Just to give everyone an update on how things are going, I get up every day at 6am. This is just because I have several medications that I have to take 3 times per day (every 8 hours), so that way I can take them at 6am, 2pm and 10pm. Otherwise I could sleep later but have to wake up at midnight to take meds. I usually spend a few hours in the hospital bed that hospice provided then on Tuesdays and Fridays I have an AM appointment at my local doctor's office to measure my blood thickness and my hemoglobin level, then the docs in Iowa City can make some changes to a couple of my meds of necessary.
Other days I'm usually out of bed and in the wheelchair by that time anyway, it feels good to be in a different position. I can pull myself around the house a little with my legs and it helps me build some strength back in my legs. When I have to get up from the bed and walk to the wheelchair or the wheelchair to the car to go to the doctor's office, I can only take 2"-3" steps because of the cancer in my right hip. When I try to put weight on that right hip it hurts immediately. All the muscles in my body are so weak because I can't use them and rebuild them and if I do... I wear out real quickly. The strongest muscles I have right now are my left leg (limited) and my left arm, because I have to do everything with it.
Right now, we have 3 things that are being concentrated on; pain control, cancer and blood clots. Blood clots - I take medicine for it, as long as when they check me, my blood is in the right range, we're good. Cancer - I take my medicine every night, we really won't know if it is or isn't working until I get scanned again which I've been lead to believe will be August 3 rd. Pain control - well this is the tricky one. Bone pain is the worst kind of pain you can have I'm told and right now the cancer has been in the bones of my chest, spine, hip and most notably and painfully, my right shoulder.
I cannot move my right arm at all without assistance from my left arm. I can place it up on a computer to type or in a certain position to try to sleep but other than that, the tumor in my should ate a 2"-3" section of a bone in my upper right arm.
Well that's the update for right now. Please keep praying because at this stage, it's not going to go right without intervention from Him. Without His help, I won't make it. But together with all of you and him... we're gonna kick this thing's butt.
THANK YOU EVERYONE.
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Thanks Chris for keeping us updated on how your doing. We think about you and pray for you every day. We know it isn't easy for you to type, but we do appreciate you taking the time and energy to post how things are going. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything. Love & Prayers....JoAnn & Craig
ReplyDeleteChris, you are so kind and generous to take the time to type an update for all of us. I know this is so very painful for you to do, yet you think of all of us so selflessly. You are amazing.
ReplyDeleteI am praying in several ways for you. I have asked the Saints to intercede for you...specifically St. Anthony to find a cure for you. I also am praying for God's plan to somehow make sense out of all this and to provide His healing energy to your body.
Let me know when you are up for a visit. I can swing by any time.
dj
Hi Chris
ReplyDeleteI am so computer illiterate that I had no idea how to post a comment here. I had to have Tony show me how and now the challenge is remembering next time. :.)
I am so proud of you!!!!! You have fought this challenge head on from the very beginning. New challenges continue to get thrown at you and you keep fighting back. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of you and pray that you can overcome this awful disease.
Stay strong and positive. I Love You!
Tami
Chris- I happened upon your blog today. My name is Doug Roth. I was diagnosed with CCS in April- a tumor in my right heel. The cancer has since spread to my groin lymph nodes but not my upper body. I am beginning treatment on the pfizer drug at Dana Farber with Dr. Butrynzki this week. If you'd like to talk please call me at 401 965 4173, my cell or at home 401 294 2172 or email me at jayhawk33@verizon.net.
ReplyDeleteSince my diagnosis I have felt alone. I wonder if you have too? I have a wonderful family and friends around me so I am not lonely but the disease is so rare and singular, I find myself hoping to meet someone with it.
I am a Midwestern kid too. From Kansas... I live in RI which puts me close to DF but I am still a jay hawk. I wish you all the best. Find a way. Let's keep fighting. Please call or write or if Ashley would like to as well.