Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Merry Christmas and Happy Healthy New Year!
Robert and I want to wish each and everyone a very Happy and Healthy New Year! We are in Dallas this evening, Robert has chemo early Wednesday morning and then we will head home tomorrow afternoon. Robert and I had a very nice and quiet Christmas. We missed being with our family this year, but we have spent so much time traveling back and forth to Dallas, we just needed to be at home this year. Robert is having weekly chemo treatments and chemo days come around way too often. This terrible disease called cancer takes away so many things from you and changes your life in ways you could never imagine. One of the ways is it creates isolation and loneliness. Robert has to be careful in public places, he can not afford to be in contact with anyone who is sick. The chemo is still making him weak and Robert is still losing weight. He weighed 159 today, I suspect he will be lectured again by his dietitian tomorrow. Robert has been eating as much as he can, but just can not maintain his weight. The procedure he was suppose to have a couple of weeks ago to have his esophagus stretched, did not go as planned, so we are going to try it again next week. We will be back in Dallas next Tuesday, for a PET scan, Wednesday for Chemo and then Thursday he will have the surgery to stretch his esophagus, to help him with swallowing pills. I will try to update the blog more frequently, Robert does read it and he would love to hear from you. I have asked him to get on here and say a few words. Maybe you can encourage him to do so. Thanks again for all your encouraging emails and cards. They really do help with the long lonely days for Robert.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Updates!
O'k it is time for an update! We have received emails wanting to know how Robert is doing and what is new on his treatments, also I need to update this site for me! When I wonder if we are to be in Dallas, Paris or home I can refer back to this..
Last week Robert saw his Oncologist(Dr. Nadler) and we informed him that Robert wants to continue chemo for a couple of months, and then after his next scan we will see where we are. Robert saw his ENT and we discussed with him Robert's difficulty in swallowing. He said there is not much he can due because of scar tissue from all the trauma from surgeries and 67 radiation treatments, but he did refer him to Dr. Burdick, GI,. Robert is scheduled for surgery Monday. We are hoping Dr. Burdick can stretch Robert's esophagus so maybe Robert can swallow meds and will be able to drink water without choking. Robert is anxious and has high expectations this will answer some prayers. It breaks my heart to see Robert just try to swallow a small pill.
Robert's blood count has been low the last couple of weeks. He is anemic, low magnesium and his white blood count has been low. His nutritionist is working with him closely to keep him as healthy as possible, while they inject poisons in him. But good news is Robert will not be receiving the high doses of chemo anymore. Dr. Nadler has changed the chemo treatments to weekly, with lower doses so the side effects are not as bad for him.
We met with Dr. Kerley (Robert's radiation dr.) in Paris today. We discussed possibly starting daily radiation treatments in January. With the findings of the latest CT scan, Dr. Nadler feels that Robert must have radiation if there is any chance of a cure. Dr. Kerley is going to study the ct scans and will determine if the cancer is outside the already radiated areas. If so, then as Dr. Nadler says we will go for broke. Dr. Nadler has been hesitant to start radiation to see if the cancer will respond to the chemo and make sure the cancer has not spread to other areas.
So to recap, this week: Today: Apt. with Kerley, Paris
Thursday: Apt. with Nadler and chemo, Baylor
Saturday: Canton, working for Mimi and Papaw
Monday: Surgery with Dr. Burdick, Baylor
Thursday: Apt. with Nadler and chemo, Baylor
Our specific prayers this week are: Robert continues to get stronger, Robert's blood count is up, surgery is a success and that cancer is outside the already radiated area to give Robert a fighting chance.
Last week Robert saw his Oncologist(Dr. Nadler) and we informed him that Robert wants to continue chemo for a couple of months, and then after his next scan we will see where we are. Robert saw his ENT and we discussed with him Robert's difficulty in swallowing. He said there is not much he can due because of scar tissue from all the trauma from surgeries and 67 radiation treatments, but he did refer him to Dr. Burdick, GI,. Robert is scheduled for surgery Monday. We are hoping Dr. Burdick can stretch Robert's esophagus so maybe Robert can swallow meds and will be able to drink water without choking. Robert is anxious and has high expectations this will answer some prayers. It breaks my heart to see Robert just try to swallow a small pill.
Robert's blood count has been low the last couple of weeks. He is anemic, low magnesium and his white blood count has been low. His nutritionist is working with him closely to keep him as healthy as possible, while they inject poisons in him. But good news is Robert will not be receiving the high doses of chemo anymore. Dr. Nadler has changed the chemo treatments to weekly, with lower doses so the side effects are not as bad for him.
We met with Dr. Kerley (Robert's radiation dr.) in Paris today. We discussed possibly starting daily radiation treatments in January. With the findings of the latest CT scan, Dr. Nadler feels that Robert must have radiation if there is any chance of a cure. Dr. Kerley is going to study the ct scans and will determine if the cancer is outside the already radiated areas. If so, then as Dr. Nadler says we will go for broke. Dr. Nadler has been hesitant to start radiation to see if the cancer will respond to the chemo and make sure the cancer has not spread to other areas.
So to recap, this week: Today: Apt. with Kerley, Paris
Thursday: Apt. with Nadler and chemo, Baylor
Saturday: Canton, working for Mimi and Papaw
Monday: Surgery with Dr. Burdick, Baylor
Thursday: Apt. with Nadler and chemo, Baylor
Our specific prayers this week are: Robert continues to get stronger, Robert's blood count is up, surgery is a success and that cancer is outside the already radiated area to give Robert a fighting chance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
