QT

I was really glad to have my sister bring my dad to Vermont for his treatments this time. I miss seeing her. It's never often enough. Somehow as adults, there are never enough hours in the week (or something comes up), and we are prevented from frequent visits. I just wish the reason why we are getting to see more of each other could be different.

Latest Scan

My dad had chemo today. He got the results from his latest CAT scan--one larger tumor is about the same and some smaller ones have shrunken. We'll take it. Doctor says since things seem to be working, they will continue with treatment as it is currently scheduled (chemo every 2 weeks). 

Every 2 weeks is much better than the 3 on, 1 off they were doing when he was in the drug study. We get more "good time" in between treatments.

It should be interesting. Daryl and I are going to France for a wedding in about 2 weeks. My dad will have another treatment the week before we leave. My mom is coming to watch our kids while we are away...9 days. My dad said he wants to put a ham radio antenna in our yard while he is here for that week (I guess he's decided he's coming with her). Um, yeah. I guess that's okay since we won't be here, but that thing had better be down and back in his car by the time I get home!!

Well, crap

This was a source of hope.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2009/09/14/GA2009091403019.html

Plan B

My favorite mid-day phone calls are just never what you expect. My parents came over to Burlington Saturday late afternoon to spend the weekend prior to this morning's chemo appt. Dad had been a bit sleepy/lethargic and had a poor appetite this weekend. So when they showed up for chemo this morning, the doctor's decided not to give him he treatment. Apparently the pre-chemo blood work he had done Saturday show an elevated bilirubin count. With that and the behavior changes this weekend, the doctors think there may be an issue with the stent(s) again.

Plan B: spend the night with us again tonight to be available for surgery in the morning. They will do a general anesthetic so if they find what they think they may find, they can replace/re-stent the current stents. More waiting games.

This whole ordeal is so difficult to watch. I see my father fading away into a thin, lethargic, unrecognizable man. He puts on his mask so that no one really knows what is going on at times. I'm still not sure if that makes it harder on us or not. But my mom deserves a medal and a serious vacation for the stressful, scary, chaotic roller coaster she is on.