NQR - DH'S UPDATE

[PattyJo]

We went in for DH's chemo today and after talking with the Dr., he decided that Bill really needed a rest so he didn't have any treatment today and will have at least the next 2 weeks off. When we go back they will again look at his blood work and determine what to do at that time. I'm very releaved as bill had gotton so weak the past couple of weeks and with 2 other procedures also taking place within the last 2 weeks, he was all out physically & mentally.

So after we left the Dr's office, I was going to bring Bill back home and then go and run some erronds, but he decided that he wanted to go with me and we had a wonderful afternoon doing some shopping together. I think he was also very releaved to know that there wouldn't be any treatments for at least a couple of weeks. He always has the choice to either have a treatment or not, but he is such a fighter and doesn't want to jepordize or interupt the progress that he has made against this cancer.

Anyway, we are looking forward to a couple of weeks without as many Dr's appt's as usual. Still have 2 set for next week.

Thank you always for your prayers, thoughts and words of encouragement in this battle. Atilla the Hun has nothing on us! ! ! :cool:

[meg_marsh]

I am glad for the 2 of you - you really needed an afternoon just to enjoy. I hope DH builds some strength over the next 2 weeks. Will be good for him to have some time off - and for you too!! Will be thinking of you.

[RitaR]

So glad to hear some encouraging word.. PTL... and it's wonderful when you can enjoy something together, when one has been ill and tied up with Dr. visits..

God Bless, RitaR

[Sheri Butler]

Patty, you and your DH could sure use the break (time off) from that. Enjoy all 14 days of it! My prayers are still with you both.

Quilted Hugs,

[ramona-quilter]

Getting well is hard work, huh? You guys both need a break. Relax and enjoy each other without the worry of the next appt or procedure. Then you'll both be rested up for the next round.

You are both still in my prayers. There are so many of us talking about you and Bill. You know He's listening.

Big hug,

[PattyJo]

Thank you all. DH's whole attitude has had a turn for the better just knowing that he doesn't have to go thru that for a couple of weeks. It's like a big weight has been lifted off of him. We are both glad to have some time away from the chemo.

[Boni]

I can't begin to imagine what you and Bill go through each day. It does my heart good to hear little joys you can experience amid the pain and struggles. It makes me thankful for my DH and brings a little peace into our lives to know it is possible to be that close even during the valleys of our lives. Thank you Patty Jo and Bill for sharing your lives with us. My prayers are for your continued strength and endurance to run the race.

[cmoore1223]

Glad to hear you two get a break.

Enjoy and know that you're both in my prayers.

Coleen

[Mary Beth]

Patty Jo,

Glad to hear Bill gets a break. Now he can have time to rest and recoop and get some strenght back. Shopping is always good Did you take him to quilt stores...I know that always helps me This will be a time for you to rest too, unless of course the cat is still at it...then...well, you know.

Praying still!!

[appr216]

Patty Jo, So glad to hear you have some time off and could enjoy the "shopping trip" together. You and your family are in my prayers nightly. Judi

[SandraG]

1st have fun and do whatever Bill want to do. Even if is just laying in the bed next to each other and watching old movies or looking pictures. (Do try and stay away from large (germ-carrying) crowds.)I just want to let you know that there is the other side of chemo although at the time you do not think so. May times I told my doctor that I just could not do it anymore.

I decided after I was diagnosed to stay home most of the time. I have MRSA so I am very pron to infection. Every time I had surgery I got a staff infection.

You would have thought that I would have been able to get a lot of sewing done being at home for almost a year but no. I could not even flip channels on the TV. As a matter of fact I did not even want to turn on the TV. I did not feel sorry for myself, I was just sick.

When I went in to get the bloodwork done for my 4th treatment I did not feel great but I told my dr. I was doing ok. I can fake it real good. My mom, (who took me to all of my visits so DH could go to work) told the dr. that something was wrong with me. My bloodwork was fine so the chemo was scheduled for the following Monday, this was Friday.

On Sunday morning at 3:00 am I called my sister and told her to go to the store to get me some OJ. I have no recollection of this conversation. Later I told her that the drs were doing experiments on me.

Anyway to make a long story short :

I ended up in ICU with a blood pressure of about 60/40 (when they finally got it to read). My glucose was over 900 (thank you decodron) I had an infection somewhere and was just generally close to death. I do not remember anything about getting to the hospital. I have a vague memory of them putting a central line in my neck. (Later I realized I had 3 lines coming out of my neck and 3 in my port. I called them my dreadlocks.)

I was in ICU for a week then on to the oncology floor. I had picked up an infection from another person. Probably at the drs office. I was so careful to stay away from sick people. My oncologist apologized to my mom b/c she had told him in the office on Friday that something was wrong with me and by Sunday I was almost dead. He told my family that if we had waited another two hours I probably would not have made it. (Can you imagine me not being here to bug everybody!!!!)

OK let me get to my point. Patty Jo, hang in there. I am almost two years out from diagnosis and August makes one year out from treatment. No, I am not back to myself but am so much better than last year. Good luck and if you need to talk to someone give me a call. Just remember that you know more that the drs. about how DH feels and sometimes you have to put your foot down. I did learn thru my experience that we all get the healthcare we demand. Sometimes you just have to tell them what to do.

Ok, sorry for the all the mistakes it is hard to type when you can't see thru the tears but this was probably great therapy.

My cell si 225-715-5525 if you need to talk.

Sandra

[PattyJo]

Sandra, you really have been thru it and I'm glad that you are here to bug us! We have been staying away from large crowds and are going to church by watching the services online. Bill's 2nd round of chemo was last summer. He had a 1 month break from the first round (on a chemo pump 24/7 plus radiation for 6weeks) and was scheduled to go in that next week to start up again, when some folks from church came up to us, gave hugs, stood and talked to us and proceeded to tell us that their whole family had been affected by some kind of flu bug and she was still running a fever but wanted to come to church!!!!! We talked to the Pastor and let him know that we loved him and the whole church but as long as Bill was on chemo and for a week or 2 after he got off, we wouldn't be coming just because we could not take a chance on him getting any kind of virus or bacteria going in his body. We do go to the stores, but we have a bottle of hand sanitizer in the car and we use that after we come out of any store or Dr's offices. Since March of 07 we haven't even had a cold. But thank you for the warning. DH wants to go to church this Sunday, but I'll wait and see if he mentions it again.

You have really been thru it and I'm glad that you are well on your way to back to normal. It is good therepy to talk about what you are going thru and I know that sometimes people just DO NOT want to hear it, but I'm glad to be anyones sounding board. I didn't plan nor did DH plan for any of this to happen to us. But until you can talk about it, you tend to bottle it up and you don't want to scare all of you friends away by being so focused on the illness, but that is what you are focused on. That is why I've been on here sooooo much, to be able to talk about other things besides the cancer, to laugh and have people laugh with you is better than a Psychatrist (that would be you MaryBeth). We are going to do as you suggested Sandra, just do what Bill wants to do. He did mention that he wants to test drive a new car!!!! I'm hopeing that he will forget about that one.

Thank you all so much for just being here to talk to when I'm needing to talk. DH says you all are so very supportive of us just by letting me ramble and listening to my cat stories. By the way, medicine and new food have stopped the 2 AM hurling - YEAAAAA!:cool::cool:

[barbm]

Patty,

I know I'm not the only one thinking this, but I'll go ahead and ask: with Bill's health issues, and not wanting folks around him, would you rather not host our Moxi meeting on the 13th? I'm sure everyone would understand completely - we only want what's best for the both of you!

[SandraG]

still can't go to church -- i get the hibbie jibbies getting around all those people. We have 5 masses at our church and they are all Standing Room Only -- i have a good friend that is a priest and i travel about 45 mintures to go to a "healing Mass" . There are just a few people and it is so spiritual. Going to church is wonderful but I believe we can worship out side of the physical building where all the germs are;)

Sandra

[PattyJo]

Barb, I know that there are some of you thinking this, but DH and I both would like it to still be here. Linda A in Corvallis as well as Linda R in Olympia have volunteered to be my backups - just incase. Bill loves to see people, and visit, but when you go to church, everyone there gives hugs for some reason. We aren't afraid of any of you unless you are in the "throws" of some cold or flu thing. Otherwise, we really want you to come and enjoy yourselves. Bill is thinking he may spend some of the time in the bedroom resting, but with this bunch, I think he will want to be in the middle of it as well. But he can come and go too. We even have some friends that said he could to their home if needed. I just double checked with Bill and he said he wants this to take place here. He's telling me that he's not an invalid yet, and he's not too scary to look at, so we are saying together that we would like for you to all come here. He keeps telling me what to say here and he said he may go out and even do some yard work while you are here???? I don't know about this guy, but it is great to have him even "want" to do stuff. I really think that we are good to go on this gathering. Just put your minds at ease and if anything changes, I will be letting you know as soon as I can. I hope that this will put your minds at ease. :cool:

[nineva]

Patty Jo, I have been too quiet with regards to this. I have wanted to call you so many times. It is close to home for me, even after 23 years, but I so remember the 2:00 a.m. hurling and then being awake and not getting back to sleep. That's when the mind goes from one thing to another and all I wanted to do was talk to someone. Yeah right, at 2:00 a.m. there must be someone up, right? Not! Then during the day I didn't want to be a bother to anyone so I kept quiet. Everyone was so busy with their own lives and who wants to be a burden. With two little kids, a full time job and enough stress to cause cancer in itself, we moved from the big city to a rural setting here in N. Idaho. My sister lived here and I thought, ok, I have family and support. Two months after we arrived, she moved back to Portland. Oh my. Two kids, sick husband and no one I knew. But, we stayed. It is so beautiful here. He slowly and surely got worse, with all the accompanied issues. 11 years from the first seizure it was all over. It still hurts, but is less now, of course.

I guess what I want to say, Patty Jo is that I admire you. Your bravery, your humor, your compassion, your zest for life. You go on--really what else can you do? You take it one day at a time--do you have a choice? God has such a plan for all of us. I can see His hand in what I went through--years later. You and Bill are so lucky to have each other. You face this obstacle with love and affection, positive attitudes and a great deal of patience. You two are the best. I also know you cry. When no one is around sometimes. And sometimes when you least expect it. That's ok too. I should have let others know of my pain. I didn't. I thought I should hide it. That's one of the lessons I learned. Even though I have been quiet, my prayers are with you everyday. I cannot wait to see you again in September.

And oh by the way, when I saw MB's commercial on TV the other night I just about rolled off the chair laughing. Who would have thought M&M's could be so sexy. Victoria's Secret better watch out. Did you notice they made her be a green M&M? Y'all know what green M&m's are good for right?

Me and Barb will see you soon.

Nancy

[Mary Beth]

Nancy Jo...you put it better than I have heard....I've heard that green m&m's put lead in your pencil!!

[PattyJo]

OK. I guess I've been living under a rock. I've never heard of this before. Oh, well one of those things that urban legions are made of!!!:cool:

[Bonnie]

I even have a t-shirt that I wear only to bed, that has a huge green M&M on it and the words....

Eat (green M&M) M&M's

Nope its not urban legion....

NOW do you know what the Red ones are for??????

[Mary Beth]

I think we are all afraid to ask.....

[Bonnie]

The Red ones are used to increase fertility....WE don't eat the red ones at our house...

[lindasewsit]

You guys with the M&M's are funny!! Patty Jo, I've never heard of any of this either!!! I must live under a rock too!! But.... I stand on The ROCK!! A scripture came to mind while I was reading the post from Sandra and Nancy! 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.....Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction , with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God". Nancy and Sandra, you are comforters for Patty Jo and DH... you know things that others of us don't... you've been there. Patty Jo, just know that even though all of us have not been there, we pray for you and our thoughts are with you!!!!! Enjoy your 2 weeks of "freedom"!! I'm pretty sure that I can safely say, that ALL of don't mind being a sounding board for you!! You are among friends! linda

[PattyJo]

Thank you Linda. Good scripture for Sandra, Nancy and for us too. Each week when we are going to chemo, there are people to talk to and chat with. We can certainly speak words of comfort to them if they are the talkative type. :cool:

[PattyJo]

Hi Bonnie - You are so funny & I do know that some people really believe in the green M&M thing (and also the red now that you made me aware of it) but if it hasn't been proved to really work then wouldn't it be considered an urban legion? That's what some legions are made up of is rumors that some belive to be fact. This wasn't started by the M&M Co was it? LOL I think I'll start a rumor about black licorice. I think that it makes me sing better!! Now that would certainly be an urban legion. LOL OK now don't all of you go and buy me a whole bunch of black licorice.....:cool:

[quiltmonkey]

Originally posted by PattyJo

.....We are going to do as you suggested Sandra, just do what Bill wants to do. He did mention that he wants to test drive a new car!!!! I'm hopeing that he will forget about that one.

Well, I suggest that if Bill wants to go test drive a car, you need to go directly to the Ferrari, Porche, Maserati or Lamborghini dealerships.