Not much has changed since my last post, we do know that Tim's appointment in Chapel Hill is at 4:00 on Thursday so we will head that way Thursday morning and plan to stay until Friday just in case there is something available up there that they need him to do more testing for. Otherwise there really is no change in anything.
We do feel so grateful for all of the support we have received from you all, your friends, family members, co-workers, blog followers and acquaintances. The sheer number of people that have viewed Tim's blog over the last few days is humbling to say the least. It means so much to us that people care enough to share his story with others who are all coming together to root for him. He is my entire world so knowing that so many people are praying for him really helps me to push through each day.
As for us we've been on the same routine as usual, last week our dog had some surgery to remove a bump on her ribs so we've been busy taking care of her, going to the game in Columbia, spending some much needed time with great friends and just working to keep our daily routines in order to keep life as normal as possible while we wait to find out what will come next. The only difference for me being that I cringe every time he coughs knowing now that its likely being caused by the new lymph node lighting up in his chest. I'm so anxious for that to begin to fade as to me it will mean whatever the new treatment is will be doing its job. Tim is still as happy and positive as he always is which is so inspiring for me to watch, we may differ on our opinions as to the latest results but we're both committed to watching him beat this disease.
We also really appreciate all of the tremendous offers for help but honestly I couldn't think of anything tangible that we need if I tried, but everyone is so generous to offer. We still need lots of prayers for the right medicine for Tim, whatever it may be, and please continue to pass along his blog and his story to others you may know. More than anything I want him to be the exception to the rule of the statistics over the next few years. My opinion is that the more people who know his story, the more can pray for him which is never a bad thing.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Results
I've been putting off writing this post as I really just don't know what to say. I've finally decided I might as well just tell the truth, it will give you a little idea as to how Tim & I's viewpoints vary in the circumstances we encounter.
First the facts, on Wednesday Tim & I were both pretty nervous as we knew we'd be meeting with Dr. Edenfield Thursday morning but were anxious as we still hadn't been given a hint of what the results were. Typically we at least have some sort of idea as to what to expect, good or bad. This time we knew something had changed but had no clue if it is severe, not a big deal, etc. Tim called up to the cancer center and got a call back around 3:30 from Dr. Edenfield. He told him that the nodules in his lungs have increased slightly and that an original lymph node that previously lit up but we never knew if it was cancerous or responding to injury from Tim's very invasive abdominal surgery, was slightly enlarged as well as a lymph node under the point where his bronchial tubes split. We then met with Dr. Edenfield yesterday morning to review the scans in person and to discuss next steps. It seems like the majority of his lung nodules are on the periphery of his lungs but they are becoming a little easier to spot now. I have to admit that my heart still skips a beat and I have a slight panic attack each time I see those scans and mistake a blood vessel for a tumor until Dr. Edenfield points out the actual locations which are much harder to see.
Tim has officially been pulled from the Charleston trial but for the next two weeks he won't be on any meds at all in order to give his feet and hands some time to heal before we move on to something else. He really has been to hell & back with those things. To give you an idea basically by the end of a treatment his feet are covered in blisters which heal over the off week but also peel off during their healing process leaving fresh raw pink skin. That new skin ends up developing into new blisters during the next round and the cycle perpetuates getting a little worse each time.
Next Thursday we will be going back up to Chapel Hill to meet with Dr. O'Neil again to get his opinion on what we should do next as well as just to check-in and see what he may have to offer in terms of trials or treatments. The Friday after that we will travel down to see Dr. Geils & Debbie one last time for Tim's discharge out of the trial program. A previous program Tim did with the Vectibix may be our next try but we aren't sure if he has been off of it long enough for it to begin to work again, it's the one that worked pretty successfully before and gave him the rash on his face and upper torso.
Now for what this means & how Tim & I differ in opinion on this. Tim is happy with the results, he had feared that there was more of a spread than what happened or that it had spread to his liver or any other major organs. I, on the other hand, am pretty scared for the fact that it has moved out of his lungs and, significant or not, is in locations it hasn't ever been in or hasn't been in for almost 2 years now. I think his words say it best:
"Am I happy that I have 2 insignificant lymph nodes pop up or that some of the spots are a bit larger. No, I am not, but I won a battle in the sense that it's not in another organ right now. My feet and those problems really have me down and frustrated but now that I know this wasn't the drug for me I am ready to move on and start fighting again. These little breaks I get are very important to me because they let me be normal again even if it is for only 14-20 days. If you think about it I am not normal for probably 200 days in a row and those days are when I feel like I can have fun and sit back and breathe for even just a second.
Ultimately neither of our opinions really matter as the important thing is that we do find a treatment that starts working as soon as possible. I will say though, that I am so proud of him. Throughout everything he is such an amazing fighter and so much stronger than I could ever hope to be. Admittedly there are many nights where he is comforting me rather than the other way around. If I had my way we wouldn't be dealing with this at all but since that is not an option, I am so grateful that Tim is the one I'm going through this journey with.
We're both still holding out hope for a miracle drug to get rid of all of it so we can start living our lives with some security instead of this roller-coaster ride we can't seem to get off of. I think out of everything that has happened and how much our lives have changed over the past (almost) 3 years now, that is what I miss most of all. As many of you know I'm super OCD and a big planner, needless to say I've had to adjust my approach to the world over the past few years (which hasn't necessarily been a bad thing all the time) but I'm really just ready to be able to plan a vacation 6 months ahead of time without the concern of whether or not it may end up falling on a chemo week.
I've texted a few friends to let them know what is going on and the most common question has been "What can we do to help?" What we really need more than anything else right now is for lots of prayer for Tim that the right drug will be used next. I think both of us (as well as our families) need some stability and, though none of us have lost hope that a cure will be found soon, stability could go a long way in giving us a better sense of security and refreshed sense of hope. So please pass Tim's name & story to others you may know, prayer groups you may be a part of or if prayer isn't your thing just send good vibes, happy thoughts or whatever it is that you do believe in Tim's way. We'd be so grateful.
Tim & Jenny
First the facts, on Wednesday Tim & I were both pretty nervous as we knew we'd be meeting with Dr. Edenfield Thursday morning but were anxious as we still hadn't been given a hint of what the results were. Typically we at least have some sort of idea as to what to expect, good or bad. This time we knew something had changed but had no clue if it is severe, not a big deal, etc. Tim called up to the cancer center and got a call back around 3:30 from Dr. Edenfield. He told him that the nodules in his lungs have increased slightly and that an original lymph node that previously lit up but we never knew if it was cancerous or responding to injury from Tim's very invasive abdominal surgery, was slightly enlarged as well as a lymph node under the point where his bronchial tubes split. We then met with Dr. Edenfield yesterday morning to review the scans in person and to discuss next steps. It seems like the majority of his lung nodules are on the periphery of his lungs but they are becoming a little easier to spot now. I have to admit that my heart still skips a beat and I have a slight panic attack each time I see those scans and mistake a blood vessel for a tumor until Dr. Edenfield points out the actual locations which are much harder to see.
Tim has officially been pulled from the Charleston trial but for the next two weeks he won't be on any meds at all in order to give his feet and hands some time to heal before we move on to something else. He really has been to hell & back with those things. To give you an idea basically by the end of a treatment his feet are covered in blisters which heal over the off week but also peel off during their healing process leaving fresh raw pink skin. That new skin ends up developing into new blisters during the next round and the cycle perpetuates getting a little worse each time.
Next Thursday we will be going back up to Chapel Hill to meet with Dr. O'Neil again to get his opinion on what we should do next as well as just to check-in and see what he may have to offer in terms of trials or treatments. The Friday after that we will travel down to see Dr. Geils & Debbie one last time for Tim's discharge out of the trial program. A previous program Tim did with the Vectibix may be our next try but we aren't sure if he has been off of it long enough for it to begin to work again, it's the one that worked pretty successfully before and gave him the rash on his face and upper torso.
Now for what this means & how Tim & I differ in opinion on this. Tim is happy with the results, he had feared that there was more of a spread than what happened or that it had spread to his liver or any other major organs. I, on the other hand, am pretty scared for the fact that it has moved out of his lungs and, significant or not, is in locations it hasn't ever been in or hasn't been in for almost 2 years now. I think his words say it best:
"Am I happy that I have 2 insignificant lymph nodes pop up or that some of the spots are a bit larger. No, I am not, but I won a battle in the sense that it's not in another organ right now. My feet and those problems really have me down and frustrated but now that I know this wasn't the drug for me I am ready to move on and start fighting again. These little breaks I get are very important to me because they let me be normal again even if it is for only 14-20 days. If you think about it I am not normal for probably 200 days in a row and those days are when I feel like I can have fun and sit back and breathe for even just a second.
Am I happy that I will be feeling shitty for 3 days out of 14 again, hell no. But that is my life right now and it will be for the foreseeable future. I guess what I am saying is that when I say I am happy about the results, that is what I mean."
We're both still holding out hope for a miracle drug to get rid of all of it so we can start living our lives with some security instead of this roller-coaster ride we can't seem to get off of. I think out of everything that has happened and how much our lives have changed over the past (almost) 3 years now, that is what I miss most of all. As many of you know I'm super OCD and a big planner, needless to say I've had to adjust my approach to the world over the past few years (which hasn't necessarily been a bad thing all the time) but I'm really just ready to be able to plan a vacation 6 months ahead of time without the concern of whether or not it may end up falling on a chemo week.
I've texted a few friends to let them know what is going on and the most common question has been "What can we do to help?" What we really need more than anything else right now is for lots of prayer for Tim that the right drug will be used next. I think both of us (as well as our families) need some stability and, though none of us have lost hope that a cure will be found soon, stability could go a long way in giving us a better sense of security and refreshed sense of hope. So please pass Tim's name & story to others you may know, prayer groups you may be a part of or if prayer isn't your thing just send good vibes, happy thoughts or whatever it is that you do believe in Tim's way. We'd be so grateful.
Tim & Jenny
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Not What We've Been Hoping For
Friday was another one of Tim's Charleston appointments, they put him back on the full dose after having to hold, then reduce it last time with how bad his feet got. That was great news, unfortunately we also received some other not so great news as well. Tim's CEA has doubled over the past month. Both Dr. Geils & Dr. Edenfield are pretty confused as to what is going on & why it would have reacted in that manner. Regardless, Tim will be having a CT Scan this week and hopefully in the next week or two we should have a better idea about what's going on and at some point after that we should know what the next steps will be. In the meantime we just get to wait again, which for the lack of a better word, sucks.
Please keep Tim in your prayers for a drop in his CEA & that the cancer hasn't spread additionally or grown over the past few weeks.
Thanks,
Tim & Jenny
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Updates
Tim's feet have gotten really bad this week to the point he is now using a cane and they have held chemo until they start to improve (which we are hoping happens VERY quickly!). He's developed a greater sense of empathy with his grandparents at this point too :). So far there has been lots of icing, pain meds & today he was issued a handicapped parking decal which will make our lives much easier. Otherwise we finally got a new TV (Tim is madly in love) and got everything fixed from the lightning strike last week only to find that our sprinkler system was apparently hit by the lightning too so that's being replaced tonight and we should be good to go after that (knock on wood). We've got some friends coming into town this weekend to help celebrate Tim's birthday which we are very excited about so it should be a fun weekend ahead!
On another note, the Colon Cancer Alliance recently mentioned this store in their last newsletter in which the jewelry designer is making these cute colon cancer awareness bracelets and $5 goes back to CCA for each bracelet purchased. I just bought one & thought others might be interested too so here is the link: http://www.shopthebluerose.com/product/bob-bracelet
Oh & finally someone asked a question on the last blog post about what lotion Tim is using for his feet & hands now but didn't leave an email address so thought I'd answer that here. He's using Udderly Smooth cream with Urea in the morning & night on his hands and feet along with something called Heel Balm we got at Whole Foods for his feet. He uses just the plain Udderly Smooth cream throughout the day on his hands (& should on his feet as well but I'm pretty sure he doesn't). He also uses the Band-Aid Blister bandages on all of his foot blisters (& sometimes his hands when they get really bad) for cushioning & to help heal them but we've discovered that 2nd Skin (its a gel like pad thing typically for burns) works pretty well too when something gets bad. Hope that helps!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
On another note, the Colon Cancer Alliance recently mentioned this store in their last newsletter in which the jewelry designer is making these cute colon cancer awareness bracelets and $5 goes back to CCA for each bracelet purchased. I just bought one & thought others might be interested too so here is the link: http://www.shopthebluerose.com/product/bob-bracelet
Oh & finally someone asked a question on the last blog post about what lotion Tim is using for his feet & hands now but didn't leave an email address so thought I'd answer that here. He's using Udderly Smooth cream with Urea in the morning & night on his hands and feet along with something called Heel Balm we got at Whole Foods for his feet. He uses just the plain Udderly Smooth cream throughout the day on his hands (& should on his feet as well but I'm pretty sure he doesn't). He also uses the Band-Aid Blister bandages on all of his foot blisters (& sometimes his hands when they get really bad) for cushioning & to help heal them but we've discovered that 2nd Skin (its a gel like pad thing typically for burns) works pretty well too when something gets bad. Hope that helps!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Start of Month 3
We have gotten back from Charleston and I have started and almost finished the first week in my 3rd month of being on the new drug. They have been keeping up with my CEA count and we found out that it has dropped 1.3 points from last month to this month. This was the news that Jenny and I have been waiting to hear for 3 months. We were also having problems with my blood pressure being too high, but I have been on a medication for about a month now and we finally have that under control as well.
I decided to coach at another tournament in Charleston since I was going to be down there anyways. It was nice also for Jenny and I to be able to get away for a weekend and hangout. We had some good food and we were able to see Sheena and Katie one night too.
This past month of the treatment were not bad. The blisters that I have been getting on my hands were not nearly as bad this time as they were last month. Jenny talked last time about a certain type of lotion that is supposed to work the best for my hands (thank you for all the response about this) and I have been using it the entire time so I guess it really does work.
On a funny note. Our house got struck by lightning the other night. Yes I do know how bad that sounds. But it is actually not too bad of a thing because we are now going to be forced to get a new tv for the living room since the lightning decided our old tv needed to pass away. I have come up with a spreadsheet (which everyone makes fun of me for) so we can figure out which tv is the best. The storm also decided to kill our modem and one of the Direct TV boxes as well. So it has been a crazy start to the week for the Bright household.
Jenny has been giving me grief lately because this coming up Tuesday I will be turning the big 3-0. I don't feel any different but for some reason she thinks it is a big deal I guess because she is so much younger than I am.
I hope that everyone has a great week and thank you for all the support.
Tim
I decided to coach at another tournament in Charleston since I was going to be down there anyways. It was nice also for Jenny and I to be able to get away for a weekend and hangout. We had some good food and we were able to see Sheena and Katie one night too.
This past month of the treatment were not bad. The blisters that I have been getting on my hands were not nearly as bad this time as they were last month. Jenny talked last time about a certain type of lotion that is supposed to work the best for my hands (thank you for all the response about this) and I have been using it the entire time so I guess it really does work.
On a funny note. Our house got struck by lightning the other night. Yes I do know how bad that sounds. But it is actually not too bad of a thing because we are now going to be forced to get a new tv for the living room since the lightning decided our old tv needed to pass away. I have come up with a spreadsheet (which everyone makes fun of me for) so we can figure out which tv is the best. The storm also decided to kill our modem and one of the Direct TV boxes as well. So it has been a crazy start to the week for the Bright household.
Jenny has been giving me grief lately because this coming up Tuesday I will be turning the big 3-0. I don't feel any different but for some reason she thinks it is a big deal I guess because she is so much younger than I am.
I hope that everyone has a great week and thank you for all the support.
Tim
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Tim's Slacking :) & a little help needed please!
Tim was supposed to write this almost a week ago but I can barely get him to sit down these days, much less write a blog between work & the traveling his coaching has required lately. Not to mention that his memory is like that of an 80 year-old, pretty much gone as soon as he thinks of it, hence why the dry cleaning is still at the cleaners 2 weeks later. :) Life should slow down a bit after the next two weeks so hopefully we can get back to a normal schedule of blogging.
Things got pretty out of control over the past few weeks to the point that we were both pretty worried about what would come next but we've been told that the first 6 weeks on the new drug seem to be the hardest so we're just settling down to ride out the storm of these next 2 1/2. There is only one other guy who is ahead of Tim in the trial so I've been really dependent upon the internet to see what is "normal" and what isn't with this since some European trials are further along at this point. It's really a strange feeling to not have a clue if a side-effect is something we should be concerned about or if its completely normal, not to mention with no one else really knowing that answer either. Luckily we are surrounded by a great team of doctors and nurses that we trust implicitly and have been incredibly willing to listen to our concerns and answer our questions as best they can. Essentially a lot of the information that we are giving them is helping to plan the course of others who may receive this treatment down the road.
I think the last time I wrote was about two weeks in, the fevers he had pretty much continued right up to him finishing the meds and he developed a pretty bad cough. It got to the point that they became so concerned about him having bronchitis or pneumonia that Tim got to go get a chest x-ray, luckily it was completely clear. He hasn't had a fever yet since he got off of the meds and his cough isn't nearly as severe. His feet got to the point of being so blistered that we went out and got him a pair of Nike running shoes he had to start wearing all the time and still was limping a lot. They have been fantastic though, the top is pretty much completely mesh so they breathe a lot but the bottoms are really cushioned which have helped to protect his feet. We've also found that blister band-aids are great for them and have been going through packs of those at a time. We've also bought him 2-3 pairs of the Dr. Scholl's gel inserts that we keep in the fridge so he can throw them into his shoes and help to keep the temperature of his feet down which helps with preventing the blisters from happening. They seem to have cleared up since he got off of the meds so we're hoping that lots of prevention will keep them from reoccurring. His hands also got pretty bad so I had to help him get dressed in the mornings since he couldn't button his dress shirts. The blisters calloused up and unfortunately that skin peeled off which has left very sensitive pink skin that I'm really nervous about being much more susceptible to becoming new blisters with this round. Luckily the pain of the blisters went away with his week off as well but we're quickly approaching the point where they began to show up last time.
All of this also came with the knowledge that he is no longer allowed to do yard work (too hot and too much friction on his hands & feet), he can't walk long distances (so now he has an excuse for driving in circles to find the closest spot), can't clean the house (can't be exposed to the cleaning products even though we use all natural stuff or the friction), can't wash dishes (he apparently took this to mean he can't put them in the dishwasher either, that situation was remedied quickly :)) and can't take out the trash (can't get the bag off of the can). We've accommodated all of these so far (many he really wasn't too devastated about not being able to do anymore, go figure...) and have just switched some of our roles which has been interesting to say the least. His biggest don't now is that he can't take hot showers and according to the little device he has that tells you if the water is the right temperature he basically has to take cold showers, he keeps cheating on this rule though as evidenced by the steamed mirror I see after every shower he takes, can't say I blame him for that one though.
We did go to Charleston last Friday for his one month check-in and were pretty much in and out as we went to Asheville on Saturday to do an early birthday celebration for me since Tim decided to abandon me for coaching in Florida on my actual birthday (sorry, just had to throw a little jab in there but no worries I'm going with our families to his favorite restaurant tonight for dinner as retribution. I'll be sure to send him pictures of my food to rub it in as well :)) The doctor allowed Tim to stay on full dose as long as he promised to report any fevers or side effects immediately so they could be taken care of. We're really hoping that this time is smoother than last so he can stay on the full dose but who knows what may happen. We didn't get any news about progress like we'd hoped but we are anxiously waiting to see when that news might come.
As for now Tim started on his 2nd dose last Friday and attempted to play softball (irregardless of the condition of his hands) on Monday until I killed that dream, like I said he is refusing to slow down much to my chagrin at times... We've started to see some of the same initial side effects creeping back in this week, his joints becoming sore so he walks like an old man, the loss of his voice, the rash that is creeping up his neck and down his chest and back so we're preparing for what's to come over the next 2 1/2 weeks. This time it is a little easier knowing that the week off will give him some reprieve from all of this but we don't know if the side effects will become cumulative like past drugs have been or if it will be successful. I think all of it will be much easier if we just know that there is good coming from it.
We do have one need if anyone could be of help, he is supposed to keep his hands moisturized with Udderly Smooth Udder Cream (preferably the extra care with Urea we've been told) and yes, unfortunately it has to be that exact brand and type. I think we've been in every Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, Walgreen's & CVS that we can find around here with no success, we can't even find the basic Udderly Smooth Udder Cream. Just wondering if we could ask all of you to keep your eye out for it locally & if you see it let us know where you've found it. Right now we've been ordering it off of the internet which wouldn't be a problem except Tim's memory keeps him from remembering he needs it until he actually really needs it so knowing where to get it locally would be great. Thanks in advance for your help!
Also, sorry for so much detail, I know this blog is a lot about keeping you guys informed but we've learned that it's also a great spot for us to come back & reference what he was experiencing at each stage and at times has helped us when we have a question about what happened when so it's become a bit of a journal for us as well. I mean if you think we can't keep up with this thing which we each have access to from our computers, cell phones & iPad, just imagine us trying to use actual pen & paper :)
Hope everyone has a great week!
Things got pretty out of control over the past few weeks to the point that we were both pretty worried about what would come next but we've been told that the first 6 weeks on the new drug seem to be the hardest so we're just settling down to ride out the storm of these next 2 1/2. There is only one other guy who is ahead of Tim in the trial so I've been really dependent upon the internet to see what is "normal" and what isn't with this since some European trials are further along at this point. It's really a strange feeling to not have a clue if a side-effect is something we should be concerned about or if its completely normal, not to mention with no one else really knowing that answer either. Luckily we are surrounded by a great team of doctors and nurses that we trust implicitly and have been incredibly willing to listen to our concerns and answer our questions as best they can. Essentially a lot of the information that we are giving them is helping to plan the course of others who may receive this treatment down the road.
I think the last time I wrote was about two weeks in, the fevers he had pretty much continued right up to him finishing the meds and he developed a pretty bad cough. It got to the point that they became so concerned about him having bronchitis or pneumonia that Tim got to go get a chest x-ray, luckily it was completely clear. He hasn't had a fever yet since he got off of the meds and his cough isn't nearly as severe. His feet got to the point of being so blistered that we went out and got him a pair of Nike running shoes he had to start wearing all the time and still was limping a lot. They have been fantastic though, the top is pretty much completely mesh so they breathe a lot but the bottoms are really cushioned which have helped to protect his feet. We've also found that blister band-aids are great for them and have been going through packs of those at a time. We've also bought him 2-3 pairs of the Dr. Scholl's gel inserts that we keep in the fridge so he can throw them into his shoes and help to keep the temperature of his feet down which helps with preventing the blisters from happening. They seem to have cleared up since he got off of the meds so we're hoping that lots of prevention will keep them from reoccurring. His hands also got pretty bad so I had to help him get dressed in the mornings since he couldn't button his dress shirts. The blisters calloused up and unfortunately that skin peeled off which has left very sensitive pink skin that I'm really nervous about being much more susceptible to becoming new blisters with this round. Luckily the pain of the blisters went away with his week off as well but we're quickly approaching the point where they began to show up last time.
All of this also came with the knowledge that he is no longer allowed to do yard work (too hot and too much friction on his hands & feet), he can't walk long distances (so now he has an excuse for driving in circles to find the closest spot), can't clean the house (can't be exposed to the cleaning products even though we use all natural stuff or the friction), can't wash dishes (he apparently took this to mean he can't put them in the dishwasher either, that situation was remedied quickly :)) and can't take out the trash (can't get the bag off of the can). We've accommodated all of these so far (many he really wasn't too devastated about not being able to do anymore, go figure...) and have just switched some of our roles which has been interesting to say the least. His biggest don't now is that he can't take hot showers and according to the little device he has that tells you if the water is the right temperature he basically has to take cold showers, he keeps cheating on this rule though as evidenced by the steamed mirror I see after every shower he takes, can't say I blame him for that one though.
We did go to Charleston last Friday for his one month check-in and were pretty much in and out as we went to Asheville on Saturday to do an early birthday celebration for me since Tim decided to abandon me for coaching in Florida on my actual birthday (sorry, just had to throw a little jab in there but no worries I'm going with our families to his favorite restaurant tonight for dinner as retribution. I'll be sure to send him pictures of my food to rub it in as well :)) The doctor allowed Tim to stay on full dose as long as he promised to report any fevers or side effects immediately so they could be taken care of. We're really hoping that this time is smoother than last so he can stay on the full dose but who knows what may happen. We didn't get any news about progress like we'd hoped but we are anxiously waiting to see when that news might come.
As for now Tim started on his 2nd dose last Friday and attempted to play softball (irregardless of the condition of his hands) on Monday until I killed that dream, like I said he is refusing to slow down much to my chagrin at times... We've started to see some of the same initial side effects creeping back in this week, his joints becoming sore so he walks like an old man, the loss of his voice, the rash that is creeping up his neck and down his chest and back so we're preparing for what's to come over the next 2 1/2 weeks. This time it is a little easier knowing that the week off will give him some reprieve from all of this but we don't know if the side effects will become cumulative like past drugs have been or if it will be successful. I think all of it will be much easier if we just know that there is good coming from it.
We do have one need if anyone could be of help, he is supposed to keep his hands moisturized with Udderly Smooth Udder Cream (preferably the extra care with Urea we've been told) and yes, unfortunately it has to be that exact brand and type. I think we've been in every Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, Walgreen's & CVS that we can find around here with no success, we can't even find the basic Udderly Smooth Udder Cream. Just wondering if we could ask all of you to keep your eye out for it locally & if you see it let us know where you've found it. Right now we've been ordering it off of the internet which wouldn't be a problem except Tim's memory keeps him from remembering he needs it until he actually really needs it so knowing where to get it locally would be great. Thanks in advance for your help!
Also, sorry for so much detail, I know this blog is a lot about keeping you guys informed but we've learned that it's also a great spot for us to come back & reference what he was experiencing at each stage and at times has helped us when we have a question about what happened when so it's become a bit of a journal for us as well. I mean if you think we can't keep up with this thing which we each have access to from our computers, cell phones & iPad, just imagine us trying to use actual pen & paper :)
Hope everyone has a great week!
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