Improving by leaps and bounds! Bubba is doing well enough to get out in the garden and clean out the old and get ready for the new. Had a visit with the Radiation Oncologist last week. He is extremely pleased with the recovery. Weight is improving enough to go buy new pants a little bigger in the waist. It's probably all those peanut butter shortbread cookies!
We managed a short trip. It was good to get out of town and have a change of scenery. We drove and enjoyed seeing the wild flowers and the snow capped mountains. We had some warm days and some not so warm days.
We have been taking more walks and the stamina is improving. The lathe has been getting a lot of use. I now have a new pen and a beautiful pepper mill. I have been doing some sewing, mostly for Kemma, which I thoroughly enjoy. I'm back at my water fitness classes. I'm thinking really hard about doing some spring cleaning LOL!
Until the next time,
Jan
PS His hair is growing back!!!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
OH NO. His hair is gone!! Actually it started getting pretty thin with more hair on the pillow than his head. The solution was to shave it off which normally happens closer to summer. An early start leading to wearing that motorcycle helmet. In the meantime a tam o chanter will have to do.
Chemo is done and another visit with the oncologist will be in three months. Labs and x-rays at that time. Most days are pretty good. If it would just warm up. Tom has felt good enough to get out in the snow and run the snow blower. When the snow blower comes out, it seems it always ends up like a neighborhood party with everyone out cleaning walks and driveways.
Until the next time,
Jan
Chemo is done and another visit with the oncologist will be in three months. Labs and x-rays at that time. Most days are pretty good. If it would just warm up. Tom has felt good enough to get out in the snow and run the snow blower. When the snow blower comes out, it seems it always ends up like a neighborhood party with everyone out cleaning walks and driveways.
Until the next time,
Jan
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Started chemo yesterday - epirubicin, cisplatin and xeloda. It was a long infusion day, we were almost the last ones out. A little nausea and a lot tired today. So glad we finally got started - it makes the end of this tunnel a little closer.
Other than wishing for a little more recuperation time between events, Bubba is doing pretty well. He is making forays out to the woodworking area and ordering up bowl blanks. Our sons-in-law installed the air filtration system this last week-end, so now we just need to sharpen the tools.
So looking forward to good weather and mighty glad we don't live in the NE. We are making plans for summer travel.
Until the next time,
Jan
PS He still has hair
Other than wishing for a little more recuperation time between events, Bubba is doing pretty well. He is making forays out to the woodworking area and ordering up bowl blanks. Our sons-in-law installed the air filtration system this last week-end, so now we just need to sharpen the tools.
So looking forward to good weather and mighty glad we don't live in the NE. We are making plans for summer travel.
Until the next time,
Jan
PS He still has hair
Friday, January 14, 2011
The next step
The snow is finally melting. Is it Spring yet?? We have been staying warm with only occasional walks in the neighborhood. Brrr, our noses are cold by the time we get home.
Next week Tom is having surgery for hernia repair. We had hoped to wait until chemo was done, but the discomfort is very limiting. It can be embarrassing when we are out shopping because Tom is grabbing his groin. Kristi says she tells her kids - Make sure your hands are clean and do it in private. LOL It's "same day surgery", so we are hoping the recovery is quick as well.
Tom still has bouts of nausea and vomiting. We just add those foods to the list of "Maybe it's not a good idea to eat this". Tom still celebrates every time he eats a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. In fact, he was so excited because Andee bought him a box of them for Christmas. (He does share them with the little kids but the big kids need to "get your own!") The past difficulty with eating chocolate is just that - past.
We are anxious to get the chemo started and finished before riding weather! The bike, affectionately known as the Charley Ferguson, is at our friend Lou's house. I guess we'll have to straighten up the garage so we can bring it home.
Until the next time,
Jan
PS He still has hair
Next week Tom is having surgery for hernia repair. We had hoped to wait until chemo was done, but the discomfort is very limiting. It can be embarrassing when we are out shopping because Tom is grabbing his groin. Kristi says she tells her kids - Make sure your hands are clean and do it in private. LOL It's "same day surgery", so we are hoping the recovery is quick as well.
Tom still has bouts of nausea and vomiting. We just add those foods to the list of "Maybe it's not a good idea to eat this". Tom still celebrates every time he eats a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. In fact, he was so excited because Andee bought him a box of them for Christmas. (He does share them with the little kids but the big kids need to "get your own!") The past difficulty with eating chocolate is just that - past.
We are anxious to get the chemo started and finished before riding weather! The bike, affectionately known as the Charley Ferguson, is at our friend Lou's house. I guess we'll have to straighten up the garage so we can bring it home.
Until the next time,
Jan
PS He still has hair
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Holidays
Tom and I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas and the best of everything in this coming new year.
After a visit with the oncologist and a lengthy discussion of the pros and cons, it looks like a new round of chemo will be started after the first of the year. After nine weeks, which is three sessions of chemo, then a decision will be made to stop or do one more session. Of course the testing and exams will depend on tolerance and time. We continue to be optimistic that all of the cancer cells were removed with surgery and that a cancer free future is in the making.
Until the next time,
Jan
PS He still has hair.
After a visit with the oncologist and a lengthy discussion of the pros and cons, it looks like a new round of chemo will be started after the first of the year. After nine weeks, which is three sessions of chemo, then a decision will be made to stop or do one more session. Of course the testing and exams will depend on tolerance and time. We continue to be optimistic that all of the cancer cells were removed with surgery and that a cancer free future is in the making.
Until the next time,
Jan
PS He still has hair.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
final visit with the surgeon
We had a great Thanksgiving. The doc told Tom he could try regular food, but to take it easy. He had turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy and pecan pie!! He almost forgot how to chew his food after a month of only having clear liquids. Since that went so well, Tom's been trying other foods and doing fairly well with them.
Woo hoo!!! Today turned out to be the final visit with the surgeon. While at the office the surgeon pulled the chest tube, the PICC line, and the J tube. Of course Bubba looks like he's been through a war with many healing and many bandaged sites. But he didn't mind giving up his various "purses". Now it's up to us to get all the nutrition he needs by mouth with no "help" from a tube. I'm looking forward to seeing Tom across the dinner table.
We will be seeing the Oncologist again this month to set up more chemo. Of the twelve lymph nodes removed, three had microscopic evidence of cancer cells. However, the margins were clear on the parts of the esophagus and stomach which were removed, so we are very optimistic.
Until the next time,
Jan
Woo hoo!!! Today turned out to be the final visit with the surgeon. While at the office the surgeon pulled the chest tube, the PICC line, and the J tube. Of course Bubba looks like he's been through a war with many healing and many bandaged sites. But he didn't mind giving up his various "purses". Now it's up to us to get all the nutrition he needs by mouth with no "help" from a tube. I'm looking forward to seeing Tom across the dinner table.
We will be seeing the Oncologist again this month to set up more chemo. Of the twelve lymph nodes removed, three had microscopic evidence of cancer cells. However, the margins were clear on the parts of the esophagus and stomach which were removed, so we are very optimistic.
Until the next time,
Jan
Friday, November 12, 2010
We are home
Home at last. Bubba was discharged from the hospital about 4pm yesterday. He came home with his chest tube and a PICC line for IV feeding. By the time the equipment arrived and the home health nurse helped us get everything set up we were both exhausted.
He is comfortable in his recliner for now because he can't lie flat. If we need to, we'll get a hospital bed. His IV feedings run for 18 hours, so he gets a 6 hour break carrying only one "purse" (for the chest tube drainage). He is up and about but not quite ready for a marathon. That's not unusual, he wasn't ready for a marathon before surgery!
Until the next time,
Jan
He is comfortable in his recliner for now because he can't lie flat. If we need to, we'll get a hospital bed. His IV feedings run for 18 hours, so he gets a 6 hour break carrying only one "purse" (for the chest tube drainage). He is up and about but not quite ready for a marathon. That's not unusual, he wasn't ready for a marathon before surgery!
Until the next time,
Jan
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