Sunday Aug 30, 09
Fall has felt like it entered the state of VT with the temperatures going to 40's at night and high 50's during the day. Dad put the heat on and Val was wearing the white over coat that Steffan gave to her.
Since coming home from Maine, Val has been spent the mornings in her room eating a minimal breakfast and then napping/resting the rest of the morning. Dad brings Val breakfast as well as lunch to her in bed. He sits in a chair next to the bed to keep her company. After lunch, Val takes one more nap before adventuring downstairs to be in her hospital bed for her parents visit form 2-4. The other day, Rudy, Lea and Val took a nap during their visit. Rudy and Lea are extra busy and tired with the nephews of cousin Bella who are going through Bell's belongings etc.
Val abdominal pain has worsened since Maine also. She continues to wear the 100mg fentanyl patch which is changed every three days. On top of that, Dad now gives her a vicoden every 4 hours to control the pain during the day. The difficult thing for Dad is that Val doesn't really tell him when she is in pain. He has to ask almost every hour to monitor her. This may sound unusual as if you were in pain you might tell someone right away or take a pain pill yourself. Val doesn't work this way and never has. She is never one to complain during this whole cancer journey. It is not time to increase the fenatanyl patch yet until Val reaches 5 vicoden in a 12 hour period. Pain is what Val fears most. Val wants us all to make sure the end is not painful for her,
and we have assured her we could do that for her.
Love and prayers to Val always.......Salynn
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Friday Aug28, 09
The double dose of chemo has kicked in in all departments. Val has eaten very little, became constipated for three days, and has had increased pain which requires two vicoden at one time. She has had no vomiting which is a blessing. Val continues to be extremely tired with very little awake time. The times of her confusion or delusions has increased also while she is awake.
Val because she has felt basically terrible has refused a shower for 6 days now. This is a very sure sign of how bad she actually feels.
Mary the VNA nurse has seen Val both Wed and Friday. She recommends that Dad keep some morphine for Val in the house as she anticipates the pain to increase. Discussion of increasing Val's Fenatanly patch from 100 to 150 mg has occurred also. Mary always seems to be totally sincere in her words of care for Val. Dad seems so confident in how well she works together with DAd and Val reading his emotional state at each moment. According to Dad, working with Mary is like having a friend in your house. It is a comfort to know Dad feels such support and comfort in the care Mary gives to Val.
Mary has initiated the difficult conversations of letting Dad have medical authority to make decisions for Val when she is no longer capable of doing so . Val was crying and said of course she trusts Dad and has confidence he could make the correct choices for her. As of now, no papers have been signed, but the reality of it is, Val really wants to continue treatment and wants all heroic measures to preserve life. This is still her voice at this time.
Val's blood levels are still on the low levels, but acceptable. The scary thing is that Val's INR is dangerously high. This a blood thinning level. The INR normal level is .9-1.5. Val level went from 3 to a 7. The nurses called two times today to check to make sure Val wasn't bleeding out. This is Dad's worst fear that Val will start bleeding and won't be able to stop. Well, Val is safe so far and not bleeding. Her blood thinner is stopped until a new blood can be drawn on Monday.
Love and prayers to Val always.....Salynn
The double dose of chemo has kicked in in all departments. Val has eaten very little, became constipated for three days, and has had increased pain which requires two vicoden at one time. She has had no vomiting which is a blessing. Val continues to be extremely tired with very little awake time. The times of her confusion or delusions has increased also while she is awake.
Val because she has felt basically terrible has refused a shower for 6 days now. This is a very sure sign of how bad she actually feels.
Mary the VNA nurse has seen Val both Wed and Friday. She recommends that Dad keep some morphine for Val in the house as she anticipates the pain to increase. Discussion of increasing Val's Fenatanly patch from 100 to 150 mg has occurred also. Mary always seems to be totally sincere in her words of care for Val. Dad seems so confident in how well she works together with DAd and Val reading his emotional state at each moment. According to Dad, working with Mary is like having a friend in your house. It is a comfort to know Dad feels such support and comfort in the care Mary gives to Val.
Mary has initiated the difficult conversations of letting Dad have medical authority to make decisions for Val when she is no longer capable of doing so . Val was crying and said of course she trusts Dad and has confidence he could make the correct choices for her. As of now, no papers have been signed, but the reality of it is, Val really wants to continue treatment and wants all heroic measures to preserve life. This is still her voice at this time.
Val's blood levels are still on the low levels, but acceptable. The scary thing is that Val's INR is dangerously high. This a blood thinning level. The INR normal level is .9-1.5. Val level went from 3 to a 7. The nurses called two times today to check to make sure Val wasn't bleeding out. This is Dad's worst fear that Val will start bleeding and won't be able to stop. Well, Val is safe so far and not bleeding. Her blood thinner is stopped until a new blood can be drawn on Monday.
Love and prayers to Val always.....Salynn
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Wednesday Aug 26, 09 One day past chemo #2 of a set of 6
Val had a nice anniversary with Dad over the weekend. She ate some of the lobster meat her maid of honor at her wedding sent them. Val thought it was very cute Cindy Cato had put a sign on their lawn "honk for Jay and Val it's their anniversary."
On Monday morning, Val was able to go to the burial ceremony for Bella her Aunt. Dad was able to push her in the wheelchair which is coming in handy. Val has been having some rough days and nights as far as abdominal pain. One night DAd was rubbing her back from 2-4am as the pain meds he had given her were not doing the trick.
Mary the VNA nurse was back from her honeymoon on Monday so Val had a full check up. Mary heard the increased fluid in her abdomen and around the right lung by stethoscope despite the new aeration going into the right lung. Val admitted to having some new shakes of her body like she is shivering. This as well as the confusion that is occurring more often is both side effects of the medications she is on. Mary offered Dad some ideas to counter these problems.
Tuesday was chemo #2 of this second set of 6 which Val has elected to do. She received the gemzar and the docetaxol at 75% maximum dose. She had no reactions to the chemo so she was home by 2:30 that day. She has been sleeping most of the time almost 80% according to Dad.
Her appetite comes and goes, but her weight at 153 stayed the same as she has fluid building up in her abdomen adding water weight to her.
Today is Wednesday. Another visit to Val by the VNA nurse Mary to give Val the Nuralasta shot which helps to keep her WBC up above too low. Val her RBC shot the Aresnep on last Tuesday. That shot is supposed to keep her RBC from being too low.
Love and prayers to Val always.....Salynn
Val had a nice anniversary with Dad over the weekend. She ate some of the lobster meat her maid of honor at her wedding sent them. Val thought it was very cute Cindy Cato had put a sign on their lawn "honk for Jay and Val it's their anniversary."
On Monday morning, Val was able to go to the burial ceremony for Bella her Aunt. Dad was able to push her in the wheelchair which is coming in handy. Val has been having some rough days and nights as far as abdominal pain. One night DAd was rubbing her back from 2-4am as the pain meds he had given her were not doing the trick.
Mary the VNA nurse was back from her honeymoon on Monday so Val had a full check up. Mary heard the increased fluid in her abdomen and around the right lung by stethoscope despite the new aeration going into the right lung. Val admitted to having some new shakes of her body like she is shivering. This as well as the confusion that is occurring more often is both side effects of the medications she is on. Mary offered Dad some ideas to counter these problems.
Tuesday was chemo #2 of this second set of 6 which Val has elected to do. She received the gemzar and the docetaxol at 75% maximum dose. She had no reactions to the chemo so she was home by 2:30 that day. She has been sleeping most of the time almost 80% according to Dad.
Her appetite comes and goes, but her weight at 153 stayed the same as she has fluid building up in her abdomen adding water weight to her.
Today is Wednesday. Another visit to Val by the VNA nurse Mary to give Val the Nuralasta shot which helps to keep her WBC up above too low. Val her RBC shot the Aresnep on last Tuesday. That shot is supposed to keep her RBC from being too low.
Love and prayers to Val always.....Salynn
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Saturday Aug. 22, 09
Happy 25th Anniversary to Val and Dad today!
The CAT SCAN results of Val's head has all come back negative with no signs of metastasis to the brain. This is great news as Val has been quite nervous and upset thinking the cancer had traveled further, but it has not. Her confusion at times must be from medication. Val had not had very good days on Wednesday evening and Thursday as the chemo causes increased pain in her abdomen and a decreased appetite. Dad was able to give her two pain pills Thursday during the night which seemed to bring the pain back under control.
I stopped on Friday in the am to bring breakfast to Val and Dad. We had brought them fresh picked blueberries and homemade blueberry muffins. We also brought them anniversary cards and gifts from all their grandchildren. Val was up in the bedroom and called down to us when we arrived "Is that little people I hear". She was all smiles. My three children kept them entertained for an hour while Val ate a small breakfast and then walked downstairs to her hospital bed. It is nice to see them excited to see three of their grandchildren (they have a total of 8).
Val and Dad cancelled the VNA nurse on Friday morning, not because we were there, but because their favorite nurse Mary has been on her honeymoon all week. Mary will return on Monday to draw blood before the chemo scheduled for Tuesday.
During all my visits to their house I have been helping to organize some of Val's many piles of "things". Her book collection is one such "thing". However, a friend called to borrow the Bronze Horseman, and we can't find it. If any of her friends who read this blog has borrowed it, please call Val as she cannot remember loaning it to anyone. Thanks.
On a sad note, Lea's cousin Bella passed away from congestive heart failure on Wednesday afternoon. The wake is Sunday night and the funeral is Monday at 10 am. Val was close to Lea's cousin so this brings Val sadness, yet peace as she was 90 years old.
Love and prayers to Val always.......Salynn
Happy 25th Anniversary to Val and Dad today!
The CAT SCAN results of Val's head has all come back negative with no signs of metastasis to the brain. This is great news as Val has been quite nervous and upset thinking the cancer had traveled further, but it has not. Her confusion at times must be from medication. Val had not had very good days on Wednesday evening and Thursday as the chemo causes increased pain in her abdomen and a decreased appetite. Dad was able to give her two pain pills Thursday during the night which seemed to bring the pain back under control.
I stopped on Friday in the am to bring breakfast to Val and Dad. We had brought them fresh picked blueberries and homemade blueberry muffins. We also brought them anniversary cards and gifts from all their grandchildren. Val was up in the bedroom and called down to us when we arrived "Is that little people I hear". She was all smiles. My three children kept them entertained for an hour while Val ate a small breakfast and then walked downstairs to her hospital bed. It is nice to see them excited to see three of their grandchildren (they have a total of 8).
Val and Dad cancelled the VNA nurse on Friday morning, not because we were there, but because their favorite nurse Mary has been on her honeymoon all week. Mary will return on Monday to draw blood before the chemo scheduled for Tuesday.
During all my visits to their house I have been helping to organize some of Val's many piles of "things". Her book collection is one such "thing". However, a friend called to borrow the Bronze Horseman, and we can't find it. If any of her friends who read this blog has borrowed it, please call Val as she cannot remember loaning it to anyone. Thanks.
On a sad note, Lea's cousin Bella passed away from congestive heart failure on Wednesday afternoon. The wake is Sunday night and the funeral is Monday at 10 am. Val was close to Lea's cousin so this brings Val sadness, yet peace as she was 90 years old.
Love and prayers to Val always.......Salynn
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Tuesday Aug. 18, 09
Val had a 10:30 am appointment at chemo today. She received her steroid, the benadryl and anti nausea as well as her general fluids by IV. Followed by the 75% dose of the Gemzar chemo drug. She was sleepy in the recliner when I arrived to chemo today. She began by saying to me that she had had a dream about me last night.... didn't' know I was coming to see her today...and she closed her eyes only to say she thought it was a SIGN that I showed up.
Well, she ate better at lunch time and at dinner today. She ate 4 Hershey kisses, five yogurt covered pretzels, three bites of Jane's blueberry cake and a half a grinder of ham and tomato. She only drank when I actually put the water in her hand. She did say...if I eat any more I won't be hungry for dinner. For dinner, she ate a medium bowl of fresh yellow beans with potatoes as well as more of Jane's cake. She is temperamental in her eating. Some days she fights Dad with everything he offers and other days she is more willing to eat. Eating and drinking are of such importance for val at this time. It may not seem like a big deal, but it is. She is really weak and to keep all systems going she needs nourishment.
Since Maine, Val has had a change in her status. Meaning, she has had a great deal of confusion daily and has less stability on her feet. Today as we walked out arm in arm, I was actually frightened she would loose her balance and would fall despite me holding on to her. She seems much weaker to me as well. Dad says she sleeps almost 75% of the time. Dad and I think two things could be causing this. A build up of her pain medication within her system now making her appear actually drugged. A metastatic tumor has to be ruled out so Dad scheduled a CAT SCAN of her brain for 9:30 am on this Thursday.
Val's blood markers are fine, but within the acceptable low. Her hemoglobin remains at 9.2, platelets 130, white blood cells 12, 000. Val's CA 125 cancer marker was 33 last month and now is 40. I asked the doctor why Val got this new blood clot. Other than he can't tell me exactly why, chemo patients are prone to blood clots.
Love and prayers to Val always....Salynn
Val had a 10:30 am appointment at chemo today. She received her steroid, the benadryl and anti nausea as well as her general fluids by IV. Followed by the 75% dose of the Gemzar chemo drug. She was sleepy in the recliner when I arrived to chemo today. She began by saying to me that she had had a dream about me last night.... didn't' know I was coming to see her today...and she closed her eyes only to say she thought it was a SIGN that I showed up.
Well, she ate better at lunch time and at dinner today. She ate 4 Hershey kisses, five yogurt covered pretzels, three bites of Jane's blueberry cake and a half a grinder of ham and tomato. She only drank when I actually put the water in her hand. She did say...if I eat any more I won't be hungry for dinner. For dinner, she ate a medium bowl of fresh yellow beans with potatoes as well as more of Jane's cake. She is temperamental in her eating. Some days she fights Dad with everything he offers and other days she is more willing to eat. Eating and drinking are of such importance for val at this time. It may not seem like a big deal, but it is. She is really weak and to keep all systems going she needs nourishment.
Since Maine, Val has had a change in her status. Meaning, she has had a great deal of confusion daily and has less stability on her feet. Today as we walked out arm in arm, I was actually frightened she would loose her balance and would fall despite me holding on to her. She seems much weaker to me as well. Dad says she sleeps almost 75% of the time. Dad and I think two things could be causing this. A build up of her pain medication within her system now making her appear actually drugged. A metastatic tumor has to be ruled out so Dad scheduled a CAT SCAN of her brain for 9:30 am on this Thursday.
Val's blood markers are fine, but within the acceptable low. Her hemoglobin remains at 9.2, platelets 130, white blood cells 12, 000. Val's CA 125 cancer marker was 33 last month and now is 40. I asked the doctor why Val got this new blood clot. Other than he can't tell me exactly why, chemo patients are prone to blood clots.
Love and prayers to Val always....Salynn
Monday, August 17, 2009
Monday Aug 17, 09
Val had a busy, great day on Sunday. Joe and I and our three kids as well as Alison and John and their one son all visited Val and Dad from 10:30 to 11:30. Val wanted all the grandchildren to pick out a special stuffed animal to keep and take that day. She also listened to Brendan play his cello. She showed Alison the set of china she wants her to have. Val was smiling and happy the whole visit.
Val was visited in the afternoon by her Aunt Tatti, Cousin Bobby and cousin Jane. Tatti is Lea's only sister who is 90 and lives in VA. Jane her daughter-in-law flew down to get her and drove Tatti to their house in NH last week. Aunt Tatti has been close to Val her whole life as she used to live upstairs in their two family home in Barre Vt above Rudy and Lea. Bobby and Val are very close in age and grew up together. The visit went well according to Dad. Val wanted to give Jane some of her clothes which she did.
Val is going through a phase where she doesn't want to eat again. She tells Dad she is full. She has been sleeping all the time. Her blood levels are stable with her hemoglobin at 9.2.
Chemo is planned for tomorrow at 10:30.
Love and prayers to Val always.......Salynn
Val had a busy, great day on Sunday. Joe and I and our three kids as well as Alison and John and their one son all visited Val and Dad from 10:30 to 11:30. Val wanted all the grandchildren to pick out a special stuffed animal to keep and take that day. She also listened to Brendan play his cello. She showed Alison the set of china she wants her to have. Val was smiling and happy the whole visit.
Val was visited in the afternoon by her Aunt Tatti, Cousin Bobby and cousin Jane. Tatti is Lea's only sister who is 90 and lives in VA. Jane her daughter-in-law flew down to get her and drove Tatti to their house in NH last week. Aunt Tatti has been close to Val her whole life as she used to live upstairs in their two family home in Barre Vt above Rudy and Lea. Bobby and Val are very close in age and grew up together. The visit went well according to Dad. Val wanted to give Jane some of her clothes which she did.
Val is going through a phase where she doesn't want to eat again. She tells Dad she is full. She has been sleeping all the time. Her blood levels are stable with her hemoglobin at 9.2.
Chemo is planned for tomorrow at 10:30.
Love and prayers to Val always.......Salynn
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Thursday Aug. 13, 09
The CAT SCAN report is in. There wasn't really any new bad news so that is the good news.
Both lungs remain with very large number of pulmonary lesions or tumors throughout. That is why Val remains on 2% oxygen. There is some improved aeration or air moving into the right lung which is good news as the entire lung collapsed back in early May. The right lung now has an extensive pleural effusion; that is fluid build up surrounding the whole right lung. The chest tube she had placed in May was suppose to drain this. Most likely, this is the cancer killing the good lung cells resulting in this new fluid build up around the right lung again.
There has been an enlargement of the tumor on the anterior aspect of the liver from 1 cm to 2.3 cm. The tumor on the inferior/medial aspect of the liver is also 2.3 cm. The common bile duct remains enlarged to 3 cm. The tumor on the pancreas tail remains unchanged in size measuring 4.4 by 2.3 cm. No new tumors in the abdomen were found.
Val had a filter placed into the inferior vena cava back in Dec. to prevent blood clots from traveling to her brain or heart or lung. The scan shows the new blood clot or a DVT which is located in the left common iliac vein extending into the left external iliac and femoral veins
The pelvis now has free fluid scattered within the deep pelvis area. Again, this is the cancer cells killing off the good cells and leaving behind fluid.
Love and prayers to Val always....Salynn
The CAT SCAN report is in. There wasn't really any new bad news so that is the good news.
Both lungs remain with very large number of pulmonary lesions or tumors throughout. That is why Val remains on 2% oxygen. There is some improved aeration or air moving into the right lung which is good news as the entire lung collapsed back in early May. The right lung now has an extensive pleural effusion; that is fluid build up surrounding the whole right lung. The chest tube she had placed in May was suppose to drain this. Most likely, this is the cancer killing the good lung cells resulting in this new fluid build up around the right lung again.
There has been an enlargement of the tumor on the anterior aspect of the liver from 1 cm to 2.3 cm. The tumor on the inferior/medial aspect of the liver is also 2.3 cm. The common bile duct remains enlarged to 3 cm. The tumor on the pancreas tail remains unchanged in size measuring 4.4 by 2.3 cm. No new tumors in the abdomen were found.
Val had a filter placed into the inferior vena cava back in Dec. to prevent blood clots from traveling to her brain or heart or lung. The scan shows the new blood clot or a DVT which is located in the left common iliac vein extending into the left external iliac and femoral veins
The pelvis now has free fluid scattered within the deep pelvis area. Again, this is the cancer cells killing off the good cells and leaving behind fluid.
Love and prayers to Val always....Salynn
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