Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Home
Got home last Thursday night, just in time for Christmas. Chemo, antibiotics and other meds continue, but Mike is very slowly getting better. We were behind the eight ball to begin with this time around, so it's no surprise that his recovery is going slowly. But, we are home.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
The Latest
The biopsy was positive for leukemia. No big surprise the way things were going, I guess.
The infection is gone, and Mike continues with antibiotics, but the blood counts are still very low. Chemo was re-started a few days ago.
Mike's kidneys have taken a hit, either from the infection, the leukemia, or both. They're keeping a close eye on his renal function. His ankles and feet are also swollen and retaining fluid.
Mike's blood pressure and heart rate have been elevated, so he's been put on medicine for that.
To top things off, Mike woke up yesterday with fogginess in his right eye. An ophthamologist was brought in to take a look and found that the high pressure had returned. It looks more likely now that the eye issue is related to the cancer, though it can't be confirmed. This morning, Mike was again given methotrexate injections in each eye.
Just when it seems like things can't get worse, a new problem is brought into the mix.
The infection is gone, and Mike continues with antibiotics, but the blood counts are still very low. Chemo was re-started a few days ago.
Mike's kidneys have taken a hit, either from the infection, the leukemia, or both. They're keeping a close eye on his renal function. His ankles and feet are also swollen and retaining fluid.
Mike's blood pressure and heart rate have been elevated, so he's been put on medicine for that.
To top things off, Mike woke up yesterday with fogginess in his right eye. An ophthamologist was brought in to take a look and found that the high pressure had returned. It looks more likely now that the eye issue is related to the cancer, though it can't be confirmed. This morning, Mike was again given methotrexate injections in each eye.
Just when it seems like things can't get worse, a new problem is brought into the mix.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Bad Penny
Quick re-cap of the past few weeks:
-- Mike's second eye biopsy came back "inconclusive" as the sample was too small to really get a good read on things.
-- The second eye continued to improve and his vision is great. The eye doctor was extremely impressed and doesn't want to see him again until January.
-- Mike has been feeling tired on and off recently and thought he was fighting off a bug that's been going around, one that his mom and sister has had.
-- On Thursday afternoon, Mike felt so tired that he logged off of work and told me he was going to bed. About a half hour later, he called me back and said he felt really sick, chills and all, and asked me to come home. He had a 102.5 fever and was told by his oncology team to come to the hospital. He arrived with a heart rate in the 170s, felt a bit nauseous and hot. They admitted him and through blood cultures and other tests, determined he had sepsis, a bacterial infection of the bloodstream. He got to the hospital just in time. They immediately started IV antibiotics and fluids. Turns out he had a e coli infection -- the e coli that normally lives in everyone's intestinal tract somehow was allowed to run rampant and overtake the bloodstream. Mike's blood counts had all bottomed out without us knowing. The question now is, why were his counts so low that this infection was able to take hold? He hasn't done chemo in months, and chemo has always been the reason for him going into a neutropenic state.
Right now his blood counts are still extremely low, but are slowly coming up as the infection has been brought under control and his vitals are all good again. The doctors are all fairly convinced that the low blood counts are a sign that there is active leukemia in his body. We are currently waiting for a detailed blood test and the results of another bone-marrow biopsy which was done about eight hours ago.
Prayer warriors, you are sorely needed. Never before have we been filled with so much fear and confusion.
God, you have made specific promises to us and we are calling on you to deliver them. We are ready to give you the glory, so please show them your power.
-- Mike's second eye biopsy came back "inconclusive" as the sample was too small to really get a good read on things.
-- The second eye continued to improve and his vision is great. The eye doctor was extremely impressed and doesn't want to see him again until January.
-- Mike has been feeling tired on and off recently and thought he was fighting off a bug that's been going around, one that his mom and sister has had.
-- On Thursday afternoon, Mike felt so tired that he logged off of work and told me he was going to bed. About a half hour later, he called me back and said he felt really sick, chills and all, and asked me to come home. He had a 102.5 fever and was told by his oncology team to come to the hospital. He arrived with a heart rate in the 170s, felt a bit nauseous and hot. They admitted him and through blood cultures and other tests, determined he had sepsis, a bacterial infection of the bloodstream. He got to the hospital just in time. They immediately started IV antibiotics and fluids. Turns out he had a e coli infection -- the e coli that normally lives in everyone's intestinal tract somehow was allowed to run rampant and overtake the bloodstream. Mike's blood counts had all bottomed out without us knowing. The question now is, why were his counts so low that this infection was able to take hold? He hasn't done chemo in months, and chemo has always been the reason for him going into a neutropenic state.
Right now his blood counts are still extremely low, but are slowly coming up as the infection has been brought under control and his vitals are all good again. The doctors are all fairly convinced that the low blood counts are a sign that there is active leukemia in his body. We are currently waiting for a detailed blood test and the results of another bone-marrow biopsy which was done about eight hours ago.
Prayer warriors, you are sorely needed. Never before have we been filled with so much fear and confusion.
God, you have made specific promises to us and we are calling on you to deliver them. We are ready to give you the glory, so please show them your power.
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