Stumbles Along the Way

Well, we have had a few stumbles in the last few months. I have finished up all my chemo and we quit the radiation with one treatment left. When we added the chemo to the radiation, it really did its number on me. Got to the point we were doing lag work nearly every day and all of my counts were doing nothing but going down. Last Saturday I took another fall and it had gotten to the point it was all I could do to walk across the room. When I fell, I cut my lip open, bruised my chin and my right knee. On Monday when we did lab Dr. Adams decided it was time to put me in the hospital. My platelet count was 20, white cell count 1.3 and red count was 7.1. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium were completely depleted. Was seeing spots before my eyes 90% of the time and had a pounding in my head that sounded like someone putting a roof on next door. That was about 95% of the time on that. Was having nose bleeds again and coughing up blood again. So into the hospital we went.

By Tuesday am my counts were down even further. While in the hospital they gave me 6 pints of blood, 2 bags of platelets, 2 small bags each of potassium, magnesium and calcium. Tuesday night finally put me on oxygen as I was having such a hard time breathing and my oxygen level was way down. Finally released from hospital Thursday evening. Had to go back to lab and dr on Friday am to be sure they were still climbing and had not taken a downward turn again. They were up some more. My platelets count is now back up to 21. Yeah!!!!!!!!

Go back to the infusion center in the am, yes Sunday morning, and have lab and if the counts are not still coming up will have another bag of platelets. I don't know how I would have handled all of this had it not been for Leo, Lori and Liz. Lori stayed with me every night and Liz and Leo split the day shift. I do not remember ever being so sick in my life. I am still a long way from being ready to run any races but am so much better than when I went into the hospital it is amazing. I know I still have to take it easy and with all the help I am getting that is really the easy part.

I was supposed to have had my last radiation last Tuesday but with being in the hospital and only having the one, Dr Adams and Dr Lee agreed one was not going to make all that much difference. If my blood keeps going up and everything stays on track I will have a CT scan on my chest on 5-19, See Dr. Adams on 5-20 and see Dr Lee on 5-21. The CT scan will let us know if we have all the cancer that was in the lung. BUT then we can not do any further testing until 7-21. Insurance says we can not do any of the other tests until 90 days after the final treatment. The latter part of July we will do bone scan. MRI, Pet scan, CT scans and anything else the doctors can think of doing. Just keep praying everything is going to go according to God's will and we will be okay.

Last week-end Lori came over and planted my new flower garden. So many pretty flowers and such beautiful colors. Can't begin to tell you what all she planted but it certainly is enjoyable watching it grow. She also put pretty cooper colored markers with the names of each flower on them so I would know what I have. I had gotten my finch feeders hung and have so many beautiful gold finch flitting in my back yard. Counted 20 one afternoon.

Disappointing me so much was the fact that my cousin from Borger was in town last week-end and had planned to come over on Sunday afternoon and spend Sunday night with me so we could just sit and visit. However, when my blood dropped so low, I couldn't have any company. Was certainly upsetting since we have not seen each other since 05. But her granddaughters live not too far from here so perhaps it won't be long until she is in town again and we will be able to visit.

I read an article today about knowing what your rope is and holding on to it. You are each a thread in my rope. Your love and support are what is keeping me up and going. I also know God is the glue that holds the threads together. Thanks to all of you for your prayers, cards, calls, love and support. I know I would not have gotten this far without each and every one of you. I have about 100 messages in my mail box but wanted to get this off to all of you and let you know what is going on. Love all of you.

Charlie
Charlie's Journey

The Joys of Cancer

The joys of cancer never seem to end! At present time, I am having radiation every day Mon thru Fri. Only have 13 treatments left. Yeah!!! Monday the doctor discovered that the radiation was burning the esophagus and the spinal column. So had to go to simulation again and have a new mold made so they could send the beam to the same place but through a different pathway. I have had horrible pain in my throat and chest due to the radiation being so near the esophagus. Therefore I am on 4 different pain meds and can't really say any of them are helping. It is very difficult to eat and hard to talk. Not to eat anything hot or cold. Room temperature. Nothing spicy or rough. What does that leave to eat? They also take an xray once a week in radiation and I have to see the radiologist doctor once a week.

I have chemo once a week now. They said that would make the radiation more effective. Only 1/2 the strength of what I was getting at the first. But still takes 3 hours to run it through. Only 2 more chemos!
Double yeah!!!! HOWEVER, they discovered yesterday, due to low blood pressure, 86/54, that I am now dehydrated. They added a liter of fluid to my chemo yesterday. That added an hour to the chemo time. I will have another liter of fluid tomorrow and see where we go from there.

Had to go to the family doctor on Monday as had to have a physical in order to get my prescriptions refilled. Everything went well there. Did have to do some lab but not for blood count as have to have that done at the cancer center once a week. Dr. Bruchow, the family doctor, called this am and my cholesterol is way up again so am changing my meds on that. Have to see him again in 2 months.

Also saw the pulmonary doctor, Dr. Gilbey on 3-25 for a breathing test. Saw him again 3-31 and seems I have 55% damage to my air ways. But they are clear of cancer. He put me on 2 inhalers to see if he would help to improve my breathing any at all. Also said my sinus were out of wack (anything about me that isn't)
and put me on nasal spray and pill. See him again in 6 weeks.

Did have one bright spot in all of this as Kaye Lynn and Robin came in on Easter Sunday night and spent Monday with us and left early Tuesday. Sure did enjoy having them here. Was such a special time.

I know I need to send email to many of you personally and believe me you are all on my mind. But as perhaps you have figured out, I just don't have time for much of anything except doctors. I have kept each one and will get them answered but may just take me awhile. Between keeping the roads hot and trying to get some rest it just doesn't leave much time.

I do so appreciate all the calls, cards, email, and most definitely the prayers. There is no way I could get through any of this without all of you, God and Leo. Thanks so much just for being there for me.

Love Charlie