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Dan was releashed from Virgina Mason Hospital Saturday morning. They have a technical term for his problem, but it tranlates to "paralyzed gut". Why his stomach did this is anyones guess. The treatment is a simple antibiotic call erthmyacin. One of the "side effects" of this med is that it makes your stomach work overtime. So, if your stomach isn't working at all, shazam!!!!! Weird to take a med for it's side effect.

So, Dan is home, eating and working on regaining his strength. I'm guessing it will take at least a month. Also, his white blood cell count was way low. So, he has to be real careful about germs. Very vulnerable right now. That means he can't help me with my yard work and new flower beds. Oh wait, he never did anyway.

They have also said "no more chemo". YEA!!!!! It was just to hard on him. The radiation and chemo during that is the main blast to the cancer. The next rounds of high dosage of chemo isn't effective enough to make it worth having him so sick.

Now to get him strong again so we can do all the things we want to do. Like, camping, backpacking, scuba, trips, motorcycle rides...... the list is very long.

Thanks to all the family and friends who helped during that diffucult month. Don't think we don't need any more help though. We do. I promise I won't make you bath my dog though.

Seattle

Dan is in Seattle at the Virgina Mason hospital right now. He had an appt. with his cancer doctor up there on Tuesday with a MRI first. The MRI looked good. The tumor is not growing. It is responding just like they want it to. That was good news. But we have been fighting this stomach bloating issue for a month and a half. His primary care doctor here is stumped. When he saw his cancer doctor here in Tri-Cities last Friday he was so weak and dehydrated she sent him straight to the ER. They admitted him, got him hydrated with IVs, then sent him home Sunday night. Even though he still wasn't eating. [stupid hospital]

Tuesday during his appt in Seattle he was very bloated. We had just had lunch. He only ate an yogurt. His cancer doctor there was very concered about this. Especially him not getting any nutrtion. So she had him admitted there. Virgina Mason hospital is one of the best for gastrol in the country.

So finally a hospital who is making sure he gets the nutrients he needs, even though it is in IVs. They are doing more tests and hopefully will find reasons, answers and solutions.

Of course this has delayed his nexct round of chemo. He needs to regain some strength. He has an awesome view from his room up on the 17th floor. My Mom is up there with him right now. I had to come back home to hold down the fort. I am going up tomorrow.

There and Back

Went to ER again Tuesday morning. Dan got out of bed that morning and his legs would not support him. He collasped. I was at work. He called me and I listned to part of his message on my cell phone. Quit listening and called Kris to go check on Dad. Then I told Kris to call the ambulance. Dan tried to say he didn't need it. I overruled him.

So off to ER once again. This time by ambulance. They did bloodwork and a cat scan of head. Nothing. Tried to tell me I could take him home. Wrong.... Meanwhile I'm calling his other doctors to see what I should do. They say nuerologist. I tell ER he needs a nuerologist. They admit him. Also his regular nuero doctor sees him. She orders some more tests. Cat scan of spine looks good, brain wave looks good, MRI of brain looks a little better than the last one in Dec. So nothing major going on. GOOD!!!!!

Wednesday he is doing much better and even tried getting out of bed by himself. We all yelled at him. He is also eating a whole lot better. Appetite is back and he can taste his food again. Orders lots of ice cream from the cafateria.

Today is Thursday. I brought him home. He needs to take it pretty easy until some of his strength returns. I'm thinking he is starting to understand this concept. I have threatened to duck tape him to a tree if I need to. {That could be bad. The dogs might pee on his leg then.}

So we are taking things slowly. I am making a list for when people say "what can we do to help you". If anyone is interested; this Saturday some people from our church and the posse are coming at 8:00 in the morning to put up our loafing shed that we need for the alpacas. I did give my dog a bath, so that is crossed off the list....for a while anyway!