It has been a couple of weeks since I posted here. We have pretty well recovered from our adventures with the flu and back spasms. Leland is feeling well, and seems to have good energy. He has lost a few pounds again, and PSA was up last time, which worries me, so I am looking forward to some answers this week.
Last weekend, we went to Portland for Cherilyn and Todd's baby shower. It was a great deal of fun, they received many very nice gifts, and it was lovely to see friends, both old and new as well as family.
I have continued my search for information regarding prostate cancer and have learned that there are Oncologists Specializing in Prostate Cancer. Not many, but there are a few scattered around the nation. We will be consulting with one of them this week on our regular monthly trip to Seattle.
We have been disatisfied with the lack of information given us regarding the side effects of the latest therapies, and I have gone searching to fill that lack. Leland will be seen at the new clinic for an expert second opinion on Wednesday this week, then will go to the regular clinic to have his blood work drawn. When we consult with Dr. Chen on Thursday we will have the blood work in hand as we talk with him, rather than getting the results several days after the appointment and having to wait a month to ask the inevitable questions.
I have learned much from joining a forum for Pca wives. About 70 percent of the information seekers for this disease are wives or partners of the patient, forming a very understanding sister-hood. There are many aproaches to treatment, with each Pca Oncologist having a slightly different slant on the best protocol. There is also much contradiction with each having studies which support that particular treatment philosphy. Each patient is different and may react differently to the same medication. For advanced patients such as Leland the choices are narrower, but there are more than we were told at time of diagnosis. I wish we had found Naturopathic Oncologists in the first place, and had known of Medical Oncolgists Specializing in Prostate Cancer in the beginning. The treatment from these specialists seems to be much more refined and targeted than from more general Oncologists, and most importantly, they seem to be more focused on Quality of Life issues and more willing to discuss the side effects and ways to deal with them.
We will go from Seattle to Portland Thursday afternoon, as Cherilyn has asked me to accompany her to her child birth class while Todd is out of town. I am looking forward to that! We will stay on until Friday afternoon, and do some packing for her, as they are moving next week into a larger house, then come home. I will plan to post again over the weekend, and share what we learn this week from both appointments.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
2013-01 -12
It has been an interesting week. Leland came down with the stomach flu Sunday night/Monday morning, and spent a miserable night up vomiting every two hours. He was sick all day on Monday with the usual stomach pains and inability to eat that we all had with the addition of a fever of 100.5. About the time I was ready to take him to the ER, he sat up and asked for some applesauce and was feeling better. Tuesday was a quiet day and Wednesday we got the Christmas things taken down and put way and I went to Soup Kitchen to help out. Leland still did not quite feel up to going out and stayed home. We planned on going to The Dalles to shop on Thursday, but I woke up sick with that same stomach flu for the 2nd time in a week!
I was feeling better enough by this morning I had almost decided to go to church. I was drying myself off after my shower, and suddenly my lower back locked up in a spasm which made me freeze and have to call Leland to help me dress and get to the couch. He stayed home with me and has been waiting on me hand and foot. Ibuprophen, ice and my mom's old walker we had stored in the garage are my friends today-after Leland of course. Hopefully this is a spasm which will correct itself in a short time.
Leland continues to bandage his fingernails, his hair is growing out more each day, and he is doing well at the moment-is out in the kitchen fixing our lunch. A real labor of love for him-as well as an act of desperation : ).
It is a beautiful cold day, low of 14 last night and up to 28 right now at 1pm with blue sky and sunshine.
I was feeling better enough by this morning I had almost decided to go to church. I was drying myself off after my shower, and suddenly my lower back locked up in a spasm which made me freeze and have to call Leland to help me dress and get to the couch. He stayed home with me and has been waiting on me hand and foot. Ibuprophen, ice and my mom's old walker we had stored in the garage are my friends today-after Leland of course. Hopefully this is a spasm which will correct itself in a short time.
Leland continues to bandage his fingernails, his hair is growing out more each day, and he is doing well at the moment-is out in the kitchen fixing our lunch. A real labor of love for him-as well as an act of desperation : ).
It is a beautiful cold day, low of 14 last night and up to 28 right now at 1pm with blue sky and sunshine.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Sabbath Jan 5, 2013 Partial Remission
Our trip to Seattle was good, we had bare pavement and roadside snow all the way, with beautiful winter scenery. We also had good company, as our friend, Gary, accompanied us on this trip.
We arrived in Seattle-Renton early in the evening, went for a walk outside our hotel, then met Chaunda who was on her way home from work, for a very pleasant evening out at an excellent Indian Restarant. Not only was the food just wonderful, it was served very attractively and the decor was beautiful as well as spotlessly clean.
We saw both our Oncologists, the Medical Dr. Chen and Naturopathic Dr. Sweet. Leland is doing well, is in partial remission which they believe will continue on into full remission with the hormone therapy. Dr Chen wishes to monitor him closely so he will need to be seen monthly for the next several months. We have not yet received the report on his blood work which was drawn just before we left, perhaps on Monday it will be finished.
His hair is beginning to grow out again-and it looks as though it will be all gray, so we will now be a matched pair. His fingernails continue to loosen and will sooner or later come off. Dr. Sweet says there will be a callus under them by then so the nail bed will be protected until the new nail grows in. He keeps bandaids on the loose ones to prevent catching and ripping them off.
I have been sick, first with a sinus infection at the beginning of the week which I got under control before we left for Seattle with a Nettie Pot. Should have used it at the first sign! Friday morning I showered and dressed intending to cook, clean and go to town. Before I got any of that done, I realized I had come down with the same stomach flu which Tina, Cherilyn and Grant all had on Christmas day. It was miserable but fortunately lasts only a day.
I am feeling a lot better today, but not well enough to go out to church, and Leland opted to stay home with me. We are sitting by the fire, watching the snow fall, very cold 24 degrees outside but cozy and warm inside.
We wish you all a Happy and Blessed New Year.
We arrived in Seattle-Renton early in the evening, went for a walk outside our hotel, then met Chaunda who was on her way home from work, for a very pleasant evening out at an excellent Indian Restarant. Not only was the food just wonderful, it was served very attractively and the decor was beautiful as well as spotlessly clean.
We saw both our Oncologists, the Medical Dr. Chen and Naturopathic Dr. Sweet. Leland is doing well, is in partial remission which they believe will continue on into full remission with the hormone therapy. Dr Chen wishes to monitor him closely so he will need to be seen monthly for the next several months. We have not yet received the report on his blood work which was drawn just before we left, perhaps on Monday it will be finished.
His hair is beginning to grow out again-and it looks as though it will be all gray, so we will now be a matched pair. His fingernails continue to loosen and will sooner or later come off. Dr. Sweet says there will be a callus under them by then so the nail bed will be protected until the new nail grows in. He keeps bandaids on the loose ones to prevent catching and ripping them off.
I have been sick, first with a sinus infection at the beginning of the week which I got under control before we left for Seattle with a Nettie Pot. Should have used it at the first sign! Friday morning I showered and dressed intending to cook, clean and go to town. Before I got any of that done, I realized I had come down with the same stomach flu which Tina, Cherilyn and Grant all had on Christmas day. It was miserable but fortunately lasts only a day.
I am feeling a lot better today, but not well enough to go out to church, and Leland opted to stay home with me. We are sitting by the fire, watching the snow fall, very cold 24 degrees outside but cozy and warm inside.
We wish you all a Happy and Blessed New Year.
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