Week Two Updates

As of today, Dad is in the middle of week two of chemotherapy and radiation. He had an appointment with the radiation oncologist on Monday and they decided to temporarily increase his steroid dosage. He's been having a harder time controlling his left foot and his speech was starting to slur a little bit more, and in the past two days of taking the increased dosage, Mom has noticed some improvements with his speech. He also had an MRI yesterday, just to double check on the tumor and make sure that it was not causing his foot to get worse. We got those results today, and while the tumor has grown, it is not the sole reason he's having trouble walking. It's most likely a combination of the tumor growing, the surgery, the radiation, and then possibly a reaction from the radiation.

He's still trying to get to therapy a couple days a week, but with doctors appointments, radiation, and drive time, there's not always enough hours in the day. However, Mom and Dad have been doing the exercises at home and they just got a stationary bike for him to use.

Week One, Check!

Just a quick update- Dad has completed the first week of radiation and chemotherapy. He has been feeling fine, the chemotherapy hasn't made him sick and his appetite has been normal. He's having a little more trouble getting around, however he only had physical therapy on Monday and today instead of the normal three days a week. Radiation had to squeeze him in whenever they had an opening and it conflicted with physical therapy so we had to cancel one appointment. The brain tissue could also be swelling from radiation and that could affect his able to move and control his left side.

He's been using a wheelchair to get from the car to radiation, just because it's such a far walk from the car, through the hospital, and to the radiation office. Other than that he's been using a cane, partially to give him some extra balance and partially to help him practice for if his left leg becomes worse. He's still working hard at therapy and is determined to get more strength and mobility back!

We're Starting Radiation and Chemo!

We finally heard back from the doctors, Dad will start radiation and chemotherapy on Tuesday, September 15, 2015. They've decided to do all of his treatments at Big Barnes in St. Louis because Dr. Ansstas, one of Dad's oncologists, will be able to monitor him much closer than he would if he was getting treatments at the West County Center. They'll be able to do MRI's as needed as well as office visits.

One of the reasons they want to be able to monitor him so closely is because the MRI that was done this past Monday shows that the tumor has grown since surgery. We're not sure exactly how much it's grown, but it is large enough now that he does not qualify for the radiation clinical trial either. One of the doctors mentioned a trial that would start after the first round of chemo/radiation, however we don't have any information on it right now.

More Appointments

Dad had all his appointments this morning which led to a very busy morning. He was fitted for the radiation mask and this pillow that will sit underneath his head while the radiation is given. We still don't have a date set for when radiation will start, we'll hopefully know within a week or so. Dad had another MRI and CT scan done this morning and the doctors will want to look at those results to come up with a game plan for radiation.

We were able to get the first 30 days of Dad's chemotherapy, insurance will only approve so much at a time so we have to wait for them to clear the last two-ish weeks of medication before we will be able to pick it up. But now he is ready to start chemo whenever he starts radiation.

The last time we were at the doctors, Dad agreed to participate in a cognitive study and he did the first round today. This involved remembering a long list of words and having to repeat the words back; word association in which he was given a letter and then had to come up with as many words as he could that started with that letter; and dot to dots with just letters, just numbers, and then letters to numbers such as 1-A-2-B-3-C, etc. He'll do these tests again once radiation and chemo start and then again when they're over. The nurse said Dad did really well and Dad's response to that was "Yeah, and then once I leave, you'll laugh about how horrible I did!"

A HUGE THANK YOU, Minor Update

On behalf of the whole family, we cannot thank our friends and family enough for all the support and encouragement that we have received. Our situation is less than ideal to say the very least, but our support system has helped so much. Meals have been a huge help to Mom and Dad and every time I'm over at their house, the mantel is covered with cards. The other day, I was able to put all the cards into books that now sit out in the living room table. The covers were made from balloons that Dad received the day he came home from the hospital. Visitors are still welcomed, it helps pass the time and break up the day a little bit, plus I think Dad has enjoyed seeing people he doesn't normally see on a regular basis. Huge thank you to all of those who have stopped by to visit, brought meals or snack, have cut the grass, sent cards and prayers, and anything else I may have forgotten!!!

Dad heard back from the doctor, it turns out he is not eligible for the chemotherapy clinical trial. He still will need to decide if he wants to participate in the radiation clinical trial or not. He goes tomorrow morning to have the radiation mask made, pick up his chemotherapy medication, and I'm sure there will be more paperwork and tests that have to be done. We still don't have a start date for anything, hopefully will know more by the end of all the appointments tomorrow.

He's still doing really well, no pain and no seizures. He's moving around pretty well as long as he stays moving, when he sits around too much his balance seems to get a little off. Strength is slowly coming back on the left side since he's been doing physical therapy, although I'm sure it's not nearly as fast as Dad would like it to be!