Pray for John and Adrian

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dianetavegia
dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
John updated his Caring Bridge site and said he is in horrible pain even with the nerve block treatment. The last nerve block lasted only 24 hours. He's pretty much 'home bound' due to pain.

Adrian's 500 lb heart brought in $50,000 for charity and is on display downtown San Francisco. :-) ♥

Please lift them up in thoughts and prayers during this time.
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Comments

  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
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    John, So sorry to hear you
    John, So sorry to hear you are in such pain. My thoughts are with you + Adrian. I hope you feel better soon!
  • just4Brooks
    just4Brooks Member Posts: 980 Member
    Options
    Thinking of you guys!!
    I was just thinging of you guys yesterday then today I see thei post. Has John went to a pain clinic? Maybe he should look into a pain pump. I have a lady friend who has one and it worked wonders for her.
  • sfmarie
    sfmarie Member Posts: 602
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    Adrian and John
    You are in my prayers. I need to make it to SF to see your heart. Where in downtown? Union Square park in front of Macy's? I'm in Palo Alto if I can be of ANY help. Marie
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    Options

    Thinking of you guys!!
    I was just thinging of you guys yesterday then today I see thei post. Has John went to a pain clinic? Maybe he should look into a pain pump. I have a lady friend who has one and it worked wonders for her.

    Can't remember
    I can't remember if Adrian openly posted a link to John's Caring Bridge site so I didn't want to do that. It's a LONG post with lots of info about what he's tried and what's been recommended.

    Do you remember if it was posted previously? I tried searching...
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    Options

    Can't remember
    I can't remember if Adrian openly posted a link to John's Caring Bridge site so I didn't want to do that. It's a LONG post with lots of info about what he's tried and what's been recommended.

    Do you remember if it was posted previously? I tried searching...

    Don' know
    I dont' know if he "openly posted" his caring bridge site but I have it in my favorites, along with several others, and check it regularly. I got it off this site but I just know remember when. Tina
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    Options
    Whoops,
    The heart is 400 lbs

    Whoops,
    The heart is 400 lbs and 5 feet across.
  • johnsfo
    johnsfo Member Posts: 47
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    Whoops,
    The heart is 400 lbs

    Whoops,
    The heart is 400 lbs and 5 feet across.

    thank you!
    Dear Diane and all the rest of you,

    Thank you for your prayers and good wishes! We haven't posted the CaringBridge site publicly here because of some concerns about lurkers, spam, etc. If you'd like the address, though, just send Adrian or me a PM and we'll send the link. I've pasted the update below. Thanks again. You guys are all helping me feel pretty good today!

    Dear Friends,

    Since I haven’t updated the journal for a while, many of you have written with hopes that no news is good news. I wish that were true, but the last nerve block effectively relieved pain for less than 24 hours and the pain has continued to get worse. In the last few days, though, I’ve been meeting with my doctors and we have a new plan for pain relief. Adrian and I are both feeling good about it.

    1.I will start taking a new non-narcotic drug for pain relief, Cymbalta. Cymbalta was originally designed as an antidepressant and because I was concerned about drugs that may cause mood and behavior changes I had resisted taking it for a while. I talked with an expert I trust yesterday, though, and he assures me that it is the best drug for neuropathic pain relief and that it will not cause mood and behavior changes. It will take several weeks before I begin to feel effects, and I’ll keep you posted. Let’s hope it works!

    2. I have an appointment on April 6 to meet with a hypnotherapist for pain relief. His name is David Spiegel, a psychiatrist who has written a textbook on hypnosis as medical treatment (some of it is available online and it’s interesting). He’s also Director of the Stanford Institute for Integrative Medicine and the people I’ve talked with about him say he’s superb. I already use some self-taught visualization techniques and they work, so I think hypnosis will be an effective tool for me. (I met a few weeks ago with someone to teach me biofeedback and didn’t feel good about the meeting. I see that biofeedback may offer help, and I may give it another try with another teacher.)

    3. The doctor I consult with at the pain clinic referred me to an acupuncturist (an anesthesiologist at Stanford Hospital) and I’ll make an appointment with her to see what acupuncture can do.

    4. I have another nerve block currently scheduled for April 14, but I may cancel it. The previous nerve blocks have left some side effects that include numb skin and reduced muscle tone. These effects will diminish with time, but for previous nerve blocks we have just used numbing drugs and steroids; the April 16 nerve block will kill the nerve and any side effects will be permanent. (The first nerve block did last for about 2 weeks, though, with about 50% pain reduction, so there is some potential there.)

    5. I will have some diagnostic tests and appointments to identify the causes of the pain. Possibilities include further tumor growth at the sacrum, ongoing radiation damage, and lingering effects from the nerve blocks. Identifying the causes will help us treat the pain.

    6. In the meantime the pain is severe and I have really reduced the times I leave the house. It’s much easier to control the pain at home. The garden is looking good, though, and I love to have visitors and show it off. The doorbell is working again, so feel free to call or just to stop by. If it’s not a good time, we’ll say so, but we love having people stop by.

    Thanks to you all for so many things you do that make Adrian and me feel good. Every day we know in our bones how fortunate we are to have such loving and caring friends.

    John
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    Options
    johnsfo said:

    thank you!
    Dear Diane and all the rest of you,

    Thank you for your prayers and good wishes! We haven't posted the CaringBridge site publicly here because of some concerns about lurkers, spam, etc. If you'd like the address, though, just send Adrian or me a PM and we'll send the link. I've pasted the update below. Thanks again. You guys are all helping me feel pretty good today!

    Dear Friends,

    Since I haven’t updated the journal for a while, many of you have written with hopes that no news is good news. I wish that were true, but the last nerve block effectively relieved pain for less than 24 hours and the pain has continued to get worse. In the last few days, though, I’ve been meeting with my doctors and we have a new plan for pain relief. Adrian and I are both feeling good about it.

    1.I will start taking a new non-narcotic drug for pain relief, Cymbalta. Cymbalta was originally designed as an antidepressant and because I was concerned about drugs that may cause mood and behavior changes I had resisted taking it for a while. I talked with an expert I trust yesterday, though, and he assures me that it is the best drug for neuropathic pain relief and that it will not cause mood and behavior changes. It will take several weeks before I begin to feel effects, and I’ll keep you posted. Let’s hope it works!

    2. I have an appointment on April 6 to meet with a hypnotherapist for pain relief. His name is David Spiegel, a psychiatrist who has written a textbook on hypnosis as medical treatment (some of it is available online and it’s interesting). He’s also Director of the Stanford Institute for Integrative Medicine and the people I’ve talked with about him say he’s superb. I already use some self-taught visualization techniques and they work, so I think hypnosis will be an effective tool for me. (I met a few weeks ago with someone to teach me biofeedback and didn’t feel good about the meeting. I see that biofeedback may offer help, and I may give it another try with another teacher.)

    3. The doctor I consult with at the pain clinic referred me to an acupuncturist (an anesthesiologist at Stanford Hospital) and I’ll make an appointment with her to see what acupuncture can do.

    4. I have another nerve block currently scheduled for April 14, but I may cancel it. The previous nerve blocks have left some side effects that include numb skin and reduced muscle tone. These effects will diminish with time, but for previous nerve blocks we have just used numbing drugs and steroids; the April 16 nerve block will kill the nerve and any side effects will be permanent. (The first nerve block did last for about 2 weeks, though, with about 50% pain reduction, so there is some potential there.)

    5. I will have some diagnostic tests and appointments to identify the causes of the pain. Possibilities include further tumor growth at the sacrum, ongoing radiation damage, and lingering effects from the nerve blocks. Identifying the causes will help us treat the pain.

    6. In the meantime the pain is severe and I have really reduced the times I leave the house. It’s much easier to control the pain at home. The garden is looking good, though, and I love to have visitors and show it off. The doorbell is working again, so feel free to call or just to stop by. If it’s not a good time, we’ll say so, but we love having people stop by.

    Thanks to you all for so many things you do that make Adrian and me feel good. Every day we know in our bones how fortunate we are to have such loving and caring friends.

    John

    John and Adrian
    John I am so sorry to hear that you are in so much pain. Pain wears you down and makes you soo tired. I hope you can find a solution for that.

    Adrian I am so proud of you and the big heart....well done...wish i could see it.

    hugs to you both,

    mags
  • Patteee
    Patteee Member Posts: 945
    Options
    johnsfo said:

    thank you!
    Dear Diane and all the rest of you,

    Thank you for your prayers and good wishes! We haven't posted the CaringBridge site publicly here because of some concerns about lurkers, spam, etc. If you'd like the address, though, just send Adrian or me a PM and we'll send the link. I've pasted the update below. Thanks again. You guys are all helping me feel pretty good today!

    Dear Friends,

    Since I haven’t updated the journal for a while, many of you have written with hopes that no news is good news. I wish that were true, but the last nerve block effectively relieved pain for less than 24 hours and the pain has continued to get worse. In the last few days, though, I’ve been meeting with my doctors and we have a new plan for pain relief. Adrian and I are both feeling good about it.

    1.I will start taking a new non-narcotic drug for pain relief, Cymbalta. Cymbalta was originally designed as an antidepressant and because I was concerned about drugs that may cause mood and behavior changes I had resisted taking it for a while. I talked with an expert I trust yesterday, though, and he assures me that it is the best drug for neuropathic pain relief and that it will not cause mood and behavior changes. It will take several weeks before I begin to feel effects, and I’ll keep you posted. Let’s hope it works!

    2. I have an appointment on April 6 to meet with a hypnotherapist for pain relief. His name is David Spiegel, a psychiatrist who has written a textbook on hypnosis as medical treatment (some of it is available online and it’s interesting). He’s also Director of the Stanford Institute for Integrative Medicine and the people I’ve talked with about him say he’s superb. I already use some self-taught visualization techniques and they work, so I think hypnosis will be an effective tool for me. (I met a few weeks ago with someone to teach me biofeedback and didn’t feel good about the meeting. I see that biofeedback may offer help, and I may give it another try with another teacher.)

    3. The doctor I consult with at the pain clinic referred me to an acupuncturist (an anesthesiologist at Stanford Hospital) and I’ll make an appointment with her to see what acupuncture can do.

    4. I have another nerve block currently scheduled for April 14, but I may cancel it. The previous nerve blocks have left some side effects that include numb skin and reduced muscle tone. These effects will diminish with time, but for previous nerve blocks we have just used numbing drugs and steroids; the April 16 nerve block will kill the nerve and any side effects will be permanent. (The first nerve block did last for about 2 weeks, though, with about 50% pain reduction, so there is some potential there.)

    5. I will have some diagnostic tests and appointments to identify the causes of the pain. Possibilities include further tumor growth at the sacrum, ongoing radiation damage, and lingering effects from the nerve blocks. Identifying the causes will help us treat the pain.

    6. In the meantime the pain is severe and I have really reduced the times I leave the house. It’s much easier to control the pain at home. The garden is looking good, though, and I love to have visitors and show it off. The doorbell is working again, so feel free to call or just to stop by. If it’s not a good time, we’ll say so, but we love having people stop by.

    Thanks to you all for so many things you do that make Adrian and me feel good. Every day we know in our bones how fortunate we are to have such loving and caring friends.

    John

    Oh John- I can't stand the
    Oh John- I can't stand the pain part, could hardly even read it in your note. God, I hope and pray they find something to help! *fingers and toes crosssed*
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    Options
    John
    John,
    I am praying that you get relief from your pain. It is good that you have a team working with you on options. I hope they find the cause and get in there and do something about it.

    Adrian, awesome about the heart!

    You two enjoy your garden and your wonderful circle of friends.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    Options
    johnsfo said:

    thank you!
    Dear Diane and all the rest of you,

    Thank you for your prayers and good wishes! We haven't posted the CaringBridge site publicly here because of some concerns about lurkers, spam, etc. If you'd like the address, though, just send Adrian or me a PM and we'll send the link. I've pasted the update below. Thanks again. You guys are all helping me feel pretty good today!

    Dear Friends,

    Since I haven’t updated the journal for a while, many of you have written with hopes that no news is good news. I wish that were true, but the last nerve block effectively relieved pain for less than 24 hours and the pain has continued to get worse. In the last few days, though, I’ve been meeting with my doctors and we have a new plan for pain relief. Adrian and I are both feeling good about it.

    1.I will start taking a new non-narcotic drug for pain relief, Cymbalta. Cymbalta was originally designed as an antidepressant and because I was concerned about drugs that may cause mood and behavior changes I had resisted taking it for a while. I talked with an expert I trust yesterday, though, and he assures me that it is the best drug for neuropathic pain relief and that it will not cause mood and behavior changes. It will take several weeks before I begin to feel effects, and I’ll keep you posted. Let’s hope it works!

    2. I have an appointment on April 6 to meet with a hypnotherapist for pain relief. His name is David Spiegel, a psychiatrist who has written a textbook on hypnosis as medical treatment (some of it is available online and it’s interesting). He’s also Director of the Stanford Institute for Integrative Medicine and the people I’ve talked with about him say he’s superb. I already use some self-taught visualization techniques and they work, so I think hypnosis will be an effective tool for me. (I met a few weeks ago with someone to teach me biofeedback and didn’t feel good about the meeting. I see that biofeedback may offer help, and I may give it another try with another teacher.)

    3. The doctor I consult with at the pain clinic referred me to an acupuncturist (an anesthesiologist at Stanford Hospital) and I’ll make an appointment with her to see what acupuncture can do.

    4. I have another nerve block currently scheduled for April 14, but I may cancel it. The previous nerve blocks have left some side effects that include numb skin and reduced muscle tone. These effects will diminish with time, but for previous nerve blocks we have just used numbing drugs and steroids; the April 16 nerve block will kill the nerve and any side effects will be permanent. (The first nerve block did last for about 2 weeks, though, with about 50% pain reduction, so there is some potential there.)

    5. I will have some diagnostic tests and appointments to identify the causes of the pain. Possibilities include further tumor growth at the sacrum, ongoing radiation damage, and lingering effects from the nerve blocks. Identifying the causes will help us treat the pain.

    6. In the meantime the pain is severe and I have really reduced the times I leave the house. It’s much easier to control the pain at home. The garden is looking good, though, and I love to have visitors and show it off. The doorbell is working again, so feel free to call or just to stop by. If it’s not a good time, we’ll say so, but we love having people stop by.

    Thanks to you all for so many things you do that make Adrian and me feel good. Every day we know in our bones how fortunate we are to have such loving and caring friends.

    John

    John,
    Thanks for taking the

    John,

    Thanks for taking the time to post here. I am so sorry you have this pain to deal with, but it sounds like you have been very proactive + are consulting with many specialists to find the right type of pain relief for you. Good luck, I hope that you find something very soon to relieve that pain. Both you + Adrian are in my thoughts.
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    Options
    You are in my prayers.Hope
    You are in my prayers.Hope the pain will be under control soon.Take care.
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    Options

    You are in my prayers.Hope
    You are in my prayers.Hope the pain will be under control soon.Take care.

    So sorry
    So sorry that you are in so much pain! I hope you feel better soon!!!
  • karguy
    karguy Member Posts: 1,020 Member
    Options
    John
    I'm sorry to hear that you are in pain,I'll pray that they find the cause,and it is nothing serious.At least you have a nice garden,you guys hang in there and keep us posted.
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    Options
    johnsfo said:

    thank you!
    Dear Diane and all the rest of you,

    Thank you for your prayers and good wishes! We haven't posted the CaringBridge site publicly here because of some concerns about lurkers, spam, etc. If you'd like the address, though, just send Adrian or me a PM and we'll send the link. I've pasted the update below. Thanks again. You guys are all helping me feel pretty good today!

    Dear Friends,

    Since I haven’t updated the journal for a while, many of you have written with hopes that no news is good news. I wish that were true, but the last nerve block effectively relieved pain for less than 24 hours and the pain has continued to get worse. In the last few days, though, I’ve been meeting with my doctors and we have a new plan for pain relief. Adrian and I are both feeling good about it.

    1.I will start taking a new non-narcotic drug for pain relief, Cymbalta. Cymbalta was originally designed as an antidepressant and because I was concerned about drugs that may cause mood and behavior changes I had resisted taking it for a while. I talked with an expert I trust yesterday, though, and he assures me that it is the best drug for neuropathic pain relief and that it will not cause mood and behavior changes. It will take several weeks before I begin to feel effects, and I’ll keep you posted. Let’s hope it works!

    2. I have an appointment on April 6 to meet with a hypnotherapist for pain relief. His name is David Spiegel, a psychiatrist who has written a textbook on hypnosis as medical treatment (some of it is available online and it’s interesting). He’s also Director of the Stanford Institute for Integrative Medicine and the people I’ve talked with about him say he’s superb. I already use some self-taught visualization techniques and they work, so I think hypnosis will be an effective tool for me. (I met a few weeks ago with someone to teach me biofeedback and didn’t feel good about the meeting. I see that biofeedback may offer help, and I may give it another try with another teacher.)

    3. The doctor I consult with at the pain clinic referred me to an acupuncturist (an anesthesiologist at Stanford Hospital) and I’ll make an appointment with her to see what acupuncture can do.

    4. I have another nerve block currently scheduled for April 14, but I may cancel it. The previous nerve blocks have left some side effects that include numb skin and reduced muscle tone. These effects will diminish with time, but for previous nerve blocks we have just used numbing drugs and steroids; the April 16 nerve block will kill the nerve and any side effects will be permanent. (The first nerve block did last for about 2 weeks, though, with about 50% pain reduction, so there is some potential there.)

    5. I will have some diagnostic tests and appointments to identify the causes of the pain. Possibilities include further tumor growth at the sacrum, ongoing radiation damage, and lingering effects from the nerve blocks. Identifying the causes will help us treat the pain.

    6. In the meantime the pain is severe and I have really reduced the times I leave the house. It’s much easier to control the pain at home. The garden is looking good, though, and I love to have visitors and show it off. The doorbell is working again, so feel free to call or just to stop by. If it’s not a good time, we’ll say so, but we love having people stop by.

    Thanks to you all for so many things you do that make Adrian and me feel good. Every day we know in our bones how fortunate we are to have such loving and caring friends.

    John

    Sorry
    I'll be praying for relief from all that pain.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    Options
    Consider it done
    I just returned from The Netherlands yesterday, so am a bit jet laggy...

    But, I saw this post and had to add my hugs to both John and Adrian...

    BIG, dutch hugs,
    Kathi
  • dorookie
    dorookie Member Posts: 1,731 Member
    Options
    John
    I sure hope you get some relief soon. Sending prayers and good vibes. Cymbalta is good and it has worked for me in the past. I was taking about 120 mg a day. I am now back on it at a lower dosage for depression and I am hoping it works as well for that. Take care my friends...*HUGS*

    Beth
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    Options
    johnsfo said:

    thank you!
    Dear Diane and all the rest of you,

    Thank you for your prayers and good wishes! We haven't posted the CaringBridge site publicly here because of some concerns about lurkers, spam, etc. If you'd like the address, though, just send Adrian or me a PM and we'll send the link. I've pasted the update below. Thanks again. You guys are all helping me feel pretty good today!

    Dear Friends,

    Since I haven’t updated the journal for a while, many of you have written with hopes that no news is good news. I wish that were true, but the last nerve block effectively relieved pain for less than 24 hours and the pain has continued to get worse. In the last few days, though, I’ve been meeting with my doctors and we have a new plan for pain relief. Adrian and I are both feeling good about it.

    1.I will start taking a new non-narcotic drug for pain relief, Cymbalta. Cymbalta was originally designed as an antidepressant and because I was concerned about drugs that may cause mood and behavior changes I had resisted taking it for a while. I talked with an expert I trust yesterday, though, and he assures me that it is the best drug for neuropathic pain relief and that it will not cause mood and behavior changes. It will take several weeks before I begin to feel effects, and I’ll keep you posted. Let’s hope it works!

    2. I have an appointment on April 6 to meet with a hypnotherapist for pain relief. His name is David Spiegel, a psychiatrist who has written a textbook on hypnosis as medical treatment (some of it is available online and it’s interesting). He’s also Director of the Stanford Institute for Integrative Medicine and the people I’ve talked with about him say he’s superb. I already use some self-taught visualization techniques and they work, so I think hypnosis will be an effective tool for me. (I met a few weeks ago with someone to teach me biofeedback and didn’t feel good about the meeting. I see that biofeedback may offer help, and I may give it another try with another teacher.)

    3. The doctor I consult with at the pain clinic referred me to an acupuncturist (an anesthesiologist at Stanford Hospital) and I’ll make an appointment with her to see what acupuncture can do.

    4. I have another nerve block currently scheduled for April 14, but I may cancel it. The previous nerve blocks have left some side effects that include numb skin and reduced muscle tone. These effects will diminish with time, but for previous nerve blocks we have just used numbing drugs and steroids; the April 16 nerve block will kill the nerve and any side effects will be permanent. (The first nerve block did last for about 2 weeks, though, with about 50% pain reduction, so there is some potential there.)

    5. I will have some diagnostic tests and appointments to identify the causes of the pain. Possibilities include further tumor growth at the sacrum, ongoing radiation damage, and lingering effects from the nerve blocks. Identifying the causes will help us treat the pain.

    6. In the meantime the pain is severe and I have really reduced the times I leave the house. It’s much easier to control the pain at home. The garden is looking good, though, and I love to have visitors and show it off. The doorbell is working again, so feel free to call or just to stop by. If it’s not a good time, we’ll say so, but we love having people stop by.

    Thanks to you all for so many things you do that make Adrian and me feel good. Every day we know in our bones how fortunate we are to have such loving and caring friends.

    John

    John and Adrian
    You are never far from our thoughts. I was so wishing by this time you would find some relief from your pain. Hopefully, these new avenues will give you that relief you so desperately deserve. Take care and hang in there. Your garden looks lovely and we are anxiously waiting for spring here in Michgian. Take care - Tina
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    Options
    dorookie said:

    John
    I sure hope you get some relief soon. Sending prayers and good vibes. Cymbalta is good and it has worked for me in the past. I was taking about 120 mg a day. I am now back on it at a lower dosage for depression and I am hoping it works as well for that. Take care my friends...*HUGS*

    Beth

    I've
    Missed you both very much, and hate to hear about your pain, and hope it is controlled soon, I wish I lived closer so I could see yas, but you both are always in my heart. I pray for both of you, you are strong and will get through this, heck you been through so much, I hope you get a long break soon.

    Hugsss and Love,

    ~Donna
  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464
    Options
    johnsfo said:

    thank you!
    Dear Diane and all the rest of you,

    Thank you for your prayers and good wishes! We haven't posted the CaringBridge site publicly here because of some concerns about lurkers, spam, etc. If you'd like the address, though, just send Adrian or me a PM and we'll send the link. I've pasted the update below. Thanks again. You guys are all helping me feel pretty good today!

    Dear Friends,

    Since I haven’t updated the journal for a while, many of you have written with hopes that no news is good news. I wish that were true, but the last nerve block effectively relieved pain for less than 24 hours and the pain has continued to get worse. In the last few days, though, I’ve been meeting with my doctors and we have a new plan for pain relief. Adrian and I are both feeling good about it.

    1.I will start taking a new non-narcotic drug for pain relief, Cymbalta. Cymbalta was originally designed as an antidepressant and because I was concerned about drugs that may cause mood and behavior changes I had resisted taking it for a while. I talked with an expert I trust yesterday, though, and he assures me that it is the best drug for neuropathic pain relief and that it will not cause mood and behavior changes. It will take several weeks before I begin to feel effects, and I’ll keep you posted. Let’s hope it works!

    2. I have an appointment on April 6 to meet with a hypnotherapist for pain relief. His name is David Spiegel, a psychiatrist who has written a textbook on hypnosis as medical treatment (some of it is available online and it’s interesting). He’s also Director of the Stanford Institute for Integrative Medicine and the people I’ve talked with about him say he’s superb. I already use some self-taught visualization techniques and they work, so I think hypnosis will be an effective tool for me. (I met a few weeks ago with someone to teach me biofeedback and didn’t feel good about the meeting. I see that biofeedback may offer help, and I may give it another try with another teacher.)

    3. The doctor I consult with at the pain clinic referred me to an acupuncturist (an anesthesiologist at Stanford Hospital) and I’ll make an appointment with her to see what acupuncture can do.

    4. I have another nerve block currently scheduled for April 14, but I may cancel it. The previous nerve blocks have left some side effects that include numb skin and reduced muscle tone. These effects will diminish with time, but for previous nerve blocks we have just used numbing drugs and steroids; the April 16 nerve block will kill the nerve and any side effects will be permanent. (The first nerve block did last for about 2 weeks, though, with about 50% pain reduction, so there is some potential there.)

    5. I will have some diagnostic tests and appointments to identify the causes of the pain. Possibilities include further tumor growth at the sacrum, ongoing radiation damage, and lingering effects from the nerve blocks. Identifying the causes will help us treat the pain.

    6. In the meantime the pain is severe and I have really reduced the times I leave the house. It’s much easier to control the pain at home. The garden is looking good, though, and I love to have visitors and show it off. The doorbell is working again, so feel free to call or just to stop by. If it’s not a good time, we’ll say so, but we love having people stop by.

    Thanks to you all for so many things you do that make Adrian and me feel good. Every day we know in our bones how fortunate we are to have such loving and caring friends.

    John

    So Sorry
    Dear Ones,

    So sorry that you are having such a horrible time with pain. I've been praying for you both and will continue to do so. I'm glad that you are seeking all different types of treatment. I know how unrelieved pain can change who we are. It really runs us down both physically and mentally. You guys try and keep your spirits up. Looking at your beautiful garden is sure to bring some tranquility. Big Hugs to you both.

    Adrian - I thought you heart was beautiful and sounds like everyone else does too. I would love to see it in person....maybe some day.

    Blessings to you both,

    Debbie (gramma)