Thursday, August 16, 2007

We lost the battle!

Yes, we lost the battle. Jerry died early this morning. We don't know what happened. He was breathing better and was settling in to sleep when I left at 6:30 p.m. The nurses said he began breathing hard about 11:30 and his saturation points started going down and they tried giving him CPR and it didn't work. The pulmonary doctor called me this morning and said they thought it was a cardiac problem or that the cancer metastasized and was in his brain. I guess we will never know for sure but maybe the good thing is that he isn't struggling to breathe or dealing with that horrible cough. The viewing hours are Sunday 2-6 p.m. and the funeral will be Monday at 11:00 p.m. Thanks to everyone for all of your concerns and prayers. I sure appreciate all of my friends.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Not Congestive Heart Failure

We found out today after the doctors looked at the tests they did yesterday that Jerry doesn't have any fluid around his heart. He has inflammation in his good lung caused from the radiation. The radiation oncologist had told us that some patients get what they call "radiation pneumonia" and that is what this is. They are giving him steroids and antibiotics. Hopefully he will begin to breathe better when this begins to clear up. They also did some tests looking for blood clots in his legs and lungs and there were none and his heart is working properly. So that is a good thing. Also his blood count is good. Sometimes during radiation treatments the blood count goes down. He was still nauseated some today and didn't eat good. I hope that leaves soon so he can begin to eat more and gain some strength. He is so weak right now. He will probably be in the hospital a few more days and he doesn't seem to mind that. His Pulmonologist said he is not going to rush him out of the hospital. He wants to get his stomach settled and get him to breathing better before he sends him home. I am glad of that! They put in a Midline today for his IV. They were having problems with the IV's and had to keep changing them so this will eliminate them having to keep sticking him. They were having trouble finding veins because his veins are small.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Not such a good day....

Jerry was sick to his stomach during the night last night and also this afternoon. He wasn't able to eat today. The internist and cardiologist came to see him today. The cardiologist ordered an echocardiogram, a nuclear scan and a veinus ultrasound. He had all but the veinus ultrasound today. By the time he had the first 2 tests he was short of breath and completely wore out so they said they could do the last test tomorrow. It is hard for him to lay flat on a table for these tests because of the shortness of breath. Hopefully the cardiologist will have the results from the tests tomorrow.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Another bump in the road!

Oh boy.....this has been "one of those days!". Jerry was short of breath all weekend. His feet has been swelling for a little while now and the cardiologist gave him Lasix last Tuesday when we were there. He didn't want to take it because he had such a hard time walking to the bathroom so he took one pill on Saturday but that was all. He could hardly make it to the car this morning to go for his radiation. When we got to the Cancer Center he seemed worse so I talked to the nurse and she listened to his chest and thought she heard some noise and I should take him to the ER for them to check him out. We went straight to the ER and they began running some tests (blood tests and chest xrays). Later the ER doctor came back in and said the chest xray was fine but his blood test showed Congestive Heart Failure. They started him on Lasix and the ER doc talked to his Internist and Cardiologist and they admitted him to the hospital to treat him for the CHF. They will be giving him more Lasix until they get rid of the fluid. We are so hoping this helps his breathing. They said he might be there 2 or 3 days. After that maybe he can finish the radiation treatments.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

About the same....

Everything is about the same. Since it is Saturday and we don't have to go to radiation treatment, it my day to catch up and Jerry's day to rest. He is still real short of breath when he gets up to go to the bathroom. If that would only leave I know he would be more relaxed and feel better about things. Yayyy...tomorrow is another day to kick back! We have been watching the golf tournament so at least there is something for him to watch that he likes. TV mostly stinks right now.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

A Little Better...

The day went a little better today. I think he is feeling a little better today. We went for his treatment and met with the doctor. The doctor really didn't have much to add today but we will see him next Wednesday on his last radiation treatment and he will tell us when he will be coming back to see him and when he will have the next CT scan. The doctor did say that the scan wouldn't be done any sooner than 45 days after his last treatment. The radiation continues to work for about 6 months after they stop. He hasn't been sleeping as much today. A neighbor came to visit this afternoon and he enjoyed talking to him. We got a car starter put on our car today so I can get it started cooling before he has to get in it. The hot car really bothers him and it looks like there isn't going to be much of a break in this heat. Guess we also might need it this winter because it doesn't look like we will be able to go back to Florida this winter.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Much Better.....

Jerry had the packing removed from his nose today. Everything went fine and he didn't have any additional bleeding. That made him feel much better and he is able to have the oxygen back in his nose rather than in his mouth so maybe his throat will begin to feel better. Of course, we are not sure if the radiation is affecting his thoat. That is possible and common. He ate better today also. He was pretty tired after going to the ER to get the packing out and then to his radiation treatment so he napped quite a bit this afternoon and evening. He will be seeing the radiation oncologist tomorrow after his treatment. He usually sees him on Thursday but it was changed this week. This will probably be the last time he sees him since his treatment ends on Wednesday of next week.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Not long now....

before Jerry gets that miserable packing out of his nose. He had to go to radiation treatment and then to see the Cardiologist today. The Cardiologist gave him a prescription for Lasix. His legs and feet has some swelling. He has been pretty tired all afternoon and has slept a lot. We will be going first thing in the morning to get the packing out of his nose. I know that will make him feel better. Hope it helps his patience too.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Nose Bleed

Oh my....yesterday afternoon Jerry coughed and sneezed and his nose started bleeding. We couldn't get it to stop so we called 911 and took him to the ER. They couldn't get it stopped so the doctor packed the one side of his nose and we stayed in the ER for a while to make sure it was stopped. He has to leave the packing in until Tuesday. He is miserable with the packing and has to use the oxygen in one nostril or in his mouth. He is using it mostly in his mouth and it has dried his throat and made it sore. He has anxiety attacks when he thinks he isn't getting enough oxygen and gets very irritable. Neither one of us got much sleep Saturday night and he has felt pretty rough today. He has napped off and on all day. I am hoping he is able to sleep better tonight. He will be going back to radiation treatments tomorrow. He has 8 more to take.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Jerry's Progress 1

As you all know, Jerry has been diagnosed with Lung Cancer. He is having a series of radiation treatments now. He will have a total of 20 treatments and has completed 12 as of yesterday. He will finish the radiation treatments on August 15 and will see the chemo oncologist on the 27th of August and will probably start chemotherapy sometime that week. The results from the MRI showed that the cancer is in his back and his hip bone. The Oncologist said that it is just there in the hip and spine and isn't doing anything. (which is a good thing!) The radiation that he is already having is treating the spine and the chemotherapy that he will be having will treat the hip. If it is not successful in the hip they will add more radiation for it. The doctor doesn't know how many chemo treatments he will have. They will do comparison xrays of his chest to see progress and if the chemo is working. If it doesn't work they will stop them. He will have one treatment every 3 weeks. He has begun to become fatiqued from the radiation and is napping a lot. His appetite is good and we have been able to go out to eat after treatments several times this week. He enjoys being able to get out but is still so short of breath and is on oxygen full time. He is also sleeping at night in the Lazy Boy chair because it helps him straighter and is easier to breathe. We are hoping that soon the swelling of the tissues in the chest cavity from the radiation will go down and he will begin to breathe easier. We are so thankful that his cough is so much better. He has a coughing spell occasionally, but not anything like it was. We are thinking positive about this and hoping for the best with the treatments.