Wonderful Thanksgiving

We hope that you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving. At the beginning of the week it was decided that mom and dad were going to make the trek over the mountains and through the woods to Sisters to spend Thanksgiving with us. Dad had chemo on Wednesday like normal despite asking the doctor to forgo the week so he could have a good holiday. The doctor continues to be pleased with how dad is responding to this treatment. His cancer cell count is down to 2,000. All of his other vitals were good except that he had lost 2 pounds.

So we were a bit nervous about mom and dad driving here on Thursday morning. The roads are icy in the mornings even if there hasn't been snow. Sarah had come home from college on Wednesday and said that the roads were pretty clear; just a few spots of packed snow and ice. Mom and dad arrived safely. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Dad was very tired so after some breakfast, he rested most of the day. We did get him up for our turkey dinner and he ate quite a plate full. He didn't use oxygen all weekend long and was doing pretty good other than being so tired. He is dealing with another infection so he was popping pills but at least we were together.

We were blessed by the wonderful people that I work for. They knew that mom and dad were coming and wanted me to be able to spend time with them and not cooking all weekend long. So they prepared meals for us ahead of time and also gave us a gift card to our local grocery store to help with the cost. We had a wonderful beef stroganoff that was made with pot roast, a very yummy Mexican lasagna , cranberry cream cheese bars and french toast made with eggnog. Thanksgiving morning they delivered a fresh pumpkin and chocolate cream pie and also a pumpkin roll. What a blessing. It really did allow me to spend more time with mom and dad and we never wanted for anything.

Mom and dad headed out about 1:00 on Saturday, just before the famous Sisters Christmas parade. They wanted to get home before it got too dark. Dad told me as he was walking out the door that he hoped it wasn't his last Thanksgiving but if it was, it was a good one. Dad actually drove the whole 150+ miles home. They got home and unpacked, went to the Twisted Comfort restaurant for a bowl of soup and then rested for the evening. Sunday they were able to make it to church and had a very quite day.

Another highlight for mom and dad was having Sarah come from college to spend the weekend with them last weekend. She came to help them decorate their apartment for Christmas. They were thinking they wouldn't get to do very much but with Sarah's help, in her words, "Santa vomited all over Grandpa and Grandma's house". They were very appreciative of her spending the weekend with 2 old people, hanging Christmas decor.

We hope this holiday season is a special time for all of you. That you get to spend quality AND quantity time with your loved ones. Remember the true reason for the season: For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life. May God bless you all!

Chemo Day

Dad had chemo again today. His numbers continue to be good. His blood pressure is good, he gained 1 pound, his oxygen was down to 89% and his blood count was good, even the red. The best news is that his cancer count continues to go down. When we started this journey in January, dads cancer count was 42,000. It went as low as 3,000 before starting to rise again. That is when the doctor decided to switch his chemo treatment. Well, his count went from 6,500 to 3,000 this week. The doctor is really pleased how dad's body is responding to this chemo treatment. Dad sounded good tonight, no nausea and feeling really good. It's a good day in the Cameron household.

Good Visit

We got to spend some time with mom and dad this weekend. Dad was doing pretty good on Friday. Sarah and I both spent the night with them. We got up on Saturday and met Chuck and Aunt Charlene for breakfast. Dad ate all of his breakfast!! Mom said he hasn't done that for awhile. That afternoon dad rested while mom, Sarah and I went to a movie. Mom doesn't go to movies very often so this was a nice outing for her despite the pouring rain. Steve and Emily showed up around 5 and we had some pizza. Dad just wasn't feeling well enough to go to the volleyball game. It was pouring down rain and we really can't have him getting sick. With his immune system down we decided it best if he not venture out in the cold. Kaity's team won her volleyball game so we are one of 8 teams going to the state playoffs next weekend. We stopped by mom and dad's on the way out of town so Kaity could say hello. I have posted some pictures so you can see how mom looks with her new hair do and how dad looks with his new no-hair do.

Dad meets with his surgeon tomorrow to get his stitches out around his port. They will also determine if the procedure they did last week will allow them to use the port or if they will need to remove it and put in a new port somewhere else. Mom also has a doctors appt tomorrow. We have discovered that she has not been taking care of herself and taking her medications either. It will not be a fun visit for her but it will hopefully get her back on track. I will let you know what happens.

Cancer Count Down

Dad had a good appointment today. His blood pressure was almost perfect, his temp was normal and he maintained his weight. His red blood count was a bit low but not too low that they couldn't give him the chemo treatment. They gave him intravenous medication with his chemo to help bring those numbers back up. The doctor said that dad's body is responding very well to this chemo treatment, that his cancer count is down and he believes dad is going to be around for awhile. He said that dad will continue to have good and bad days. Mom mentioned that since dad is responding so well to this new treatment they will probably make it a weekly treatment and not do the 3 weeks on, 1 week off.

I just talked to dad and he said he is a bit nauseated and didn't eat much dinner. He is really tired because he hasn't slept much the last 2 nights. I pray that he will have a really good night of sleep tonight, and if he needs, tomorrow as well.

We'll keep you posted.

Hairy Mom, Hairless Dad

Now that is a headline! Dad did have chemo last week. Mom took dad because Chuck and Aunt Charlene weren't able to. Mom and dad both appreciate everything they do for them but mom was glad to be with dad and hear the doctor's report first hand. He had gained a few pounds but not all that he had lost the week before. His blood pressure was better and obviously his blood count was up since he received the chemo. Because he was so sick and dehydrated last week, they cut the strength of the chemo in half. They also told him that he was not to let himself get like that again. If he has those same issues, he is to call them immediately so they can address it right away.

His port is still not normal so he has been getting all of his blood work and chemo through his arms. He has an appointment on Monday with the surgeon that put the port in to see what is wrong and what needs to be done to fix it. With his treatments continuing, this is very important to get resolved. It is getting harder for the nurses to find his veins so he is getting poked and prodded more than he would like.

Now to explain the headline. Aunt Charlene bought mom a wig. For those who know mom, her hair has gotten very thin in the last year or so (dad says it is sympathy hair loss). Mom likes it and says it makes her feel better. Dad, on the other hand, has lost almost all of his hair. He says that he brushes it in the morning and the brush is full of hair. Yesterday he took off his hat and his hair was still in it. He says he only has a few strands left and is sure they will be gone this week. He has had nausea and is tired but not as bad as the previous treatment.

Mom says that dad is getting pretty lonely. He is so use to being out and about doing his plumbing or taking pictures and now he is home all day long without much human contact. He did get to to go to the Halloween party that mom's company had on Friday. He even got to take pictures of all the kids in their costumes. Several of mom's co-workers visited with him and that was good for his spirits. He did get pretty tired after just a few hours. Once again, thanks to mom's awesome employer for being so supportive of everything mom and dad are going through.

He has treatment again this week and then he will get a week off. We are hoping and praying that he is well enough to go to Kaity's volleyball game in Milwaukie at LaSalle High School on Saturday night. This is a playoff game with the winner going to the state playoffs the following weekend in Eugene. The game is at 7:00 pm which is usually when dad is in bed. I'm hoping maybe he could have a late afternoon nap and then maybe come to a game or two.

Pray, pray, pray.

Thanks for all your prayers and words of encouragement.

No Chemo Today

Aunt Charlene called me this morning to give me details about dad. He couldn't have chemo today because his blood count is too high. He has lost all the weight he gained and then some, oxygen last week was 98% and this week it is 86%, blood pressure last week was 102/90 this week it is 98/62 and his temp is 97.8. The doctor said he is dehydrated and so he is given dad liquids intravenously for 2 hours for today, tomorrow and Friday at the office – hoping to avoid a hospital stay. They are doing it through his arm and not his port because it appears his port may be infected so they are checking that out as well.

I talked to dad tonight and he did sound a bit better. He says he is doing is oxygen (which mom said he hasn't been doing like he is supposed to) but still is having the same issues even though the doctor gave him a prescription. I think after the 3 intravenous hydration appts he should start feeling better. Just maybe, mom and dad could have a good weekend!

Very Sick

Dad has been quite ill since Saturday. Mom says he hasn't eaten anything since Saturday that hasn't come back up. He has a very bad case of diarrhea, so bad that they doctor has prescribed medication to hopefully stop it. I have talked to dad every night and he is very honest in saying he doesn't feel good at all; he doesn't even try to hide it like he has in the past. He has told mom that he is about ready to give in. He told me that he emotionally feels bad that he can't really function and be with people like when Sarah was there this past weekend. When I talked to him tonight, he talked maybe 1 or 2 minutes and was very winded and said he couldn't talk any more.

We have reminded him that we will support whatever choice he makes as far as continuing treatment or not. We know what we want but he is the one who has to suffer the effects of the chemo and he has been told that it won't be easy. We don't know if his current health situation will stop his treatment tomorrow. I will let you know what happens.

We appreciate your thoughts and prayers.