The results are in..........

Well, here are the results:
The chemo and radiation have effectively affected the tumor and lymph nodes around his esophagus. His lymph nodes around the esophagus which were showing positive signs for cancer are now negative. However, he has affected lymph nodes in his neck and stomach which have not reduced at all. In fact, they have gotten worse. So now dad has to meet with the doctors again on Thursday afternoon to determine a course of action. Apparently, his oncologist wants to get started as soon as possible. While this is pretty good news, I can't help but be discouraged that dad still isn't out if the woods yet. He still has quite a battle left, and I just hope, for the sake of our family, that he has got the strength to fight through. The doctors were hoping that they could let him gain some weight before giving him another round of chemo, but that doesn't look like an option any more. The reality of hospitalization for my dad is coming closer and closer to becoming a reality. I will update again after mom and dad go to the doctor on Thursday, and let you know what the course of action will be. Hope all of you are staying warm and driving safe. I will write again soon.

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It's been a while, so here is an update.

This picture, as you can see, is from Christmas. Dad does not want anyone taking his picture because of how much weight he has lost, but my cousin got one of him anyways! :) Dad had been doing okay for the most of December. I took him in to get his fluids on Monday, December 22nd and his blood pressure and pulse were really really bad. His nurse told him she though she was going to have to put him in the ER, and dad got really upset, and kept telling me that "he was going down." He was really convinced that this was it. He would be admitted to the hospital and never come out. After his first bag of fluids, his blood pressure and pulse improved significantly, and he never was admitted into the ER, which is good. He had to start having fluids everyday, though, becasue after going the whole weekend with no fluids, he was always in rough shape by Monday. He received fluids on Christmas as well, which was interesting. We all went there and played "Cash Cab" the board game to pass the time. Once he was finished, he was craving taco johns, so we went on a hunt to find one and see if it was open - of course it wasn't. (He did eventually get his taco Johns later that week.) He has been doing okay lately, but he is in a lot of pain - his back really hurts, and he is feeling really discouraged about this becasue he feels like after all of his chemo and radiation, the pain should go away, but it isn't. Its getting worse. So I know that this is really weighing on his mind. The other thing that is really bringing him down right now is the fact that he had his CT and PET scans re-done on Tuesday of this week (Jan. 6th) and he has yet to receive the results of these tests. The first time he had the tests, his results were back the next day. We are almost at a week at this point, and still, no results. I think all of us are a bit worried about why in the world it is taking so long for the results to come back. What could POSSIBLY be taking so long? Today is my Grandma (his mom's) birthday, so I will be over at mom and dads, spending time with them and my grandma. As soon as we get any test results, I will let you all know how things are going! Thanks again for reading this! :) I really appreciate it!!!

so, here is the latest

Jr's mom was diagnosed with metabolic encephalopathy. Essentially, her liver does not work.. at all. instead of her liver filtering her blood, it is backing up into her stomach. When the stomach acids are combining with the blood, it is breaking it down into the protein ammonia. The ammonia then goes through her blood stream, and essentially, she is being poisoned. Last Thursday, she was hospitalized because she was delusional and combative (metabolic encephalopathy) and when she was admitted, they said she was comatose, and almost put her on life support. She began responding to treatment, and the doctors released her on Sunday. Jr and I drove home Monday, feeling good that she was back at home. However, just today, she was re-admitted to the ICU because she was combative and delusional again. They are a bit baffled, because she was on meds, and being monitored closely to prevent this from happening again. As you can imagine, JR is on edge, and goes back and forth on whether or not to go back to Michigan or not. I can honestly tell you this has been a fall/winter from hell, and I cannot wait for all of this to be over. As far as dad goes, he is not doing well either. He will most likely have to have a feeding tube put in Monday, and he sees this as a huge failure. He thinks this means the cancer is winning. We are just trying to keep ourselves, and our families in a positive place... but let me tell you.... that is just not an easy thing to do right now. Dad and his doctors will re-test the 1st or 2nd week of January to see how all of the treatments have effected him, and will determine a course after that. I just keep praying for good news! I just feel sometimes like I am in a really bad dream........... I wish I could wake up.

What an absolute nightmare

So, Yesterday I was having a wonderful time with my former co - workers form Edina. We were in the midst of a great conversation when I excused myself because my husband was calling me for the fifth time. I said hello, and all I heard was crying. I said, "Honey?" and he said, " My mom just had a stroke. They are taking her to the ER" needless to say, our lovely meeting was brought to an abrupt end, and I drove home to be with JR. as I am writing this right now, we are waiting in the Tires Plus lobby, because we had to have 3 new tires put on the car. We are making an emergency trip to Michigan. His mom is dying. Her liver is failing, and she has a build up of ammonium in her system. She is confused; doesn't recognize any familiar face, or know where she is. I will blog once I get there and we have more information. I just don't know how much more of this I can take..............

Today...................

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to ALL of you who have been reading not only this blog, but my dad's on caring bridge as well. You have been so incredibly supportive, and have really helped us all get through this ugly journey! I hope today is a wonderful day for you all, you definitely deserve it! :) Enjoy, indulge! and I will hopefully see you soon! GOBBLE GOBBLE!!!!

It just keeps getting more complicated.....

Well, last Saturday I did go to mom and dads, and I spent all day there. However, he was only awake for about an hour, and he he was feeling so sick that hour, that he was barely even talking. His anti-nausea medications have not been working, so he has been feeling really sick, and has not really been eating anything. He has begun to get fluids pumped into his system, because he has been dehydrated. He is losing more weight than his doctors would like, so they may put a feeding tube in him by the end of next week. He totally bummed out when he heard that. He really does not want the feeding tube..... at all. Today was a really long day for him, because he went into for his radiation, which they have been giving him more than he has been used to. He also had fluids pumped into him, which takes around 4 hours to administer. Then he had to have a blood transfusion because his white blood cell count was down. that transfusion took about 4 hours as well! Phew! What a long day..... I gave him a few movies to watch.... he only ended up watching one! If anyone has any great suggestions for movies dad could watch while he is getting his treatments, that would be great! i kind of run out of ideas from time to time! Hopefully he will be in good spirits this weekend, and I will be able to take a picture of him , so you can all see how he is doing... again thank you thank you thank you for all of your support of myself and my family we appreciate it so so so so so so so much! Talk to you all soon! :)

Erin

Yikes

And It begins...........dad came home early from work on Tuesday...felling nauseated and getting sick....... we were expecting this to happen eventually...... i just didn't think it would happen so soon. I hope it dosen't last for too long... poor guy.......... if he cannot keep any food down for long periods of time, he may have to have a feeding tube put in.................

and so it starts.................


as you can see, I am having trouble sleeping.. if anyone has any great tips for falling asleep without letting your mind wander.. please share...... I would love to hear them. Until later...........