Well, I can't believe it is over 2 weeks since I have posted anything. Maybe that is a good thing - it could mean there is not a lot happening at the moment. As for Callum, well, the ultrasound of his arm and chest showed there is still an extensive blood clot in his left chest. So, Dr. A put him on warfarin, which lasted about a week. He has since changed to tinzaparin, which is heparin. So, now he has to have an injection every day and has a prescription for 6 months worth! A little pricey item it is - over $750 a month! Dr. A. applied for the government to give approval for exception status so we will have the cost covered - thank goodness! Now, this needle business has lead me to once again learn that to pay attention to that "never say never" saying. I never thought I could give anyone else a needle. And I thought Callum could do anything he needed to for himself. Well, on Sunday, after nearly an hour in the bathroom trying to gain the courage to give himself the needle, he finally asked me to do it for him. And I did - surprised the crap right out of me! I guess you never know what you can do until you have to do it! I gave it to him Monday, too, and that has now given him the courage to do it on his own. Well, maybe it really is because I stabbed him twice with the needle on Monday before I got it right! Anyway, he is just great with it now. He has been doing quite well with the chemo this cycle. We had friends from Regina and Winnipeg visiting Saturday evening and he was really good. He even made a couple of appetizers for us! We were both quite tired Sunday and had naps after the golf was finished on TV. It doesn't seem to take much to tire us out these days!
The long weekend in September we kind of hung around the house and watch Mike Weir contend for the golf tourney that weekend. During commercials I finished unpacking more boxes, hung pictures and sorted out the storeroom. It was both a quiet and busy weekend!
I am pretty sure I mentioned it in my last email update but just in case.....Dr. A did tell us that Callum will be on chemo treatments from now until either the cancer starts growing or the side effects are too bad. It was disappointing to hear at the time but we have rebounded from that news. He is still working most of the time - has missed only 3 days each of the last 2 treatment cycles. I think that as long as he is feeling well he will keep working and we'll see where things are at sometime in December, once the chemo has had a chance to work. He has a CT scan tomorrow (Sept 11) to get a baseline for comparison in the future. We also see Dr. Kundapar, the radiology oncologist tomorrow so should know when the whole brain radiation will start.
It has been a couple of weeks with intermittent strong emotions popping up every now and then. It is just so hard to believe he is so sick when most of the time he looks so good. He is quite a trooper - takes his 8 - 12 pills a day - the higher number when he is on chemo - they are the anti nausea pills. And now an injection every day. Then the tests and Dr appointments. He never complains -well, nearly never. Just does what he needs to do. It is absolutely admirable. Well, time to go. We have to be at the hospital at 7:40 am for the 8:45 CT scan.
"If I had my life to live over, I would perhaps have more actual troubles and less imaginary ones, eat more ice cream and less beans." Harold Kushner
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