Earl goes for his fifth chemo treatment tomorrow, 9/6/07. He will then have four more to go. He'll be on the downhill path.... over half way! He is eager to find out the results of last week's CA19-9. We hope it is still in the normal range. The 5 was wonderful a month ago. Hope to see another one tomorrow.
Still not gaining much weight, but is eating more. He is trying!
He is doing just fine with the treatments. No problems. I am very glad that he isn't suffering.
At the same time, it just doesn't seem fair :-)
I went thru a full year of pure ...... let's just say I wouldn't wish that year on anyone. Guess this just proves science keeps learning and making things easier and better, we hope! I need to ask the Dr. what the treatment is now for my stage and type of cancer. It had changed to six months right before I completed my year. This was 15 years ago, so it may be even less now! I'm not really complaining.... it worked and I'm still here!!
My fear seems to be that these nine treatments might not be enough to prevent a recurrence in a couple of years. It seems so little for such a deadly cancer! May be the "no pain, no gain" thing.
Earl has been so touched by all the warm greetings he has gotten at church the last two Sundays. He is so glad to finally feel like playing his trumpet again. It wears him out, but he wants to do it. Does him good to make the effort! Keeps him going.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Earl's progress
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1 comment:
Hello Lillian, I stumbled on your blog by accident and have read every entry from the beginning. Earl's story means alot to me because it is the story I would have liked to have written about my dad. My father passed away on October 25th 2001 of pancreatic cancer. Like Earl, he was told the tumor was inoperable. Unfortunately, that didn't change so he made the best of it, tumor and all. We traveled from Cleveland Clinic to Barrett Cancer Center in Cincinnati trying chemotherapy, radiation, and even some clinical trials....anything to keep him going. But what worked for dad in the end was sheer will-power. My mother was entirely dependent on dad for her care, and he was determined to give it. Even at the end, when he was too sick to stand, he would somehow get in his car and drive to the pharmacy to pick up her meds. Oh how he loved her. Dad finally let go one year and 13 days after diagnosis but not until he made sure my mother would be cared for. He was 65 years old. Mom passed away on October 14th 2002, 11 days shy of one year after him, and in her dementia, she refused to believe he had ever passed away. She was 65 years old as well. They were married for 45 years. Their 46th anniversary was October 27th, she missed one anniversary with dad, she was determined not to miss another. I'm 33 years old now and I think about the both of them every day and what it would be like had things gone better for dad. Reading Earl's story made me smile and gave me comfort. I wish only the best for you and Earl, my thoughts and prayers will be with you.
Sincerely,
Alma
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