Synopsis

I wanted to catch everyone up with where we've been. Of course, we all know where we want to go: Cancer free and healthy again!

June 3rd: all is well (or so we thought)

June 4th: Daddy notices a lump on the left side of his throat (it hurts!) and goes to the doctor to have it checked out. At the same time, Daddy has a horrible headache that doesn't go away. The doctor thinks it needs to be looked at by someone else but orders a couple of tests.

June 5th: Daddy has a couple of tests and a cancer diagnosis is discussed. We begin to gather information and talk to people about thyroid cancer. We hear that it's mostly curable and is one of the easiest kinds of cancer to treat. We are encouraged by that news. Headache continues.

June 9th: Mom and Dad meet with an ENT surgeon/specialist who confirms the cancer diagnosis and discusses the type of cancer he believes it to be. He orders a couple of more tests - MRI of head/neck/chest and does a needle biopsy.

June 11th: Test results come back early. This can only be really good or really bad. It was really bad. He diagnosed it as anaplastic thyroid carcinoma but he hasn't done any surgery on that type of cancer. Refers to another specialist at UT Southwestern in Dallas.

Terry (my brother) and I do a TON of research online to read all we can about this diagnosis. I'm intimidated and scared by what I read. My brother, being so analytical about these things, continues to read and research.

June 16th: Meet with a specialist at UT Southwestern. He tells us that this is stage 4 and has already spread from thyroid to his lungs and lymph nodes. He also says 'aggressive' about 100 times just in case we didn't hear it and tells us he can't operate at this point.

June 22nd: Meet with the oncologist who is on the UT Southwestern team. She will 'head up' the treatment for Daddy. She's positive and we come away feeling like we've got a plan for this.

June 24th: PET scan to look at Dad's whole body and see exactly where the tumor is and how it has spread. It takes longer to prepare for the test than the actual scan.

June 25th: Radiation oncologist at Medical City is consulted. We decide we'd like treatment closer to home and we're referred to another UT Southwestern affiliate in Richardson. At this point, riding in the car is difficult for Daddy. He feels nauseous with all the motion so closer to home is best.

June 26th: Meet with the new radiation oncologist, make a treatment plan and begin treatment that day. Whew! We finally feel like we're on our way!

June 30th: Dad's heart is racing and he feels like he may be having a heart attack. Mom takes him to the ER and he's admitted for observation and some tests. Of course, his heart turns out to be fine! We miss a couple of days of radiation while he's there and the speech therapist does the first swallowing study since Dad's throat seems a little 'tight' when he eats.

July 2nd-9th (weekdays): Dad receives radiation treatments each day. Mom is his chauffeur and the care-taker making sure he gets to all of his appointments and takes the right medications at the right time. July 6th is their 46th wedding anniversary. They celebrated it by going to radiation. We pray that next year's anniversary is better than this one and maybe they'll be on another cruise!

July 9th: Meet again with the oncologist who will manage Daddy's chemo. She describes the meds she will use (Taxol and Carboplatin) and the course she'd like to take: once a week treatment for three weeks, one week off and then another round or two of that. A starting date of July 16th is set.

July 13th: Radiation is complete. We feel 'jazzed' that Dad has done so well with radiation. However, over the next couple of days, his throat really closes up and he starts having more trouble swallowing. He's also spitting up more phlegm than before.

July 16th: chemo day 1. He has 7 medications to take before and after his chemo treatments. In addition, he has 4 IV's of pre-chemo drugs and then 2 IV's of the chemo drugs. It takes all day but again, we are 'jazzed' that he seems to be doing fine. No nausea, just tired that night.

July 17th: Dad can't keep liquids down and he's coughing more and more

July 19th: Dad's having a hard time breathing. Gets a new prescription for an inhaler which helps. He can't sleep laying flat in the bed and stays in his recliner all night long.

July 23rd: Should be chemo day 2. His throat is raw and sore. He's got lots of mucus and phlegm. Doctor advises giving his body a rest through the weekend and coming back on Monday.

July 25th: Dad has a fever. Go to the ER. He's given IV fluids since he's dehydrated. This is a direct result of the throat being so closed up and all the mucus. He's lost a lot of weight.

July 26th: Back to the oncologist. She advises no chemo today. Daddy is given fluids by IV and is set up for a PICC line (permanent port in his arm/chest to receive chemo/fluids) for the next day.

July 27th: PICC line is put in. He receives IV fluids at the doctor's office and a home health nurse meets us at the house to discuss how total nutrition will be administered to Dad at home. He is still trying to eat as much as he can while still receive his nutrition from the IV.

July 30th: PICC line is clogged. Nurses try to fix it.

July 31st: New PICC line put in.

August 1st: Daddy's heart is racing again. Head to the ER where they decide to admit him - again! The pulmonary doctor takes 2L of fluid off Daddy's chest. They add antivertigo meds to help with some of the mucus. Discuss whether he has pneumonia.

August 3rd: We continue to be concerned that Daddy isn't getting enough calories. It's recommended that he get a stomach tube to get his nutrition. Since Dad has lost some more weight, he agrees to have this done.

August 4th: PICC line fell out of Daddy's arm. Within a couple of hours, a new one is put in.

August 5th: The pulmonary doctor comes in and removes more fluid from Daddy's chest.

August 6th: In preparation of the stomach tube procedure and a procedure to add a chest tube and because Daddy has some internal bleeding, they give him 2 units of blood.

August 7th: The anesthesiologist doesn't feel comfortable with Daddy's vital signs so doesn't want to put in the stomach tube. However, the chest tube is put in and hooked up to a motor to help pull fluids from Daddy's chest.

August 8th: Daddy is moved to ICU so they can keep a better 'eye' on him and he also receives 2 more units of blood.

August 9th: Daddy looks better today and the doctor says the internal bleeding has 'slowed' so he's improving. Yeah for Daddy! Also, the stomach tube procedure is scheduled for the morning of the 10th.

August 10th: Stomach tube inserted without issues. Dad is moved back to the regular floor.

August 11th: Dad gets to 'eat' through his stomach tube. We're hoping this helps him gain some weight and helps him get stronger. He still has the chest tube although the fluid has slowed.

So, there you have a (little) synopsis of what's been going on during the past few weeks. I tried to keep the explanations brief and didn't add too much 'fluff.' The purpose of this blog will be to keep people updated and I'll add a couple stories about my dad as we go along. Please come back often, comment if you'd like, but pray, pray, pray for all of us - and Daddy's doctors/nurses that they help us make the right decisions for his health.

Please don't be too critical of my medical jargon and improper use of such. I'm not an expert at that kind of stuff!

Blessings to you!
Tena