I completed my first chemo infusion on Tuesday. Everything went smoothly, especially with the "feel good" drug they gave me. Kath, Tory, Brad, and Robin were there to support me through this treatment. I remember eating a turkey sandwich and Tory making faces at me during this procedure, but the rest is pretty much a blur. I asked if I could have two gallons of the drug they gave me to take home. It was the first time I have been without pain for a long time. That night I actually slept for seven and a half hours. Now that I am home, I am trying to work out every other day using weights on my upper body. I can't do anything where I put weight on my right foot. I am using a walker to get around with. My left side is very strong and I have strength on my right side down to my knee. From the right knee to the foot, I have no control. I'll keep doing everything necessary to keep myself strong. I am also on a stricter diet. Kath and Tory are making sure I am eating correctly. My own personal chefs! My next infusion is on Tuesday. I hope it goes as well.

Kath, Tory, Michael, Amber, and brother Brad attended my meeting with Dr.Ryan on Wednesday. The images I had done the day before showed that the medication I had been taking the past two months had not worked in controlling the tumor. This is not what we wanted to hear, but we are ready to head down another road to recovery. So the doctors have decided to be more aggressive and I am to begin chemo on Wednesday. Unlike the chemo I had four years ago where I stayed in the hospital for seven days at a time, this will mean that I will go to OHSU weekly for three hours or so, receive the chemo, go home and come back the following week to have it again. After five weeks of this treatment, I will then have the results of my chemo analysed to see if it is having the desired effect. I also am seeing several physical therapists who are working with me to help with my walking. It has become extremely difficult to walk correctly. My right leg is getting very numb and hard to pick up my foot. I've been using walking sticks the past two weeks, but may be using a walker from now on. The doctors are concerned that since I do not have any balance, I might fall. So I am learning to use the walker, but all I can see when I use it is a mental picture of the aunt in the movie Vacation! I am also meeting with a doctor next week about being fitted for a brace for my right foot to help with my walking. The other issue I have been experiencing is the matter of pain. My pain management doctor has been trying different medications in an effort to help control my pain and allow me to sleep at night. Hopefully we are getting closer to where I am not having such an issue. I am still able to get around , but not at the rate I am use to. Also Kath has become my chauffeur and I am the back seat driver. We have switched roles! We also all know that chemo means a change in hair style. I guess my granddaughters will have more hair than I will. I will keep you all posted on how I react to this treatment. Love you all and I truly appreciate your thoughts and prayers!

I just finished seeing the doctor for rehabilitative medicine this week. He examined me thoroughly and was not concerned about my strength. He feels that the messages from my brain to my foot are not getting there, which causes me to feel weakness, when there really isn't much. This causes me to have much difficulty walking, because I feel like I have no balance. I am now using walking sticks to help me keep my balance. Anytime Kath is with me (which is most of the time), I use her to lean on (which I have been doing the last 37 years). There is a possibility that I might use a brace on my right leg in the future. The doctor also thought that I needed a balance evaluation. We are looking at several options. I've also seen my chemo doctor and my blood pressure is a concern. He contacted my primary care physician, who increased my blood pressure meds. Blood pressure seems to be under control now that my doctor doubled my meds. After seeing my pain management doctor, I've changed my dosage, because I have not been able to sleep through the night, and last night slept from 11:30pm until 12:30 pm the next day. I have not slept that long since college exam days!! For a guy that never used pills in his life, I sure am making up for lost ground. We are all waiting for my April 3 and 4 appointments. April 3 is my tests and April 4 we hear if the medication I am on is working. Until then, I'll keep moving and doing what they tell me to do. I'll keep you all posted! Again, I appreciate you reading all this!

I just finished seeing the doctor for rehabilitative medicine this week. He examined me thoroughly and was not concerned about my strength. He feels that the messages from my brain to my foot are not getting there, which causes me to feel weakness, when there really isn't much. This causes me to have much difficulty walking, because I feel like I have no balance. I am now using walking sticks to help me keep my balance. Anytime Kath is with me (which is most of the time), I use her to lean on (which I have been doing the last 37 years). There is a possibility that I might use a brace on my right leg in the future. The doctor also thought that I needed a balance evaluation. We are looking at several options. I've also seen my chemo doctor and my blood pressure is a concern. He contacted my primary care physician, who increased my blood pressure meds. Blood pressure seems to be under control now that my doctor doubled my meds. After seeing my pain management doctor, I've changed my dosage, because I have not been able to sleep through the night, and last night slept from 11:30pm until 12:30 pm the next day. I have not slept that long since college exam days!! For a guy that never used pills in his life, I sure am making up for lost ground. We are all waiting for my April 3 and 4 appointments. April 3 is my tests and April 4 we hear if the medication I am on is working. Until then, I'll keep moving and doing what they tell me to do. I'll keep you all posted! Again, I appreciate you reading all this!

I just finished seeing the doctor for rehabilitative medicine this week. He examined me thoroughly and was not concerned about my strength. He feels that the messages from my brain to my foot are not getting there, which causes me to feel weakness, when there really isn't much. This causes me to have much difficulty walking, because I feel like I have no balance. I am now using walking sticks to help me keep my balance. Anytime Kath is with me (which is most of the time), I use her to lean on (which I have been doing the last 37 years). There is a possibility that I might use a brace on my right leg in the future. The doctor also thought that I needed a balance evaluation. We are looking at several options. I've also seen my chemo doctor and my blood pressure is a concern. He contacted my primary care physician, who increased my blood pressure meds. Blood pressure seems to be under control now that my doctor doubled my meds. After seeing my pain management doctor, I've changed my dosage, because I have not been able to sleep through the night, and last night slept from 11:30pm until 12:30 pm the next day. I have not slept that long since college exam days!! For a guy that never used pills in his life, I sure am making up for lost ground. We are all waiting for my April 3 and 4 appointments. April 3 is my tests and April 4 we hear if the medication I am on is working. Until then, I'll keep moving and doing what they tell me to do. I'll keep you all posted! Again, I appreciate you reading all this!

February 23rd

(sorry for the delay-my poster has been preoccupied)

I just returned from my first trip to the therapist at OHSU. I am having a very difficult time walking correctly and keeping my balance. My walking problem is coming from the fact that my right calf muscle is very weak, so I am using my heels to push off with as opposed to my toes. The toes are curling and I need to learn to relax them. Several of the exercises are designed to help me in this area. I am also to begin a series of exercises to strengthen my calf muscle. The doctors also told me that my 45 minutes on the stairmaster and eliptical are too long. So I will now do 15 minutes on the stairmaster, 15 minutes on the eliptical, and 15 minutes on the stationary bike (yuck!). They also said I could swim and Kath, Tory, and I both just laughed! I swim like a rock, so that will not be happening. As for my pain, I am able to do my supervision work during the day and run errands with Kath and only feel a bit of pain on a 1 to 2 level (10 point scale). The evenings when I relax is the bigger issue. I've had to resort to taking a pain med around 11pm or after. This is when I have experienced pain at levels 5 - 8. Being someone that has never used medicine, this has been a hard pill to swallow (a little play on words!). Mentally I am doing fine. I have such a fantastic wife, family, and friends that give me constant support. As I have said before, this is a war and all of these obstacles are the battles and I plan to fight each one. I will continue to keep you updated and I really do appreciate all that read this and give me your thoughts!