The Mister was in good spirits and felt good. So I ventured out on a little road trip for the day. I roamed small villages stopping in quaint shops and talking to the locals. It was a great reset day.
There are places in this country where hate doesn’t exist and one village is proud to let folks know. 💜
He’s past the critical 72 hour threshold and still without major side effects this round. He says some hours it feels as if he’s climbed a mountain with muscle tightness t but it doesn’t linger. He naps off and on but honestly, if this is the worst thing he has to contend with we take as a win.
A period of waiting for the 22nd of the month when the 3rd and last infusion takes place.
Onward! 💜
Five days out from his second infusion and he woke with nausea and very achy joints and muscles. I gave him one of the nausea pills the doc prescribed for it. First time taking it. He had toast and applesauce, sipped on lemon water. Feel asleep twice more in his chair since waking up.
It’s been seven hours since he took the pill and he’s now feeling so much better. Said he was hungry and he’s eating a BLT lol. No more nausea 💜😀
The Mister has done fairly well 10 days out from his second infusion. Symptoms continue on the mild side w/one new one. A mouth sore developed but has been kept at bay w/the recommended rinse. Otherwise, fatigue, muscle/joint pain seem most prevalent but manageable.
Next week a follow up w/his heart doctor to monitor the abdominal aortic aneurysm is scheduled. He'll be brought up to date on his cancer & his heart will be monitored for as well. So much to watch for while undergoing chemo.
Today the Mister had a follow up w/his heart doctor. The EKG indicated a different blood flow pattern than last year, likely from the chemo.
He’s ordered a nuclear stress test and Echocardiogram for Thursday and will be reporting results to the cancer team of doctors.
Results will be discussed in a follow up visit in September four weeks out.
All these doctors-important and necessary-but the Mister is so ready to be done with them.
The tests are done but boy this time the nuclear stress test made him nauseous with vomiting. It didn’t have that affect a couple years ago. But he didn’t have cancer nor was he a walking chemical plant then either.
He’s taken one of the prescribed nausea pills, has eaten a little bland toast, drank several bottles of water and is now sleeping. It should be a good sleep as he didn’t rest well last night.
One noticeable and big difference between the Mister's first chemo infusion and the second is that his breathing has become so much better, and his incessant coughing has stopped.
I still think the steroids have improved both some but at this point after the first infusion it had picked up again.
It's the little, yet big things we celebrate.
It’s the last chemotherapy for the Mister in his treatment plan to beat his cancer. It may be his roughest yet as ongoing infusions tend to do.
But he’s up for it. Attitude is good and it’s a beautiful morning out here. Let’s get this done.
And……he’s done! Last infusion and this part of his treatment plan is in the books.
Next up, second consult with the surgeon on Tuesday, PET scan to determine tumor markers then surgery to remove tumor and partial right lung.
After that, Keytruda (immunotherapy) infusions for a year for best results of cancer not coming back.
It’s a long road but by golly we’re hopeful and will remain in that lane! 💜
And thank you thank you for all of your support. It truly means a lot. It’s a journey so many have been on before and many yet to travel. It’s your encouragement and support for us, whom you don’t even know, that keeps us going down this road. Words simply aren’t enough to express how that feels and what it means.
Thank you COSO 💜
PSA. When one mistakenly takes two Dexamethasone (steroid) tablets rather than one Dexa and one Olanzapine tablet, prescribed for after chemo.....one doesn't sleep for 36 hours straight, is excessively famished, has a foul attitude and experiences heartburn, gas and bloating beyond the normal side effects.
Chemo brain is real. Yes, he did. 🤨
On the positive side, he'll crash and sleep like a baby tonight or will run a marathon.
Looking for positives.
The Mister is five days out from his last chemo infusion. Other than the standard fatigue and muscle weakness in his legs and the misstep with the steroid on Saturday he’s tolerating things well. Notable chemo brain time to time but not drastic. Given that at this point it could have gone much worse, this is positive movement forward.
10 days out from his chemotherapy and he finally felt strong enough to take a motorcycle ride. I had concerns as the drugs affect the strength of muscles in his legs and the knee joints have ached a bit more.
But who am I to prevent him from doing the one thing he loves so much. He knows his body best and I’m not going to begrudge him a little pleasure during this damn cancer journey.
PET scan on Tuesday to see if the poison has done its job. Then surgeon appt the next week.
We’ve been on the go nearly six hours already including the Mister’s PET scan. This last step will determine if surgery is a go. Will find out at our appointment with the surgeon next week. Hoping the tumor has shrunk with good markers for a clean removal and nothing lights up from anything new.
I’ve taken some things off the plate today as it’s just too much. I need the reprieve. But a few small tasks left so must get going again. 💜
PET scan results are in. The tumor has shrunk to 3.7 x 3.0 cm, max SUV 6.7, was 4.5 x 3.8,
max SUV 18.1.
IMPRESSION:
1. Interval decrease in size and activity of the right middle lobe
adenocarcinoma consistent with positive response to therapy.
2. There are no foci of abnormal FDG activity to suggest metastatic disease.
The BEST news on a Friday!! Surgeon appointment on the 10th to discuss results of PET and Stress Test. Surgery date TBD but is on the horizon! 💜
Headed out for the appointment with his surgeon. 🤞🤞🤞 that he’s good to go, a date can be scheduled and that damn tumor can be taken out!
Surgery is a go. Surgeon looked at PET scan and has different opinion of tumor location. Upper lobe rather than middle. Because of proximity to his heart, he wants CAT scan w/contrast to define veins more clearly.
Plan is robotic unless once he gets in there it’s clear opening him up is better. Removing upper lobe is 20% of lung capacity. His pulmonary test indicates he will not need oxygen after lobe is removed.
Last week of Sept, first week of Oct for surgery unless CAT indicates a problem.
Confirmed:
Pre admission testing September 20 @ 8:00 am
Surgery September 27 @9:30 am
Let’s get this done and move on! 💜
CT scan with contrast to define the pulmonary veins before his surgery is done. It’s the last of the injections, scans and all relevant testing before the big day on the 27th.
He’s glowed in the dark and has been a walking drug infirmary for five months. We’re nearing the finish line for this crossroads and by golly there is nothing stopping us now.
His pre-admission testing is completed. He’s received his marching orders from the surgeon. Barring no emergencies on the surgeon’s behalf, on the 27th that damn tumor will be removed.
On April 29 a chest X-ray showed something was awry and this nearly five month journey since began.
He is ready and by golly he’s gonna kick cancer’s ass!
Huh. His blood was typed when he went into the Army and his dog tags indicate that to be A+
His blood was typed for his surgery on the 27th and results just in. B+
He’s not ever needed blood, given blood or had it typed since being drafted into service.
A call has been placed with the surgeon’s office who sent the orders to the hospital for pre admission testing.
🤔
A second lab draw for retype was done at a different lab. And results are the same. B+
So either there was an error in the Army or the chemotherapy altered his blood type, which is rare but has happened according to his cancer doctor.
We won’t ever know. But we now have definitive results should he need blood during or after surgery.
Onward!
He's beginning to think too much about the surgery on Friday. Understood, but it doesn't help his anxious mind.
I'm going to take some things off his plate that he's been stewing about that he won't be able to do after surgery for a while. The truck needs an oil change, I'll take it in rather than him worrying that next week it needs to be done. The lawn tractor deck needs grass removed. Easy peasy. His hospital needs. Dear, I'll take care of it.
Soon this will be behind him.
I’m winding down my volunteer work in preparation for the in-home care he will need next week.
Some outside work at the Community Garden was just the physical activity I needed and was looking for.
I helped with kitchen duty at the Soup Kitchen for tonight’s meal. Many more babies are showing up. A generous donation of various formulas from a mother’s group will be a welcome relief for those needing it.
24 hours from now he’ll be in surgery recovery mode. Countdown to 0 is getting close.
I'm not sure how much sleep either of us will get tonight. 12 hours until he reports in for the surgery. It's just one of those things, ya know?
He's doing ok. If he's anxious he's not showing it. Kinda chillin' actually. That's a good thing!
Countdown to 0 hour...let's keep it going.
The case before was postponed and he got called in early. He just got wheeled down to the OR. Let’s. Get. This. Done!!
They are waiting on pathology results of the tissue taken to determine and confirm they have all the tumor and cancer cells.
Saw Dr. all good. Took upper lobe and part of middle lobe Lymph node sent to pathology. Might go home tomorrow or next day. Awake and talking. Will see him when he gets out of ICU
He’s doing good. Resting comfortably. Vitals good. Breathing good. In and out of sleep. Mostly sleep. Am pleased with care. One nurse:2 patient ratio in cardiovascular ICU where he will remain until discharge. Am home to eat and rest. Came home to part of a large tree down in back yard. Will have to wait. Winds and rain from Helene.
Thank you all for your supporting posts. It means a lot. Sorry haven’t replied personally.
Not going home today. Has an air leak & are monitoring. Maybe tomorrow. Hospital Dr put him on low potassium diet. Potassium high but not unusual after surgery. Most bloodwork comparable to expectations w/ surgery. Sugar high but stress on body raises cortisol. No indication of infection. He’s in good spirits, eating well. Have him walking halls & doing the breathing exercises w/the tube thing (forget the name of that contraption) Hopefully air leak will close itself not need further attention.
Another day or two in the hospital the surgeon said. Damn air leak. But he’s a trooper and not complaining. Hospital staff calling me by my first name when they see me walking in. First thing they ask. What questions do you have? LOL. They know me well already. I’m wearing a pathway from the parking lot to his room. Getting lots of steps in!
He was in distress late yesterday with a partial lung collapse, increased fluid in the lungs and breathing difficulties. All relevant to the air leak.
The compression on the chest tube was increased, he was put on oxygen, given breathing treatments and continued pain meds.
Today, so far, there has been good improvement. The chest tube removed the fluid, his breathing is less labored and signs the lung has inflated. A 600' good speed walk was achieved. A couple more days surgeon said.
There’s been significant improvement the last 24 hours! The most important being there have been no air bubbles most of the day in the water channel of the chest tube monitor when he coughs. This indicates no air leak. Oxygen given has been reduced & his breathing improved.
Case management visited & home health care orders in the cue. Discharge is near!
"benign lymph node, negative for malignancy"...the best damn words on could ever want to hear!
14 lymph nodes were removed from surgery from different levels, the lung portion removed along with a piece of the pleura and a portion of the left mammary artery that the tumor was sitting against are benign!
The tumor itself had viable cancer cells but in the middle of the 4.5 cm left after chemo and well away from any margins. So the margins are benign also.
Best Pathology Report EVER!
@CherNohio
Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!
And Tears of Joy for you both!