post thanksgiving update

I haven't really had much to talk about ...Scott has another issue with work and has been on unpaid vacation since last tuesday. He has a meeting at work tomorrow to know if we are in serious deep dodo...I am not sure what to think, I'm kind of numb, but at least he;s now taking his medication regularly. I just hope it isn't too late.

My sister came for thanksgiving and Brian went back to her house for a week for a change of scenery and it's really good for him. He doesn't need to feel like our current problems are because of him and his cancer and naturally he does. SO a week away seeing new things and visiting new places is a really good thing for him.

In the meantime, I am just coping the best I can and getting things done.

todays update

The news today was good. The chemo and subsequent stem cell transplant did achieve remission for Brian's cancer. The PET scan results were what we had hoped for, and his blood labs were also very good.

I suggest that you take the news with guarded optimism as we are. After getting caught blind sided by Brian's cancer returning after such a long remission period and many reassurances that his type of cancer rarely comes back after such a long remission, I am guarded against such a mistake again.

There is a 60% probability that his cancer will not return. But those were about the same odds last time. And it did return.
With that in mind, he will have much closer follow up then he did before, on the advise of his transplant oncologist, he will have labs every 3 months and PET scan's every six months. We will be returning to Lehigh Valley Hosp. on 11/22 to start his follow up care with his oncologist there.

He has some significant neuropathy from the treatment and that is unlikely to get better. He also has some short term memory issues (yeah for chemobrain) but we've already started many of things we found by trial and error in the past to work. (diet supplements, whole unprocessed foods, and typical memory games as well as the much hated note pads) and he is suffering from some depression, he is on a medication that deals well with both the neuropathy and the depression for now.

On a more positive note, the skin fungus that has plagued him for 8 years from the previous chemo treatments has completely resolved. This is the first time in all that time he doesn't need creams and special shampoos. Brian is thrilled with that. This will be a significant improvement in his way of life. THat rash drove him nuts sometimes.

So the news is good, but to think he is cured would be foolish. It is time now to start putting that somewhat battle-worn shreds of normalcy back together and more forwards with positive and cautiously optimistic outlook.

The short term goal is for Brian to learn to drive and enroll (funds permitting) in one class of his choice at the local community college. We'll take the baby steps from there.

I...well I'd like a nice long vacation to a pearly white beach with beautiful water where I can swim and relax...but as we all know...it will be a long winter of trying to get everyone back to some less then questionable mental health and dealing with the inevitable fallout that comes from a crisis like this.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and everything else during the last 10 months.
I'll post his pet scan results on the blog tomorrow when I am not so tired from such a long day in the car.

weekend update

Brian is still suffering from depression and some serious neuropathy.

He had the PET scan done, results will follow Visit to Uof P next week.

Pa. accuses debt company of deceiving consumers Main Headline | PoconoRecord.com

oops..my bad, this belongs on my Lucy blog.....


Pa. accuses debt company of deceiving consumers Main Headline | PoconoRecord.com

everyone knows debt collection agencies use illegal tactics....phone calls after hours, to neighbors and relatives, threats, flat out lies and misconceptions, but THIS ....really is over the top...

the hospital bill arrives

Well, todays mail brought the invoice from the Univ. of Penn hospital for Brian's treatment...although most of it is covered by Medicaid, not all of it is...the bill's total amount (in case you wondered what it cost for the stem cell procedure) is $163,149.00.

thank goodness he has the medicaid...

thursday update

Brian had a great day today. He had some good energy and spent several hours just chatting with me and playing with the dogs.
We sat outside for a while, it was a lovely day here and all the leaves in the back are bright orange. You'll see the calender has been updated, the pet scan is scheduled for next week, the Univ. Of Penn the week after and towards the end of the month, we'll start up our visits to the oncologist at Lehigh again if the pet scan is negative and shows the cancer in remission.
In the meantime, I am goign to get some auctions going on ebay to help offset the setback we've had from Scott missing so much work.
I feel like we're kind of at a fork in the road where things could really turn around for the better for us, we just really can't take anymore setbacks. We're all emotionally spent.

Wednesday update

Brian is having some trouble with his short term memory and he is very frustrated by it. We are going to try some suppliments and some activites (that he hates) in hopes of helping.

Scott got his surgery and it went went well. How much of a blind spot in his eye he will have, we'll know in a few weeks, but already his headaches are better.
However, Brian just is making me laugh like crazy, he's totally fixated on getting the eye patch Scott is wearing right now, you'd think it was some fancy toy and not a $3.00 eye covering. ....

Stephanie is spending lots of time at the new job and with the new boyfriend, it's really good to see her get out and have fun. She deserves it. In am amusing turn of events however, I AM bugging her to get her chores taken care of again. But it's all good.

Scott had his meeting at work and is back to work.