Hello.
I know, I didn't come back and update after we saw the oncologist last week. Good reason. Long story short, we left the office after sitting in a room for 1.5 hours. Plenty long enough to be harassed by a doctor-wannabe staff member that we have no tolerance for (another long story). Rob wasn't feeling well, and we were tired of having our time mean nothing as we waited for the doc to come, so we left a note for her with the check-out gal. Two days later, I had to call to get the answers we were seeking. I swear, people in some positions of dealing with the public should not be there. Patients waiting for and needing answers don't feel cared about when nobody calls back. Arrgh.
The end of last week brought WONDERFUL news... Sister Bear returned home! Rob's sister, Holly, aka Sister Bear, moved back here from New York to be near Rob and be support for us both. I am SO happy! For those who don't know the "bear" story... When Rob had his major surgery in January of 2013, I got sorta, kinda, upset with the staff for not doing their job by making Rob get up and about so he would heal faster, and I had to get tough with Rob to want to get better, too. So I kicked into action, with Holly by my side the whole time. She called me Mama Bear, and she became Sister Bear. Neither of us are afraid to growl when it's needed. I am so happy she is home to be with Rob (and me), and help during the coming days and sit with us during the chemo treatments. Love you, Hol! :) ♥So yesterday we arrived at the hospital for chemo #4 in this third cycle, only to be told it had been cancelled by the hospital pharmacist! (Most people are on for 3-4 weeks, then off a week to rest -- so as per regular protocol, the pharmacist canceled it! But Rob was NOT scheduled any down time for this cycle). After much insistence on Rob's part to have them look into it further, and explaining that we have 9 treatments in a row (the last 3 remaining to be scheduled), they realized an error had been made, and were able to get him down to the infusion center, close to on time. Whew!!!
Rob started out yesterday with a bit of color back in his face, and was in a rather jovial mood. By the end of the treatment, that had changed. But it is expected that he feels better being away from the chemo, and worse being filled with it. So the next few days will be spent trying to recover again, before going back. It's a nasty, vicious cycle. Rob's blood counts continue to drop slowly each week, many below normal (RBC, WBC, hematocrit, hemoglobin, etc.), but still within range to get the chemo. The day went well, in that he only had one IV and slept through almost the whole treatment.
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| Puffy from the steroids... :( |
This morning I called to schedule the remaining 3 treatments and was told they would all depend on whether his numbers (blood counts) remained good. I told her I knew that, and that we weren't expecting him to be able to handle all nine, but we feel better knowing they are "on the books" anyways. One more thing to cross off the list.
It has now been 24 hours on the new, stronger pain med... but Rob said it's not working. It is taking away the pressurey/flu-like feeling in his head, but not taking away the pain. He was counting the clock waiting for 4 hours to be gone so he could take more. Not good. Darn it.
We continue to spend our awake hours trying to teach Riley to leave Gypsy alone... I don't think he'll ever catch on to that. He's now just over 50 pounds, with more to go. My little bundle of furry love, little no more. :)
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| Why does he always have cat hair on his face?!? |
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| One of many hiding spots... sort of. |
We have been in a deep freeze, and although the first day of Spring is just 30 days away, I think we're going to have lots more cold before it's over. Poor Riley... I take him out to do his business in the morning, and in less than a minute, he is picking his feet up one at a time looking at me like, "Mom!!! It's too cold out here for my little feet!!!" I have to pep-talk him into running for the door, as he's too heavy for me to pick up and carry anymore!
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| Just plain "Brrrrrrrrr." :/ |
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Stay warm, keep smiling, help where you can, and please, keep praying for those who need your prayers. They are so important... we can testify to that over and over again.
Just this past weekend, my son-in-law Mike's sister, Ashleigh, and her 5-year-old niece, Autumn, were in a roll-over crash on highway 10 near Midland on their way to Mike and Nicole's for the birthday celebration. The vehicle was totaled, Autumn walked away fine, Ash with some cuts and scrapes and a sore body. BUT ALIVE. They were protected, wrapped in prayer for traveling mercies. Praise God! ♥
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| Early 2012 |
We are so thankful that you are so faithful in your prayers for us. We know this has been going on a long time... nobody knows that more than we do. Rob was first diagnosed with cancer in November of 2012. And the fact that the cancer returned, and that we can just go day by day doesn't make it any easier.
HOWEVER... your prayers give us strength, and that strength builds our faith, and that faith gives us breath and life to go another day.
And we are so thankful for you doing this for us.
God bless you all. ♥
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| In our living room... ♥ |
I will be back next week with another update, unless something changes in between.
Peace - Love - Dove (dark) :)
In Love and In Peace,
Cheri ♥ :)
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