Taxotera=Suckotera

Hi all! Well February has come and almost gone...and I have let my blog draft sit for far too long! [Sorry Nan!] Dad has now had three treatments of Taxotera...which I would like to call "suckotera". Dad has been so blessed the last year to be basically side effect free from the chemos, but the taxotera is showing no mercy. Dad has honestly felt like crap since he started on taxotera. It's not allowing him to sleep, he is throwing up more, and worst of all, in his opinion, he is losing his hair. We went to get it cut a few weeks ago when it started falling out which was hard for Dad, but honestly I love his hair short! Since then his hair has thinned out a lot, but still holding strong. We were cracking up today because it's almost like his brown hair fell out, and his grey hair is hanging on for dear life! 

Dad had an appointment with Dr. Siever last week to check on his wheezing. The symbicort inhaler is working wonders for Dad and is helping him breath a lot better. He uses it twice a day and then a different inhaler if he needs in between. While he was there he was prescribed Trazadone for anxiety and Percocet for pain in hopes that that was the cause of him not sleeping. It was a rough week for Dad trying to figure out the right "cocktail" to use. The mixtures were either too strong so he was sleeping in until 8 (unheard of, even for a good night's sleep) and "hungover" all day from the drugs or the mixtures were too light and he was getting up at midnight. Dad thinks he has figured out the right dosage to take and will hopefully be on the road to many restful nights. Sheesh, the things a guy's gotta do to get some sleep!

Yesterday was another chemo day, it is amazing how some days are so packed and full of long waits and others are empty and we get called back the second we sit in the waiting room! Standard blood work first and then we saw Dr. K which went well. We talked about how Dad has been feeling (every time he gets asked all he does is take of his hat to show his hair loss, it makes me laugh) and all the new drugs Dad is on. Dr. K wants Dad to see Dr. Goodall, a counselor at MD Anderson. He thinks it will be beneficial to Dad to talk to someone considering he has been living with a life changing disease the last year. He thinks it will hopefully it will help with the sleeping so that should be scheduled here pretty soon.

I feel like we need to start calling chemo "chemo with Kristine" because we always request her to be our nurse (naturally, she is the best). Chatting with her always makes the chemo go by so much faster...but lets be honest we are only up there two hours! My good friend Cynthia had her class make get well cards for Dad which were soo sweet. We opened them during chemo and were laughing so hard!

The group fav "Hello OJ, My name is Carolina. I am 7 years old. I hope you get mush (much) better. I like spgedy (spagetti). I hope you love my pigr (picture). Happy Valentines Day!"

We have one more round of chemo to do and then we will rescan to see how it is working. When Dad was at Siever's they did an Xray which showed no change in the tumor since we started, which is good it is stable. We don't have much planned the next few weeks, just hanging out! Will keep you updated, thank you for all the continued prayers...we are so blessed!

Chemo 2/5/2013

Chemo 2/5/2013

Valentine's Day @ Morning Squeeze...best date ever!

Like father like daughter...naptime never gets old

<3<3<3<3<3

 

 

 

 

 

PS-I DO have a sister who spends all of her free time with Dad as well, she just doesn't like to take pictures :) #shoutout Love ya sis.