Yesterday I was a mess, but today I am feeling hopeful....
Yesterday
- Brace was released from Hoag hospital in Newport Beach around 2pm. Bryan and Chase Lake helped us carry all the stuff I had towed in there out to the car. Remember we were there Dec 23, 24, 25 and 26th, so that is a lot of stuff for him and us. They gave us one more shot to help build the white blood cells while we were getting packed up.
- Why was he released?
- His white blood cell count numbers jumped from .4 to 2.8. It is supposed to be between 4.0 and 10.5 but they thought that was high enough. On 12/12 he was at 9.3.
- None of the cultures came back with an infection.
- His fever was gone as of Thursday.
- In the hospital
- Dr. Nguyen increase his patch to deal with his pain and increased his Neurontin. He was pretty high in the hospital, but he seems like himself today and the pain is still manageable. He still feels absolutely miserable but no shooting pain.
- Dr. Carroll said that head and neck surgery is the most miserable cancer because you can't eat, have trouble swallowing and your head, nose and throat are in constant pain from the treatments. Brace liked hearing this.
- He only woke up once last night for pain meds. The pain meds are liquid and are difficult to prepare so it is a two-person affair. (I also don't like him doing the measuring while he is sleepy in the middle of the night while on pain meds)
- Yesterday his formula pump broke so I was on tech support for a while with them trying to fix it. Until we got the new pump this morning from home health, he was doing gravity feeding. He doesn't seem drugged today like he was in the hospital. You might ask why this is connected.... If you are sleepy while holding a tube of formula in your bed you fall asleep and spill the formula all over the bed. No spillage today. :)
- Today was treatment #26 for radiation and Jim Hope was kind enough to drive him. This was his first day back so we were both pretty anxious about it all. He came back alive and breathing. Pretty good considering. His last treatment was the Monday before Christmas. Then after treatment we went to the hospital because he had what was called neutropenia. (Chemotherapy often leads to a reduced white blood cell count, called neutropenia. This condition causes the patient's body to be less effective at fighting off infection. Neutropenic fever is common in chemotherapy patients)
- Since about a week ago he is really liking the magic mouthwash. At the beginning of treatment he felt like it didn't help that much. Now he loves taking it. It is a compound medicine that numbs his throat and gives him relief.
- Kamie Robinson, our Utah adopted daughter, is the roommate that introduced Kjarstin and James together. She was in Southern California for the holidays and came to visit her California Dad - Brace. When they came Dad was at the table eating two peeled pear slices, a sip of gourmet rootbeer, a glass of dark chocolate almond milk and a few pieces of a quesadilla. (and previously 2,000 calories of formula through his tube) . I think he ate more today than in the last month combined. It doesn't make sense since he had radiation today, but I'll take it. Distance from chemo treatment does help his taste buds.
- Then he decided we could walk Chimney Rock Circle. I think this was his first walk for a few weeks so this was a great sign. All six of us Kjarstin, James, Kamie, Nish, Brace and I slowly walked our short street.
- Then Brace announced he wanted to have a snowball fight. No one knew what he meant but me. The Van Denburg's gave us California snowballs that looked like 20 very large cotton balls. They played for probably 15-minutes and then he collapsed.
- Last night, James was kind enough to put my voice teacher desk and computer in our room so we could watch things together. We watched several Book of Mormon videos together and then he decided to turn off the lights. (If you have ever wondered about the Book of Mormon, they are short 5-15 minute clips that are quite enjoyable.) . Then I came in the other room, to update the blog and Facebook.
What's Left?
- 7-8 radiation treatments.
- We've finished 3 rounds of chemo and we have 3 rounds to go. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday each round. 18 day break in between. They will add an infusion for white blood cell repair on the Friday after 3 days of chemo
- Thank you to the Webber boys for taking my trash cans out and for Bob bringing them in. I heard Bob bring them in right now. :)
- Thank you for the 12 gifts of Christmas from our anonymous friends. The scriptures spoke to our heart every day. They seemed to be chosen based on what trial we were experiencing that day. The picture below shows the beautiful nativity picture, #12 gift.
- Thank you to Jim Hope for driving today and Monday.
- Thank you to Bryan and Chase for helping us in the hospital
- Thank you to Gerald Dayley for being a great friend.
- Thank you to David Crest in Texas for sending the picture of the bunk beds we sold him in pieces. Such handsome boys.
- Thank you again to Ali Zor, Beverlee Leung and Elena Nelson for taking care of Penelope on Christmas.
- Thank you to our great Chimney Rock neighbors
- Griffin - beautiful poinsettia
- Williams - fun soap and card
- Van Denburgs - California snowballs
- Jones - French vanilla hot coco
- Debellis - herbal tea and beautiful towels including O Come All Ye Faithful
- Neely - candy and card. :)
- Arlene Wooford - the beautiful handmade snowman
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