Not home today- but dogs visit

Pictures: Julie, Ruthie and Dave; Audrey, Julie, Ruthie and Dave + the IV.

Feeling better after the radiation consult. First radiation is tomorrow morning. Dave's platelets were down to about 33,000 this morning, so he did get 1 unit of platelets today. WBC 5.4, so off of the Neupogen and antibiotics. Best news of all- Dave's pre-albumin is up to 11. The dietitian added some protein powder and Carnation Breakfast to his diet. We need to be aggressive because of the esophagus issues coming with radiation. Plan is to let him free tomorrow. I thought a trip outside and visit with some of the dogs would be good for him, MD agreed. About 2 pm Lindsey and Julie came over and got Dave outside. I waited with Audrey and Ruthie by the front of the hospital. At first the dogs were scared, but then so happy to see him. Not the best day outside, fairly warm but windy and overcast. We stayed out for about 20 minutes, then Lindsey and Julie got Dave back to his room and I took the puppies home. Van S, Loni, Phil, Catherine T., Catherine S. and Dianne I. came by for short visits. 5 pm Dave went down for his repeat brain MRI that was due this week. They'll see if he needs targeted radiation to any areas.

Well, it's 8:30 pm... I watching Dancing with the Stars and Dave's taking a snooze. My job is supporting me being off this week. I'm hoping it's our last night here. I'm ready to be home too. Thanks for all the support!

Radiation

We met with the Radiology Oncologist this morning. He said Dave will get radiation for a couple weeks and then have a break for a week...re-evaluate....and repeat. Sounds like a recipe. He feels there will be no problem opening the bronchi, has had good results with worse situations. He also said it should remain open for a while....good news! The bad part is because the esophagus is in the radiation field, he will have more problems swallowing. So I'm working on a new plan for nutrition. Thinking it will include small meals (or shakes) every 2 to 3 hours...on the clock, no matter what. I guess I'll let him sleep at night. Gotta build him up for more camp fires.

We're waiting for the hospitalist and hopefully dc home today. I'll update later.

Just still pooped

Pictures: Dave, Kay, Emma and Claire; Emma and Claire with their art work; Ev, Dave and Kay.

Dave is still pretty tired. He did take a walk around the 4th floor. I was trying to get him outside in a w/c.... maybe later. The Brady brothers stopped by this afternoon. Hartzells popped in for a few minute before that....Dave was napping. I went home for awhile and we got the beds made at home...ready for Mr. Maki. He still has a terribly bad appetite... I'm trying to work my magic spell- we'll see. I think he's getting a little tired of "nurse Maki". We also got a visit from the Dines, Emma and Claire brought us some art. The large poster is Emma's and she brought it by to show us...and to cheer us up. Now Dave needs to rest. I think we should watch his rest time. I'll work on that.

It's a New day...and a new week

MD's were here early today. Platelets are down a little. If he has any bleeding today they'll give him some more platelets. May stop the IV antibiotics today too. Oncologist hopes we can get him home tomorrow. They will start the radiation in the morning and we'll go from there.

Dave's goal today is to "troll the hallways". It's amazing how weak lying in bed can make a person. We just went around the whole floor (he was trying to show off I think). Dave did great, but he's pooped.

I'm actually going to leave him alone (how funny to say...with all the nurses and staff...) and go home for awhile. Hope to give him a wheel chair ride outside for a little bit this afternoon.

It tends to even out with time.

Dave made a good turn this morning. His hemoglobin and platelets are staying stable. Coughing up minimal amounts of blood. WBC's up to 2.5. He's out of isolation. MD came by and said he's going in the right direction. Saw the oncologist this afternoon. How do they get this way of making you feel better... no matter what? He said Dave is done with chemo, his body can't take it anymore. His infection was due to the counts being so low and he just couldn't recover from it. Since his labs are starting to improve, they'll start lung radiation Monday and hopefully he can go home by Tuesday. The radiation should help open up the left bronchial and his lung will open up again. Big sigh and fingers crossed. He also feels Dave can start taking a pill (I can never remember the name) that's for lung cancer and can also help with the brain tumors. We can follow up at their office after he goes home and get information and a rX. He said Dave can have radiation at the same time and this pill won't affect his blood counts. We know none of these current treatments are a cure, but they are a method to make Dave feel better so he can enjoy the rest of his life. No one has a crystal ball that will tell us how long that will be.

Since Dave has been so weak, we decided this week to get a bed in the living room so he doesn't have to walk as far. My mom let us borrow her twin craftmatic bed. Mom, George and Mark Lester set up the living room today. Then my mom came over to see Dave. Several other visitors today including Tom and Suzanne and also Kay. Now we just have to work out the front patio/stairs and we're ready for almost anything.

It feels like we just went through a roll over on the roller coaster. A little check on how precious our time together is and how great our friends and families are too!

Surprise visitors....more news

Pictures: Cookie, Terry Brady, Chuck and Steve saying bye for now; Dave and Steve.

Lots of laughing around the patient this evening. Tim and Joni brought me dinner, which we ate while Dave napped. Then the Hartzell's came by with Steve Cook and Terry Brady. We all had quite a few laughs which felt great after our news today. Dave's lung cancer is blocking one of his main bronchus and causing the pleural effusion, etc. He is short of breath with activity, but not at rest. Still having occasional nausea. Less coughing up blood today. Hemoglobin went back down some this morning, so he did have another unit of blood. The oncologist didn't make it in today, he's coming in tomorrow to discuss everything with us. Dave will start lung radiation on Monday to make it easier for him to breathe. Dave's goal is to get home, that's my goal too. Will have more information in the morning. Lots of thanks to Joni and Julie, you both helped me so much today.

2 steps forward, 1 step back

Dave had a busy day. Lab draw, PIC line, dietitian, Physical Therapy and MD all before 3 pm. PIC line went in easy and all Dave really felt was the lidocaine injection. The antibiotics continued all day. He will get Vancomycin levels tomorrow am. Dave's pre-albumin is 7, normal is 16 to 35. He will start getting HealthyShot for a supplement. PT thought Dave's strength is pretty good. Suggested a walker so he can rest when needed. And he got some exercises. MD came by when I went home for a shower. He said Dave was looking better, hemoglobin was up to 8.7 (7.9 in ER). Platelets up to 66,000. But, they still don't know where the infection is at.

Then around 4:30 pm he started coughing up blood again. Dave's nurse called his hospitalist. They got a stat CBC and a stat Chest ct-scan. We spoke with the MD. He said Dave has a pleural effusion and we really needed the ct-scan to see what's going on with his left lung. He gave Dave another unit of platelets. Hemoglobin this pm 8.5, platelets are 56,000. WBCs are 1.4. No more blood tonight. Meeting with oncologist, hospitalist and us to figure out where we stand tomorrow. Dave feels a little better this evening- he needs his rest.