Brace is the Man

Monday: Infusion center called and said that Tecentriq (Immunotherapy) was cancelled since it wasn't approved. For four hours I talked to Blue Cross and the Infusion Center. It was approved in January after two treatments already happened so infusion couldn't understand that only two happened since then. I finally was able to explain it to everyone and we got back on the calendar for Tuesday. Tuesday: 8:30AM Dental Oncologist . Dr. Lowe told us that if he brushed his tongue three times a day for 30 times he would get his taste buds back in 2-3 weeks. Great news is by Thursday he could taste things. 10am Immunotherapy for 1.5 hours at the infusion center. We have one more treatment approved in 3 weeks. The next four are in the approval process now. Dr. Carroll wants him to do it for a year every three weeks but it is so expensive that they approve 4 at a time. 1:15PM Met with Palliative Doctor . I received forgiveness for taking him off all pa...

Feb 14th, Saturday We got a text from Dr Carroll today and he approved a blood draw for tomorrow to check his levels and get hydration. We are almost home. Brace screwed a few power failure lights on today. To give me a sense or order in my life I decided to clear off the granite and take a picture. We talked to the tree trimmer today and the blinds for the small windows were installed. (they look beautiful) Tomorrow the painters are coming to paint the mantle and bunk room (6 queen size be ds). The other master bedrooms are done. You have to read the last line on the T-shirt picture that the young Heather Savage sent. Happy V day. We are going to try to see She Loves Me the musical tomorrow at Sergestrom. Penelope’s favorite musical. Sad but true Penelope Lake, we will miss you. James and Kjarstin and the Winkler’s are going. Assuming we get some blood or feel great off the mountain. So when we got home Friday night,  I continued to wonder why Brace was feeling so bad and we we...

So on Wednesday we drove up the mountain. I took Brace off all his meds so he could drive. He was very happy to not be a passenger. We arrived and he didn't really feel so good. He barely slept at night. I think the nausea meds might create insomnia. It didn't matter when he was on pain meds. :) The next night I took him off all the nausea meds and that seemed to help. He hoped to be able to work here at the lake a little, but he has been very very weak. I texted Dr. C arroll and he said the altitude might mess with his anemia. We are going down the mountain on Friday to test his blood levels to see if he needs some more blood. Thank you to Bob Demmon. Thank you to Michelle for offering to do a UPS run. Thank you to Bev for getting our meds at Walmart. Last Monday, we met with three doctors which included Dr. Chou the radiologist and the Oncology Dietician. Everyone seems to think it will take Brace a long time to eat normally without salivary glands. They th...

Friday Feb 7th:  It was a rough week, but yesterday was fabulous.  It started with hydration at 11am in Irvine.  They also had an order to do a blood workup to send to Dr. Carroll for our appointment in Newport at 2pm.  They got the first results and were very concerned with his hemoglobin numbers. No surprise to me, I think he was the worst on Tuesday and was improving slowing.  (Who knows what the #'s were on Tuesday) They immediately took him off hydration and sent us straight to see Dr. Carroll in Newport at 12:00 even though our appointment was at 2pm. We met with Dr. Carroll and he quickly approved a blood transfusion.  We've never done that before. Then Brace explained to Dr. Carroll how worried he was at the thought of doing chemo one more time.  We've completed 5 so far.  Dr. Carroll said that 6 is the max you can do for this regiment. He then said the idea is to take someone to the edge of death and he felt we had definitely done that...

Saturday: Feb 1st: This morning Brace started throwing up on an empty stomach. At 10am we went to a hydration infusion hoping that might help. We were there for two hours. We are asking the doctor to add anti-nausea for Monday's hydration infusion. Went to Walmart to get a refill of anti-nausea meds. I had a fun chat with Doug Krauss taking his grandaughter out for a walk. Insurance doesn't approve him taking more than one Zofran a day so I just purchased out of pocket. Not expensive but it is a production. He keeps throwing up and feeling absolutely awful. If we can just hold on until the end of next week.... Maybe he will feel better then.... Then we have our last chemo week at the end of February. Sunday, Feb 2nd: Rough day started with throwing up upon waking up.  It just breaks my heart to watch. When he throws up it is usually violent and repetitive.  The good news is he has always seems to know about 30 seconds before it comes so he always makes it to the bathroom....