Rough weekend for Earl - Prayers needed

This has been a strange weekend for Earl. When I came in from work Friday afternoon, he was sitting in his recliner. Seemed fine. Sleeping is not unusual for him at this time of day, so I let him sleep about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. I knew he should have something to eat, but when I tried to wake him, I about gave up. He kept going right back to sleep regardless of me talking to him, etc.

After 15-20 min. I did get him to get up, but he was very unsteady on his feet, so I stayed right with him while he walked to the back of the house. When I asked him if he wanted me to get his walker, he said it would probably be a good idea. Up into the attic to get his walker down. He used it the rest of the evening. He parked it on Saturday and went back to his cane.

He ate some beef stew and not long after that he started complaining about his stomach hurting. This continued until after he went to bed very late. The pain moved down into his lower abdomen later in the evening. He even took a couple of pain pills for the stomach pain.

Saturday morning, he was still hurting and took more pain pills. He gradually seemed to feel better as Saturday passed. Sunday, he slept late and didn't get up until late morning. When he tried to eat some scrambled eggs and toast around noon, he took a couple of bites and immediately headed for the bathroom.

He threw up the worst looking gunk! It was dark gray stuff that looked like brackish swamp water. No telling how long this stuff had been sitting in his stomach. Probably the cause of his pain on Saturday. He felt much better afterward, but did not eat much. Headed back to bed.

He has continued to sleep a lot today. At one point, he stopped at my office door across the hall from our bedroom. He kept leaning up against the door frame and closing his eyes like he was trying to go to sleep standing there!! He went back to bed and slept most of the afternoon.

He woke late afternoon and read the newspaper some. Wanted to go the church for the Thanksgiving dinner this evening, but was just too weak. Finally decided he would have some chicken noodle soup. He does seem to be feeling better. He's up and just went down the hall toward the living room. Hope he isn't up all night, because he slept so much today. Didn't stay long, he's back on the bed under his electric throw.

Earl came in on Wednesday with the report that his CA19-9 from a couple of weeks ago was up to 90+. Doctor thinks this will come down some since this series of treatments. Earl will return to Doctor on Dec. 1st. I don't know if they will start another series of treatment or just do blood work.

The 5FU pills made his fingers split and become very sore the first 14 days he took them. He began using lotions and whatever he could think of to try to promote healing. He finally realized that the Melaleuca MelaGel seemed to help the most. He has applied that every day of this 14 days of pills and his fingers have not split like they did the first series. He takes the pills 14 days, then is off seven days.

His hands and some of his fingers are swollen along with his feet and lower legs. The fluid buildup is related to the chemo. He continues to run low grade fevers about once a week or at least every 10 days or so. The fevers last about 24 hours and usually go away when treated with Tylenol. A couple of times they have been over 103 degrees.

He continues to have back pain most nights and is taking strong pain meds to relieve it so he can sleep.

He has gained a few pounds, but I'm not sure if it is true gain or fluid buildup. He is still only 154 lbs. and so very thin. He has learned to give himself the shots to help control the diarrhea. He is supposed to take them every 4-6 hours, but I don't think he remembers to take them more than a couple of times each day.

I'm sorry I haven't been updating this much lately. It's just the same old things all the time. Not much progress to really report. It seems to be a step or two forward and about 10 steps back. I'm trying to keep my life on track and must work to keep insurance going. It's very hard some days to get up at 6:30 and get ready for work when I didn't get to sleep until after 3 a.m. vigil with Earl. Liana has been a tremendous help. She takes Earl for his treatments, which allows me to go to work. She also helps with his Mother. I don't know how I would be managing without her help.

With his numbers creeping upward, prayer is about all we can ask of you. Please continue to pray for us. We need your prayers so very much. It is very hard to see him going down so rapidly and have courage that things will be better. He continues to remain positive that he will beat it again!

His daughter and her husband will be coming down from Richmond, VA on Friday. I know it will perk him up to see her.

Thank you for all your prayers.
Lillian