ups & downs

sorry i haven't updated in such a long time... lots of stuff going on around here lately...

dad started new chemo on monday 03/07... at first dad said it wasn't too bad... but then it really kicked in and knocked him on his ass... he was sick and out of commission for about two weeks... then last week, he started feeling better... actually made it out to a pubsday... pounding down that root beer!!!

starts chemo again today... pretty sure he'll be down and out for a couple of weeks and then start feeling better again... the ups and downs...

not sure when the next scan will be but as soon as i find out i will be sure to let you all know...

oh and by the way - my father is now beardless... since he already has no hair on his head - the chemo decided to take aim at his face... he's had a beard since he retired in december of 1995... it's a little weird to see him without it...

much love...

update

hey everybody - it's jess... happy that i haven't had to post any updates until now...

after the surgery and everything that went with that died down they found 4 spots... they have been treating them with chemo... 3 of the 4 spots haven't gotten any bigger... they didn't get smaller, but they didn't get any bigger either... one of the spots, the one on dad's pelvis, has gotten bigger and spread... he now has new spots on his neck, in his chest and by his kidneys... not on them, just by them...

so starting next monday (3/7) dad starts a new chemo regimen... monday, tuesday at the doctor and then they'll send him home with a pump for the remainder of the week... he'll be off for either 2 or 3 weeks (can't quite remember) and then start again...

please send all positive energy, prayers, incantations, or whatever it is that you do dad's way... positive attitudes are all that we have control over at this point so please join me in making cancer our bitch and showing it who superman really is... much love...

the tortoise and the hare

so we've all seen it... we all know how it ends... slow and steady win the race...

the last week of june dad couldn't keep anything down... not even water... it would come back up within 15 minutes... they did a scope on wednesday june 30th... his stomach was full of food that wasn't being pushed through... so they took it all out and thought that would do the trick... it didn't...

so on friday july 2nd they did an upper gi and things still weren't moving through... off to the er... they admitted him since he was so dehydrated... put him on medicine they thought would make his stomach work again... didn't work... stayed in the hospital still trying to figure it out... on thursday july 8th they did exploratory surgery because they still had no idea what was going on... they ended up opening the passage between his stomach and his intestines...

they seem to think that that was the problem... he still can't keep anything down, but he is feeling pretty good... they released him from the hospital today because as he says 'i can puke at home'...

dr tate says that it will just take time for his stomach to start really working... it's been through a lot in the past 3 months and we all think it's just giving him the finger and revolting...

s l o w & s t e a d y...





much love to stef for drawing the turtle...

Cooool - good report from my last post-op checkup. He said I was way ahead of schedule and doing great.
Still have a long way to go though, but feeling pretty good after all the good reports. I know, I know - P A T I E N C E.........
Next step is a pet-scan in 3 months to make sure they cleaned me out good enough.
Anyway..... unless something new comes up - it'll probably be a while before I post anything else.
I'll let y;all know when I cross the next hurdle - getting back to work.....
This has been an excellent vehicle for reporting my goings on and happenings - thanks again Mooch.
Thanks again for your toughts, prayers, cards, letters, e-mails, etc., etc. Y'all have been a marvelous support group.

Sorry, I know it's been a few days. Whew - I've experienced some very good and some very bad days the past week - it seems like I discover new pains every day.
Had a follow-up yesterday - I'm dehydrated - got a bag of fluids, gettin another one today and another on Wednesday - I'm trying to force myself to drink more, it's just not happening. I also have some pain patches and an appetite stimulant - nobody would ever believe I'd need a stimulant to eat.......
Anyway........ Doc is very happy with my progress, so I guess I should be happy too - just anxious to feel better on a daily basis.

Whooooooo Hooooooooo I'm now tube free! The first time in M O N T H S that I haven't had something sticking out of me.
Doc says all is well, the lingering pain is normal, everything looks good and I'm progressing as anticipated.

Good days - yesterday and today. Sue got me up and took me to Wal Mart last night - John came by today and hauled me to Lowe's today, so I've been up, about and walking pretty well.
I ate a fill today too, so I guess things are headed in the right direction.
The weather is supposed to be really nice tomorrow, so hopefully, I'll get to spend more time outside.
Pluggin along on a daily basis.....