We made the last oncologist visit of the year!!!
Bob still has one chemo left---- on new year's eve. He had one today and is hanging in pretty well, not feeling unwell yet.
The chemo has been changed to once every other week. The blood numbers came up very well by not having chemo every week.
There is still no sign of any active myeloma in the marrow. PTL
We have complained about Bob's pain in the hip (actually on the back of the pelvis) so much that I am sure everyone is tired of it!!!!! It still was not under control and he was becoming more sleepy and disorientated. Fortunately, when the oncology nurse came to call him into the appointment-- Bob was sleeping. I think she realized that yes this was not good. How does one have a life?
Bob has been changed to another drug, in patch form, to handle the pain. The patch is to last 72 hours so we will see. He needed to take a break through 5mg morphine this am but otherwise it is all good. He feels better!!!
This can be tweaked a fair bit before it is not effective. Looking way better. Next stop would be the pain clinic.
January 4, 2016 Bob is back to work. Still on the old schedule--some days at the estate and some days in the city. We were getting the hang of being full time together-- and no other work. I will miss Bob but this will be very good for him. We will see how he makes out. Praying he will be able to physically and mentally manage the drive, the full day and the work.
Almost time to close the door on 2015. This has not been our best year, but it has been a great year in terms of stretching our faith and trusting God, so for that we are thankful.
Merry Christmas, enjoy the time with whomever you get to spend Christmas with. The movie Robin Williams was in......can't for the life of me remember the name of it......but the slogan was carpe diem----seize the day. We are trying to seize each day with only the positive of the day and letting the negative just collapse upon itself.
Our wishes, for calmness and much joy for the Season, to each of you.
Friday, December 18, 2015
Saturday, December 5, 2015
DAY 100
Today is day 100, post transplant. This marks the end of the early recovery phase of Bob's care. Not sure how to celebrate this day!!!! In school they have day 100----100 days of school. Each child brings 100 items of something----lots of counting involved (which is the whole point, duh). So I asked Bob what will you bring to 100 day post transplant??? Let's sing this list to the tune of a Partridge in a Pear Tree: 100 blood tests, 100 doctor visits, 100 chemo injections, 100 visits to the drugstore, 100 trips to Tom Baker, 1 million pills swallowed,???? (1 million ! oh Bob!!!! that is 10,000 x 100) and 1 amazing oncologist....................
Bob is doing well. He is tired but kicking the tiredness the best he can. We (shhhh don't tell the nurses) are playing with the morphine and almost have the recipe for pain control. Bob has each measurement of morphine--3mg, 6mg,of hydro morphine then 5mg of regular??morphine. We are keeping track of what allows him to be pain free come the morning and then keeps him free all day. We think we have it!!!!! That will be the biggest accomplishment for now.
Bob has had 3 injections of velcade so far and has one more before we see Dr. Bahlis. There are no steroids along with the velcade so the blood tests Bob takes for diabetes are staying normal. PTL--all below 10 and most below 8. We are so thankful for that. The day after the velcade (today) is a lousy day for Bob --just not feeling well plus a sense of not being able to get his breath. This is only for one day. Thankful for that too. His blood counts are falling though. The major number is for the neutrophils. Should this fall below the magic number he may not be given the velcade. We are thinking that perhaps it would be good to go through the Christmas week without the chemo as it is now scheduled for both Christmas Eve and New Years eve. The "normal" numbers for the neutrophils are between 2.0 and 8.0. Bob started the velcade with a count over 7., last week was 2.5 and this week we are down to 1.9. WBC is now 4.7, HGB is 112, Platelets 88. So we shall see what happens, but Bob may need a break to recover some more.
As life stands today Bob is going to go back to work come January. He is planning for 3 days at the estate and 2 days in the city. He is able to take time needed for blood work, appointments and chemo. We are so thankful to God for Exploron Corp. and how they have cared for Bob. Bob loves his job and is now working for the benefits!!!! !Plus his salary!!!!!
Enjoy this advent season with all the busyness and excitement.
Bob is doing well. He is tired but kicking the tiredness the best he can. We (shhhh don't tell the nurses) are playing with the morphine and almost have the recipe for pain control. Bob has each measurement of morphine--3mg, 6mg,of hydro morphine then 5mg of regular??morphine. We are keeping track of what allows him to be pain free come the morning and then keeps him free all day. We think we have it!!!!! That will be the biggest accomplishment for now.
Bob has had 3 injections of velcade so far and has one more before we see Dr. Bahlis. There are no steroids along with the velcade so the blood tests Bob takes for diabetes are staying normal. PTL--all below 10 and most below 8. We are so thankful for that. The day after the velcade (today) is a lousy day for Bob --just not feeling well plus a sense of not being able to get his breath. This is only for one day. Thankful for that too. His blood counts are falling though. The major number is for the neutrophils. Should this fall below the magic number he may not be given the velcade. We are thinking that perhaps it would be good to go through the Christmas week without the chemo as it is now scheduled for both Christmas Eve and New Years eve. The "normal" numbers for the neutrophils are between 2.0 and 8.0. Bob started the velcade with a count over 7., last week was 2.5 and this week we are down to 1.9. WBC is now 4.7, HGB is 112, Platelets 88. So we shall see what happens, but Bob may need a break to recover some more.
As life stands today Bob is going to go back to work come January. He is planning for 3 days at the estate and 2 days in the city. He is able to take time needed for blood work, appointments and chemo. We are so thankful to God for Exploron Corp. and how they have cared for Bob. Bob loves his job and is now working for the benefits!!!! !Plus his salary!!!!!
Enjoy this advent season with all the busyness and excitement.
Jesus is the reason for the season.
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