Ralph spent Wednesday night at Michael's and Thursday night at Megan's and Nathan's. We are lucky that between the two taking him to and from the hospital, he had his port surgically placed and received 9 hours of chemo. Mallory held down the fort, at home. She makes every effort to keep things bacteria free.
This particular chemo causes the bladder to bleed. As a proactive measure, Ralph took pills to coat his bladder and needed to drink a glass of water and void every 90 minutes through Friday night into Saturday. He is fortunate that he did not get sick, so the pills worked. He also took anti-nausea pills for a few days, but he seemed to tolerate this chemo, well. He is tired but not bed ridden. He has noticed some hair loss. The anticipation of what is to come is making everyone anxious and emotional.
On Saturday, he and Jim enjoyed their weekly ride and Ralph enjoyed the relaxing sound of the waterfall and fountain in our healing garden. As soon as a St. Jude statue is placed, it will be complete. There are colorful birds that visit and entertain, too. He began his shots to boost white blood cells.
My parents visited on Sunday. We were able to spend the morning outside. I think everyone found peace. The weather, this weekend, was beautiful!
Michael, Erin, Megan, and my mother came for a picnic on Monday. Ralph's request was BBQ chicken, deer burgers, corn-on-the-cob, and baked beans. Again, the weather cooperated and we all had a great Memorial Day! Ralph started antibiotics and hourly temperature taking. He cannot have a reading of over 100.5.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Weekend...
Yesterday, Ralph stayed out of the house until around 2pm. He and Jim took a ride in Jim's new play toy! He pretty much slept the rest of the day and most of today, except for when my parents and Lynnie visited and for watching part of "Taken" with Mallory and Megan.
He seems to have a hard time focusing or gathering thoughts. His skin is very dry and itchy, but he surely enjoys the freedom of no picc line to hinder showering! The anticipation of what's to come, in the next few weeks, and the fear of the unknown can make him emotional as it takes a toll on each one of us, in different ways.
The Healing Garden is nearly complete. It has already brought us some distraction with its beauty and sound!
He seems to have a hard time focusing or gathering thoughts. His skin is very dry and itchy, but he surely enjoys the freedom of no picc line to hinder showering! The anticipation of what's to come, in the next few weeks, and the fear of the unknown can make him emotional as it takes a toll on each one of us, in different ways.
The Healing Garden is nearly complete. It has already brought us some distraction with its beauty and sound!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Test results...
All the tests that Ralph had this week indicate that he is able to have the transplant. His height is now 3 inches shorter than he last remembers. He was able to joke about that! It is obvious that his spine has compressed due to the bone weakness caused by myeloma. Dr. Raptis is already thinking about that issue once the transplant is complete.
Ralph still has a window of energy each day. During that short time, he runs some errands
and goes out and about. He'd like to sit at a restaurant to eat but tires by dinner. Angelo's is his favorite, so he gets take-out. After this Thursday, he will no longer be out in public or able to eat any food from anywhere but home...preferably single serving frozen items to minimize the opportunity to contact any bacteria.
Again, thank you for your cards, calls, email, inquiries, texts, thoughts, and prayers. We have all been humbled by the sincere care and concern you have shown.
Ralph still has a window of energy each day. During that short time, he runs some errands
and goes out and about. He'd like to sit at a restaurant to eat but tires by dinner. Angelo's is his favorite, so he gets take-out. After this Thursday, he will no longer be out in public or able to eat any food from anywhere but home...preferably single serving frozen items to minimize the opportunity to contact any bacteria.
Again, thank you for your cards, calls, email, inquiries, texts, thoughts, and prayers. We have all been humbled by the sincere care and concern you have shown.
Monday, May 11, 2009
One more month...
Preparing emotionally and mentally for the transplant can be very draining, at times, for each of us. We are trying to remember and practice all necessary precautions for keeping the spread of bacteria in our home. Ralph now has his own refrigerator and a lot of single serving food items. He needs to keep slippers on. He uses white towels that can be bleached after a single use; he uses only glass that can be washed in the dishwasher; he uses only paper towels in the kitchen. All counters are wiped with Clorox wipes after each use, and there are hand sanitizer pumps that are easily accessible. Ralph is trying to remember to carry individual hand-sanitizer wipes when he leaves the house. Fortunately, he can have his own bathroom and bedroom where no one can share germs or at least, minimally. The dogs have been shaved and are only allowed on the floor. Soon, we will be covering couches, with sheets, before he sits or lays.
This past Saturday, he sat outside and watched me plant some flowers. Jim took him out for lunch, and Danny took him to watch golfers for a bit. The kids came on Sunday. Megan spent the night because she is taking him to Shadyside, today, for testing.
Ralph took his last oral chemo pill yesterday. It is obvious, by his mental state and his physical appearance, that he does not feel well from all the rounds of chemo. He is weak and tired, feels cold, shaky, swollen, unable to focus, at times, and can become confused. He has emotional lows, as well. No doubt, he is tired of the fight, afraid of what is to come, and is in anticipation of getting this all behind him and having some normalcy back in his life. Hopefully, he will feel a little better over the next 10 days before the chemo and other medicines start again.
The continual flow of cards and well wishes encourage and give strength. Please keep praying in the weeks to come. Your prayers have been heard. God has truly heard and carried us through!
This past Saturday, he sat outside and watched me plant some flowers. Jim took him out for lunch, and Danny took him to watch golfers for a bit. The kids came on Sunday. Megan spent the night because she is taking him to Shadyside, today, for testing.
Ralph took his last oral chemo pill yesterday. It is obvious, by his mental state and his physical appearance, that he does not feel well from all the rounds of chemo. He is weak and tired, feels cold, shaky, swollen, unable to focus, at times, and can become confused. He has emotional lows, as well. No doubt, he is tired of the fight, afraid of what is to come, and is in anticipation of getting this all behind him and having some normalcy back in his life. Hopefully, he will feel a little better over the next 10 days before the chemo and other medicines start again.
The continual flow of cards and well wishes encourage and give strength. Please keep praying in the weeks to come. Your prayers have been heard. God has truly heard and carried us through!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Mallory came home!
On Saturday, we had the duct work cleaned and the upstairs' carpets. The house smelled so fresh! Around midnight, Mallory came home from Italy. Ralph slept most of the late afternoon and evening so that he'd be up when she arrived. Michael, Erin, Megan, and Nathan greeted her at the airport and stayed the night. After a wonderful breakfast, made by Megan, we were left alone to enjoy having Mallory to ourselves. Ralph was very content to have all the kids in the house at one time.
On Monday, Ralph become quite agitated and snippy with everyone after the nurse from Hillman called to give him instructions and his schedule for May and June. Most anger is out of fear, so we are chalking up his angry behavior to fear...understandable.
On Monday, Ralph become quite agitated and snippy with everyone after the nurse from Hillman called to give him instructions and his schedule for May and June. Most anger is out of fear, so we are chalking up his angry behavior to fear...understandable.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Timeline...
Ralph seems to have had a better, more energetic week. He feels that he accomplished a lot by getting things organized at his office so that things can run smoothly in his absence.
He finished his 4th round of chemo on Thursday. Hopefully, that was his last round, and the procedures for the transplant can begin. Dr. Raptis, at Hillman, feels that he can go ahead as scheduled, based on the preliminary tests taken over the past 2 weeks. Hillman is VERY pleased with test results and feels that Ralph will fare well during the transplant and his recovery, based on the strong way his body reacted to chemo.
If all goes as planned, the month of May will be consumed with extensive testing to determine if every part of his body will tolerate a transplant, having a port placed in his chest, dental check-up, a 9 hour chemo treatment, the start of antibiotics, and shots to increase white blood cells. From May 23 to June 1 is when he will be extremely susceptible to infection.
In June, they will collect 5 million stem cells over a 1 or 2 day period. On June 9th, he will be admitted into the hospital for the replacement and will stay there from 3 to 4 weeks. On the first two days, Ralph will be given an amount of chemo that is equivalent to what some people take over a year to kill any myeloma cells that might be left. Right now, June 11th is predicted to be Ralph’s new birthday; the day they transplant all the healthy stem-cells!
Because Ralph is his own donor, we do not need to have as sterile an environment as we first feared. The dogs are allowed to stay, but Ralph is not to care for them or allow them on his lap. He needs to be very cautious about washing his hands, keeping his feet covered with slippers, keeping his food off of the counters, using a glass and his towels only once, not bleeding, no fever, a certain diet, and a whole list of stuff. He will need to stay around the house and our yard. He will be allowed visitors who are not sick. Our goal is to be able to be out in public by the end of July!
We need to be careful not to touch anything that he might eat. He has a special diet to follow. For that reason, everything will be single serving and in his own refrigerator. No take out food or food prepared in other kitchens. The areas that Ralph frequents, in the house, must be cleaned well, before he comes home, in an effort to minimize contact with bacteria. We are having the air ducts cleaned and sanitized so that he can breathe cleaner air. We have a list of other precautions that do not seem as overwhelming as the initial literature.
As always, thank you for your constant care, concern, and support!
He finished his 4th round of chemo on Thursday. Hopefully, that was his last round, and the procedures for the transplant can begin. Dr. Raptis, at Hillman, feels that he can go ahead as scheduled, based on the preliminary tests taken over the past 2 weeks. Hillman is VERY pleased with test results and feels that Ralph will fare well during the transplant and his recovery, based on the strong way his body reacted to chemo.
If all goes as planned, the month of May will be consumed with extensive testing to determine if every part of his body will tolerate a transplant, having a port placed in his chest, dental check-up, a 9 hour chemo treatment, the start of antibiotics, and shots to increase white blood cells. From May 23 to June 1 is when he will be extremely susceptible to infection.
In June, they will collect 5 million stem cells over a 1 or 2 day period. On June 9th, he will be admitted into the hospital for the replacement and will stay there from 3 to 4 weeks. On the first two days, Ralph will be given an amount of chemo that is equivalent to what some people take over a year to kill any myeloma cells that might be left. Right now, June 11th is predicted to be Ralph’s new birthday; the day they transplant all the healthy stem-cells!
Because Ralph is his own donor, we do not need to have as sterile an environment as we first feared. The dogs are allowed to stay, but Ralph is not to care for them or allow them on his lap. He needs to be very cautious about washing his hands, keeping his feet covered with slippers, keeping his food off of the counters, using a glass and his towels only once, not bleeding, no fever, a certain diet, and a whole list of stuff. He will need to stay around the house and our yard. He will be allowed visitors who are not sick. Our goal is to be able to be out in public by the end of July!
We need to be careful not to touch anything that he might eat. He has a special diet to follow. For that reason, everything will be single serving and in his own refrigerator. No take out food or food prepared in other kitchens. The areas that Ralph frequents, in the house, must be cleaned well, before he comes home, in an effort to minimize contact with bacteria. We are having the air ducts cleaned and sanitized so that he can breathe cleaner air. We have a list of other precautions that do not seem as overwhelming as the initial literature.
As always, thank you for your constant care, concern, and support!
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