It h as been close to two months since I have added anything to my blog. It isn't that there isn't anything going on, it is just that I have had a difficult time finding a few moments to write.
As I write this, Gary is receiving his last round (#6) of chemo. The final dose being delivered tomorrow. What happens after that is re-staging. That will begin on the 24th of this month and then subsequent days after. He will havea CT scan, PET scan, bone marrow biopsy, colonoscopy and lots of blood work.
How is he doing??? Unfortunately the Bortizamib had to be stopped for the 5th and 6th round, due to peripheral neuropathy and now the vincrisitine was stopped for the last round, the 6th one. His legs are swollen, especially the right lower leg and foot and the pain and tingling is present. We are hoping that it will improve over time, but there is no guarantee of that. He is doing well, other than that and seems to be tolerating everything else quite well.
A few weeks ago, we visited with Gary's neurologist to discuss his neuropathies and his Parkinson's. After a very thorough appointment (3 hours) it was great to hear that though his Parkinson's is progressing, it is minimal. That is such a relief. Unfortunately the peripheral neuropathies are real and with an extensive exam proved very much to be so. We are hoping it will eventually improve once the chemo ends.
We are adjusting... life is far from normal. It's as if the elephant has moved into our house and is hiding behind a very sheer curtain. It is there, but we aren't discussing it. How much can one discuss it without breaking down all the time?
I think once his hair returns and the IV's are out that we can move on. Right now it is so ever present.
We don't talk as much as we have in the past. It is stressful for Gary as it is for me. I guess it is hard to look to the future until we hear what the results of the re-staging are. We are disappointed that some of the chemo meds had to be taken away and worry about what that means for the future.
Last month, on the 19th of February, my sister-in-law, Betty Lee Davis, lost her fight with cancer. She hung on for 21 months from diagnosis, which was way above what was expected. She was told about 7 months. I went to the funeral in Kentucky and Gary stayed home. I am sure it is very difficult for him to hear about all of this. It was horrendous for me, but I needed to be there for my brother. He is in my thoughts all of the time.
Our friends are such a support to us, especially our Boston friends, Andy and Susie and our friends here, Diane and Bill. Andy has come down here for several of Gary's chemos and Susie has been such a huge support for me. Andy is helping Gary with finishing our basement. It has been a great distraction for both of them. Andy is Gary's best friend and his suppport through all of this has been such an important part of the process. Bill has come over several times also to help in the basement and having the continued friendship with both of them has made all of the difference. I am blessed to have Susie and Diane in my life (Gary too) as I am to have our children, Tammie and Andrew and their spouses, James and Meghan, to offer us such love and caring. We are just so lucky. I also have the women from my bookclub that are there for me at a moment's notice, especially Kristy and Linda. I don't know what I would do without them.
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