We've just ended week 6 of Vicki's treatments. They have included 27 radiation sessions and 2 chemotherapy treatments. This next week we will complete the 30 radiation treatments prescribed for her cancer and also the 3rd session of chemo.
I will be celebrating these accomplishments over a long Thanksgiving weekend. Both of us will be happy to end the daily visits to St. Joes for radiation. In fairness I should say that the folks at Radiation Oncology are great. Vicki has received the best possible treatment available and the staff is superb. That being said; we will not miss the trips or the treatment. I can see the effects of the radiation on her face tonight and the redness and swelling is apparent.
Her doctor has told us that the radiation will continue to have effects for a few more weeks and then slowly dissipate. We look forward to that.
The chemo will go on for a total of 6 cycles which should take us into late January of 2011 or early February. After that it may 2 or 3 months before she will be tested to see how effective the treatment regimen has been.
I pray every night that this will end our fight with her cancer and we will be able to look forward to a more normal life and schedule. Cancer world is a very different place to be.
One positive thing that both of us can take from this is all the wonderfully brave people we've met at the radiation and chemo centers. Some of these folk's stories and trials with surgery and treatments are scary and heart breaking. It brings to mind the story of the man who bemoaned having no shoes till he met the man who had no feet. Every time we go to the hospital or the chemo center we meet someone whose situation is so much more dire than our own. It gives one pause.
No matter what you condition or situation remember to count your blessing.
Wish us luck,
RT
Friday, November 19, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Election Night Blues
OK, it seems the pundits may have gotten this one right. The Dems have lost the house and we will have our first "Orange" speaker of the house. Good luck you republicans, you'll need it. After two years of obfuscation and obstructionism the new majority will be forced to actually do something. If recent history tells us anything the damage will be done with continued weakening of any governmental oversight of the financial sector in particular and corporations is general.
The result will no doubt be good for the already wealthy and devastating for the growing lower classes and even middle classes now struggling for their very survival in the new American economy. So hold on to your wallets cause most of us are going to get slammed if they manage to pass the legislation on their agenda.
In my world, where cancer rules, we moved into week four of Vicki's treatment. Week two included 36 hours in St. Joes, some of it in the emergency room. We got out though and she's doing fine now. Week three was just 5 radiation treatments and one visit to the chemo guy for a followup. That week went pretty smooth. Oh, somewhere along there Vicki's hair fell out and I shaved my head to match. We are a pair of baldies now.
This week (#4) of treatment has been two chemos with another tomorrow along with the daily radiation treatments. My oldest daughter took Vick to the Monday and Tuesday sessions and I will pick it up tomorrow and through the rest of the week.
Vicki is doing well considering all the cancer treatments she's receiving. Her attitude remains superb and I gain strength from her positive outlook and faith.
So.... election or not, win or lose, life as we know it goes on. The good news is that we've seen the last of a season of the most obnoxious campaign commercials ever aired. Surely there are several places in hell for these responsible for the political ads this year. May they roast for eternity.
RT
The result will no doubt be good for the already wealthy and devastating for the growing lower classes and even middle classes now struggling for their very survival in the new American economy. So hold on to your wallets cause most of us are going to get slammed if they manage to pass the legislation on their agenda.
In my world, where cancer rules, we moved into week four of Vicki's treatment. Week two included 36 hours in St. Joes, some of it in the emergency room. We got out though and she's doing fine now. Week three was just 5 radiation treatments and one visit to the chemo guy for a followup. That week went pretty smooth. Oh, somewhere along there Vicki's hair fell out and I shaved my head to match. We are a pair of baldies now.
This week (#4) of treatment has been two chemos with another tomorrow along with the daily radiation treatments. My oldest daughter took Vick to the Monday and Tuesday sessions and I will pick it up tomorrow and through the rest of the week.
Vicki is doing well considering all the cancer treatments she's receiving. Her attitude remains superb and I gain strength from her positive outlook and faith.
So.... election or not, win or lose, life as we know it goes on. The good news is that we've seen the last of a season of the most obnoxious campaign commercials ever aired. Surely there are several places in hell for these responsible for the political ads this year. May they roast for eternity.
RT
Sunday, October 17, 2010
1 Week Down, 23 to go
We've successfully completed the first week of Vicki's treatment. It consisted of 10 separate appointments, four of which were radiation and 3 chemo. The others were an outpatient minor surgery for her port placement, a shot at the end of the week to counteract the effects the chemo has on her bones and another one that I forget what it was about.
So now we have two weeks of just afternoon radiation, with one exception. They will be doing a needle biopsy on a tumor in her side that we all believe is not cancer. Even so, the doctors want to be sure. So she'll be in St. Joes on Tuesday most all day between that and the radiation.
Hopefully the results of that test will be negative and we can focus on her health and state of mind during these next 6 months. We went out and found her a recliner chair today that will allow her somewhere to hang out without being in bed all the time. Currently she is using the couch. The last couple of days she's been asleep by 5:30 in the afternoon. She is going to be a morning person. They told us there would be some times during the day when her energy level would be at its peak and it seems that time is the first few hours after she gets up. After that she is tired and not really feeling that spiffy.
My two oldest daughters have been a great help during this first week and Bridget the oldest will continue after her sister Jamie goes back to Enid on Wednesday. I admit to enjoying the time spent with the girls, but wish it could be under other circumstances. Jamie has stayed with us during the week and went out to her sisters on the weekends and that has worked out well. She'll be back here this afternoon and we'll start the new week off with an afternoon radiation session on Monday.
All in all it feels like things are going OK at this point. I hope and pray that continues till we defeat her cancer and she's cancer free.
Wish us luck,
RT
So now we have two weeks of just afternoon radiation, with one exception. They will be doing a needle biopsy on a tumor in her side that we all believe is not cancer. Even so, the doctors want to be sure. So she'll be in St. Joes on Tuesday most all day between that and the radiation.
Hopefully the results of that test will be negative and we can focus on her health and state of mind during these next 6 months. We went out and found her a recliner chair today that will allow her somewhere to hang out without being in bed all the time. Currently she is using the couch. The last couple of days she's been asleep by 5:30 in the afternoon. She is going to be a morning person. They told us there would be some times during the day when her energy level would be at its peak and it seems that time is the first few hours after she gets up. After that she is tired and not really feeling that spiffy.
My two oldest daughters have been a great help during this first week and Bridget the oldest will continue after her sister Jamie goes back to Enid on Wednesday. I admit to enjoying the time spent with the girls, but wish it could be under other circumstances. Jamie has stayed with us during the week and went out to her sisters on the weekends and that has worked out well. She'll be back here this afternoon and we'll start the new week off with an afternoon radiation session on Monday.
All in all it feels like things are going OK at this point. I hope and pray that continues till we defeat her cancer and she's cancer free.
Wish us luck,
RT
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The Last "Pre-treatment Weekend"
Things will get busy starting Monday. So we took the opportunity this last weekend to spend time together. Friday night we hung out and Saturday night we went out for dinner, dancing and some gambling at a local Casino.
It was the right thing to do and I knew it when Vicki told me on the way home last night that for a few hours she'd forgotten the upcoming trials of Chemo and Radiation therapy. For just a few hours we were just a couple having a good time on a Saturday night. Sometimes that's all you can ask.
We've been given the schedule from both cancer treatment groups and Vicki has 9 separate appointments for treatment next week. It will be hectic to say the least. While we are blessed to have some of the best doctors and technicians in the country at Barrow's Neurological, the offices for Chemo are at some distance from us and the hospital. It means we will be spending a great deal of time in transit from home to one and then the other treatment location. The tightness of the schedule has already caused some stress and tension, but we have put a plan in place to handle it next week.
My middle daughter Jamie is here for another week from Oklahoma and she along with her oldest sister Bridget are taking Vicki to St. Joes on Monday. That day she will get her port for chemo and her first run through for radiation. She is freaked out about the mask she must wear during radiation. It fits her face extremely snugly and holds her head in exact position.
Tuesday she and I will be going to her almost day long first chemo session. During this one they will give her two separate drugs and couple of liters of saline. This takes 5 and 1/2 hours. Then from there we will drive down to the hospital for her first radiation. That takes no more than 1/2 hour or so total. Still, it will be a very long first day of treatments.
Wednesday and Thursday she gets a one drug chemo treatment lasting about 2 hours and again radiation after each one. Then Friday she gets a shot at the chemo Dr.'s office for bone marrow loss and then another radiation treatment at St. Joes. During all this I will attempt to got to work all the days but Tuesday.
The next three weeks will be daily radiation and then the fourth week we start with combined chemo and radiation again.
This is scheduled to continue till she's had somewhere between 28 and 33 radiation treatments and 5 or 6 chemo cycles. That puts the total treatment time to around 6 months. Hopefully by February or March she will be done with all this and cancer free.
Anyway that's what I'm hoping for.
RT
It was the right thing to do and I knew it when Vicki told me on the way home last night that for a few hours she'd forgotten the upcoming trials of Chemo and Radiation therapy. For just a few hours we were just a couple having a good time on a Saturday night. Sometimes that's all you can ask.
We've been given the schedule from both cancer treatment groups and Vicki has 9 separate appointments for treatment next week. It will be hectic to say the least. While we are blessed to have some of the best doctors and technicians in the country at Barrow's Neurological, the offices for Chemo are at some distance from us and the hospital. It means we will be spending a great deal of time in transit from home to one and then the other treatment location. The tightness of the schedule has already caused some stress and tension, but we have put a plan in place to handle it next week.
My middle daughter Jamie is here for another week from Oklahoma and she along with her oldest sister Bridget are taking Vicki to St. Joes on Monday. That day she will get her port for chemo and her first run through for radiation. She is freaked out about the mask she must wear during radiation. It fits her face extremely snugly and holds her head in exact position.
Tuesday she and I will be going to her almost day long first chemo session. During this one they will give her two separate drugs and couple of liters of saline. This takes 5 and 1/2 hours. Then from there we will drive down to the hospital for her first radiation. That takes no more than 1/2 hour or so total. Still, it will be a very long first day of treatments.
Wednesday and Thursday she gets a one drug chemo treatment lasting about 2 hours and again radiation after each one. Then Friday she gets a shot at the chemo Dr.'s office for bone marrow loss and then another radiation treatment at St. Joes. During all this I will attempt to got to work all the days but Tuesday.
The next three weeks will be daily radiation and then the fourth week we start with combined chemo and radiation again.
This is scheduled to continue till she's had somewhere between 28 and 33 radiation treatments and 5 or 6 chemo cycles. That puts the total treatment time to around 6 months. Hopefully by February or March she will be done with all this and cancer free.
Anyway that's what I'm hoping for.
RT
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Cancer treatment schedule begins
Now that we're deep into it even Saturdays are not safe from calls from Doctor's offices about upcoming treatment appointments and various other necessities of the oncology related culture.
After breakfast this morning my wife informed me she'd received a call before I got up confirming her appointment to have a "port" installed at St. Joes to make her chemo easier.
There will be potentially 3 chemo and 5 radiation sessions during her first week of treatment. In addition there are other tests, shots and procedures upcoming.
On Tuesday of the coming week we go to St. Joes to have her mask made. This device will hold her head in exactly the same position for each of her 28 to 33 radiation sessions. There will be focused energy on specific parts of the interior of her skull to kill the remaining cancer cells that her surgery did not remove. The simultaneous chemo (done the same day) is supposed to enhance the effects of the radiation and also pickup any stray cancer cells in the rest of her body.
Vicki sat down this morning at the computer and printed out a schedule so we can determine who will be going with her for what treatments. My goal is to be with her for all initial procedures, but I may have to miss the placement of the port so I can keep my hours at work up enough to stay full time and therefore keep my insurance.
Our middle daughter Jamie is coming in from Oklahoma to stay for two weeks and she will be going with Vicki to some of the appointments.
The hardest part for me seems to be letting go and allowing others to help. My two oldest daughters are awesome adults and I guess its time I let them show it.
I had a dream that life would get less complicated and slower as we grew older. I am constantly disabused of this notion. Still, its better to be active and fighting than the alternative.
Wish us luck,
RT
After breakfast this morning my wife informed me she'd received a call before I got up confirming her appointment to have a "port" installed at St. Joes to make her chemo easier.
There will be potentially 3 chemo and 5 radiation sessions during her first week of treatment. In addition there are other tests, shots and procedures upcoming.
On Tuesday of the coming week we go to St. Joes to have her mask made. This device will hold her head in exactly the same position for each of her 28 to 33 radiation sessions. There will be focused energy on specific parts of the interior of her skull to kill the remaining cancer cells that her surgery did not remove. The simultaneous chemo (done the same day) is supposed to enhance the effects of the radiation and also pickup any stray cancer cells in the rest of her body.
Vicki sat down this morning at the computer and printed out a schedule so we can determine who will be going with her for what treatments. My goal is to be with her for all initial procedures, but I may have to miss the placement of the port so I can keep my hours at work up enough to stay full time and therefore keep my insurance.
Our middle daughter Jamie is coming in from Oklahoma to stay for two weeks and she will be going with Vicki to some of the appointments.
The hardest part for me seems to be letting go and allowing others to help. My two oldest daughters are awesome adults and I guess its time I let them show it.
I had a dream that life would get less complicated and slower as we grew older. I am constantly disabused of this notion. Still, its better to be active and fighting than the alternative.
Wish us luck,
RT
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Sunday, Sunday
We're just hanging out today watching the Cards and the Raiders. The lead has been going back and forth, so at least it's interesting this week.
We had another eventful week last week with Vicki's 2 MRIs and PET scan at St. Joes on Thursday. We will meet with the radiologist on Monday to review the results. We met with the team coordinator for the skull based tumor group at Barrow's Neurological Institute on Thursday as well. She explained the team's history, goals and approach to treating Vicki's cancer. One thing has happened to bring an extra level of uncertainty and frustration to my wife's world.
She woke up the morning after the tests with an unexplained swelling on her side, which remains still. Because of this we will go in early on Monday in case they need to send us somewhere else for help or diagnosis of this new issue. It pretty much bummed Vicki out and pushed her into into tears of frustration and fear.
It is hard to think outside of our immediate needs and situation, but I am still able to be appalled at both local and national politics. On the local level our esteemed Sheriff Arpaio is under investigation for potential misuse of an estimated $80 million dollars of taxpayer money. A local add about Brewer is attempting to associate her with the private prison company responsible for allowing the escape of three dangerous inmates and the murder of two more innocents before they were apprehended.
The national seen is worse with the Dems folding on shutting the door on charity for the rich. The Bush era tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% seem to still have enough support from both Republicans and Democrats to be renewed. The sad truth is that no matter what party is allegedly in power; money still rules our government at every level. Now, with the effects of the recession it is extremely aggravating to watch the rich get richer and the poor continue to get poorer and poorer.
And as if that weren't enough, the nutjob teapartiers, (those brilliant patriots and conservatives, just ask them) have gotten the right wing fringe fully engaged in the national arena. Some even hope for a Palin presidential run in 2012. Are we really that stupid? Maybe!
I must admit to serious disappointment with the achievements of this current administration and the Democratic party as a whole. They have once again managed to shoot themselves in the foot instead of seizing the initiative and being productive. The time is now past when effective reform for the financial sector is possible. That ship has sailed. The Dems allowed the Republicans to stymie and dilute the health care initiative and everything else they put forth.
And now we are blessed with the most devisive and ineffecient congress in many years. I truly dislike modern day republicans and their policies, but the Dems would be better served if they learned from their ability to execute a plan.
Especially troubling to me is the seeming "coupe de grace" of the right wing in demonizing "Big government" and immunizing "Big business", as if unelected CEOs and corporate hacks care more about social justice and national welfare than the people we elect to protect us.
I remain dismayed out our national naivete and the continuing ability of the right to be bamboozled by the Madison Avenue types in charge of Republican and now Tea Party strategy and tactics.
I guess the only thing to do is laugh. Without some humor it would be hard to live in this country at this time.
Best to all
RT
We had another eventful week last week with Vicki's 2 MRIs and PET scan at St. Joes on Thursday. We will meet with the radiologist on Monday to review the results. We met with the team coordinator for the skull based tumor group at Barrow's Neurological Institute on Thursday as well. She explained the team's history, goals and approach to treating Vicki's cancer. One thing has happened to bring an extra level of uncertainty and frustration to my wife's world.
She woke up the morning after the tests with an unexplained swelling on her side, which remains still. Because of this we will go in early on Monday in case they need to send us somewhere else for help or diagnosis of this new issue. It pretty much bummed Vicki out and pushed her into into tears of frustration and fear.
It is hard to think outside of our immediate needs and situation, but I am still able to be appalled at both local and national politics. On the local level our esteemed Sheriff Arpaio is under investigation for potential misuse of an estimated $80 million dollars of taxpayer money. A local add about Brewer is attempting to associate her with the private prison company responsible for allowing the escape of three dangerous inmates and the murder of two more innocents before they were apprehended.
The national seen is worse with the Dems folding on shutting the door on charity for the rich. The Bush era tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% seem to still have enough support from both Republicans and Democrats to be renewed. The sad truth is that no matter what party is allegedly in power; money still rules our government at every level. Now, with the effects of the recession it is extremely aggravating to watch the rich get richer and the poor continue to get poorer and poorer.
And as if that weren't enough, the nutjob teapartiers, (those brilliant patriots and conservatives, just ask them) have gotten the right wing fringe fully engaged in the national arena. Some even hope for a Palin presidential run in 2012. Are we really that stupid? Maybe!
I must admit to serious disappointment with the achievements of this current administration and the Democratic party as a whole. They have once again managed to shoot themselves in the foot instead of seizing the initiative and being productive. The time is now past when effective reform for the financial sector is possible. That ship has sailed. The Dems allowed the Republicans to stymie and dilute the health care initiative and everything else they put forth.
And now we are blessed with the most devisive and ineffecient congress in many years. I truly dislike modern day republicans and their policies, but the Dems would be better served if they learned from their ability to execute a plan.
Especially troubling to me is the seeming "coupe de grace" of the right wing in demonizing "Big government" and immunizing "Big business", as if unelected CEOs and corporate hacks care more about social justice and national welfare than the people we elect to protect us.
I remain dismayed out our national naivete and the continuing ability of the right to be bamboozled by the Madison Avenue types in charge of Republican and now Tea Party strategy and tactics.
I guess the only thing to do is laugh. Without some humor it would be hard to live in this country at this time.
Best to all
RT
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Labor Day 2010
It's that time of year again when we say goodbye to summer pleasures over the labor day weekend and get ready for school, fall, elections, winter holidays and all things long sleeved and cozy. We will be hanging out this weekend around the house and enjoying the three days off. This is our Labor Day.
Labor day has an interesting and perhaps unknown origin in Canada going back to the 1870s. For a look at the history of this Holiday go here. To summarize the history; it began as a celebration of trades and trade unions and evolved into what it is today. It is ironic that we find ourselves in the worst time ever for unions and trades in the US. Starting with Reagan killing the air traffic controllers union and moving forward through the massive exodus of manufacturing and value added jobs from our country to the takeover of our economy by wall street, we have witnessed the fastest and deepest decline in the value of work since the great depression.
I count myself as lucky to be holding down a job with benefits in this economy. Without a job we would have no health insurance. The events of this week made me all the more aware of the precariousness of our situation. My wife had surgery this week and was diagnosed with cancer. Currently we await the results of the biopsies to know what we will do next. It feels like swimming in a sea of uncertainty.
My hope is that the stage and type of cancer will allow quick and successful treatment. In this coming battle we face I know that attitude is everything, so I am doing my best to stay positive and supportive. I am also focusing on enjoying every minute, no every second, with my wife from this moment forward.
I remain extremely hopeful for our personal situation, but remain less than optimistic about the future of labor and labor unions in our nation. The toxic politics of the Republican party have managed to demonize everything beneficial for the working class by masking the war on the middle class in issues like gay marriage, abortion, immigration, regulatory reform and taxes. I fear for our country that the so-called conservatives will take control of congress and move forward on useless foreign wars, massive defense spending, tax cuts for the rich and loose to nonexistent oversight of the financial powers that brought this country so close to economic collapse just 3 years ago.
So while I will be enjoying the time off to spend with my sweety, I will not be celebrating Labor Day so much as grieving the demise of its namesake. Somehow it feels more like a wake than a Holiday to me.
RT
Labor day has an interesting and perhaps unknown origin in Canada going back to the 1870s. For a look at the history of this Holiday go here. To summarize the history; it began as a celebration of trades and trade unions and evolved into what it is today. It is ironic that we find ourselves in the worst time ever for unions and trades in the US. Starting with Reagan killing the air traffic controllers union and moving forward through the massive exodus of manufacturing and value added jobs from our country to the takeover of our economy by wall street, we have witnessed the fastest and deepest decline in the value of work since the great depression.
I count myself as lucky to be holding down a job with benefits in this economy. Without a job we would have no health insurance. The events of this week made me all the more aware of the precariousness of our situation. My wife had surgery this week and was diagnosed with cancer. Currently we await the results of the biopsies to know what we will do next. It feels like swimming in a sea of uncertainty.
My hope is that the stage and type of cancer will allow quick and successful treatment. In this coming battle we face I know that attitude is everything, so I am doing my best to stay positive and supportive. I am also focusing on enjoying every minute, no every second, with my wife from this moment forward.
I remain extremely hopeful for our personal situation, but remain less than optimistic about the future of labor and labor unions in our nation. The toxic politics of the Republican party have managed to demonize everything beneficial for the working class by masking the war on the middle class in issues like gay marriage, abortion, immigration, regulatory reform and taxes. I fear for our country that the so-called conservatives will take control of congress and move forward on useless foreign wars, massive defense spending, tax cuts for the rich and loose to nonexistent oversight of the financial powers that brought this country so close to economic collapse just 3 years ago.
So while I will be enjoying the time off to spend with my sweety, I will not be celebrating Labor Day so much as grieving the demise of its namesake. Somehow it feels more like a wake than a Holiday to me.
RT
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