Your caroling was wonderful and just wanted to say thank you for such a special greeting to our home.You all bring much enjoyed warmth and holiday spirits to Deb's most favorite time of the year.
KTS and Happy Holidays,
Rod and Deb
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Holiday Spirits
Your caroling was wonderful and just wanted to say thank you for such a special greeting to our home.You all bring much enjoyed warmth and holiday spirits to Deb's most favorite time of the year.
KTS and Happy Holidays,
Rod and Deb
Friday, December 12, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Northside ER Round #2 (Updated 12/11 w/Good News)
12.10.08
Just getting home tonight from all day event at Northside ER starting early this morning. Was able to tag out with Connie and Bonnie who insisted on staying the night at hospital with Deb. Thank you!
The Good News
The paracentesis went I planned and they drained approximately 2.5 litres of excess fluid (ascites) from Deb’s abdomen by 1030am. I could tell right away when she returned to the recovery room that her abdominal area swelling was reduced. Deb was expressing extreme interest in food and was craving a cheeseburger that I was glad to see that she devoured it. That was the most food she consumed at one time in the last two days.
Unfortunately, there is some new bad news to tell. All Deb’s levels from the lab tests came back good including her ammonia level which is what Dr. Yaffe was thinking the cause for Deb’s increased confusion. The ER doctor then proceeded to do a brain ctscan and found new growth on Deb’s brain that was not on the last brain ctscan. They are speculating this is a new tumor and responsible for Deb’s current confusion levels increasing. Won’t know for sure until results from the MRI that Deb also had done this evening. Well this was a curve ball that we were not expecting this morning during what was hopefully going to be a routine fluid drain. Will know more tomorrow after we talk with doctors about MRI results in the morning.
Deb is resting well tonight with tolerable abdomen pain, less discomfort, and at ease now with fresh faces around her. Her confusion level is leveling out and hope it will continue to improve tomorrow.
KTS Deb and Susan!
Sweet dreams my princess and love to all.
After getting a full night's rest thanks to Dr. Ambien and Bonnie/Connie staying with Deb, was able to talk to Dr. Yaffe who met us at Northside this morning. They reviewed Deb's MRI and did not classify as a tumor and instead of a possible hematoma about the size of a small pea. This is very good news to us all and keeps Deb's journey just a little less complicated. There is still no definitive root cause as to source of Deb's confusion at this point and Dr. Yaffe feels it is most likely combination of her pain meds, low blood count, and possible she experienced trauma to the brain when she fell out her bed last week in the hospital.
Either way, Deb's cognitive reasoning already appears better this morning than yesterday. Her hemoglobin was down to approximately 8.0 so Dr. Yaffe has put in order for two pints of blood this morning and indicated that we can go home today when the transfusion is completed.
Thank you again to my angels Connie and Bonnie for sacrificing from of your precious sleep and staying with Deb in her room last night in those most uncomfortable pullout single chair beds.
KTS
Rod
Feel my heart with gladness…take away my sadness.
Ease my troubles that’s what you do.
Van Morrison
Just getting home tonight from all day event at Northside ER starting early this morning. Was able to tag out with Connie and Bonnie who insisted on staying the night at hospital with Deb. Thank you!
The Good News
The paracentesis went I planned and they drained approximately 2.5 litres of excess fluid (ascites) from Deb’s abdomen by 1030am. I could tell right away when she returned to the recovery room that her abdominal area swelling was reduced. Deb was expressing extreme interest in food and was craving a cheeseburger that I was glad to see that she devoured it. That was the most food she consumed at one time in the last two days.
Unfortunately, there is some new bad news to tell. All Deb’s levels from the lab tests came back good including her ammonia level which is what Dr. Yaffe was thinking the cause for Deb’s increased confusion. The ER doctor then proceeded to do a brain ctscan and found new growth on Deb’s brain that was not on the last brain ctscan. They are speculating this is a new tumor and responsible for Deb’s current confusion levels increasing. Won’t know for sure until results from the MRI that Deb also had done this evening. Well this was a curve ball that we were not expecting this morning during what was hopefully going to be a routine fluid drain. Will know more tomorrow after we talk with doctors about MRI results in the morning.
Deb is resting well tonight with tolerable abdomen pain, less discomfort, and at ease now with fresh faces around her. Her confusion level is leveling out and hope it will continue to improve tomorrow.
KTS Deb and Susan!
Sweet dreams my princess and love to all.
After getting a full night's rest thanks to Dr. Ambien and Bonnie/Connie staying with Deb, was able to talk to Dr. Yaffe who met us at Northside this morning. They reviewed Deb's MRI and did not classify as a tumor and instead of a possible hematoma about the size of a small pea. This is very good news to us all and keeps Deb's journey just a little less complicated. There is still no definitive root cause as to source of Deb's confusion at this point and Dr. Yaffe feels it is most likely combination of her pain meds, low blood count, and possible she experienced trauma to the brain when she fell out her bed last week in the hospital.
Either way, Deb's cognitive reasoning already appears better this morning than yesterday. Her hemoglobin was down to approximately 8.0 so Dr. Yaffe has put in order for two pints of blood this morning and indicated that we can go home today when the transfusion is completed.
Thank you again to my angels Connie and Bonnie for sacrificing from of your precious sleep and staying with Deb in her room last night in those most uncomfortable pullout single chair beds.
KTS
Rod
Feel my heart with gladness…take away my sadness.
Ease my troubles that’s what you do.
Van Morrison
Friday, December 5, 2008
Chemoembolization #2 Completed
Deb successfully completed the second of the two scheduled chemo embos at Northside yesterday around 3pm est. This treatment was for her left liver lobe only. It was moved up a day since they do not like to do the treatments on Fridays. There was initial concern proceeding with this treatment due to the following reasons. First, Deb’s pre-treatment lab tests indicated both her hematocrit (31.2 L) and hemoglobin (9.7 L) blood levels low. Second, Deb’s alertness level was below her baseline a was a little “foggy” including slight memory loss. Doctor Levy indicated these were some of symptoms common to what is called hepatic encephalopathy and typical for liver cancer patients. After further testing was completed including pneumonia test, Dr. Levy concluded that Deb’s liver was functioning well enough to proceed with the treatment around 1pm est.
There were no complications with the treatment and all went as planned. During the treatment, Dr. Levy indicated that he estimated approximately 90% of tumor in right liver lobe from first treatment to be dead due to lack of blood flow which is very positive as to how well the first treatment worked. He did say that he did confirm new growth in Deb’s left liver lobe since first treatment. There was only a small accident with Deb when first brought to her recovery room. She tried to get out of bed by herself soon after being moved to her recovery room. Unfortunately, she slipped and hit her cheek, lip, and small bruise on upper chest. Everyone on the floor was freaking as you can imagine a patient just getting out of surgery. Fortunately, Deb was fine and even had a pre-cautionary xray of chest to be sure.
From lessons learned after first treatment, we discussed performing a post recovery lab test to check Deb’s blood levels. As a result, the test taken first thing this morning confirmed Deb’s blood level continued to drop more (HGB 7.5L, HCT 25.5L) before the treatment and blood transfusion required (2 units). At 7pm est tonight, the second unit of blood has just been completed and means we get to go home soon. Just need to do one more lab test to be sure all levels are back to normal. 9pm blood results are much better (HGB 10.6, HCT 33.9) and our ticket outta here!
It has been a long two days at Northside but Deb really did great and everyone on staff were wonderful as usual. Deb is very tired and rightfully so. As always, I am so proud of well she made it thru this treatment and now she is ready to go home to do some much deserved nesting.
Thank you again to the wonderful Keheley school family for the Thanksgiving dinner and as always the neighborhood dinners during the holidays. Your love and generosity is so heartfelt to our family and especially Deb.
More love, prayers, and good vibes coming to Deb’s sister Susan in prep for her Pancreatectomy next Monday @ Mayo. More about Susan’s journey.
KTS and love to all!
God only knows what I would be without you
Beach Boys
There were no complications with the treatment and all went as planned. During the treatment, Dr. Levy indicated that he estimated approximately 90% of tumor in right liver lobe from first treatment to be dead due to lack of blood flow which is very positive as to how well the first treatment worked. He did say that he did confirm new growth in Deb’s left liver lobe since first treatment. There was only a small accident with Deb when first brought to her recovery room. She tried to get out of bed by herself soon after being moved to her recovery room. Unfortunately, she slipped and hit her cheek, lip, and small bruise on upper chest. Everyone on the floor was freaking as you can imagine a patient just getting out of surgery. Fortunately, Deb was fine and even had a pre-cautionary xray of chest to be sure.
From lessons learned after first treatment, we discussed performing a post recovery lab test to check Deb’s blood levels. As a result, the test taken first thing this morning confirmed Deb’s blood level continued to drop more (HGB 7.5L, HCT 25.5L) before the treatment and blood transfusion required (2 units). At 7pm est tonight, the second unit of blood has just been completed and means we get to go home soon. Just need to do one more lab test to be sure all levels are back to normal. 9pm blood results are much better (HGB 10.6, HCT 33.9) and our ticket outta here!
It has been a long two days at Northside but Deb really did great and everyone on staff were wonderful as usual. Deb is very tired and rightfully so. As always, I am so proud of well she made it thru this treatment and now she is ready to go home to do some much deserved nesting.
Thank you again to the wonderful Keheley school family for the Thanksgiving dinner and as always the neighborhood dinners during the holidays. Your love and generosity is so heartfelt to our family and especially Deb.
More love, prayers, and good vibes coming to Deb’s sister Susan in prep for her Pancreatectomy next Monday @ Mayo. More about Susan’s journey.KTS and love to all!
God only knows what I would be without you
Beach Boys
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