2009-04-28

Not a good day.
Sunday Ed said he felt dizzy when he stood up and felt full in the stomach area and hadn't even eaten. he had a bit of a rough night.Monday he said we could just wait until Tuesday which is lab day but this week we see Dr.Qadri. but his night was really bad and he us up alot and did have a few sweats.
This morning we got up and I could tell he didn't feel good at all but he wouldn't say much,but about 9am he finally said he thought he was in trouble.So we went ahead and went to the emergency room.By the time we arrived he was hardly able to walk on his own. His Temperature and blood pressure were low.His HGL dropped to 7 and his platelets were below 20.So he has been admitted and is getting whole blood and platelets this time. BAD WAY TO SPEND YOUR BIRTHDAY.Andrea and the kids made cup cakes for and I took them to the hospital and he ate 3 and fell asleep.I am taking Andrea add the kids to the train in the morning so they can get back to a regular routine,,,,,,,,,,,,although Harley said he doesn't want to go home he wants to stay with granny

2009-04-24-Friday

Ed wakes up to two grand kids running thru the house and wanting breakfast.He was happy and it was fun to watch, as he watched his great grand kids in action.
Today is dressing change day and lab work.It is in better shape this change since he has figured out if he's not so rough on that arm it won't seep,which means the dressing won't stick and pull when changed.
Today's counts:::HGB is 12.0, his RBC is 4.09,,this is the highest ever and it looks like the Procrit is working.BUT::: he is still having to be pushed about the Oxygen so his count there was 82 and falling.And his platelets were at 24 and of course we are watching that very close.But one of the Revlimid side effects is lowering the platelets.
He did go visit Mike and Quitman for awhile in the barn and came home hungry.
He got his Dexamethazone and Revlimid before bed and did some sweating during the night but did sleep good..

2009-04-21

It was change bandage on PICC line day,lad and first Procrit shot.He really hates Tuesdays and Fridays as we now have to change the dressings, and caps on his Picc line.This week's change was a bad one as he had some bleeding and it was really stuck but the insuration site was clean and looked good,but he was in a really bad mood for a while.He does have a habit of using that arm for heavy work and lifting putting some pressure on the site.
His hemoglobin was 9.0 and his HBC is up @ 3-11,we are watching his platelets @ 25.If they go below 20 he will need a platelet transfusion which he has not had yet.
He had his first PROCRIT shot at the hospital [with his favorite nurse DIANNE][who gives him what-fer] and was told we won't see much climb in his RBC count for a few weeks.
He did go shopping with me some but tired out and it was getting hot out so we came home,turned on the AC and closed up the house and the temperature rose in the house..We called Pat and Quitman came over and helped and we got it back online and it finally cooled down.But i was really worried as he was on the verge of a heat stroke.But he went to bed feeling better but very tired....
Then we went to have lunch and he had a CHOCOLATE dipped cone..

2009-04-18

Well I now know what to look for,he usually feels tired and wants to go to bed early but last night he was even more tired and it was a little hard to get him up and moving.But he was ready to go to the hospital when we finally got ready to leave.He knows he will feel better when the transfusion is over and he gets home.I had to work and Smokey was kind enough to help and pick him and bring him home.As usual he was hungry when I got home and he had a nice full supper.

2009-04-17

Well this has been a really bad day.Ed is so frustrated, he was up so much last night with the shoulder pain.And then we go for our weekly lab only to find out his HGB [hemoglobin] is down to 7.9, platelets down to 30.,and RBC [red blood cells] down to 2.59. And his attitude is really down.He is short tempered,very grumpy,with a loss of appetite. So we know what this means-- he's off to the hospital for cross matching and will get another transfusion tomorrow. Or as he calls it another oil change.So we are off in the morning by 7am and about 1pm return home feeling a little better with a better attitude.
The only problem is I wonder how bad tonight is going to be when I have to give him his Dexamethzone,which usually makes him sleepy and want to go to bed early.I guess I'll find out soon enough.

2009-04-16

Ed was up during the night with left shoulder pain and it has really bothered him today.He's been taking pain pills.The weather has been muggy and I hope it's just a bad case of arthritis,but the fact is we need to face that it could be his bone. but even tonight he is still taking the pain pills.
The Home Health Care Nurse was here and she stayed and talked to us for a long time.Ed was still asking if she thinks he could ride the mower and do yard work.Even if he wears a face mask,but she [as everyone he asks,including the doctors] said .He even wants to go camping and swimming,and she did say under the "right" circumstances he could go camping,but under "no" circumstances,can he go swimming...She is going to find out if she or another RN can come to the house and give him his PROCRIT shot once a week.If not,we have to register in the hospital just for a shot.

Second round of REVLIMID has arrived:::

This afternoon the meds arrived and we gave him his first dose.And tonight he is very tired and went to bed early.It was the same thing he went through for the first few days during his first round of Revlimid.

2009-04-15-Tuesday

OK-----
ACS [the drug store in Florida, where the prescription is for REVLIMID] called and they haven't gotten the approval papers yet and the prescription expires Friday.I called this morning and the girl I sent the e-mailed papers to AGAIN is off the next couple of days.WHY didn't she tell me that when we talked on the phone???? Anyway I copied all 7 pages of the approval papers and took them down and paid to have them faxed with an approval they received them.Well I came home from work and Ed said they [ACS] called and the REVLIMID will be shipped overnight.So hopefully we will be back on course in a few days.