Friday, September 30, 2011

Lots of Drugs

Long Week

Friday night came into ER at Froedtert
Admitted Saturday Morning CT Scan
Tests all day Sunday, Docs think it may be fungus in my lungs
Monday CT Scan not good, things look worse.
Tuesday had to have another VATS surgery
Chest tube removed on Wednesday...along with super bloated from water weight. Very uncomfortable
Thursday was a lot of doctors meetings and me sleeping...still did not feel great.
Friday, does not look like there is any fungus or bacterial. Inflammation that can be treated by steroids is much better than any infections. Removed dressing from VATS and chest tube site. Getting tired again and will probably go to bed soon.

I am pretty tired of the hospital, Wednesday was uncomfortable and Thursday was not much better. Friday things started to pick up, but still pretty tired.

Big sports weekend in Wisconsin. Brewers home series against the Diamondbacks and the #7 Badgers take on the #8 Nebraska Cornhuskers. Packers go for the big 4-0 start. Hopefully along with the Diamondbacks, the Huskers, and the Broncos, my Cancer takes a beating this weekend too and I can go home for a bit.

Love you all,
T

Sunday, September 25, 2011

OK Doc What do I Have?

After my first post, the doctor came in and was able to give me the plan. My CT scan showed two things, a Fungal infection in my chest and some fluid where my VATS procedure were. The CT people said that the fluid in my lung was not a concern. The fungal infection is relatively normal for a person with Leukemia. So they will start giving me a different cocktail of anti-fungal, bacterial, biotic, and viral. The big bummer is, I have to stay in the hospital until my blood counts return. This is probably for the better, keeps me out of 'trouble' and I can get the quickest care if I need anything. Thanks for all the well wishing and prayers.

GO PACK GO!!!
T

Good Morning to Another Day in The Hospital

Hello everyone, just a very short and quick update of another day in the hospital.

It is a very weird feeling, I am not sure how to explain it. Aside from a headache and some sinus stuff, I feel pretty good. My body is not agreeing with my feelings though. Last night my fever spiked to 102.4. It calmed down down a bit through the night, at 101.6, this morning it was down to 100.5, and JUST now 99.5. SO hopefully the antibiotics...etc...are starting to work.

GO PACK GO!!

T

Saturday, September 24, 2011

SHUT IT TONY!!!

Shouldn't have said anything...it was all my fault. Now, maybe I will be more superstitious. I am back at Froedtert because I had a fever on Friday night. I will be here at least three nights getting lots of blood drawn, lots of antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antibacterials, and anticancer drugs. I feel pretty good, just a high temp and a headache.....but I felt fantastic when....THE BREWERS WON THE NL CENTRAL!!!! Wow, what a scene, so happy for the Crew. Now they need to take care of business and stay in second place ahead of the Diamondbacks. Go Packers tomorrow. Well, thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Doctor Update


This week has been very good. I have not gotten sick...now I am not very superstitious, but if you are reading this knock on some wood...but I am still neutropenic. My counts may be starting to come back up, as it is the 13th day after my chemotherapy. In very good news, I had a Lung Function Test today and it improved from my last Lung Function Test. Think of this test kind of like the ACT test. There are numerous tests but one score that really matters. Each test has some bearing in that final score, but the overall score is really what you look at. This is just like the lung test. I have a few breathing tests that gauge different things, CO2 diffusion, recovery, O2 levels in blood, lung capacity..etc. MY test prior to my VATS procedure was so bad that the group (Transplant docs, therapists, oncologist) decided I needed more time to allow my lungs more time to improve. The lowest cutoff to allow a transplant is 45...my early score was a 37....this time.......49!!!! So we may have to save the armband from this appointment. My transplant doctor that has been with us from very early on was, in her words, very happy about this test. So, I am not going to go overboard, we don't have a date set yet, but things look really good to move forward. FINALLY! As always, I will keep updating as I find out more information. Molly and Adeline have also been very good. Adeline is walking all over and Molly has had a good first month at school. Thanks, as always, to our friends and family who have sent well wishes and prayers our way. This journey to health would be too much without all of your love and support. Go Brewers this week who can win the division for the first time in 29 years! and Go Packers who play da' bears dis week. Thank you thank you thank you all!!!!

T

Friday, September 16, 2011

Been a Good Week

So, It has been almost one week since my last day of chemotherapy. The week has gone really well. (knock on wood, wish good luck, superstitious stuff, etc) I have not gotten sick and had a good doctor appointment today. I made my first banana breads, they turned out pretty good. Threw some stuff into the crock pot yesterday and that was great. Made some soup today and am going to make a dinner for tonight for Mols and Adie.

AS TO THE DOCTOR APT: Here is the only new information...I have blood draws the next two weeks, and my numbers will probably continue to fluctuate, because of the numbers, I may need transfusions throughout the next few weeks. My chest tube and incision site from the video assisted thoracic surgery are sore and I need to take an additional antibiotic for those, but they are ok as checked today. Friday next week I have another Pulmonary Function Test. This is the test where you breathe a whole bunch of times into a machine connected to computers to evaluate lung capacity and volume, how fast/slow/much/little I can take into my lungs. This is a SUPER important test. As important as Marino to Duper, DeBerg to Thomas, Majkowski to Sharpe in Super Tecmo Bowl. This test needs to be the same or improved from earlier for the doctors to be more comfortable with my transplant. I felt good about the meeting and am saying prayers that I do not get a neutropenic fever! Lets get to transplant!!!!

T

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Best Update

Just had a good long talk with an oncologist from Froedtert. The results from the VATS procedure are almost all back and this is what they have so far. They tested my lung biopsy for EVERYTHING. He listed off probably 20 different infections that I do not have for sure, many of those were fungal and bacterial. The virals take longer to come back, but there is nothing showing on any of them. I do have intersticialnumenitis, which is a long word for inflammation in my lungs. There still is a very small amount of bleeding in my lungs, but, there is no clear reason, and it should be getting better. I feel like it is getting better based in my continued improvements in walking and talking (yes, at the same time) and the sparameter. The plan is, if my CT scan is the same as it was prior to the VATS procedure or better, they will have another meeting and decide whether to go forward with transplant. It sounds like it is pretty good that that will happen, but I am not going to make any for sure statements after this last 'date" that was set. It feels like everything is coming together in a good way. My feelings are, the cancer is more than likely going to come back if I do not get a transplant. My lungs are prohibiting that transplant, but in the end, the cancer is going to be my downfall. Saying that, the window is closing for getting my lungs as healthy as they can and still being disease free so that I make it through the transplant. The reason for my latest round of chemotherapy (which ends today) is to make sure that the leukemia is kept under control. It is vital that I go to transplant with as little disease possible in my system. I am excited for the next few weeks and think things will go well.

So, here I sit finishing my final bag of cytarabine, watching the Badgers absolutely punish the Oregon St. Beavers, Packers sitting at 1-0 after a great opening National Football League game on Thursday night in Green Bay and the Brewers still hanging on to second place in the National League, and first in the NL Central. Feels good to listen to all my friends with other interests whine about the Packers. Adeline has begun walking all over the place, Molly got her hair did, things are going well. Thanks again to my buddy Jordan for the phone call today. Good luck to my great friend Thane who gets married today, I wish I could be there in person, but I will be there in spirit. (Too bad my spirit can't drink :) Thank you also goes out to everyone for all of the prayers, thoughts, and well wishes. I know it has gotten me this far.

Love~ T

Thursday, September 8, 2011

At the Hospital

So, we are on our 4th round of chemotherapy, day 2 of 4. Things are going ok, although yesterday, I was very nauseous and got the opportunity to fill up a pink bucket with used lunch and dinner from earlier in the day. Today, I went for a few walks, enjoys the third book in "the Game of Thrones" series, and as able to eat. NOW, I am sitting in front of a 50 in television with the Packer game on and a TV above with the Brewer game on. I may not have had a better set up if I was at home....so for this few hours, don't feel bad that I am in the hospital.