Today's Adventures

Blaine and I arrived at DHMC at 8:00 this morning. He had an MRI followed by a pet-scan. It was about 12:30 PM by the time we made it to the Hematology/Oncology unit where he will be for the next while. He hadn't eaten since the night before, and was starved. It took until after 2:00 to get the ok for him to eat. They were right to be safe, but he was glad for some food! They took labs, waited for the results, ordered meds, prepared three med pumps (one for his medi-port, the others for two other IV sites they started). They filled him full of anti-emetics (anti nausea), and finally at about 7:00 PM everything was in place and they began delivering the chemo meds through all three sites. The list is frightening, and we're not going to even try to list all possible side effects, save to say they can be scary. He will have 24 hour a day chemo for the next four or five days. He will not be home before Monday we understand, not Sunday, assuming there are no complications. With all the drugs they're hitting him with, my read of the nurses is almost to expect a complication or two. But, he has surprised us all before.

They say he will probably not really start to feel it until tomorrow afternoon. They don't say much beyond that. His spirits aren't as good as they have been, the results yesterday were a blow to him. Even so, his faith is in God. With Him, all things are possible, and as Juanita pointed out, He is the Master Physician.

Blaine is in a double occupancy room since the hospital is full. Apparently, we aren't the only ones with trials! A good friend of ours was just one door over. Since he is not in a private room, I could not spend the night, and am typing from home. I was soooo not happy to leave him there, but he was more concerned with the kids than himself. When I called home to tell them I was on my way, Kyle answered. I told him, and he went silent. "Why?" "Do you want me to stay with Dad?" I asked. "Yeah!" he responded. He was the one I was MOST concerned about, but he wasn't happy that I would not be with his Dad. We will count our blessings.

We love our docs! Can we say that? They truly seem to care about him, and Nandi Reddy, the fellow, says he has spent more time on Blaine this week than on his family. He wanted us to know that and to know that he was very much fighting this one with us. He was a little emotional when telling us this, and we sooooo appreciate it. Dr. Bengston is also very concerned, and doesn't want to miss anything. We are grateful for their dedication, and honest care and concern. They are good, good guys.

We are also truly so very grateful for the love and prayers of so many, especially those who will be fasting with us, and those who have been with us all the while. Check out the 'Sweet Times' link to the side. Thanks Lisa, so much. And everyone else. Also a thank-you to those who fed our kids and picked up Kyle from school when our teenagers were unavailable to do so. So many kindnesses, it would be impossible to name them all, so I'll quit trying for fear I'll miss some.

I'll try to update this nightly, but no promises. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Marleigh