So Long Since I was Last Here

First of all I have to say that I have had a lot of help from so many friends! This week our Pastor and four deacons from our church came to talk and pray and serve us the Lords Supper. Right after that another old friend came by with some beautiful cupcakes. My sisters husband has be SO helpful in many ways. Yesterday he took off of work to help me get an air conditioner ready to pick up and then helped install the new one. Before that he took me all over the place trying to find a new air conditioner, then he paid for it, then he installed it with me.

Of course my Mother in Law has been here helping a LOT, and others that will remain anonymous.

Angie was sleeping a little. She decided that I could make her some lunch now. Last week one of her doctors mentioned hospice. He also said that a he would put her in a median survival bin of 6 months. Her family doctor said not to even think about that and thinks she had picked up a bug that was making her feel bad. I took her temperature with a digital touch thermometer and said she was "normal". He touched her and said she had a little over 99 degrees. I used a regular thermometer and it verified what he said... 99.3 degrees. He gave her some antibiotics. She had already quit throwing up then, and feels better now.

She had quit walking for about a week due to the illness and pain. Now she has started again. 70 steps the day before yesterday, and about 35 yesterday.

Bills continue to come in and sometimes I feel like I'm drowning. She has asked me to stay home and care for her and that is more important than money. I need to worry lest and pray more... but it is hard.

No Beef!

A few days after the last post we tried to shave her head. That is a job!!!


She has a lot of trouble with her neck when she wakes up. Yesterday she almost couldn't get in the shower. I was wanting some faster improvements. At the end of the month we get a CT scan and find out if the chemo is helping.

Lord give me patience and give it to me RIGHT NOW!

She wants to go to the cemetery today... I hope that is a good idea.

She seems to prefer chicken and fish over pork and beef. The taste of meat is not a good thing for her. So many things don't taste right to her. 

Fallout

16 days after the first chemo treatment, Angie's hair began falling out ... a lot.  Two days later we cut it off.

After I shampooed her hair and gave her a shower we found that it was very hard to brush out. That was because of all of the loose hair that was tangled up with what was still attached. It's kind of It is kind of all different lengths now, but all less than an inch. I like it. She wore a turban to the doctor's office.

Paraneoplastic Syndrome

Para... along side
Neo...new
Plastic... pertaining to plasm... material forming cells
Syndrome...association of several clinically recognizable features

 So Paraneoplastic Syndrome is an association of several clinically recognizable features that go along side of new growth tissue (tumor).

My wife has numbness, pain, loss of sensory nerve function including extreme dis-coordination. As it turns out the sensory nerves have SO much to do with normal coordination and it is an automatic response. She can walk much better if she concentrates on it. Add talking and it gets much worse. Either way her balance is so bad right now that she must have help walking. However just 3 days ago she wasn't walking at all.

The first chemo treatment was April 25, 2011. Next chemo is on the 16th. Her chemo is IV and is three days in a row with 3 weeks in between. As the cancer shrinks the coordination will hopefully return.

In the Beginning

Okay fans! I started a blog! Hmmmmm.

I'll start with this: My wife and I just found out that she has small cell lung cancer. I am SO thankful we found it. It isn't great, but she has it and now we know. Now we can start working toward a goal! Now we can name it in our prayers! Now we can tell others what we need prayer for!

Next blog: Paraneoplastic Syndrome