Good news. Monday we saw "the team" and got a lot of answers, all of them positive. Jim's numbers continue to be good, improving with each chemo round. We started another after the appointment yesterday, and they will continue into January, for a total of four rounds of 4 treatments each. We've pretty much abandoned the idea of splitting treatments between Needham and Boston. Better to keep continuity even if it is less convenient.
They adjusted the pain medication...tinkering to find the right combination is an ongoing project. They agree he shouldn't be in so much pain. A new MRI will tell if further radiation will help, not to treat the myeloma but to alleviate the pain (palliative).
It was a long day, and by the time the chemo treatment was over there wasn't much energy left in either of us.
The trappings of Christmas make this all the more surreal. I have always been such a Christmas person. This year, I know we need it, for the sake of Drew who will never be 4 again, and for Jim, who will need some pleasant memories to get through the months of isolation after his Stem Cell Transplant. So we have a tree, and will host Christmas Eve as we always have. It is a piece of tradition I am just not ready to relinquish, but although still a control freak, I am smarter now and am farming out a bunch of jobs. It will all be fine. The people are the parts that count.
For those who have asked about our squirrel Road Runner, he has adroitly sidestepped the plight of his late buddies, whom we keep catching. It is interesting to piece together what might be his resume. He has taken to getting up between 4 and 4:30 AM and doing laps around the attic crawl space, even waking Drew at one point. We have concluded that he is wearing cute little rodent combat boots, so loud is the sound of his lone footsteps. An officer in the rat-mouse-rodent army? We have been leaving out valium as a little treat for him, in hopes he will become more serene, less stressed. File under "If you cant fight 'em...."
3 comments:
You're NUTS!!! LOL! Hence the "heavy artillery" medicine supply we have at our disposal to dope up the rent-free nuisance dwellers in our home. NO! I don't mean myself, Drew or Adrien. Oh, wait... I forgot. Adrien is always welcome there and NEVER a nuisance as long as he keeps your dishes washed and the squirrel traps empty and ready for ANYTHING!
The valium isn't for me???
We were glad to see the good news, and hope the new pain medication helps Jim feel better.
Our thoughts are with all of you--
Marje (and the rest of the 21st Century gang)
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