Moving Forward, treatment #4

Sorry bloggers for the late blog.  Our internet service has not been cooperating this week, and I am hoping this window of time will allow me to finish this blog.

Lee and son, Todd, left early Monday morning for a full day at Duke to include a pulmonary transplant visit along with his oncology day.  The pulmonary visit began at 9:00 a.m. which required that Lee and Todd begin their long day of travel at 6:00 a.m.

The pulmonary visit was good.  His labs were still in the expected range and his pulmonary function tests were down slightly, but not enough to warrant further investigation.  This is a breathing test that is done routinely on all clinic visits for post-lung transplant patients.  It may be the first indication of lung rejection, at which time it is customary to follow-up with a bronchoscopy and biopsy.  Fortunately for Lee, this was not necessary.  The chest x-ray will be followed in about a month with a CT.  It is too soon to judge the size of the tumor in his donor lung.

The remainder of the day was spent in the Oncology clinic.  Labs done earlier that morning did show that his platelets had dropped from 289K to 113K.  One chemotherapy drug was given and appointments were made for another visit in two weeks.  They were finished around 4:30.  This was good because it allowed time for the two of them to have supper at Lee's favorite cafeteria in Statesville, K & W.  They arrived home around 8:15 p.m.

As it seems to be the customary reaction to the treatment, Lee felt fine Tuesday and Wednesday.  He was able to be out and about, and his appetite was almost normal.  Thursday ( the third day again), I noticed a drop in his appetite, more naps in his recliner, and that he was very quiet.  I have learned  to judge his discomfort level by his more tranquil nature.  He has never verbally complained;  he just gets very quiet.  It is during those times when I make my own assessment that he is probably experiencing some level of discomfort.   This usually lasts two to four days, depending on whether he had one or two drugs on the preceding Monday.  So far, after only one drug on Monday he is already recovering and is more energetic today.  He also reported that he did not have the severe night sweats last night.  He usually has these Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

As I write, he has already gone in his truck to run several errands.  You cannot keep a GOOD MAN DOWN!

Please accept our gratitude for the phone calls, cards and visits to Lee.  Your support continues to give both of us a continued connection to all of you and it helps us to accept the limitations that illness imposes on both of us. We ask for prayers for the success of the chemotherapy in shrinking the tumor.


More Later.......................................................................Brenda