Chemo Treatment and a Lemonade Stand. This is Our Summer. |6-26-16|

Friday was an entire day of the new chemo called R- GemOx. The BMT (bone marrow transplant) doctors at Westwood all rotate when we have visits so we get to know each doctor and vice versa. We met with Dr. Abhyankar and a group of nurses right off the bat. They went over medications, scheduled the next few visits, and discussed this treatment plan.

They decided that it would be better to do 2 rounds of GemOx and then do a scan so we can get a better idea if it will work or not. These rounds are every 2 weeks instead of 3 weeks like the previous chemos he's done. So next week he just had an appointment for labs, then the following Friday he will get the next round of chemo, and a scan  the week after that. Of course I was excited to think he might just have to do one round then a scan, but we are glad they're doing it this way so that we don't get discouraged too soon. 

Everything went really well on Friday. They warned Mike of one of the side effects being that his fingers will be very sensitive to cold. The pharmacist told him to be careful about drinking beverages that are colder than room temperature, as well. He had already experienced both of these. He took a drink of cold Gatorade Friday night and he said it felt like he was swallowing an ice cold slush. Then, today, I absentmindedly handed him a can of Sprite right out of the fridge and holding the cold can made his fingers hurt. This must be some pretty potent stuff! 

Hes been a bit nauseous today, so he's been taking meds to help with that. Otherwise, he isn't feeling too terrible. We can't seem to agree on the temperature in the house though! He wants to be able to sit around in his shorts and be comfortable, but he's so cold all the time. I want to be able to wear sweats and a sweatshirt and be comfortable, and I am always so hot .... I might have to move a space heater into our room for him, and I'll stay out of there!

Friday night, our friends, Scott and Jana Chartier, asked if their girls could set up a lemonade stand Saturday morning in Mike's honor. They asked Molly & Lucy to help, and they were so excited! We had a wonderful time visiting with friends as they stopped and drank a cup of lemonade. Jana's mom, Nancy Rutland, was one of the masterminds behind this plan, too, and we are so in awe of everyone's kindness and thoughtfulness. It was a gorgeous summer day- a perfect day for a lemonade stand! 

I am hoping the week goes well for Mike. They don't have to give him the Neulasta shot this time, so they just monitor his bloodwork. Crossing my fingers for a smooth week! 

Thank you to every one of you for helping us get through another hard week!

XOXO

Robin