Sat Afternoon Update

Sean came and picked me up late morning so i could go home and get some things done. Had planned to stay till early evening but the six cats and Rocky The Wonder Dog* caught Cheryl's scent and began stalking me to get me to tell where she's been. They seem to be getting closer to managing the can opener too.

Got back to find her sleeping peacefully around 1530. Peacefully until I dropped something I was unpacking.

She got awake and decided to have a few sips of the Glucerna drink without being pestered to do it. Great!

Then, she also insisted to get out of the room and take a walk around the ward. Unfortunately, there was a problem. I let her push the IV cart in front or her like, say...a vacuum cleaner. She appears to have lost all housekeeping chore skills**.

So, she's back to resting from all the exercise and I'm off to EBay one of those robotic vacuums.

She just woke up mumbling something. I can't tell if it was Go Pats! or Feed Cats? I may need to run back over to the house right quick.

Thanks again all for the comments.


* So named because we wonder how we ever came across such a goofy, energetic yet caring little dog.
**Just kidding, she in put notice on the chores some time ago. With two guys on it, laundry went from whites, colors, etc to "yep, looks to be made of cloth, throw it in there."

A Good Start This Morning

Cheryl didn't rest well last night and was in and out of bed every hour or so. I didn't expect to see her getting around too much this morning.

She got out of bed around 0800, sat in the chair for nearly an hour and had apple juice and a cup of water.

Dr Friedman was here early and is going to wait for starting the IV feeding to see if she can get a can of Glucerna down today. He is still watching closely for any infection. And in true doctor form regarding when she may be better: "You're in the hospital until you go home." I'm afraid he's double billing us as he's as much help to me as her.

I find it amazing watching how well he tends to her as compared to the quack that caused her bladder damage and never seemed overly concerned about her when she was kicking in pain. +1 for this guy for sure!

Her face burn seems to have finally stopped and is now only drying and cracking. The drinks this morning may be a sign that her mouth pain is becoming more tolerable. The swelling in her face seems to be receding and her throat swelling pretty much went away overnight.

She's resting as Donna suggested to be ready to go for the Pats game tonight!

Just a Popsicle!

I wasn't going to post a closing to today as I was simply too tired and too depressed to find something positive for the day.

Cheryl has has a tough time with the mouth pains today. Added to that was the lack of any energy from the fever. She just never was able to get that little spark today.

Until later this evening... Sean stopped in and that was a huge boost to her, having him to watch TV and just sit with her was very comforting for her. Comforting to all of us actually.

Then, her night nurse offered her a Popsicle. She's been very sensitive to cold food/drink from the chemo medicine but she took the offer. The cold ice seemed to really soothe her mouth and lips and cut some of the pain for a bit.

I saw a brief peek of a five-year old gal with nary a care in the World, sitting on the sidewalk enjoying that Popsicle!

So there, a good turn after all!

G'nite!

12/28 #2

Dr. Friedman visited around 0730 and told us her blood count is low this morning. He ordered platelets for her.

We're waiting for the type test to come back and they'll start that.

The fever seems to be staying down and her BP was just at perfect last check. Her pulse is still hovering around 100 which is where its been since chemo started last week.

She is very tired still today and her mouth is still giving her fits. BUT, she has finally found something she likes to drink. Her nurse, Victoria mentioned Sierra Mist this morning and her eyes lit up. She's sipping that and keeping it down better than anything yet.

A New Day

Cheryl rested pretty good last night. She was only up twice compared to five or more times previous nights.

The nurse checked her vitals this morning. BP was low but good. She has a 101.3 temp this morning.

The nurse immediately took blood and set her up to start antibiotics right away this morning. I am still very pleased with how the staff here is taking care of her. Dr. Friedman left orders regarding as a precaution for infection and these guys were on top of it right away when she showed having the fever.

I'm hoping they are ahead of the infection. That's the worst I've seen her through was the MRSA when she was too tired to fight it.

12/27, 2200 But Wait, There's More!

Doctor Friedman just stopped in after working all day in Uvalde, 60 or so miles away. The guy rocks! Cheryl was very happy to see him stop in this late.

I spoke with him after he was done checking her over.

Liver and Kidney function are good. He saw the Calcium count was low and its already on the IV, ten minutes later. He is stopping the Bactrim, the antibiotic she's lived on all year and is still taking as a MRSA precaution. There's some suspicion that this may be a contributor to this problem. Just in case of infection, he has already written orders to speed treatment should any bacterial infection show up. And, he stopped the nutriphos? oral solution as it burns her mouth badly when she drinks it. She is very happy to have that stopped for now.

He feels Cheryl has started turning the corner from the danger of the drug reaction.


All news we are grateful to hear today!

12/27 2100

Another day marked off. Seems to have been a pretty good day, she has at least held her own and made some goals today. I'm very proud of her and quite relieved to see her strength.

This afternoon, Jerry the hospital chaplain visited and prayed with us. While I was home, Pastor David Trawick from her church, Northwest Hills Methodist visited after being notified only a couple of hours earlier. Thank you pastors, you brought a couple of rays of sunlight to warm her soul.

Sean dropped me off for the night and visited for a couple of hours. He's back home now, tending to the cat herd. Sunshine made an attempt to stow away in her luggage when we were packing this evening. Its so funny (and sad) to watch the cats and Rocky the chihuahua wait around the door for Cheryl when I go home. Little Bit, the consoling cat is the oddest one, searching for someone to comfort.

With a bit of reservation and Cheryl's permission, I'm posting a pic of her and Sean tonight. Just remember, she still has twinkle in her eyes and laughter in her lungs.

Tomorrow will bring better times.

12/27, 1140

Sean came to visit for a bit before heading off to work this morning. She managed to get awake for his visit.

After he left, she also was able to get up and shower. I asked about hair loss before she showered and she said there hadn't been any symptom of that yet. Should've kept my mouth shut because when she was brushing out her hair after the shower, it came out in clumps. This is just starting so that will last a few days before it done I guess. The hair loss isn't a big deal to her at this point because she's had so much time to prepare for that symptom.

The "chicken pox" rash that has been on her chest has gotten a bit better. I saw the rash on her back for the first time today, assuming it has also gotten better, I'm really glad I hadn't seen it sooner.

Closing with the positive: she was able to drink some more juice even though it burns her mouth. And, best of all, she was able to take a walk around the ward. Only for a couple of minutes but it was reassuring to see her push to get the exercise.

We're waiting for the nurse to reattach the IVs now and she's resting comfortably even without the morphine.

Morning Update

Cheryl seems to have slept better last night. She only used the morphine twice throughout the night.

Her throat pain persists so taking any liquids or food is still pretty much a no-go. She DID manage to drink an entire cup of Apple Juice this morning. Another good sign this morning is she is managing to take the one liquid medicine mixed with juice today. First time for that too.

The blood work for the DPD deficiency test was drawn this morning. It'll be several days before the results are back.

The swelling on her face and throat seem to have stopped and the moisturizing lotion is helping the sunburn.

The doctor just visited and repeated the expectations of this clearing up, it may take another two weeks.

Figure we'll try to post from the room here a couple of times per day since she's not able to talk much right now.

Getting Worse Today

Cheryl woke this morning with yet more side effects from the treatments. Severely swollen face/throat and her "sunburn" is now cracking and starting to have open sores.

Dr. Friedman visited this evening and suspects DPD Deficiency.

He will be doing tests tomorrow and explained that this is a rare defect in people, so rare the insurance doesn't cover the testing and its hardly ever seen during chemo. Go figure...

All the tests will do is to try and narrow down the cause. Unfortunately, there is nothing to be done that will "flush" her system and speed the healing process.

She finally agreed to have morphine added to her IV tonight which is to cover some of the throat and mouth pains and also to help her get some sleep.

She needs prayers and thoughts right now because this is going to be the toughest battle she's had throughout all of the things she's endured this year.

A Smile and a Laugh for Christmas

That's from Cheryl and it was difficult for her to manage that today.

Looks like the line from feeling bad to good isn't too straight for her. Restless night, nausea returned and now the "chemical burns" are affecting her urinary tract as well. Also, her face is now peeling like a sunburn.

She still isn't able to eat as her mouth and throat are a tad worse today but she has been able to drink a little bit of a milk shake warmed to room temp.

Also, after thinking that just maybe she'd feel better to go home today, it turned out to be a hard pill to admit to herself that wasn't possible this morning.

The nurse gave her medicine for the nausea that makes her sleepy and right on the money, she's zonked and snoozing away this afternoon. I'll never complain about her snoring again. Well, I will but it won't really mean anything.

Sean visited this morning and is returning this evening. We watched the Simpson's Movie because she's been laughing at the clip with "Spider Pig" on TV, it got some chuckles from her. He also brought her a nice stuffed dog that one of the cats will fall in love with as soon as she takes it home.

Sitting here looking at the San Antonio downtown skyline this afternoon. Last time I remember just staring at that tower this long was in Basic Training, 1980. Aunt Wilma passed away and I was allowed to stay in the barracks for the afternoon. I stood on a chair to see out the window and that was all I could see from the angle was the tower. Like then I now realize, not liking the view too much today...

She will be able to cash in the Christmas rain check later this week for sure!

From the room with a view: Thanks to everyone for your prayers, thoughts, calls and cards.

"One In A Million"

That's what Cheryl is to me and she's proving to be that statistically as well!

Yesterday was more of the same for the weekend, nausea, sick stomach and not being able to keep food or drink down.

So, it was decided (AFTER The Pats won of course!) to take a trip to the E.R.

She was admitted to Methodist here this morning suffering from pretty severe dehydration, general aches and pains and a worsening case of Oral Mucositis.

That was the biggest complaint she had and it turns out the mucositis was the leading cause of of the nausea, etc.

She received a couple of liters of IV fluids in the E.R. and around 0430 this morning was admitted to the Oncology Ward for follow up and more IVs. That staff has been great and super helpful so far.

This morning her Cancer Care doctor told her that a reaction of this order was "one in a million" in patients receiving chemo treatment.

He feels the 5-FU drug is the culprit and is concerned that the Bactrim she is still taking for MRSA may be compounding the problem.

She has made a good bit of improvement today. Able to talk a bit more, and also kept down a smooth shake. She's up and around getting her strength back as well, hoping to be "frisky" as the doc put it to possibly be discharged before late week.

Merry Christmas to all from our exotic holiday getaway!