Oh my gosh! Things have really been moving along and I have not updated much here. I'm going to separate things a little to keep the entries manageable.
Triple whammy round 3 went really well. This time, Tim was able to get appropriately hydrated before going to the clinic and even though it took a long time to get admitted, he was "ready to go" for the chemo administration by 9 PM. Quite an improvement over the last time where he had to wait until 11 PM. We also discussed the concept of checking vitals all night long with the nursing staff and that really helped a lot. The only "interruptions" through the night were related to having to go to the bathroom. As a result, Tim was able to get a lot of rest over night and was discharged around 3 PM the next day.
We also asked Tim to try and limit visitors to the hospital and so we didn't have any. A couple of phone calls from friends which was no effort at all. While in the hospital limiting the need to stay alert really does help and we appreciate everyone considering alternate ways of showing their support. It really really helped Tim make a quick recovery.
Staying overnight in the hospital for me is getting easier as well. It's like camping in the living room. Sleeping bag and a pad on the floor works really well. The cots they have in the hospital are actually quite noisy and so they wake Tim up when I move. We just skip them. This time, Tim even slept through the infusion pump alarm. I cheat a little and silence the alarm, then go find the nurse. The oncology floor was completely filled so that made it a little difficult finding someone, but we got it all sorted out.
We're still trying to figure out just how long to stay on the anti-nausea meds. This time, we skipped one more dose than last time. These meds make Tim's stomach feel funny (as he describes it) but they also mask the need to vomit. So it's a trade-off just like a lot of things. We cut off the anti-nausea on Saturday evening and Tim did real well with that.
However, Tim also gets allergies from time to time and right now, sage is very high. So his nose has been running and come Monday he did have to throw up in the morning but felt OK afterwards. And then Thursday morning again.
So, now we've gained some more experience with the triple whammy (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and dactinomycin) and perhaps it is getting better. I wouldn't recommend it of course but at least we have a better handle on it and our experience is starting to pay off. It is actually getting better.
Keep the prayers coming, they are clearly working!
--bob
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