Learning new things...

May 2

Two weeks ago on the 21st of April, I took hubs to the oncology center as it was a chemo day. We left all our stuff out in the car "just in case" he wouldn't be receiving chemo. Usually, if I'd not taken that day off, I'd work from the cancer center, hospital or wherever we happened to be for an appointment/procedure that day. Laptop, lap desk, headphones, etc. He'd bring his laptop too to do the same or just browse. Didn't bring anything in with us that time. 

Labs done, we went with one of our nurses back to the infusion room - vitals taken, corner picked out. She brought us our drinks and we sat down to wait. 

One of our "regular" nurses comes out with a paper in his hand and said as he approached us that he wouldn't be getting chemo that day - Thursday, April 21. Labs were craptacular. 

His ANC's (Absolute Neutrophil Counts) were quite low/almost non-existant and chemo would further destroy his immune system/blood cells. He talked to us a little bit about stuff we could do to help rebuild them - a calcium supplement (he suggested Caltrate), Vitamin D3, Sunshine, food with loads of protein, etc. 

Yay! I was happy he gave us some ideas!

We went home, but not before a stop on the way to get a couple things from the store first. I also had to stop at my office away from home to get some stuff too and we went on with the rest of the day.

Days after: Cue up studying music and the world wide webs - give me easy to understand language for this list of results. I typed up an excel sheet with the big stuff they mention all the time from labs. The tests themselves, the numbers resulting and the numbers that are the low/high norms, a note and a definition of each. I looked back at previous labs we'd been given and wow, the fluctuation. 

Fast forward to last week, April 28. Same deal, pack up, go in but leave stuff in car. Labs, vitals, back to an exam room instead of Infusion Room. CRNA comes in and sits down. I was ready.

Labs HAVE improved, ANC is normal, WBC and RBCs are still "low" (just slightly out of range, but still low) as well as some other numbers. Platelets are improved and w/in norms, but...

They did not want to do chemo without getting a PET scan first or some type of scan to see where he is. He was slated to only have one more session but with his numbers being low the last two times and some just slightly elevated, they did not want to do it and risk harming him even further. So. Here we go. 

I had a notebook with me with symptoms/stuff written down on things that are either now present or have been getting worse; Edema - both legs/feet, excessive fatigue, some confusion on days of week or appointments, what time it is, etc., lack of appetite - EAT THE FOOD (says mean Mel), Cough - increased, cold all the time (meanwhile, I'm trying to start menopause so I'm flashing left and right), etc., ad nauseum. 

Cough - well, we can give you another refill on your cough pills, Tessalon Perles, or they could even give him something with codeine in it. Edema - she felt his legs but not a whole lot of comment or anything further on that. I did mention Lymphedema and eyebrows went up, but nothing much on the other stuff really. I am not complaining but I'm complaining if that makes ANY sense. 

Eventually, she left and brought the oncologist himself in and we heard the word that no one wants to hear. 

Conversation went something like this: "So buddy you sound terrible - we could hear you in there (general wave back behind him where the nurses/doctors do their thing in a big room in the middle of all the exam rooms - accessible by doors leading out of each exam room). We need to get a scan and see where things are. I don't think the chemo is helping much now and if we see what I think we'll see, we'll stop altogether and move you into hospice." 

Thud. 

He talked to us for another minute or so and I remember him saying we'd have care at home, so he wouldn't have to come IN for treatments for pain/whatever. I don't remember a whole lot else. I got a little upset when I asked the nurse a few more questions and we left. 

Not a whole lot else to say in this one - to be continued....