Author: Greek Fighting Orange

Our doctors in Toledo said that we would want to pray for boring days. I didn’t really know what he meant at the time but, of course, now I do. Chris’ counts are low but we have been there before. In time they will go up. As with the last time he received chemo, it is just a waiting game. He is not having all the problems that he had with the first round of chemo. I’m sure it is because he was stronger this time. When he was first diagnosed he was VERY sick. At the start of this round he was much better. So today was low key. The nurses don’t have to come in as much. We can more around the hospital a bit more too.

Our kids and grandkids were here for a visit. We could watch them play, on the playground, out the window from Chris’ room.  Our new doc gave Chris the okey dokey to go outside if he wanted. We bundled him up and took him out to the playground where we had watched them play. It was a little cold for him but he hung in there so we could watch cart wheels and flips, sliding on the slide, rolling on the grass and climbing on the wall. Poully watch me do this, Grammy look at that! Today was the first time Chris was able to go outside in FIVE weeks!

Happy 8th Birthday to Nikko tomorrow! Aunt Pat and Uncle Chris love you! Our Sister-in-law, Liz, told us that Nikko’s birthday wish was for Uncle Chris to get better! That is my wish and prayer too!

 

 

 

Chris played a April fools joke on Jimmy today! He told him that he was discharged and coming home! Lol kind of! What is the best part of this is that Chris knew it was April 1st AND that he was feeling well enough to call Jimmy and joke around. It’s been a long time since he has felt like doing any joking!

It was another pretty good day for Chris, all things considered! Thank you Lord! White blood count was the same, hemoglobin was up from yesterday, and platelets are still hanging in  there!

Jan and I noticed that Chris seemed to be down in the dumps yesterday. (Who could blame him, right?) However, after Chris met his new, VERY positive, doctor on rotation and a VERY positive friend from childhood, Keith, visited, he seemed to be, I would say, more determined. Answered prayers! The doctor and Keith shared stories with him. Keith’s was about his own struggle with colon cancer. Chris walked the halls. and showered on his own, a first!

I’m praying for another good day! Cheek kisses to all!

 

Hello Everyone!

Hip Hip Hooray! Seven days of chemo are complete! That’s the good news. Not so good news is Chris feels like crap. Tired, lack of appetite, diarrhea, thirsty all the time, etc. All effects of chemo but still tough to handle. The other problem is too much time. Five weeks in the hospital is tough and we are looking at at least two more just this round. Over the next several months, while his body is recovering, he will have to go back to the hospital for 5-7 days, per month to have chemo again, as a preventive measure. The chemo treatment will be less severe than this last round. Treatments will continue while they find and establish a good bone marrow donor and have a bed available. Is this all so crazy to you as it is to me?

We got to see our grand babes, Amalia, Zoe and Teddy today! We haven’t seen them in almost two weeks. The last time we have gone without seeing them that long was when Randy was in the Navy, before Zoe was born, 6 years ago. Chris was happy to see them and tried his best to hang in there as long as he could. It was good for him to be with them to remind him why he needs to be strong and hang in there.

One day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time. I remind Chris that this is how we get through this time. One day we will look back on this and it will be a not so fond memory. But I think there will be some good memories of this time too. The kindness, love, support, and prayers that you all have given us has been an unbelievable blessing. Thank you! Thank you!

 

 

 

Greetings from Columbus!

It was 75 degrees here in Columbus! The sun was out most of the day! My honey had no clue it was so beautiful out. He was sleepy all day and I had to push him to eat. I remember the first round of chemo, he would be very tired one day, then they would give him a unit or two of blood. The next day he would have more energy. He did walk the halls twice today, so I’m thankful for that.

So last round, #7, of chemo started tonight! He had been doing good up until yesterday when fevers started. I told him if that is our worst day our prayers would all be answered. White blood count was down to .2, hemoglobin 6.3 and platelets 67!

I try not to worry about the “what ifs” or all the other things that “might” happen. Any given day there could be a thousand worries, one might actually happen. So I save the worry for when something really happens. With Chris’ leukemia, of course I need to know what could happen, so that I can watch him, but I don’t “worry” about what could happen. I know he is strong and we agreed in the beginning of this journey that we would fight, “Greek Fighting Orange” was born!

Group hug!!! 🤗 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

Chris is still having fevers! They did a CT scan just to see if they could find the source of an infection. They found he had developed colitis or an inflammation of the bowel.  They added another antibiotic. WBC down to .4, platelets dropped to 47, and hemoglobin 7.4. I understand that once the white blood cells start regenerating we will be watching his Neutrophil or ANC count. The ANC needs to be at 500 or more to get a ticket to go home for  a bit. Once this count reaches 1000 he won’t have to be on his special diet. Right now he can’t eat any raw or undercooked meats, seafoods or eggs. No Raga, or raw or cooked oysters or mussels. No broccoli unless boiled. No strawberries or raspberries. Only pasteurized milk or dairy products including cheese. No feta! Basically nothing that could have bacteria and/or germs and can’t be washed well.

Chris is being a trooper! He has to make himself eat when he really doesn’t want to. I don’t have that problem. He walks the halls once or twice a day. I’m trying to walk more too. He usually takes a couple naps a day. I’m not much of a napper. He takes a lot of pills. I eat a lot of Chewy Sprees. (Thanks Aleca🙂) He lounges out in bed. I lounge out in a chair. He fights Leukemia! I try to help anyway I can! This is how our days go for the most part. We are both pretty tired at the end of each day. I understand why HE is tired, but me??

Thank you again to everyone at Maumee Valley HVAC! We don’t know what we would have done without each and every one of you, Hugs to all of you!