Monday April 13, 09 Ten days past chemo#6
Happy Easter to all from Val! We were in Vt for from Thursday to Sunday staying at Alison's. Joe and I brought lunch to Val and Dad on Saturday. Val said the pain in her bilateral lower abdomen was worse after this chemo (she points to both the old ovaries location). Then says " it is almost two pains with the second being the "routto" central pain right up the middle" as she draws her hand up her stomach to her esophagus. It begins early in the mornings so by lunch she is taking her first ("happy pill "as Alison calls it) vicoden. When Joe and I arrived she had taken it at 11, and so " I feel pretty good she said". I walked with her downstairs and noticed right away that as soon as she started walking she was out of breath, and seemed much more deconditioned than the last month I saw her. Understandibly so, as she has been walking less these past 8 days due to the pain. Her O2 levels remains at 90 and she remains off her oxygen. We all sat downstairs and ate lunch together. Joe helped Dad on the computer a little while Val allowed me to give her a pedicure. and a manicure. Much needed, as her big toenails both looked on the verge on being ingrown with potential for infection. Steffan will be happy to know that every time I see her she is wearing the white jacket over her PJ's. And that Val wanted to try the new foot soaker/massager that Steffan had given her also. We used Nancy's new towels for the drying part. Val was in good spirits and eager for conversation. She is planning on an outing this week so Joe and I encouraged her to make these plans happen! Val worries that the pains are her cancer growing back. I told her we all have those worries, but we hope that the pains are just the chemo working.
After the time with Dad and Val we stopped to see Rudy and Lea for an hour. Despite all our coaxing and peer pressure, we couldn't convince them to go to brunch with us on Easter Sunday. Rudy will start a little PT for strengthening of his legs on think on April 20. They seemed to be doing well and in the routine of a daily 2 hour visit to Val.
Love and prayers to Val SAlynn
Monday, April 13, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Friday April10, 09 seven days past chemo#6
Baine dropped off flowers from Mere for Val yesterday at around 5. He was invited in for some pasta which Dad has been making. Val has given her approval that he is getting pretty good at making the sugo under her supervision. Baine said it was delicious. Baine reported that Val looked extremely tired. Val spent the majority of the day downstairs despite feeling so fatigued and so much pain. By 6:30pm, everyday Val and Dad are upstairs relaxing in bed already and rarely answer the phone. They usually watch a movie at 8-10 pm before lights out. This is a special time of day for them as this is Val's time of day. (She, like Rudy and Lea, is a night owl.) She had her nulasta shot on wed., and all her blood levels remain good. We have invited Dad and Val to join us in Montpelier at 12 on Easter Sunday for brunch as Rudy and Lea are coming, but reluctant as they want Val and Dad to come too. We hope everyone comes, but Val's pain and fatigue may keep her home..understandably, but we want to give her the option.
Love and prayers to Val. Salynn.
Baine dropped off flowers from Mere for Val yesterday at around 5. He was invited in for some pasta which Dad has been making. Val has given her approval that he is getting pretty good at making the sugo under her supervision. Baine said it was delicious. Baine reported that Val looked extremely tired. Val spent the majority of the day downstairs despite feeling so fatigued and so much pain. By 6:30pm, everyday Val and Dad are upstairs relaxing in bed already and rarely answer the phone. They usually watch a movie at 8-10 pm before lights out. This is a special time of day for them as this is Val's time of day. (She, like Rudy and Lea, is a night owl.) She had her nulasta shot on wed., and all her blood levels remain good. We have invited Dad and Val to join us in Montpelier at 12 on Easter Sunday for brunch as Rudy and Lea are coming, but reluctant as they want Val and Dad to come too. We hope everyone comes, but Val's pain and fatigue may keep her home..understandably, but we want to give her the option.
Love and prayers to Val. Salynn.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tuesday April 7, 09 Four days past Chemo#6
I apologize for my lack of blogging...I give no excuses..Sorry
Last Friday, Val received her second full 100% dose of chemo at #6. That night began a very sick feeling and lots of pain which has basically been what she has been experiencing since. Usually, while she took the steroids those first five days (one before and four after) she has felt fair, but this was the first time since chemo #1 that she was sick that night of her chemo treatment and has stayed sick. We are thankful that she is not vomiting, having constipation nor diarrhea though. Val remains off her oxygen. She lost 1-2 pounds since chemo #5. Her Ca-125 marker went from 67 to 61. The MD didn't really have an answer for the boils she is experiencing on her body......so if any of our nurse friends could comment on the blog about this we would appreciate it. Both Val and Dad left the chemo#6 treatment quite depressed as they had both hoped that the Ca-125 marker would have been in the 30's. Hey, I thought it was great news that the number continued to go down, but it wasn't the number Val and Dad thought it would be.
Love and Prayers to Val.....Salynn
I apologize for my lack of blogging...I give no excuses..Sorry
Last Friday, Val received her second full 100% dose of chemo at #6. That night began a very sick feeling and lots of pain which has basically been what she has been experiencing since. Usually, while she took the steroids those first five days (one before and four after) she has felt fair, but this was the first time since chemo #1 that she was sick that night of her chemo treatment and has stayed sick. We are thankful that she is not vomiting, having constipation nor diarrhea though. Val remains off her oxygen. She lost 1-2 pounds since chemo #5. Her Ca-125 marker went from 67 to 61. The MD didn't really have an answer for the boils she is experiencing on her body......so if any of our nurse friends could comment on the blog about this we would appreciate it. Both Val and Dad left the chemo#6 treatment quite depressed as they had both hoped that the Ca-125 marker would have been in the 30's. Hey, I thought it was great news that the number continued to go down, but it wasn't the number Val and Dad thought it would be.
Love and Prayers to Val.....Salynn
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
March 18, 09 Six days past chemo#5
I have been asked by Val to write a special thank you to all who made her birthday so special. There are four things: Thank you for the flowers, cards, phone calls and presents. It was a better day than she expected. Dad made her eggplant parmesan for dinner, and it was his best batch!! Val was able to sit outside for a couple of hours yesterday because the weather was so good. She had visitors from Pruddy and Ginny as well as Rudy and Lea.
Val 's pain has gotten worse today, and she feels more sick today as the steroids were stopped yesterday. The prunes seem to be helping along with the Miralax so at least her cramps form constipation have been avoided thus far. Today is the visit form the home health nurse who draws blood and gives the Nulasta shot.
Love and prayers to val always.......Salynn
I have been asked by Val to write a special thank you to all who made her birthday so special. There are four things: Thank you for the flowers, cards, phone calls and presents. It was a better day than she expected. Dad made her eggplant parmesan for dinner, and it was his best batch!! Val was able to sit outside for a couple of hours yesterday because the weather was so good. She had visitors from Pruddy and Ginny as well as Rudy and Lea.
Val 's pain has gotten worse today, and she feels more sick today as the steroids were stopped yesterday. The prunes seem to be helping along with the Miralax so at least her cramps form constipation have been avoided thus far. Today is the visit form the home health nurse who draws blood and gives the Nulasta shot.
Love and prayers to val always.......Salynn
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
March 17, 09 four days past chemo #5
Happy Birthday to Val. "Thank You for all the cards and phone calls" from Val. We called this morning for the ritual birthday song. Val's plan was to go out to the new restaurant in town if she still felt well enough tonight for an early dinner. I encouraged her if not today than next week when she may feel better.
Ryan was in VT with his family as Steffan's grandmother's funeral was last Saturday. He brought breakfast to Val and Dad early that morning. They all had bagels together. After, he and Dad went to run the garbage to the dump and to the medicine shop to get Val's Nulasta shot.
I hope Ryan will blog to give his own update.
I was in VT for the funeral and visited Dad and Val on Sunday morning at 10 am-11am. Val looked great with color in her cheeks and spunk in her voice as we visited. I guess what impressed me the most is her initiative to take walks by herself throughout the house, walks with Dad and Fuller man in the driveway, and occasionally sits in the driveway in a lawn chair when it has been nice enough. Sunday, Val even took a short walk outside in the driveway with Fuller all by herself. She has been doing these walks since one week before chemo #5. She just looked stronger. She didn't want to take her vitamins when I encouraged her to, but she is taking her magnesium pills. She continues on the Miralax and even ate six prunes and some raisins for me that I brought her. I am hoping Val could avoid another frozen colon like happened last chemo by being proactive with her diet. She said her right leg hasn't been bothering her with the DVT's despite all this new walking. Her coumadin levels and hemglobin has been stable.
My impression is that both Dad and Val are out of a shock phase and seem to be living each day a little more to the fullest.
Happy Birthday to Val. Love and prayers to you also.......Salynn
Happy Birthday to Val. "Thank You for all the cards and phone calls" from Val. We called this morning for the ritual birthday song. Val's plan was to go out to the new restaurant in town if she still felt well enough tonight for an early dinner. I encouraged her if not today than next week when she may feel better.
Ryan was in VT with his family as Steffan's grandmother's funeral was last Saturday. He brought breakfast to Val and Dad early that morning. They all had bagels together. After, he and Dad went to run the garbage to the dump and to the medicine shop to get Val's Nulasta shot.
I hope Ryan will blog to give his own update.
I was in VT for the funeral and visited Dad and Val on Sunday morning at 10 am-11am. Val looked great with color in her cheeks and spunk in her voice as we visited. I guess what impressed me the most is her initiative to take walks by herself throughout the house, walks with Dad and Fuller man in the driveway, and occasionally sits in the driveway in a lawn chair when it has been nice enough. Sunday, Val even took a short walk outside in the driveway with Fuller all by herself. She has been doing these walks since one week before chemo #5. She just looked stronger. She didn't want to take her vitamins when I encouraged her to, but she is taking her magnesium pills. She continues on the Miralax and even ate six prunes and some raisins for me that I brought her. I am hoping Val could avoid another frozen colon like happened last chemo by being proactive with her diet. She said her right leg hasn't been bothering her with the DVT's despite all this new walking. Her coumadin levels and hemglobin has been stable.
My impression is that both Dad and Val are out of a shock phase and seem to be living each day a little more to the fullest.
Happy Birthday to Val. Love and prayers to you also.......Salynn
Saturday, March 14, 2009
March 14, 09 Saturday Day #1 after chemo #5
Val received the maximum (100%) of chemo and had no reaction during the infusion. She did have more pain than usual last night and took a pain pill despite being on the steroids right now. Her CA-125 level is now down to 66 from 89 at the last chemo#4!!! Her hemoglobin and coumadin levels are within normal ranges. She has a low level of magnesium so they have started her on magnesium. For all the nurses who follow this blog if you could comment on why the magnesium goes down that would be informative.
Steffan Ryan's wife visited Val while she was having her chemo. Val expressed and cried to her chemo nurse Tony that her fear was that the pain in hr abdomen was her tumors growing back. Tony explained to her the massive amount of organs and large surgery she has been through as well as scar tissue that is developing. She also reassured her that the chemo attacks the stomach, intestines and colon causing pain. Baine stopped by to ask Dad if he wanted him to drive him to Barre and he said no. Val reassured Baine that they were doing fine.
Ryan stopped in Barre this morning to bring bagels and have a short visit with Val and Dad before the funeral of Steffan's grandmother today.
Love and prayers to Val Salynn
Val received the maximum (100%) of chemo and had no reaction during the infusion. She did have more pain than usual last night and took a pain pill despite being on the steroids right now. Her CA-125 level is now down to 66 from 89 at the last chemo#4!!! Her hemoglobin and coumadin levels are within normal ranges. She has a low level of magnesium so they have started her on magnesium. For all the nurses who follow this blog if you could comment on why the magnesium goes down that would be informative.
Steffan Ryan's wife visited Val while she was having her chemo. Val expressed and cried to her chemo nurse Tony that her fear was that the pain in hr abdomen was her tumors growing back. Tony explained to her the massive amount of organs and large surgery she has been through as well as scar tissue that is developing. She also reassured her that the chemo attacks the stomach, intestines and colon causing pain. Baine stopped by to ask Dad if he wanted him to drive him to Barre and he said no. Val reassured Baine that they were doing fine.
Ryan stopped in Barre this morning to bring bagels and have a short visit with Val and Dad before the funeral of Steffan's grandmother today.
Love and prayers to Val Salynn
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
March 4th
I spoke with Dad again this evening and Val was really tired and had a so, so day. Val has been slightly better the last 2 or 3 days, having enough energy to make it downstairs for lunch but it is really not easy making it back up the stairs. Val has been quite exhausted and just not able to get her energy back. Dad has been continuing to take her oxygen level in her blood several times a day and it seems to be averaging around 89. The new home nurse came today and took blood. She seemed to be better than the last one so that is a good thing. Hopefully each day will get a little better for Val before the next Chemo.
Love and Prayers for Val !!
Ryan
Love and Prayers for Val !!
Ryan
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