Updates

Hi everyone. I'm back from the cabin a little bit early so I thought I'd put out some updates.

1. Jim is doing okay, but his health has deteriorated over the week. His sister has been working on getting more calories into him, but at present he's not getting enough calories to sustain his current weight. She got him some Carnation Very High Calorie drinks, so hopefully those will help him get his weight up a little bit.
2. Yesterday, they brought Jim over to the Vince to have him checked out, and they suspected that he was dehydrated. So they gave him some fluids intravenously.
3. They also did some bloodwork on him and found that his hemoglobin was low. A normal hemoglobin level is around 12. People need a transfusion at around 8. Jim was at 8.1, so they decided that he could benefit from a transfusion. So when they called me, I thought I should come home to support Jim during the transfusion. Jim has been dreading a transfusion. He's just had it in his mind that he didn't want one. But by the time I got to the hospital last night, he was looking a lot better. (And they put him on the second floor where the nurses are the best in the world, so who can complain!?)
4. Jim's belly is very distended and uncomfortable. It's hard for him to fit anything into his digestive system, including the shakes, because his abdomen is so inflamed. We are hoping that the radiation microspheres can help with that, but he's going to have to tough it out for two more weeks.
5. They changed our schedule at Northwestern. Jim was supposed to have his scan yesterday morning and his angiogram/trial run for the microspheres on Monday. But they switched his appointments so that he has his scan on Monday morning and the angiogram/trial on Tuesday. So we'll leave tomorrow afternoon for Chicago. We still don't know the date of the actual procedure, although we suspect it will be around Friday, August 10th. They will know more after they do the angiogram. The reason they don't know the actual date is because they have to order the radiation microspheres. I'm guessing they'll determine the volume they'll need to order based on the results of the angiogram.
6. The cabin was great. I was sad to leave. But you know, a girl can only take so much soft-serve ice cream and sleep before she longs to pick up the cancer fight again. My parents coddled me like only a mom and dad can do. They cared for my kids. My friends Wendy and Lisa sent flowers, and they got me a pedicure and massage. I went for a couple of boat rides, drank a little wine, ate lots of ice cream, sat out on the dock, and talked to my parents about my fears. Although Jim and I have had some of the hard talks, it's just easier to talk to my parents about some things. I've always been best friend with my folks - talking to them is just a natural for me. And I can talk to them without the same kind of heartache I feel when I talk to Jim about my fears.

Although it seems that things are falling apart, I think things are getting better. Maybe that's the kind of relief a week away brings. By getting the hemoglobin and the IV fluids, I believe Jim's body will be better able to absorb his pain medication. (This based on my advanced medical degree that I've earned since September.) If he's in less pain, he'll be able to consume more calories. More calories will lead to strength. Strength will enable him to respond to treatment and repair his body after treatment.

I've started going back to the American Cancer Society web boards because there are so many Stage IV survivors there. They are a real inspiration. People have prevailed over the same kind of disease that Jim has. I believe that he can. That we can.