2014 February 5 More Adjustments

We returned home from Seattle an hour and a half ago to the most unwelcome sound of the fire alarms going off yet again.  We had the same situation on Monday night when we returned home form Portland.  We had attended Kevin and Luci's lovely wedding, then spent Monday caring for Phoenix, as he was sick with Pneumonia; had been running a fever even while on antibiotics, and could not go to his daycare. Both Cher and Todd had important business to do; we were free and delighted to spend more time with him even tho he was not feeling well.  At least he could stay home in his own environment.

We could hear the fire alarms going off as we got out of the car in the garage, as I said, a most unwelcome sound!  Leland got them turned off; we proceeded to unload, unpack and repack for the trip to Seattle the following day.  I was right underneath one when it went off again with an earsplitting screech, which startled me rather violently.  I involuntarily clapped my hands to my ears.  In doing so, I further tore the already torn muscles in my right rotator cuff, making my right arm almost useless,  and making it impossible for me to drive. 

Chuck was willing to come along with us and help with the driving, as Leland is getting increasingly fatigued and unable to stay awake long enough to make a long drive without help. It was not easy for Del and Chuck, because she came home from the wedding sick, but felt she could manage without him for one night.  Thank you both so much; we could not have done it alone!

The news at the clinic today was not what we wanted to hear, Leland's PSA went up by almost 50%, and several other elements of his  blood tests were outside the normal range. Dr. Chen put him back on Lupron, ordered a shot for his low white count and an infusion for his bone strengthening medication. That took an extra hour and a half or so because we were one day too early for Medicare to pay for the regular shot.  We had moved his appointment up one day to accomodate my surgery scheduled for tomorrow, not realizing the implications.

Dr. Chen wants Leland to stay on the Xtandi for one more month, and if his PSA continues this rapid rise, is suggesting Provenge would be appropriate for him.  It is a new therapy which is an immune therapy-blood is withdrawn and treated with some substance which I can't remember, then returned to the patient, which then encourages the immune system to attack the cancer.  There are 3 shots, each two weeks apart, and the cost is 100,000 dollars!  Medicare does pay for this, so our insurance will pay also.  We are hoping our grant from the PAN foundation will pay the enormous co-payment. 

We are grateful for every good day, grateful for insurance which pays these high medical bills and the foundations which help with the high co-payments. We are taking one day at a time, trusting that God will continue to lead us in the decisions we need to make.