Nearing the end of 2013

Well!  This week has been a vast improvement with significant caveats!  Dad is speaking much better with more clarity of mind.  His ammonia level is showing consistent signs of normalizing, but still has a little ways to go.  He has been walking around his ward of the hospital with more and more ease and gusto!  He’s anxious to get some meat back on his bones and his strength back.  He’s got a wonderful attitude and that goes a long way!

On the flip side, his blood work is showing signs of the chemotherapy at work.  His levels are starting to bottom out, but the doctors are all over it.  He received two bags of blood and a bag of platelets.  That transfusion will boost his levels by one point but he’ll need another set of bags in about 48 hours. 

The next few days are going to be interesting to see.  He’s going to either coast through the chemo’s side effects or they are going to be gnarly.  Either way, his energy is going to diminish.  Hopefully he will work through it well and recover.  Fingers are crossed this is all going to serve the purpose well.  If all goes well, he’ll be looking at that illusive bone marrow transplant within a few weeks.

Joel and Rachel are going to be here in Phoenix on Tuesday afternoon and I’m super excited to see them!  They can’t wait to be back with us.  This is going to be the beginning of a whole new adventure for them.  Returning to Arizona and living with me is going to be the best thing for them, but it comes with transitional changes that will take a little time to work out.

All in all, things are still the same as far as the waiting game is concerned.  However, dad is optimistic and adjusting to the changes with grace and dignity.  I’m so proud of his faith and his tenacity.  He’s exercising his mind and body as best he can.  Being stuck in a hospital is hard on him, but he’s coping well.

Thank you all for the continued support and love.  As always, if you have any questions, please email me. 

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Merry Christmas From Mayo Clinic

Things have been very stable the past few days.  His pain is managed and he’s been in a great mood.  His appetite is fabulous!  Having his pain managed has made a huge difference in his overall attitude and physical presence.  He’s gained back about 10 pounds, which he needs!  He finished his round of chemotherapy on Tuesday afternoon.  He’s now only on pain medication through his IV. 

His ammonia level is still high and is making his confusion frustrating for him.  The results of his bone marrow biopsy showed 42% of his bone marrow having cancer.  They had to remove more fluid from his lungs.  This time just shy of a liter.  It also had plasma in it.  The docs have said they shouldn’t have to do that again.  His M-spike is just over 1.0, and that’s good considering not being on chemo for over two weeks.

If this all goes well, he will be getting a bone marrow transplant.  If this doesn’t we’ll be looking at experimental drugs until something sticks.  The docs have repeatedly said he is very sick but they are doing their absolute best to fight his cancer.  I believe them and so does Dad.  We have a lot of faith in the success of treatment.  Dad has said, “What choice do I have?”  It’s either do treatment or quit.  Quitting is not an option for him.  There is value in that opinion.

There is talk of him being released.  Depending on how his confusion is, they are going to let him go “home” for recovery.  If he is as confused as he is they won’t let him go.  Today they discussed managing his pain through oral medication and working toward getting him off IV. 

His side effects from the chemo will start to show in the next day or so.  So far, he’s been great.  No nausea!  The next two weeks we’ll watch him closely and make sure he’s taken care of.  Whether that’s in the hospital or not, we’ll do our best for him.

Things in La Grande are good.  The kids had a good Christmas despite the separation from the family.  I’m hoping to get their flights booked today to have them here by Monday.  Dad misses them and the kids miss Dad. 

I went up with Josh and my kids to spend the day with him yesterday and it was a good day.  He enjoyed seeing his grandkids and Josh.  He was perky and wore himself out trying to stay awake for us.  It was a good but long day.

I have a lot to get done at my house in preparation for the kids moving in.  I’m expecting their things to arrive in Sierra Vista sometime next week.  It will be a lot of boxes and lifting.  I’ll probably poll some friends to help unload when I know!  J

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Cancer is really a 4-letter word

Yesterday was a work-in-progress day.  It took most of the day to get his pain below a 7 or 8 level.  Palliative care got involved and added pain medication to his routine and that significantly improved his comfort.  That took about 4 hours to finally get right.  He is still very anxious and stressed out.  He’s struggling with intense confusion as a result of his high ammonia level (which is now at 143).  He began a new chemo yesterday and we’re still in the first 24 hours of treatment.  We are watching him very closely for side effects, especially nausea.

The fluid they pulled from his lung had cancer in it.  Not good.  They got it all out and once his echo came back clear, he was started on DT Pace chemotherapy.  He was able to calm down enough last night to get some decent sleep.  He is still struggling to get real R.E.M. sleep, but we’re working on it.  I’m coaching him as we speak to calm down and rest.  He just fell asleep! J

The nurses and doctors here are incredible and taking awesome care of him.  His pain is their primary focus and it shows.  His oncologist came in today and calmed a few immediate concerns for me.  The ammonia level isn’t causing any obvious damage to his organs, just yet.  Currently his confusion is the biggest identifier.  Apparently, this is a very common issue with multiple myeloma patients.  The confusion, I thought, would be permanent.  It won’t be.  Once his level comes down, he’ll be able to think more clearly.  Phew!

As far as the big picture, it’s fairly scary.  If this chemo works, he’ll get a transplant sooner rather than later.  If this chemo doesn’t work, he’ll be at the end of the road for options.  We should know which direction this is heading within 2-3 weeks.  In the meantime, we are watching him closely and supporting his fight.

The chemo will be administered for 4 days straight.  We can start expecting to see side effects within the next 24 hours.  Fingers are crossed the nausea can be controlled and vomiting is avoided.  He already has a few broken ribs.  So, imagine vomiting with broken/brittle ribs.  Not a good scenario.

He is aware of what is going on and that he’s going to be here for at least another 3-4 weeks.  When he was asked if he wanted to go ahead with treatment, his response was, “What choice do I have? Let’s do it.”  He’s still fighting to be here and that is reassuring.

The older kids are working to get the house packed and moved from La Grande to Sierra Vista.  Jacob and I are in Phoenix with dad.  Isaac will help Sam and Sarah in a week to get the final stuff handled in La Grande.  If all goes well, the kids should be in Arizona by the end of the month.  We will be doing our Christmas for the entire month of January.  There will be some serious overcompensation for the crumby holiday season we’ve had thus far.

Dad asked for some spiritual support this morning, which I happily arranged for him.  This evening he’ll be given a blessing and hopefully some peace.  This past week has been nothing short of intense.  He has had no time to mentally adjust to the new plans or to the new reality of his cancer.  It has been difficult for him to relinquish the control he is so used to having.  His confusion makes it very hard for doctors and nurses to help him.  He has to rely a lot on Jake and I to fill in the gaps.  This is hard for him all in itself.

Again, thank you for all of the kind words of support and love.  It is around us as we speak and keeps our spirits up and our hearts full.  I will update again in a few days as things in this very dynamic situation evolve.  
DONATE?  This has been incredible to see grow!!  Thank you so much for those who have spread the word beyond Facebook!  The number posted isn't even the grand total.  A lovely woman in La Grande pooled her resources and raised a large sum through her efforts!!! This has been so cool!
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Transplant/Admission

Dad left for Tri-Cities, Washington on Monday afternoon.  He stayed with his sister, Karen in Richland in preparation for his flight to Phoenix the following morning.  He flew into Seattle and hung out with my brother, Sam until his connecting flight took off for Phoenix.  When I met him at the airport he was exhausted and ready to done traveling.

I got him settled into the hotel about an hour later and he ate ferociously, which was excellent!  His appetite has been sporadic at best for the past few weeks.  I was pleasantly surprised how easily he was able to get comfortable in a hotel bed.  But, he was napping shortly after he ate.

Early Wednesday morning, around 4:00, he fell while trying to get out of bed.  The rest of the morning he was groaning in pain and struggled to sleep peacefully.  Despite giving him pain meds, he was very uncomfortable.  When it came time to get him ready for his appointment, moving him was nearly impossible.  It took us nearly 30 minutes to get him upright and into his clothes for the day.  I became increasingly worried about his arm being broken and anxious to get him into see his new oncologist.

His appointment was at 1:45 on Wednesday afternoon.  By 2:00 we were preparing to relocate to the Mayo Clinic Hospital via ambulance transport with the emergency room first on the list of stops. 

The oncologist said his cancer has turned into an aggressive form of cancer instead of the opposite he’s been fighting for the past year.  The tumors on his clavicle and ribs have grown substantially over the past month.  With the fear of a broken bone being addressed, the fragility of his body was enough to postpone any immediate plans for a bone marrow transplant.

Fast forward to what we know right now.  They pulled a liter of fluid from his right lung.  A LITER.  He has gone through another bone marrow biopsy.  He received a central line (PICC) today.  His pain has been mostly managed, which has been a major battle for the doctors and nurses.  He has had an EKG, MRI, CT, and x-rays. 

The fall he made broke his humorous (the long upper bone in your arm) and may have caused his clavicle to splinter as well.  We’re not sure exactly when the clavicle broke.  His clavicle has significant tumor growth and may have broken from the tumors.

Tomorrow he’ll get a heart echo.  He has tachycardia and the doctors are doing what they can to keep him calm and comfortable.  His blood pressure has been all over the place and they aren’t exactly sure why yet.  Tomorrow we’ll be getting a lot of results from cultures, blood draws, the fluid pulled from his lungs, and the rest of the tests they’ve conducted over the past 24 hours.

There is concern the fluid in his lungs is multiple myeloma.  I’m not freaking out just yet.  I’ll freak out when they tell me it’s time to.  His fever has been managed and he has been more comfortable this evening.  We have left him under the care of the staff tonight so we can get some much needed rest.  I’m hopeful he’s getting good rest and will feel more together tomorrow morning.

He has been very confused over the past few weeks.  The ammonia levels in his blood have spiked to 90 (normal is less than 30).  They are continuing to administer drugs to help bring those levels down.  His kidneys have shown some signs of distress as well.  But, we’re waiting on conclusive results from lab reports.

There are a lot of things hanging in the balance right now.  Things can go several different directions.  We are hoping the next couple of days will bring some health and strength back to him so he’ll be able to go through his new chemotherapy. Right now we are waiting to see how he responds.

If you have any questions about anything above, please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email.  Text messages and phone calls are difficult to answer right away.  But, I’m happy to email back when I’m in a lull.  Today was very busy, but I expect things will be a tad slower tomorrow.  But, tomorrow will be filled with doctor updates and consults.  Oh!  Please keep spreading this around and help us meet some major goals!

Transplant 2

Within twenty minutes of posting my last blog, a huge change occurred in the plans for my dad’s transplant.  Instead of his transplant taking place in Seattle, it will now be taking place in Phoenix, AZ.  I have to be honest that this makes me tremendously happy.  It’s in my back yard.  However, that means a lot of change for the family in La Grande, OR. 

Within the following few hours of the news, plans took shape to move the whole family back to Arizona.  The youngest kids will be moving in with me in Sierra Vista and Jacob and Dad will be residing in Phoenix until he completes his treatment and is cleared to be “home.”  His home will now be mine.  I have wanted them to come back to Sierra Vista ever since this whole journey began. 

What is looking like the plan right now is moving the kids and the contents of their house over the Christmas break.  Which starts on December 23^rd.  I will be flying back to AZ this coming Friday and possibly returning the following week or so to help pack up the house and get the move made.  There is a lot to be done in a very short period of time.  I’d be lying if I didn’t say this has me a little frazzled.  I’ll survive it, but the list that keeps growing in my head is becoming quite the disrupter.

After months of prompts to create a fundraiser for my dad and the kids, it finally went live today.  Over the past year a significant amount of bills have accumulated and the ability to pay them is becoming increasingly stressful.  Now with a move taking place, the expenses are even more daunting.  Nothing is free!  Whatever we’re able to raise through the fundraiser will help out massively.  If you feel like donating, please know that it will be greatly appreciated and forever remembered.  I am going to make every effort to send thank you cards to all who donate, so please email your address if you do.  

As far as my dad’s health is concerned, he’s hanging in there.  His cancer is continuing to recede thus confirming the success of the chemotherapy.  He’s been very tired lately and I believe it to be reflective of the big changes taking place around him.  Jacob and I have been working on the logistics and are unfortunately at the mercy of others when it comes to full information.  Today we were able to obtain a large amount, but we’re still in a holding pattern on when my dad will actually be starting the treatment for transplant.

It sort of stinks to be doing all of these changes right smack in the middle of the holiday season, but once this move is over it will be solid.  Hopefully the next season of holidays will bring a new kind of cheer.  My fingers are crossed and my hopes are high that I will be able to blog about that a year from now.

Hug your loved ones and mend fences with family.  I have learned the importance of familial support over the last year and I am grateful for the bonds that have been created and strengthened within our Russell clan.  We have stayed strong together and supported each other well.  We all have our flaws and shortcomings, but overall this experience has truly embodied the definition of family.

I would again like to express my boundless gratitude for those of you who have kept us in your thoughts and prayers.  The thoughts are felt and the prayers are answered.  Throughout all of this, we haven’t lacked in support and I appreciate each and every one of you who have squeezed a place for us in your heart.  I love you.  That is not expressed flippantly or shallowly.  I truly mean it when I say, “I love you.”