"Heaven"

Being Home Rocks!!

Let's see...

• No one coming in every hour on the hour
• No more 4AM blood drawing needed
• No more limited television selections

Yes... she is very happy and the pets spent the evening snuggling next to her. She is getting stronger walking on her on without any assistance from me still. I think she got her first full night of complete sleep, should be in a much better mood!

Spreading Her Wings

Back Home Again

Today she was released from the hospital today and she was ready to leave as soon as she was told; problem was, I was across town in an off site meeting so she had to wait! This did not require three weeks, instead it was two!

No complaints from he and she wants to bump up the her stay at home time to two instead of three weeks. She wants to finish her last two chemo tours very quickly and her oncologist may keep it at three weeks before each tour to increase her overall strength.

Good Sign

She is not prohibited from going to places now and therefore she doesn't have to stay at home all the time. She is not planning to run out and do things because her body is not completely in control of her motor skills.

I was very encouraged by her ability to get in and out of my Jeep Cherokee without any assistance from me. The pets are excited she is back home and she is happy to play with them again.

All Is Well

We're Waiting

Sorry for now posting yesterday but I was not in control of my time! Rene is very well and she should be able to come home as early as this Monday, July 29th! She will be very happy if that happens because she is very bored at the moment.

I have realized that she will avoid dinner at the hospital at all costs and "expects" me to show up with something for her! This is not the case for today and she will have to endure dinner from the hospital. She will get her revenge for that one when she returns home this week I am sure!

It's A Waiting Game

Going Home Yet?

No major changes with her condition at the moment and if her counts continue to be stable and increase, she may get to go home early next week. Yesterday she spent time with a friend that came to visit her; usual laughing, talking, and making fun of husbands I am guess!

She is much more mobile this time and is taking daily walks around the floor to keep her strength up. Since her blood counts are stable, she is not impacted by this! We all remember how she couldn't do this in the past.

Monotonous...Mollify It!

I'm Bored!

"Where and when I have heard this before?"

Nothing has really changed for her at this time. They are providing a medicated mouthwash to address the ulcers in her throat. By the weekend, they will need to administer at least one blood transfusion. Platelets and white blood transfusions should occur by next week if needed.

The patient that she spoke with about chemo to the spine came to visit with her yesterday. This is a good sign because she stated that he seem more relaxed. His treatment is for leukemia so he has a similar road to travel.

She wants her dog and cats in the room with her...as I stated before, I know my location on the totem pole!

Say Ah!

It's Nadir Time

Rene is noticing that her typical symptoms are beginning to occur from this batch of chemo medicines;

1. Taste buds are moving to "chemo mouth"
2. Early signs of pending mouth sores/ulcers
3. Blood counts are "bottoming out"

She is not upset about this because she anticipated this and there is a standard strategy for addressing each item.

Speedy Gonzalez

It seems that the blood booster shots from Monday improved her overall strength on Tuesday. She was able to do her usual long walks around the floor without any problems. She still thinks its either a NASCAR track or the Autobahn highway!

Not Lonely

Monday she was kvetching that she was bored because she didn't have visitors; I don't count in this!! Tuesday was a different story, she had many visitors and one was complete surprise for her! She was very happy even though she lost a game of Scrabble to one of her friends! My job was to find chocolate covered raisins in the hospital which didn't exist! Chocolate whoppers calm the "beast", I was lucky!

Analyze This!

Her oncologist asked her to speak with one of his patients about intrathecal chemo; he was very nervous and since Rene is becoming a pro with it, he thought it would be better to speak with her. As usual, she was there to speak and comfort. Later that day, he was much calmer about the pending process. She didn't think a consulting fee was necessary with her oncologist for this one!

Comfort Food

Bored And Nausea

She was feeling a bit lonely yesterday with minor bouts of nausea included. This turned around once a nurse provided faux margarita drinks to her! This went well with her gourmet burrito and her mood changed.

She is just bored and wants her nadir to come so she can go home. Her body needed a blood booster shot so she knows that she is at the beginning of the nadir at this time. Either way, she is not fretting about what will happen; instead she wants to better occupy her time.

She did take a nice long walk to keep her exercising going. She is feeling the effects of the chemo so I anticipate that she will have to shorten the walks.

My Turn

All Even In Scrabble

Sorry for the late post due to a very hectic day at the office! Yesterday was basically uneventful for her and she did have a slight battle with nausea that required some medication. This did not impact her appetite for the day, she enjoy a medium cheeseburger from Fuddruckers' with a real malt chocolate shake and onion rings!

She is very bored now that she is free from receiving medicines in her body. It is a case of waiting for the chemo to render her very weak so they can stabilize her to go home. I can remember when she didn't want the nadir to happen!

She past the time meeting with friends and getting a re-match in Scrabble. This time she was victorious with getting a triple word that resulted in 37 points! I came back for the that triple word sealed her win this time and we will have to play the "rubber match" for the overall lead!

Wireless

I'm Free!

Rene completed her chemo yesterday therefore is no longer hooked up to IV pumps. Her ability to be "wireless" is great and barring any complications, she will remain that way for the rest of her stay. She is feeling a bit of the chemo effects when she gets up but nothing major at the moment. It was a very quiet day for her on Saturday, other than checking on the dog!

Scrabble Savant

Let The Games Begin!

For the first time we were able to play Scrabble in the hospital and I won the first match when it was over. The entire board was filled and we had to be creative because of this. Until her brain enters its usual "chemo fog", she will push for a rematch!

She is noticing after receiving chemo for five days that it is a bit more work to stand up and walk. She got her full walk around the floor last night and was not fatigued by it. She plans to keep her exercising up until the nadir period requires her to take it easy.

Her appetite is still very strong since she was able to "wolf" her Indian food down last night. As I said before, do not impede her access to garlic naan and lamb biryani; you can lose digits for that!

She has been a complete worry wart about our dog Bara. Yesterday Bara had her teeth cleaned by the vet and was very loopy from the procedure. Rene called twice after I left the hospital last night for a status and again this morning! I do know my place amongst the animals...second or third!

Four Letters Needed

Mental Exercising!

So far, another uneventful day in store for her. Unlike the past, she is reading and working on crossword puzzles to past the time away in the hospital. Her playing with the puzzles tells me she is feeling much better and is not in a "fog" from her chemo.

She has already placed her dinner order for this evening and I have a few establishments to select from. I just need to make sure that it is still hot upon arrival for her. I got a big laugh out of her when I reminded her that her chemo induced hair lost is a benefit because she won't need to endure a bikini hot wax for her bathing suit!

My New Hairstyle

Should We Cut It?

Rene is getting tired of her hair falling out and wants to get it over with! I told her if she cuts it, it needs to happen this week before her nadir kicks in! I do feel for her, no woman wants to lose her hair and look like a MAN! Outside of the hair issue, she is moving along with her routine and walking around the floor for her exercise when I visit. Let's see what tomorrow brings...

Outta My Way!

Determination

Upon my arrival to her hospital room, I was informed that she wanted to take a long walk and use her walker. This was actually her thinking she was a NASCAR driver the way she zipped around the floor. She even would say, "beep-beep" when passing any nurse or aide she knew. After completing two and half laps around the entire floor she ordered her dinner from the hospital ( I was given the night off!).

She understands the entire process now and is not sitting there wondering what will happen. She spent the day reading books and listening to music on her Zune. I am sure she put her DVD player work last night also. One of her favorite nurses stopped by to say hello and she completely forgot I was there....I think they call this, "girl power".

Same Routine; No Sleep!

Day One - No Issues

Rene gets in her room by 12PM and by 3PM she is taken downstairs for her usual spinal tap for chemo! It is good thing she is now use to this and what will occur! The IV bags are now coming via new sexy drip machines which are double the width and thickness of an iPod!

The nurses and aides came by to welcome her back, they really like her! This makes it very easy for her to get through all of this. Like clock work, she requested dinner from the outside and since the Spanish place was closed, she went for Indian instead!

The fun started at 9PM with a constant barrage of bags overnight along with getting blood samples and other vital sign information. So she will "cat nap" throughout the night and make up the difference in the day. I think she will make a game of it now.

No Vacancy

It's A Monday

We received a call from the hospital this morning informing us that Rene could not register because there were no available beds in the oncology ward. Rene is really "upset" that this has occurred and she is being made to wait in the comfort of her home! She is really looking forward to all the IV bags and continuous flow of various staff over the next three weeks. We were able to still get her registered in the morning and now it will be her typical routine!

"Did You Remember to Pack...?"

Last Day Home

After today, it will be hospital time for Rene for at least two and half weeks. Since she is much stronger overall, she is making sure she has enough reading, DVD, and MP3 items to keep her entertained. Now that she is more mobile, she is looking to keep moving ahead and not take any steps back.

She will have the company of friends this evening to be with since I will be out performing with my blues/jazz group at a corporate function. Rene is not upset about this because it was scheduled in advance and it is at a resort less than 10 minutes from home.

She would like to get these final three tours completed as quickly as possible and her oncologist has tempered this. I guess he wants to make sure there are no surprises and give her time to recover in between! This is logical to me and since I am not the one getting the chemo, I need to be careful how I response to her!

No Assistance Needed

Another Accomplishment

This morning Rene got up to go to the bathroom and realized when she went back to bed, she did not use her walker! She got up, walked and returned to bed without using it! She can"t get off the sofa by herself unless I help her still; on I get her standing, she is able to walk!

She is being cautious since Monday is check-in day for round five of her treatment. We are both excited because she is becoming less dependent on her aids. Right now it is somewhat like watching a child getting use to the idea of actually walking! ;-) If I see the dog and cats being chased by her, I know she is feeling completely confident in her balancing overall!

A Taste Of India

"Yum! Lamb Biryani!"

Today I realized how well Rene is really feeling based on her appetite because she was open to any type of food. I really didn't have any specific desire to eat but she wanted to make sure we enjoyed something together.

I remembered we both enjoyed Indian food and that would be a good choice. I created a "monster" with this decision! Between the biryani and garlic naan , I knew anyone getting between her and this meal would suffer extreme injuries!

This is a nice problem to have with her, she hasn't shown this much overall yest in a long time. This type of strength should aid with next week's chemo treatments. I really think she will have less issues with the medicines.

Play Time...

It is unusual how illness can open the door for stronger relationships and friendships. Rene has never been alone in this journey because of the response from everyone. One of her girlfriends spend the morning with her today and I know they have secretly planned how they will change their spouses!

Three More Days Left

Nothing Major

Another quiet day for her and a few more attempts at being mobile without my assistance. She was one for two attempts today so not too bad. The key to her success is a chair with armrests that are even with the seat and it must be higher than 18 inches off the floor. She has three more days of practice before it is hospital time for her again. Until then, she will visit with friends, play with her pets, and ask the dreaded "husband questions".

I Look Like A...

A Shampoo?

I do agree with Rene that a shower makes her look like a "Gerber Baby" because her thinning hair! Since this is a fact due to chemo, "big fat hairy deal!". In the big picture, this not too much trauma for her, I do suspect that she would prefer not have this type of physical change.

Same Routine

No new facts other than she got up, ate breakfast, noticed more control of her body, and is waiting for Monday to check back into the hospital. She is bored in her own home and surroundings so this is fine for her. She wants to get this over with and she finally accepts (not happy, but accepts) that this takes time and is not immediate.

Strolling, Strolling

Off To My Oncologist

Today Rene had a very boring visit with her doctor which is fine with by her! She was informed that the initial pathology report from her biopsy is negative for any new lymphoma. Instead she may have lipoma which is not new for her; she has a growth on her right shoulder for over 12 years!

Since it was Rituxan day for her, she got sit in a comfy chair for a few hours and get good chemo. Next week she returns to the hospital to get the bad chemo and same boring results that had with her fourth treatment. We really like the boring one versus her exciting first three. Since she is stronger, we anticipate less impact with the remanding treatments.

New Capabilities

For the second time she did not need her transportation chair getting to the car or oncologist's office. She is feeling very strong using her walker and it is easier to get in and out of chairs that have armrests and higher than 18 inches.

Strong Biceps

"I Can Do That Now!"

Another day, another new discovery, and another major milestone accomplished for Rene. Right now she cannot stand with aid so taking a shower is seated experience for her.

Prior to today, I would have to help her get out of her shower chair when finished. She told me that she wanted to try this without my aid and I stepped back to watch her stand up without any problems.

Shave And Haircut? One Buck.

We both agree that she is having less hair to wash and brush each day. She is at the point where I want her to wear a hat to guard against the sun's rays. I definitely feel she will be completely bald when she completes her fifth tour of chemo at this point.

On the flip side of this, her mental state is even stronger since she has begun wearing her new wardrobe. She didn't realize how much of positive impact it would have on her.

I think she enjoys the mental sight of me potentially wrestling for the last garment in her size with another woman. It is a scary thought for me also since I am completely out numbered when I go into one of her favorite clothing stores!

Federer Wins

Great Match

Rene's morning started with the Men's Championship match between Nadal and Federer. Unlike the French Open Final, Federer defeated Nadal in five sets! Federer joins Bjorn Borg as the only other man to win this championship five straight times. Interesting if Nadal would have won instead, he would have been the only man since Bjorn to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year.

Hair Lost Update

Chemo is beginning to make its presence felt with Rene's hair. The thinning is increasing throughout her head and her eyebrows and eye lashes have already been claimed. She not going to fret about this increased lost of hair because it will grow back. We just don't know what will grow back, that is the one of the surprises that chemo likes to throw at you.


I Feel Pretty!

Rene is enjoying her new clothes because they fit and therefore she doesn't feel sick because her clothes were too loose. She stated she always wanted to go on a diet, she pick one of the most extreme ways of doing it. That's my wife and friend, she has to do many things with a certain gusto!

Sucker!!

Dodged A Bullet!

Today Rene when to an infusion services location to get her port unclogged since it could not be used last Thursday. Five minutes into this procedure, the nurse determined that her port was working proper at both areas. So I wonder if the nurse from the other day just flubbed what she was doing?

Another discovery was made by Rene today also, she did not need both her transport chair and walker to get around. Before today, I would have load both her walker and transport chair to go to her doctor's office.

She was able to walk in 113 degree weather from the parking lot to the office and ride the elevator without being tired; I think she is getting stronger or she wanted to show off one of the new outfits I got her!

Her girlfriend flew out this morning back to Florida. I am glad that they were able to spend quality time with each other. When I drove her to airport this morning, she told me that this was the third time she has been in Arizona in July!!!

I guess she wants to visit the Valley during the spring time when it is cooler. I told to keep coming on July, this way I can control her better! For some reason, she failed to see the humor in my response...

Selecting Clothes

Surviving Shopping

Today I went shopping for Rene to get her some new clothes since she has lost so much weight. Her girlfriend and I have different opinions on what works for her. Since I have lived with her for over 20 years, I do have some insight for this.

Certain colours are better on Rene above her waist instead of below and her girlfriend felt otherwise. Since I was paying, I won! There is pending scar tissue that I will receive from her girlfriend for not bowing to her and she swore I will never pick her clothes.

I told her I will wait for the day that goes to heaven and I will select her outfit to wear when she meets St. Peter. She almost dove across the room to strangle me for that one...I think I pushed a button! For the record, Rene loved what I selected for her.

More Needles

Today Rene had to go her oncologist for her weekly Procrit shot to keep her red blood cells behaving. This shot is always given to her in her stomach. Yes, another location that she enjoys being poked...NOT!!

She has one trip for needle work this week so she can receive her outpatient chemo next week. I am enabler for her discomfort at the moment. I will remind her of the new clothes I got for her!

I'm Not A Pin Cushion!

That Hurts!!!

Today Rene got to feel the sting of needles all over her body and yes she was very annoyed about it! It seems that her port is clogged and they were unable to draw any blood or infuse her with fluids. This lead to her having to have IV needles inserted in her hand which resulted in "yepping" from her to the nurse. After getting through this in the preparation area, she had another needle inserted in her butt for perform the biopsy.

She has outpatient chemo treatment scheduled next week and I informed her oncologist that this issue with her port has to be addressed. She will not be pleasant next week for her Rituxan or 5th tour of chemo if this is not resolved. She got through this today without making life miserable for staff and she would not allow me to whack anyone about this either!

Her girlfriend was impressed how well Rene handles all of this and I think she feels better about her condition. This does not spare me from her wrath for being myself however! I get my revenge knowing that she is managing two teenagers at the moment. I am walk in the park compared to controlling a son and daughter!

Happy 4th!

Heat Advisory Issued

Living in Phoenix, AZ offers many unique opportunities for the 4th of July and this year is no different. We get to ring our 231st year of independence with 117 degree weather with drought conditions. True to form there will be fireworks this evening during dry drought conditions...go figure!

Tomorrow I get to take her to the hospital to get her abscess scanned and drained provided it is soft. If the scan shows that it is a hard mass, they will sedate her and then perform a biopsy on her. If they do the biopsy, she will have sore right butt cheek. I will get her a hemriods doughnut to sit on if that happens.


Who's Da Lady?

Rene's girlfriend arrived last night and now they can banter and discuss their lives, husbands, children, and pets. Our dog and the friendly cat have a new die Tante (aunt in German) to play with. Since her girlfriend just loves animals, she is in heaven; she would consider it better if I wasn't around but someone has to push her buttons!

The rest of today will be spent making the traditional foods for the 4th (spare ribs) and all enjoy each other's company. So while the womenfolk are together, I will be practicing on my new bass (mistress); I have corporate gig on July 15th so I need to be ready for it!

Drain It

Abscess, Cyst, Pus...

The oncologist was not happy to hear about Rene's lump and quickly determined that it is some type of abscess that will be drained. Her lump is in her lower right butt cheek! Later this week she will go to the hospital to get a scan and drain done on this growth. We are both relieved to know that is NOT linked to her lymphoma.

Due to its location on her body, she is not happy about the discomfort she will have from the procedure. Since her girlfriend is arriving today and they usually banter; she can deal with Rene on this one and take all associated bullets. I am sharing the "love" with her and both them will let me have it in spades either way!

Mobility

She is getting better at moving about with her walker each day; she doesn't need my assistance to get in or out of bed. Still needs it to get off the sofa and certain chairs however. The animals are getting use the walker and she can play with them when she walks around the house.

Today she did something usual, she went into the kitchen with her walker, raided the refridgerator and sat down. She was a bit defiant about it so I know her attitude is strong and one day soon she will really let me have it! Until then, I can somewhat control and convince her to do things MY way...this to will past!

Unwelcome Surprise

Why I Hate Mondays!

Three weeks ago we received news that Rene PET Scan showed all but one tumor gone within her body. Today she discovered a new mass growth and her oncologist must examine it this week to determine if it is connected to her lymphoma. Neither one of us expected that we would have this based on the previous news and we know that we were past any new surprises!

At this point we are not allowing ourselves to be paranoid and will await testing results. Since she has three more tours of chemo to go through, this will be added to list if needed. I reported that had a loose toe nail two weeks ago and that she didn't want anyone to touch it. She removed it over the weekend without any pain so that is a big victory for her. She is looking forward to her girlfriend from Florida visiting this week and I will assume to role of resident grouch until we know the outcome of this new discovery.

Phoenix In July

Time For Reading

We are about to experience our seventh summer in Phoenix and this is why you don't see anyone between the hours of 10AM until 7PM. It is just too hot and all activities are slated for indoors with air conditioning. Since Rene is not suffering vertigo like symptoms anymore, she catching up on her reading again.

She continues to take more control of body and spirits by walking around more and requiring less assistance to get in and out bed. When she sits on the sofa, she looks like her usual self by stretching out into her comfort levels. She couldn't do this about five weeks ago. Her craving continue to surprise me, yesterday it was guava and mango juices and fruit bars.

To continue with surprises, she requested chocolate malt balls; I don't spend much time in the candy aisles of a grocery store so it took me a bit to locate it! Mission accomplished and therefore I avoided any "daggers of death" of coming home empty handed without her malt balls.