Struggles

After Lou's last chemo we were trying to remain optimistic about things turning around! But....the following week, we had record snowfall in Dallas - 12 inches! - and lost our electricity for almost 13 hours - from midnight Thursday night until almost 1p.m. on Friday! I kept the fireplace burning brightly all night long - but....it was fairly cold in the house and was starting to look pretty bleak when the lights and HEAT finally came back on! We were so very thankful! Lost most everything in the fridge and freezers - but......at least we got through! However, Lou hadn't told me that he was starting to feel sick! By Saturday evening - he had a full blown sore throat and 102.6 temp!!!! I called the Dr. and got a prescription of antibiotics for him - but..he was a VERY sick boy for several days! We did go to the Dr. on Monday the 15th - Lou's b-day! - for his bloodwork and Dr. visit for the Thursday chemo. News wasn't good! All of the liver function numbers and the CEA count were all high and troublesome! While we thought maybe the Oxaliplatin was holding the tumors back - the blood numbers are saying something else is going on! Then, last Thursday - the 18th - we went for chemo. Within 10 minutes of starting the Oxaliplatin - Lou had a huge reaction - numbness in his lips / face - trouble breathing - and full out flush to his face and neck. Teddie stopped the drugs immediately - started Lou on oxygen - and called the Dr. Needless to say - that's the last time he'll have Oxaliplatin! We waited about and hour and then Lou finished the other chemo drugs and we came home - exhausted and bewildered! Between Lou having been sick and still coping with the leftover congestion - he's been exhausted and in bed most of the last 3 days. His weight had plummeted another 6 lbs in the 10 days since he was last weighed - so...in 5 weeks - he's down 16 lbs! Between being sick and having no appetite - it's really taking a toll on him!

So....the new plan is that they'll try the one remaining drug at the next chemo on March 4 to see if it will help the out of control tumors in his liver! We're hoping and praying for the best - but...do have to say that Lou's attitude is waning and depression is beginning to get the better of him many days! We're doing everything possible to get him to eat - I really think it's like a vicious circle! The weight loss is definitely taking a toll on the way he feels - he feels bad much of the time - so, he doesn't eat - and it makes him weaker and feel worse!!! I try to work in as many calories as possible into anything that he'll eat - but....he eats so little of anything that it's really a challenge!

Please continue to pray for Lou, for his appetite, his attitude, and for this new chemo drug that we'll start on the 4th of March! Pray the new drug will work against the tumors and that the side effects will be nominal! Reading about this drug - he'll lose his hair almost guaranteed - which is something he's not happy about - but....it also has bigger side effects of nausea and diarrhea! First of all - as just discussed, he cannot afford to lose much more weight - he's down 55 lbs from his all time high - shortly before he got sick! - and if the nausea and diarrhea isn't controlled somewhat - I really think he'll opt to NOT take the drug.

Thank you for your continued prayer, support, and love! If you have time - please call Lou on his cell phone (not before noon Dallas time - please!) and chat with him! He so enjoys visiting in person or on the phone! He needs encouragement and at the same time he LOVES to reminisce about the past - all the "good old" days!!! It's a great diversion for him!!! His cell # is 972/839-8271. If he doesn't answer, please leave a message and number and he'll call you back! Sometimes he forgets to put his phone by him and/or he doesn't hear it sometimes! But...he'll LOVE to hear from you!

Appreciate all of you!
Love,
Deb