We have had a wonderful week! Ronnie has been off chemo for the past 10 days and the Revlimid for a week. We have been outside on a few of these beautiful spring like days! Ronnie has felt better this week than he has in a long while! We managed (with the help of our grandson Lane) to get up a lot of leaves since Saturday. I am talking layers of leaves that have been on the ground since the fall. Maybe now the grass will show when it begins to green up!
Ronnie went back for chemo and saw the doctor this morning. Dr. Aggarwal said he is doing well. The simple fact he is feeling better means the cancer must be retreating! He will do another 24 hr urine test after this round of chemo is completed. This test will show the progress of his treatment. He will then have just one more cycle of chemo before sending him to Augusta for a consultation for the stem cell transplant! That is if the urine test comes back and shows him in remission!! We ask for your continued prayers that will happen!
The doctor again reminded him the bone marrow transplant (stem cell) will not be a cure but can prolong his life. He said the average time for M.M. patients used to be around three years but now it is more common to see people live eight years! His over all health will have to meet certain criteria because the treatment is very harsh on the body!
Ronnie has always struggled with his blood sugar. He has a problem now with it bottoming out. When this happens he wants to eat everything in sight. The first of every week it is really high because of the steroids he takes on Monday. He goes from highs to lows! I think we need to go to nutrition classes to learn how to better handle this. When I mentioned it to the PA there, she scoffed off the idea since he has been a diabetic for so many years..but if you can not maintain near normal levels , then I don't see how it could hurt! Many things have changed since the eighties when he went through those classes! We are hoping they can reduce his insulin also. The AC1 will tell the story !
He sees the doctor next week at the diabetes clinic so I hope she will take his cancer treatment into consideration with his diabetes treatment. I want him to be as healthy as possible especially with the bone marrow transplant drawing close! Diet and gentle exercise! The doctor told him walking is good but not to lift anything heavier than 5 lbs and cautioned him his bones are weak and can be broken easily. Walking will strengthen them of course but having the energy with the chemo and other drugs will make it tough! He is off his cane now, I am happy to report. He still has a limp that comes from a compression fracture in his back.
He is tired today, back in the recliner/chemo cycle ! He gets the bone treatment Monday if his kidney function test he had today comes back ok. He has a right to be tired for another reason. We will probably be GREAT-grandparents with in a month! Our oldest grand daughter Ashley is due the first of April but according to what the doctor told her today, it may not be that long! We have are looking forward to this new segment of our life! Back in the fall there was so much uncertainty when we were told he had cancer, he was really afraid he might not make it to see this little one! We have a grand baby learning to walk and a great-one almost here! Thank you Lord!
We passed the sign on a church on 257 coming home today. It said, "every day is a gift , so open it with prayer".. that is so true and such good advice! I know many of you saw the cross, our little grandson Ty made for me! He went in and got his papa to hammer one "big" nail in and he did the rest! Ronnie said he had no idea what he was doing! I was on the phone going through the long ritual of ordering his medicine. I had to tell Ty I would come out when I finished to see what he had made for me. How sweet and special are such times! I know as parents we often did not take the time to appreciate the things our own kids "made" for us! That is what is great about being grandparents!! Having this illness sure has changed his perspective on life as well as my own! It is always easier to see the bad instead of the good in all things... now we try to see the good and we know God will take care of the rest!!
Gail, such great news that Ronnie is feeling well right now. I think you do need to see a Nutritionist. Get a little pushy about that next visit. Keeping an even blood sugar level is key. The ups and downs are very hard on the body. Keep writing.
ReplyDeleteLove you, Leola