Update on Al #25

Sorry it's been such a long stretch between updates. As the week progressed, Al got more and more down emotionally as well as physically. His throat got REALLY sore from all the nausea, which is really more coughing up mucous than anything else. But as a result, he didn't want to eat, so we had a VERY challenging weekend. He's down to putting pretty much everything through his PEG tube -- including the last servings of the homemade soups he's enjoyed so much. Cleo, that little Braum hand mixer was an EXCELLENT investment!!! We picked up a really tasty cantaloupe, and he's been working on that all week, about 1/2 cup at a time. Takes him about 2 hours to eat that much, but it's tasty. We've laid in puddings, etc. and he's 'drinking' 4-5 bottles of high protein Boost/Ensure each day -- now that he's realized that's the only way he's going to get through this. It was a tough weekend for both of us.

He refused to take his chemo drugs on Friday night, and I finally called Dr. Beck on Saturday morning. He decided to give Al the weekend 'off' from the chemo. After learning this, Al basically went to sleep and missed Saturday. On Sunday, he got up feeling SO much better than he had been, and we planned to go to Hoisington for Mooney's 3rd of July party. But the weather got a bit nasty, and we punked out. It's a good thing, too, as Al was pretty sick that evening.

Monday he felt a little better and got up and around to do a few things, puttering around in the garage, and we went grocery shopping. We started his chemo again Monday evening, with a dosage of Zofran (anti-nausea) half an hour before. Seemed to help a bit. Meanwhile, he's not sleeping really well or regularly, which makes us BOTH cranky!!! I've put up blackout fabric in 'his' room to try to help him get some sleep.

Saw Dr. Beck on Tuesday, and Al explained how this coughing up mucous is what makes him crazy, that he feels it's coming more from his lungs than his stomach. So they ordered a nebulizer to have breathing treatments as needed. It was delivered this afternoon, and he seems more comfortable tonight. He also prescribed a morphine solution for pain as needed.

We saw Dr. Perez-Tamayo this morning, who reminded us that he now has only 12 more radiation treatments to go. They've been varying the radiation a bit, so he's had a number (sorry, don't remember!) of wider-area treatments (picture the size of a business check). The next 6 treatments will be about 2/3 that range, then the last 7 treatments will be about 1/3 that size. So they're focusing in a bit. Dr. Beck warned these last treatments would be the painful ones; hence the morphine.

Both doctors say he'll have a CT scan or two a couple weeks after treatment is completed, then probably another bronchoscopy with biopsies within a month of the end of treatment, and THAT's when we'll know if the tumor is gone. At least that's how WE understood them. Maybe it's just what we want to hear.

Meanwhile, I've just turned into a big puddle maker!!! For some reason, Monday and Tuesday I was incredibly emotional, and all the Ativan in the world wouldn't make a difference (I tried!). A big part of it is watching the love of my life go through this misery, and not being able to do a damn thing about it to help. Part of it is fear as I start to think about what's next, since treatment is nearly finished. I suppose part is just getting worn down from 10 weeks of doctors and treatment. And a piece or two is from total lack of a routine. Or maybe it's just the fact that we missed Mooney's party (hope you guys didn't blow away)!!!

Sorry to be such a downer this evening, but it's as honest as I can be. My puddles have finally lessened, and I'm hoping Al can get a better night's sleep since he's coughing less. I'm going to sign off to get his drugs set for the morning, and get to bed early.

Thanks for your notes, cards and calls. It really DOES help to know we're in your hearts and prayers.

xoxoxo
Sharon