Update from Linda and Jim in Idaho

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linda1120
linda1120 Member Posts: 389
edited March 2014 in Esophageal Cancer #1
My husband continues to be in the hospital receiving platelet transfusions, blood transfusions, and Nupogen injections. His counts are going down, not up after 8 days of hospitalization with transfusions, plasma, hydration, and more. Food is of no interest and they are going to start with IV nutrition. He will be getting his Petscan, Catscan, and EUS the week of the 29th. We are hoping that he will be home by Friday. He is having femur pain and they say it is from the Nupogen injections. He looks much better but the blood tests are not confirming this. I am sick with some kind of head cold and have not been to visit for a couple of days. I know this is part of "that roller coaster ride" you all talk about. Did anyone else have such a strong reaction to the chemo and radiation that caused you to be hospitalized like this?

Thanks for the prayers and concern.

Linda

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  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #2
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    Linda, I continue to Pray for You and Jim
    SO sorry you're having a rough time at the moment. Hopefully his blod counts will go back up soon. Sometimes it takes awhile.

    My father was in the hospital for 3 days at the beginning of his journey because of chemo complications. He recieved blood transfusions as well. He also had 3 blood clots because of the chemo. He had to stop that particular chemo after 3 rounds because of the clot issue and the fact that the chemo was destroying his bonemorrow. It took him about 2 months for his counts came back to levels high enough for them to try a different chemo. The waiting was really hard because you felt like you were just letting the cancer spread and doing nothing! He then started on Taxol, which he handles MUCH better and it doesn't destroy his body like the others did. It's keeping things stable, so he'll continue on that until it doesn't work anymore.

    Hang in there! I'll be praying for you guys. It's important that he gets nutrition! It's the only way the body can have energy to fight the cancer! Hopefully, once he gets some nutrients into him, his counts will start rising faster.

    Blessings,
    Sally
  • linda1120
    linda1120 Member Posts: 389
    #3
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    sal314 said:

    Linda, I continue to Pray for You and Jim
    SO sorry you're having a rough time at the moment. Hopefully his blod counts will go back up soon. Sometimes it takes awhile.

    My father was in the hospital for 3 days at the beginning of his journey because of chemo complications. He recieved blood transfusions as well. He also had 3 blood clots because of the chemo. He had to stop that particular chemo after 3 rounds because of the clot issue and the fact that the chemo was destroying his bonemorrow. It took him about 2 months for his counts came back to levels high enough for them to try a different chemo. The waiting was really hard because you felt like you were just letting the cancer spread and doing nothing! He then started on Taxol, which he handles MUCH better and it doesn't destroy his body like the others did. It's keeping things stable, so he'll continue on that until it doesn't work anymore.

    Hang in there! I'll be praying for you guys. It's important that he gets nutrition! It's the only way the body can have energy to fight the cancer! Hopefully, once he gets some nutrients into him, his counts will start rising faster.

    Blessings,
    Sally

    Better News
    Today is a better day. Jim's counts are starting to rise slowly. They are finally talking about putting in a j-tube. He desperately needs it because he doesn't want to eat anything.

    Thank you for sharing about your father and his complications with chemo. I was on Taxol many years ago for ovarian cancer and it is a very good drug.

    Thank you for the prayers Sally, I know they must be helping!

    Linda
  • Donna70
    Donna70 Member Posts: 852 Member
    #4
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    linda1120 said:

    Better News
    Today is a better day. Jim's counts are starting to rise slowly. They are finally talking about putting in a j-tube. He desperately needs it because he doesn't want to eat anything.

    Thank you for sharing about your father and his complications with chemo. I was on Taxol many years ago for ovarian cancer and it is a very good drug.

    Thank you for the prayers Sally, I know they must be helping!

    Linda

    glad it is better
    Hi Linda,
    Glad to hear Jim's counts are going up and maybe getting a j tube, that would be a big help so he can get nutrition to heal. I got ill at the end of my chemo and radiation treatments and had to be hospitalized with what they said was neutropenic fever. Got transfusions and so many antibiotics I got sick from that and was in reverse isolation for awhile. They did not finish the radiation treatments and I came home after 8 days and was put on a Ng tube to gain weight before surgery. Jim is probably so tired from all these complications he does not have the strength to eat and that j tube would be just the thing to help give him more energy and fluids. My thoughts and prayers are with you all and hope that all will go well for him now. take care,
    Donna70
  • linda1120
    linda1120 Member Posts: 389
    #5
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    Donna70 said:

    glad it is better
    Hi Linda,
    Glad to hear Jim's counts are going up and maybe getting a j tube, that would be a big help so he can get nutrition to heal. I got ill at the end of my chemo and radiation treatments and had to be hospitalized with what they said was neutropenic fever. Got transfusions and so many antibiotics I got sick from that and was in reverse isolation for awhile. They did not finish the radiation treatments and I came home after 8 days and was put on a Ng tube to gain weight before surgery. Jim is probably so tired from all these complications he does not have the strength to eat and that j tube would be just the thing to help give him more energy and fluids. My thoughts and prayers are with you all and hope that all will go well for him now. take care,
    Donna70

    Jim is home!
    Jim was able to come home this evening. He is very weak and unable to eat, but his counts have climbed enabling him to come home.

    They are contemplating a j-tube, but at his doctor appointment I am going to push for one. He is down about 17 lbs and can't afford to lose more.

    It is wonderful to have him home, and thank you to all your prayers and posts.

    God Bless us all!

    Linda
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #6
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    linda1120 said:

    Jim is home!
    Jim was able to come home this evening. He is very weak and unable to eat, but his counts have climbed enabling him to come home.

    They are contemplating a j-tube, but at his doctor appointment I am going to push for one. He is down about 17 lbs and can't afford to lose more.

    It is wonderful to have him home, and thank you to all your prayers and posts.

    God Bless us all!

    Linda

    So Happy to Hear Jiim is Home
    That's great news! I believe people do so much better and heal faster when they're in their own, comfortable environment! Hopefully he'll start feeling better and want to eat/drink more. Try to encourage him to at least try to drink some Ensure or a protein drink. Getting nutrients in him and keeping the body hydrated is really important.

    Please keep us updated on his progress.

    God Bless You Both!

    Sally
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #7
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    linda1120 said:

    Jim is home!
    Jim was able to come home this evening. He is very weak and unable to eat, but his counts have climbed enabling him to come home.

    They are contemplating a j-tube, but at his doctor appointment I am going to push for one. He is down about 17 lbs and can't afford to lose more.

    It is wonderful to have him home, and thank you to all your prayers and posts.

    God Bless us all!

    Linda

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,391 Member
    #8
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    linda1120 said:

    Jim is home!
    Jim was able to come home this evening. He is very weak and unable to eat, but his counts have climbed enabling him to come home.

    They are contemplating a j-tube, but at his doctor appointment I am going to push for one. He is down about 17 lbs and can't afford to lose more.

    It is wonderful to have him home, and thank you to all your prayers and posts.

    God Bless us all!

    Linda

    Great News!!!!!
    Linda,

    Great to hear that Jim is back home again!!

    Be sure in investigate home IV hydration availability. I went through three cycles of chemotherapy before I learned the value of hydration. I found that receiving IV hydration three days after an infusion made a HUGE difference in how I felt.

    In my case I had to drive to the hospital (45 miles away) to receive the IV so it was a 4 hour process each time. In Jim’s case it would be great if a home care nurse could help you do that so he did not have to leave home to receive the IV.

    I will be praying to his regained strength and continued successful treatment.

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    6/21/2010 CT Scan NED

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

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