Time off for Good Behavior?

So this is the "off week". Ken does not have chemo this week. I think that we will all really enjoy his down time. He feels much better now, but his appetite has been affected. He seems to be searching for some food that will go down okay. He is especially grateful for an extra week of down time, because I called and got permission to move his next chemo session back a week, so that he can go to a Father and Sons campout on April 25, and 26th and enjoy himself. I think that he is looking forward to a little time for normal life.

It was a long night!

Last night we got to see what chemo can bring. Ken got home in time to lose his lunch in the front yard. He continued throwing up throughout the night and with it coming out the other end too. Not very fun! He was supposed to work but was unable to go in. He did have the pump removed this morning and got his shot of neulasta. He has stopped throwing up, but is still dealing with the other. 6 months is looking like a really long time right now. Thanks for all the prayers and support. I know that sometimes it is the only thing that is keeping us going.

So far, so good!

Ken had his first chemotherapy. Everything seemed to go well. He isn't sick yet. Hopefully it will stay that way. It took longer than we expected it to. After seeing the doctor, it took about 3 hours to get the medicine they give by drip. He also was set up with the pump that he will wear for the next two days that will administer the 5FU drug. He will go back in tomorrow to get more slow drip chemo for 2 hours. He will have to return on Friday to get his neulasta shot that helps keep his blood cell count elevated. He will also to have the pump disconnected. He has a week off and then has to have his next dose. We think that 6 months of this regimen sounds overwhleming, but if it does it's job it is worth it.

The PORT

Don't let this first photo fool you. He wasn't nearly so relaxed as he appears here.



Ken got his port implanted on Wednesday, April 2nd. We went to the hospital at 11:00a.m., but we had to wait until 1:00p.m. before they actually did the procedure because Ken had forgotten to fast for 6 hours prior to the procedure. He was trying to be brave but his wiggling foot was the true indication of his nervousness. The radiologist that performed the procedure asked if Ken was nervous. With a positive response he replied, "I could tell by his foot." He was through by 2:00p.m. I quickly went to see that he was alright and then rushed home to be with Brycen. Ken was released at 4:00p.m. He was definitely very uncomfortable and wasn't moving very fluidly when I picked him up. His neck was sore where they had made the smaller incision to help with the insertion of the catheter and also where the port was inserted near his collar bone.

This procedure was more difficult than either Ken or I were expecting. I guess we thought it would be more like his colonoscopy which was easy afterwards, once the sedation wore off. Ken went to work on the next day, but he was having a hard time moving, especially turning his head. (His movements reminded me of Frankenstein's monster.) Today he seems to be doing much better. He can lay on his side and seems to be turning his head quite normally.

The next step

Tomorrow is the beginning of the next step. Ken goes to outpatient radiology to have a port put into the blood stream up near his clavicle. This allows the chemo to be infused directly into the blood stream without having a needle poked into the vein in the arm every time. Ken is pretty freaked out by cutting flesh. He is dreading the procedure and will be very relieved once it is done. We go to the hospital at 11:00a.m. The following Wednesday 4/9/08 Ken will begin receiving his chemotherapy.

Over the weekend Ken got a haircut that he said was in preparation for starting chemo. To let you know Reddin got a haircut with him.

Ken started back to work yesterday. He said that he was busy and that he was able to keep up with the work. He really has healed quickly from his second surgery. It has been such a blessing. He was able to get a new battery for my van this morning. He came in saying that he thought the battery weighed more than 15lbs. I hope that we remain careful even though Ken seems to be doing well.