeping ever since.  She has extreme fatigue, some pain around the liver area and nausea.  All of this is expected although I don't think Ginny was expecting the fatigue to be so bad.  Trying to keep her hydrated and eating a little so she does not have a lot of weight loss again.  The doctor said that this is because the chemotherapy is killing off the liver cells and hopefully the tumors cells also.  She should be feeling better starting today or tomorrow.  When she starts writing the blogs again, then you will know she back up on her feet.

We have been receiving some flowers sent to the house.  While we appreciate the flowers and thoughts, please do not send any more flowers.  Since Ginny's white cell count is usually low, we are very careful to avoid any live/cut plants which may carry fungus, bacteria, etc.  Similarly, Ginny does not eat many raw fruits or vegetables any longer (no salads).  She's also completely dairy free.

Thanks for your prayers and thoughts.
Dean

Liver Procedure Went Well

Sorry that I forgot to blog last night as many of you were waiting to hear how Ginny's liver embolization procedure went (see previous blogs).  The doctor said that she did great (the key is to give her Benadryl).  She stayed overnight in the hospital and was very comfortable.  We just got home, she ate lunch and is sleeping now.  The doctor did the right lobe this time and will do the left lobe on Nov 9.  Then we'll see how the liver is responding to this targeted concentrated liver chemotherapy treatment.  On her CT scan this Monday, there were still tumors in her liver which is the reason he went ahead with the procedure.  Hopefully, with her tumor marker number going down a lot (see previous blog) indicating the IV chemotherapy is working and this liver embolization chemotherapy, it dramatically reduces or eliminates the tumors in her liver.

Thanks for your continued prayers, encouragement and offers of help.
Dean

Good news!  Tumor marker dropped from 436 to 196.  Systemic chemo treatment is still working.  Still going to have the targeted liver chemo treatment tomorrow.  Will stay overnight at the hospital - as a precaution.  Next systemic chemo is on 10/21.  Feeling good.  Blood panel tests showed normal functions so progress is positive.   Thank you for your continued support and prayers.  It is very much appreciated!  Take care.
Ginny

Feeling better.  Last week was not too bad after 3rd chemo treatment.  No need for fluids or antibiotics. 
Weight is stable.  Just received WBC booster shots every day & slept a lot.   Will take a CT scan on 10/10 to see if liver chemo embo is still needed.  Last metabolic blood test results showed liver & kidney functions were in normal ranges.   Taking another metabolic blood test this week.   We would like to thank everyone for continuing to help us out.   We greatly appreciate it.  
Ginny and Dean

Some good news!

After just 2 chemo treatments, the tumor marker dropped from 1,415 to 436 (acceptable range is < 33)!!  The chemo is working!   The 3rd chemo treatment will be on Sept. 23.   Also, received insurance approval for liver embolization (targeted chemo treatment).  The first procedure will be at 7 AM on Oct. 12.   Working on half the liver at a time (the other half will be worked on in November).   Will require overnight stay at the hospital.   The 4th chemo treatment will be on Oct. 21.   We are happy that Ginny is responding to the treatments & hope for the continuation of the positive outcomes.   Thank you for your continued support, prayers, & words of encouragement.   We are grateful.

Dean and Ginny

Latest Update

2nd chemo treatment was on 8/26 and had fluids, anti-nausea meds, and white blood cell booster shots all of last week.  Had a much more comfortable week.  Only threw up once - the day after chemo.  No raging fever.  Still waiting for insurance authorization for the liver treatment.  Do not anticipate any issues.  Just slow process.   Hope that liver treatment can begin this week or next week.  Thank you for your continued concern and prayers.   We appreciate the support.   Will keep you updated.  Take care.

Testing the blog set-up

I hope this blog set-up works.
This week was a tough one for Ginny but not as bad as 4 weeks ago when she could not keep any food down and lost 8 - 10 lbs followed by a fever of 104 degrees.  The oncology nurses figured out how to support her best after her chemo last Fri, Aug 26 so she has thrown up only once and is maintaining her weight.  Her red and white counts still dropped so she's receiving daily shots to make her bone marrow produce white cells.  Next week should be better.
Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts.
Dean