Thursday, December 29, 2011

Today was day three, no change, he still feels pretty good!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Still, the hair loss makes it all the more real. Four more days of six hour treatments...
Its just hair, it'll grow back!
First day of round two chemo went well. He's looking good, except for the hair loss. He trimmed it in anticipation, but its still pretty obvious. Oh well,

Monday, December 26, 2011

Oh! And at my friends' urging, having a Sons of Anarchy marathon!
Great weekend! Xmas eve with family. Xmas day relaxing. Today, just sitting n knittin' n drinking egg nog

Monday, December 19, 2011

Spoke with my son on Thursday, says his double vision has gone down some! Good news! Sooner than we expected, but not complaining!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Last treatment for this round tomorrow, white blood booster shot on thurs, then off for 3 weeks!
11:25 - all done! He snoozed the whole time. Looks good, feels good!
Only one chem today and tomorrow, should be...relatively...quick.
He reported no nausea at all last nite! A little less anxiety today. Arrived at 9:30, took vitals, meds, and started drip at 10:25am.

Monday, December 5, 2011

2:00 - finished and left the clinic! He is feeling a lot better than we expected, may be cuz they dripped anti-naseau, too.
12:35 - second of the two meds started. Its 35 mins late, go figure... And, its going to take an hour, instead of the half hr they mentioned earlier today...
(Msgs are best read from bottom up)
11:05 - drip begins...

Anti-anxiety med (and lack of sleep) has him knocked out. Good to see him relaxed! :)

Hes not really as bad as it sounds. Hopefully, subsequent treatments will get better!
His anxiety is going thru the roof! Pissing him off too. Everything I try to calm him down only makes him agitated...
10:25 - They still haven't started the drip yet, guess should be expected, nothing ever goes quickly. Another two hours for that...
Appt is at 9:15, arrived with 3 mins to spare...not that we needed them...
Today is first day of his treatment...cold, freezing fog, a portent of things to come?

Thursday, December 1, 2011

X-ray of "port" installed in my son's chest.

Anyway, he should be home later tonite.
Surgery went well! A little longer than expected, tough tissue. Dr used to installing these on the ederly, not young guys!

Monday, November 28, 2011

Out-patient surgery will be sched this week.
Chemo begins next week. He elected to have a "port" installed in his upper chest to make it easier to find a vein when they inject the IV drip.
It was confirmed, he has cancer, a form of germinoma, I forget the name, begins with "I".
Apparently, I was mistaken abt todays appt. It was a planning session only with chemo-therapist.

Friday, November 25, 2011

While he may go through some rough times with treatment, prognosis is still good!
Chemotherapist called. They have seen results of biopsy and want to start an aggressive approach for his treatment.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving! Never have those words meant so much to me as they do this year. Hope everyone is having a great day!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Finally! He is home and out of the hospital!  Eyesight has not improved - which may be expected. (The tumor is also near the optical nerve, or sits on it? I've had a hard time remembering anything they tell me! Prolly stress-related.)  His eyesight should improve once the tumors are reduced or gone. 

Next up, results of biopsy (which may not be until next week with the holiday coming - Ah know! sickness doesn't take a day off, why do pathologists?!)  Also, meetings with radiologist, endocrinologist, and maybe chemo-therapist (prolly all next week, too).  His dance card will be full for a while.  Still not out of the woods with Insipidus Diabetes, but it is self-monitored for now, Dr doesn't think it should be a problem.

Based on blood work, he came home with a couple of meds:  thyroxin and coritisol (I think I got those right). Hormones. He may have to take some hormones for the rest of his life.

Anyway, he is happy to be home (and so is his dog!!)  His discharge is bitter-sweet:  I'm relieved he's out of the hospital, but concerned how he'll take the treatments and therapy.  In the end, I'm sure he'll be ok, a little less for wear and tear, but at least he's still here!!

I want to thank everyone for their support and concern for his well-being (and mine).  I'm sure he appreciates it, too!  Thanks, again!! 









Monday, November 21, 2011

Spirits are high! Mostly knowing he will be out of hosp soon. He sounds good and looks good.
Spoke with endocrinologist today. Based on results of biopsy and any damage from tumor and/or radiation treatment, will determine hormone therapy later.
Moved back to his original room!
Good news! They are removing the catheter! This means the symptoms from Insipidus Diabetes are subsiding. Hopefully, he'll be moved out of ICU today!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

By the way, there were no other tumors found in the spinal MRIs. Good news!
He will be staying in ICU a little longer, unusual urine output, but could be moved to a reg room by tonite or tomorrow.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Surgery went well! He's in ICU overnite. Results of biopsy in abt 5 days...

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Finished most of his spinal MRI today! Dr wants to check for other tumors. Also met with radiologist, can't determine side effects until biopsy results

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

My son's update today...

He saw the specialist today, he feared the tumors might block more fluid, so he admitted him to the hospital to keep him under observation until they can do the biopsy and install a shunt on Saturday.  Doctor should know more regarding treatment after the biopsy results come back.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Today...

Yesterday was actually my first blogger day ever!  I created the site late last nite but couldn't figure out how to post!  So I went to bed.

Today is my first posting! Unfortunately, the only thing I have interesting to post is some concerning news I've learned about my son (23 yo).

He's been having vision problems lately (two weeks?) and finally decided to see an optometrist. The Dr couldn't diagnose him and suggested he go to an opthamalogist.  That Dr suggested an MRI and sent the results to his primary Dr.  That same day, today, his primary Dr diagnosed him with Germ Cell Tumors and suggested my son check into Emergency and recommended a Neuro-specialist who resides at a hospital 20 miles away. The primary called ahead to Emergency to set it up. He presumed there was something that needed to be drained, and that 90% of the time this can be treated with radiation therapy.

We checked him into Emergency and waited about an hour before being seen by the on-call Dr.  He had to wait for the MRI results before he could say anything. They finally arrived another hour later.  He contacted the Specialist who was on his way and would be there in about an hour. The Specialist finally arrives and says he is not an expert with THIS type of tumor, but has a colleague that is and will have his office set up an appt with the new Dr tomorrow.  All he could say was the tumors were at the base of his skull, about one-half inch in diameter, creating pressure that caused his vision problems.  More blood work and a full body MRI will be scheduled to determine the extent of the tumors and a treatment plan.

So, that is my news for today.  I'm home now, with a stiff drink in hand, writing this blog, trying to keep my self occupied...

I'm perplexed at the organization of medical facilities...  My son's primary Dr is in one suburb, he sent my son to a hospital in another suburb (on the opposite side of the metropolis), passing two other Hospitals on the way. Turns out, the "Specialist" was at one of the hospitals we passed (20 blocks from where my son lives)! Only to arrive and say its not within his specialty. Is it any wonder patients are so confused by, and mistrusting of, the medical profession?