We are what we eat...

Sorry I have been bad about posting things when they happen.I agree this is the easiest way to update everyone. WE will try to be better about this...

Talked to your dad last night and he said that he isn't doing great. His doctor didn't give him chemo on Friday because of his blood work. He is getting discouraged about not being able to eat what he wants. I talked to him about drinking 8-10 Ensure Plus drinks a day(per my dietician friend who works with a lot of cancer patients). He says that he can't drink that much liquid. I explained that it is really important that he try to even drink 6/day because this will give him the calories,nutrients,vitamins,etc that he needs. It sounds like he is just missing normal food which we can all imagine how that would be. Most everything he tries to eat isn't very satisfying. The other thing that he did mention was that he has started to cough up blood. He told me that he hadn't mentioned this to his doctor. I encouraged him to be open with his doctor about this so they can check this out.

Steven will be in Dallas from April 6-10th. He would like to go with him to talk to his doctor about some of these issues and also what to expect down the road. Even though his treatments may be over soon he will need follow-up on a regular basis. We are going to be back in Dallas in the middle of May and will also check in with him then.

Happy Sunday! Melissa

Food for thought (ha ha) I am so funny ;)

I called and spoke with Dr. Greenberg's nurse Penny today. Per Penny (who saw him today) Dad is in good spirits and is doing very well. She said he is over half way through with his radiation treatment and has only lost 5 pounds.
I asked her about a special diet for Dad and she said it was mostly common sense at this point (ie: whatever he can tolerate: eggs, oatmeal, soft foods) She also thinks if Dad can consume around 6 cans of Ensure then he should be OK.

There was no mention of any IV feeding, in fact she said they were not even thinking of that at this point.

So, the goal for Dad is to maintain, maintain, maintain!! If he can continue at this rate, he is golden.
She could not comment on his chemo as she does not have much to do with that side of things.

Dad needs to keep eating or at minimum get some nutrition throughout the day (that could be where the Ensure comes in to play). Are we still trying to call Dad once I week? Even an email would be good. If you talk to Dad, even if you think it is irrelevant; just post a comment. It is not that hard to do and it keeps everyone up to speed.

I hope this answers some questions. If there is anything I missed then I can make another call on Monday ;)

Have a super weekend...and Stuart or Tracy, can you manage a visit with Dad soon? I know Tracy was going to go grocery shopping with him and I think that is a great idea. You know how Dad is, he loves to have his hand held!

:::cricket noise::::

Is anyone out there? I spoke with Dad yesterday and he seems to be doing OK. He was telling me that it is hard for him to find something that he likes to eat or can tolerate eating. I am sure that must be very frusterating.
So, if I am correct, then this is the start of Week 3 and he has 4 more to go. I know that it will get worse with time.
He seems to be doing ok otherwise. Complaining that the folks who live in his complex are "very old". Ha! Ha! I just wonder what he sees when he looks in the mirror.

Ok, short and sweet...

Can Stuart or Tracy plan a day to visit him in the upcoming weeks? Just to make sure his apt looks good and he is doing well.

Port

I spoke with Dad last night and he told me that the Dr told him he would have to have a medi-port inserted prior to the start of chemo. I believe this will be a day surgery procedure. I think this is a great idea and hope Dad has no issues with this. I was mistaken thinking Dad would have chemo everyday but, it's every WEEK. I am considering calling the oncologist to find out what meds he is on and the duration of treatment. Dad didn't really know.

He seems really happy with his apartment and has even hung a few pictures! So happy that this apt will be more like home than the last one. This is crucial I think for him when he is down and out.

Anyone else have any other news?
Suzanne

Address Mistake----See below for correction

600 Independence Parkway #2219
Plano, TX 75075

Sorry for the confusion,
Steve & Melissa

The battle has just begun!

After my visit to see Dad I feel great about some things and frustrated about the rest. Like I said in the previous blog, I could have stayed there another week and still found more to do.
I went with Dad to see Dr. Greenberg and he was wonderful. Dad will be having 7 weeks of radiation lasting 15 minutes long. He was fitted for his mask today so that his head will stay still during the procedure and also so they will not have to mark on his body!
The effects of his rads are:
*dry/pasty saliva
*taste dysfunction
*will not be able to eat (not sure about another feeding tube, Dr. Greenberg was shocked at the site of the last one and said the scar next to it was "unexplainable")

Some of these will also be permanent but should improve slightly with time.
Dad will be put on pain meds for the duration of this therapy. The further into treatment, the stronger the meds. Once he is done, they will wean him off these medications. This will obviously impair his driving ability too.
Dr. Greenberg said that he will be in the toughest period after the 3rd-4th week on
.
Dad is a very pleasant patient and the whole staff said they would do anything and everything to get him through this. He has a very tough road ahead and I assume some days he will spend in bed. Let's just hope and pray his attitude gets him through. I tried to explain over and over how important that is during all this.

He has an appointment with the oncologist Febuary 11th. His name is Dr. Kirby. The radiation will probably get underway a few days prior to chemo.

I was unable to get to Dad's car :( and the paperwork Melissa prepared. I hope Stuart or Tracy can help out with that.

Dad is unpacked for the most part and hopefully will take some pride in this new place. I think Bobbie plans to spend some time there so maybe that will make him more accountable.

I only wish I was there to do more.

The Dr. recommended Dad take L glutamine liquid which I will be purchasing online for him.

Whew,
what a day :) Dad and I started off early today in preparation for a 2 hour chemo treatment. For some reason his oncologist had given him the wrong dates, and Dad cannot start back on chemo until radiation begins. We left a little upset that we just wasted several hours and no treatment was given. Bobbie told me this was not the first time that Dad has been given wrong dates.

His rads appointment was set for 2/9 (next Monday) I called the office and asked if we could move that appointment to a closer date. I was able to get a consult appt for Wed morning at 8:30am. He has to have a consult, then a planning session (Basically, to fit him for his mask)He will wear a mask everyday to radiation so that his head won't move during his treatment. I expect he will have a start date sometime next week.

I think it is in Dad's best interest to change from Dr. Perkins to a new oncologist in the Texas Onocology group, where he will be getting his radiation. It seems really silly to drive all the way to Med City for chemo and then drive all the way to Plano for his radiation treatment. I hope no one objects to this but, I called Dr. Perkins office to get this process rolling. I will also ask Dr. Greenberg for a referral on a new oncologist for Dad. HE will be going EVERYDAY for chemo, injections, and hydration. I want to make this as easy as possible for Dad and one-stop shopping is the best idea for him.

His new place is so nice. I believe this is one of the nicest apt's he has had in quite sometime. Thanks to Melissa for all the hard work getting him in and thanks to Tracy and Andy for giving Dad some furnishings to make his new house a home.

I have not accomplished near what I would have liked to...heck, I could be here a month and still find more stuff to do....IT's extremely frustrating.

Dad seems to be doing OK and I gave him a lecture about making this place a home and really trying to take care of it. Not sure if it sank in or just went in one ear and out the other...let's hope he will take some to initiative make it a nicer place to live.

I am still working on the paperwork Melissa, Dad can't find the folder with all his info in it.