The day started out lousy! When I got to the Hospital, Joyce was sitting up in bed, awake and hurting. The NG tube was giving her great pain every time she swallowed. She had been awake since 3am holding the tube in the least painful spot. The Doctor was in before 7 and said they would try heat and a throat spray. No answer to our question ( and probably yours) as to why these were not tried during the night. These two did help, but marginally. We went for a walk and then she was able to sleep for a while. The Doctor did promise that chemo would start today.
Joyce told me later that from the beginning of the day she believed it was going to be a very good day!!
At 3 pm the pre-chemo IV started.
We are finally on the road to getting rid of the lousy stuff in her body!!!
At 3:30 the real chemo started.
At 4:30 the NG tube was removed and Joyce got instant relief!!!
At 8:15 the chemo was complete. Through the whole 5 hour process, and especially after removal of the NG tube, Joyce was feeling very good with zero nausea. When I left at 10 pm, she was almost asleep and feeling great!
The only klinker of the day is that her bowels have not decided to wake up yet so she has to stay on IV nutrition until that happens. We hope the chemo helps that process along.
Doug
PS I must have a virus in my computer so I am doing this from Joyce's. Another issue that will be resolved soon, I hope.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
My Beautiful Wife with a Beautiful Nose!
Today our Doctor visited us and after a series of questions about "output" he attached the NG pump and turned it on. Little if any liquid came out, indicating that the intestines are doing their job. Then he said, "you can only test the water so long and then you have to jump in." He then pulled out the tube and Joyce's beautiful face appeared. She said "is it really out already? My throat isn't even sore"
So she had a few swallows of something for breakfast and we walked and smiled and said to each person on duty "See anything different on my face?" We had some good laughs.
She had a couple of swallows for lunch and then for dinner had a few bites of graham cracker, softened up of course.
We walked a bunch today and rested in-between. The second time the doctor came in, he said he had stopped by two other times and we were both asleep.
We both enjoyed a laid-back day, walking, resting, laughing and reading your emails!
Toward the end of the day, Joyce's stomach started acting up, but when I left about 10:30, she was almost asleep and everything was still in her stomach.
Doug
So she had a few swallows of something for breakfast and we walked and smiled and said to each person on duty "See anything different on my face?" We had some good laughs.
She had a couple of swallows for lunch and then for dinner had a few bites of graham cracker, softened up of course.
We walked a bunch today and rested in-between. The second time the doctor came in, he said he had stopped by two other times and we were both asleep.
We both enjoyed a laid-back day, walking, resting, laughing and reading your emails!
Toward the end of the day, Joyce's stomach started acting up, but when I left about 10:30, she was almost asleep and everything was still in her stomach.
Doug
Monday, August 3, 2009
1:50 PM we moved into a private room!!
Last night Joyce and her roommate traded trips to the bathroom about every hour. Neither one of them got much sleep, so Joyce was just as tired this morning as when she went to bed. For the umpteenth time I complained to the Nurse, Head Nurse and Doctor. Low-and-behold as we were talking to the doctor, the head nurse said we had a room. Just like buying a house for the first time!! Just think our own bathroom and our own silence! Well, not exactly silence.
The doctor said reconnect the NG tube for 4 hours and check the output. If it is below 100ml, we can try liquids. WOW! The output was low, but given what we had gone through, we opted for just some ice chips tonight so Joyce can get a little caught up on her sleep.
Naturally there were delays to the elusive "Sound asleep" BeepBeepBeep-Occlusion.
BeepBeepBeep-Low battery. You get the picture.
The hero of the night was the IV nurse. Joyce had gotten a new IV site this morning and had pain almost right away. It was looked at and adjusted several times and still hurt. Luckily we mentioned it one more time and the night IV Nurse said it probably hit a nerve and started a new site. Problem solved!
About 11:15 JB schussed me out of there when they were waiting for the IV nurse come and take care of the occlusion. I hope Joyce gets some sleep!
Doug
The doctor said reconnect the NG tube for 4 hours and check the output. If it is below 100ml, we can try liquids. WOW! The output was low, but given what we had gone through, we opted for just some ice chips tonight so Joyce can get a little caught up on her sleep.
Naturally there were delays to the elusive "Sound asleep" BeepBeepBeep-Occlusion.
BeepBeepBeep-Low battery. You get the picture.
The hero of the night was the IV nurse. Joyce had gotten a new IV site this morning and had pain almost right away. It was looked at and adjusted several times and still hurt. Luckily we mentioned it one more time and the night IV Nurse said it probably hit a nerve and started a new site. Problem solved!
About 11:15 JB schussed me out of there when they were waiting for the IV nurse come and take care of the occlusion. I hope Joyce gets some sleep!
Doug
Sunday, August 2, 2009
3:30 PM - NG TUBE CLAMPED!
The doctor was in this afternoon and said the fluid collected was low, so she feels Joyce's system is working again. The NG pump got shut off at 3:30, but remains in place. Joyce will still have nothing by mouth pending the results tomorrow morning. If she has a good night with no vomiting, she will start with some liquids and progress from there as the doctor watches the progress!!
So we are nervious and anxious and very hopeful tonight. Joyce was sleeping when I left tonight.
I think we are both getting "hospital syndrome" about now. Everything seems like it doesn't go quite as smoothly, things upset us easily, people including nurses talk too loudly, especially when Joyce is trying to get some rest. Someone else's IV beeps incessantly before someone clears it. Joyce said "Lets just get out of here!"
We decided to go for a walk to try to get away from the hubbub. A nurse's assistant saw us and asked if she could help. She found a family room that we had not seen before that was empty and had a beautiful view of the wooded area East of the hospital. Mostly we just sat, and mellowed out until BeepBeepBeep.....BeepBeepBeep....! Our IV was the problem, so back to the room we went, but it did help!
The NG tube is really an irritant and makes it more tiring to go walking, and that of course gets into the vicious cycle of getting more tired.... After the NG was clamped we were energized and got in quite a bit before bed time.
As is our usual ritual in the morning, we read the cards, emails and comments that keep us going through the day!
Doug
So we are nervious and anxious and very hopeful tonight. Joyce was sleeping when I left tonight.
I think we are both getting "hospital syndrome" about now. Everything seems like it doesn't go quite as smoothly, things upset us easily, people including nurses talk too loudly, especially when Joyce is trying to get some rest. Someone else's IV beeps incessantly before someone clears it. Joyce said "Lets just get out of here!"
We decided to go for a walk to try to get away from the hubbub. A nurse's assistant saw us and asked if she could help. She found a family room that we had not seen before that was empty and had a beautiful view of the wooded area East of the hospital. Mostly we just sat, and mellowed out until BeepBeepBeep.....BeepBeepBeep....! Our IV was the problem, so back to the room we went, but it did help!
The NG tube is really an irritant and makes it more tiring to go walking, and that of course gets into the vicious cycle of getting more tired.... After the NG was clamped we were energized and got in quite a bit before bed time.
As is our usual ritual in the morning, we read the cards, emails and comments that keep us going through the day!
Doug
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Joyce, did you see that article in the paper today about . . . .
Today was day of waiting! The nasal-gastro tube was put in successfully yesterday and our doctor wanted to see how it goes for a full day.
JOYCE HAD A VERY GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP!!
Doug said: That is the best thing that could happen today!
Joyce said: The best thing to happen today is that Doug is here! (Can you beat that!)
She was only up once during the night and slept until about 8:00. She still has not caught up with what she lost though and she did have a couple of naps today. That NG tube is doing the job (about 800 ml has come out), but it is a lousy thing to have hanging around and irritating her throat!
Some good things--No vomiting, her blood pressure is down, her legs are not as swollen, and her blood sugar is down.
Another really good thing is that she is getting hungry!! Up to now she could hardly stand to see or smell food. That is akin to me not ever wanting ice cream again! (Shutter)
Tomorrow we will see the doctor again and find out what she recommends. If we can disconnect from the NG tube and/or the IV, we can take a nice walk along the boardwalk in back of the hospital. Maybe I better bring a couple of sweaters!
Doug
JOYCE HAD A VERY GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP!!
Doug said: That is the best thing that could happen today!
Joyce said: The best thing to happen today is that Doug is here! (Can you beat that!)
She was only up once during the night and slept until about 8:00. She still has not caught up with what she lost though and she did have a couple of naps today. That NG tube is doing the job (about 800 ml has come out), but it is a lousy thing to have hanging around and irritating her throat!
Some good things--No vomiting, her blood pressure is down, her legs are not as swollen, and her blood sugar is down.
Another really good thing is that she is getting hungry!! Up to now she could hardly stand to see or smell food. That is akin to me not ever wanting ice cream again! (Shutter)
Tomorrow we will see the doctor again and find out what she recommends. If we can disconnect from the NG tube and/or the IV, we can take a nice walk along the boardwalk in back of the hospital. Maybe I better bring a couple of sweaters!
Doug
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