Completed First Round of Chemo

Robert finished his first round of chemo. Initially they said he only had to do this twice, but now since the 2 new spots showed up on the PET they are talking about a third treatment. I really hope he does not have to have the third treatment. This first round was really bad for him. He was so dehydrated by the time we got to the cancer clinic he could barely walk or even talk. After several attempts the chemo nurse finally got an iv going and his color was back in his cheeks in about an hour. The chemo Dr. has ordered hydration for Robert every Mon. Wed. and Fri. now until he can get this nausea under control. That will be really good for him. The chemo drugs can cause kidney damage so they are not taking any chances. He always feel so much better after he gets hydration. Robert not only has the nausea to deal with now he has thrush in his mouth. They have put him on so many new drugs. It is so hard keeping them straight. He is taking steroids, and sleeping pills because the steroids keep him awake. 3 types of nausea meds. One is Kytril which is $126.00 for 9 pills with our insurance. Thanks to Sandi and Mick, maybe Robert will not have to suffer as much. They are paying for his nausea meds. Do I have a great family or what? They said Robert will probably have the side effects for a couple more weeks and then the next treatment will be in 3 weeks, so it looks like he should have 1 one week without nausea, of course that's when the radiation people said the radiation will start kicking his butt. Does this sound like a nightmare? Well let me tell you it is. After all this there are still no guarantees, and like the last chemo he received there is a chance he could get cancer from the chemo drugs. Yes indeed a really bad nightmare. Are you kidding me? O'k I am rambling now so I better sign off. Thanks for reading my ramblings and will keep you posted.

Love to all,

Judy

Discouraging Update...

Hello to all! I just wanted to give all a quick update on Robert's treatments this week. He started radiation Wednesday, and we got the results back from the PET scan. Unfortunately there are 2 nodes that showed up on the scan that were cancerous. They are in the sternum area. One looked to be pretty big. The radiation dr. told us they were in an area the would not be operable, due to their location being close to the heart. We are going to get copies of the scan and send it to Roberts surgeon anyway and get his opinion. The scan showed that all Roberts organs were clear, so that is really good news and we are going to focus on that right now. We were both really blown away when we saw the scan. The winds were really knocked out of our sail, but Robert has great faith that the chemo and radiation will take care of this. So I guess thats as good as it gets right now. I admit I am scared as hell right now and angry, but Robert has such strength I look at him and think if he can have that attitude then who am I to doubt his determination.

Robert started his chemo today. The chemo nurse said Robert will lose his hair this time. My friend Lisa Garvin and I have been telling him that since his head is all swollen from the fluid that he will look like ET when his hair is gone. They said the nausea side effects should show up in about 2 to 3 days. We were hoping we could get out and do something fun Saturday, but I guess we will just have to wait til Talledega Sunday.

Please keep Robert in your prayers, he really needs them now.

Preparing for radiation and chemo again.

Well Robert has been preparing for radiation and chemo again. Robert is recovering really well from his right side neck dissection; you can barely see a scar. We met with Roberts’s chemo dr. this past Monday and he said Robert needs to have chemo again. This time instead of the drugs Taxotere and Paraplatin he is going to give him 5 FU and Cisplapin. Robert will have a pump that will distribute the chemo over 5 days and they will wait a month and do the same again. Robert had to have a mediport put in since he will be coming home with the drugs. We met with the surgeon on Tuesday, and Wednesday we had to go to the hospital for the pre-op. And then back to Paris again today for the surgery. The surgery went really well. When the dr. was telling us about the 1% chance of complications, I just about lost it that is another story, will come to that in a minute. Anyway, everything went well. He now has the port in his chest and they can use that for chemo, drawing blood, hydrating if he needs it, instead of having an IV started every time. We go back to Paris tomorrow (Friday, Robert’s birthday) for the PET scan. Dr. Kerley wants results from the scan before radiation is started on Wednesday and the chemo will start next Thursday. Robert has had 3 surgeries in the last month I think he has had his share and then some. He is ready to get the treatments started. The dr. said he will not feel any side effects for a couple of weeks from the radiation and the side effects from chemo will be pretty much like last year. We will keep the blog updated and let everyone know the results from the pet scan.

O’k now the story about the 1%. As some of you know my mother had an angioplasty last week. What was supposed to be a routine surgery with only a 1% or less chance of complications. Well my mother is now a not so proud member of the 1% club. Not really sure what happened, Sandi who mother told everyone in the hospital she was a RN could answer that. What I understand is that either during the operation an artery as accidentally cut or the splint that was put in did not seal like it should and caused her major problems. What turned out to be a day surgery turned in to 3 nights in ICU and another emergency surgery and 7 pints of blood later she was finally out of the woods. It was a really scary time and I am so thankful she had Benny and Sandi there with her during that scary time. The staff at Baylor was absolutely wonderful. Mother’s surgeons and all the nurses she had were so great to her. She not only scared her family, but she had quite a few staff members worried. One nurse that was with Mother during her scary ordeal came to visit her when she finally got in a private room and told her, that has happened twice there, the first man died and the second was Mother. Mother is home recovering, she is doing good, still really weak but getting stronger everyday. The lesson we need to learn from this is do not take for granted the routine things and do not pass up a chance to tell your loved ones how you feel. So Benny, thank you so much for your love and care you give my Mother.

Love and prayers,
Judy

Latest on Trail Blazer!!

Robert was released from the hospital on Saturday and we headed home as soon as we could. It was so nice to be home, I can not tell you. Robert is healing really well. We saw the radiation dr. Thursday and then Friday it was back to Dallas for Dr. Oxford to remove the last drain and for the post–op checkup. Dr. Oxford has turned Robert over to the radiation dr. (Kurley) until a month after his last radiation treatment. That is right more radiation. Dr. Kurley said he will probably recommend for Robert to have 30 radiation treatments which will be everyday for 6 weeks and chemo once a week. He and the chemo dr. will get together and come up with the best plan for Robert. We will go back to Paris Tuesday to meet with them and hear the plan they come up with. Dr. Oxford is going to recommend a ct scan on Roberts tongue to Dr. Kurley. Dr. said the path came back clear and he did not see anything on his tongue, but they want to be positive before starting any radiation, because once they start the radiation on the right side then that will be it. So if they missed anything it would be too late then. We asked, if Dr. Oxford got all the cancerous nodes out then why chemo and radiation again? They said with this type of cancer it is very prone to coming back and we need to fight it with everything we can. Robert is so strong and he has so much trust in his doctors not to mention his strong faith. He is really swollen and really sore, since he has no lymph nodes on his right side or left (dr. removed 63 nodes and only the 2 Robert found were cancerous) so it will take a while for the fluid to find new paths. Right now his right eye is one of those paths. Tears are just pouring out. I told him I would get him a patch to cover that eye, but he just shook his head no. Hope all has a good weekend and enjoy the great weather. Will post again after the apt. Tuesday.

Go # 88 Dale Jr.!!

Also, my mother is having her first of at least 2 surgeries Tuesday, our thoughts and prayers will be with her and Benny, wish we could be there with ya, but know we are thinking about you. So hurry and recover and get up here and let’s catch some trout!!

Deja Vue Robert clears first hurdle (or is the 50th I lost count)

Robert made it through surgery with flying colors. Dr. Oxford said he removed approximately 40 lymph nodes on the right side. He removed all the lymph nodes on the left last year during Robert's first neck dissection. They are testing the lymph nodes to determine how many were cancerous. We will have the results early next week. Dr. Oxford is recommending chemo and radiation again, but it will be up to the radiation Dr. if Robert can have more radiation. Dr. Oxford said this type of cancer has such a high return rate that we need to fight this with all we can. Robert was in surgery for 3 hours and in recovery for 3 hours. They were having trouble managing his pain and you can tell why by the look of these pictures. No I did not find the old photos and re-post them. Cassie said Robert's neck will now be symmetrical. Dr. Oxford said Robert will be here in the hospital for 2 to 3 days. He will have lots of time to read all your comments. Thanks to Mimi and PaPa, Sandi, Mick and Morgan, Julie and Jillian for all your support, I can not tell you how much Cassie appreciate you and this day would have been ALOT longer without you being here.

Love,
Judy and Robert

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! Hope the Easter bunny visited each and every one. Wanted to update everyone on Robert. Robert had the biopsy last Wednesday, Dr. Oxford told us that the preliminary report is that the cancer is not on Roberts tongue. Dr. Oxford should get the final report Monday. If it still shows no cancer in the tongue then Robert will have surgery Wednesday to have to cancer in his neck removed. If the final tests come back that there is cancer in the tongue then the whole game plan will change. We are not sure about chemo and radiation yet. We will know more after the surgery Wednesday. Robert will have to be in the hospital a couple of days. Robert complains his throat is really sore from the biopsy and the tube they stuck down his throat, so he is not looking forward to surgery again so soon. Please continue to keep him in your prayers and thanks again for your support. Also, my mother (Rhea) is going to have to have surgery also in the near future to go in and clean out her veins and arteries. We will also find out Wednesday what and when she will be facing. So please keep her in your prayers also. O'k I am almost done, one more we have a cousin (Greg Baine) in Iraq, please pray for him and every soldier over there and their families. O'k that should do it for now. Thank you again, and please let me know if there is anyone you need me to add to my special prayer list.
Hope you all have a great week. We will post again as soon as we know something different.

Sincerely,
Judy and Robert

Headed back to Baylor!!

We went to Dallas at Baylor Friday to my E.N.T. Dr. and did my head, neck, chest x-ray. We got the results back Monday around 5:00 p.m. Dr. Oxford said everything was clear except for the 2 knots that I found earlier on my right side of my neck. They were positive for cancer. I found a spot on my tongue in the back and he was concerned with that, so he wanted a biopsy of it and also on the back side at the base of my tongue. He told us that I would have to be put to sleep to do this procedure, so I am scheduled for surgery Wednesday March 18, 2008 at 11:30. Please pray for Judy & me that the biopsy will come back negative! Once this is done he said he would schedule my neck surgery for the following week to remove the lymph nodes on that side regarding my biopsy on my tongue came back negative. I thank each & every one of you for your love, prayers, cards, phone calls that you have given us. I am so thankful for my Doctors that God has given me. I know that God is not going to let me down now so I keep going on with HIS strength each day!! It has been 14 months since my first surgery and I am just now getting my strength back from that so I will be going into this surgery almost at full strength.

We would like to send out a special thank you to our preacher Harold and his wife Pat and our church family at Lakeside Christian. Thank you so much for making us feel like part of the family from the first day we visited. Your special prayer Sunday and your donation mean more to us than we can ever express.