Dad had a follow-up appointment with his oncologist today and everything is looking very optimistic: his blood numbers are good, he's not in pain, and he's gained (drum roll please):
*** 16 POUNDS ***
in the past three months
Chemo is set to end in November, which will be followed up by a PETscan. Dad is guarded in his acceptance of the good news. We keep him positive by talking about our daily happenings and planning for the future. Chemo, however, sucks, and he tends to get depressed often because his days/nights are consumed with managing his side effects. Taste buds change, vision changes, body temp & blood pressure fluctuates (he's cold most of the time), fevers must be monitored, bouts of constipation & diarrhea become the norm, his mouth goes into "convulsions" if he eats/drinks something cold, and touching cold objects causes the sensation of being cut by glass. On top of that, his nephrostomy tube becomes painful at times, along with the hassle of carrying around a bag of urine and have to monitor/empty that throughout the day.
Talking with others helps him think about other things rather than dwell on the situation and play the "what if" games that human brain sometimes chooses to dwell upon. So if you're reading this and wonder what you can do to help or make a difference, a phone call is always deeply appreciated. And all you have to say is, "I just called to say "Hi" and let you know you I'm thinking about you;" after that, I'm almost certain he'll ask what's going on in YOUR life. At least, that's how my daily phone calls usually turn out.
Dad was particularly happy after his chemo treatment last week. Another older, lonely gentlemen, who had a track record of sitting alone quietly during his treatments, crossed paths with my dad. And my dad being the greatest talker of all time, kept the other patient (and gathered a few other patients) engaged for hours. The staff and the other patient thanked my dad for helping making the guy's day at chemo more bearable. The power of the human spirit is amazing. And personally, that's what I think our maker calls us to do: help and love one another.
Thanks to everyone who has helped and supported dad in this journey. And a very special thanks to Mike's Aunt for sending dad him Omaha steak burgers this week. On his "off " week of chemo, Dad has a serious craving for hamburgers; he attributes his 16 lb gain to the burgers. When we talk in the evenings, he'll say, "Guess what I had for dinner?" And then he goes on to tell me (in great detail) how fabulous the burgers taste. I'd also like to thank those who have sent cards, fruit treats, apple pies, lotto tickets, and care packages; your kindness and love helps keep him going :)
Until next time,
Terri
