Mark is doing great. He's eating much better, the sweats and rashes are mostly gone, and he is back to being his old self. He is still a bit weak and seems to wear out quickly however. He is currently taking Dexamethasone and although it didn't seem to make him moody last time, it sure is this time!
Mark has been spending some time tinkering on all his toys and was hoping to make a trip to the Dunes this weekend. Sounds like that may not happen due to the weather though.
We'd like to wish Kim and Denese good luck. Kim is getting ready for his second transplant next week, if all goes accordingly.
Also, a couple of weeks ago, Mark and Dianna met a couple at the Huntsman. They are from Erda and he has Multiple Myeloma. They think his name is John. Dianna's computer crashed and they lost the only email they had from them. If you see this email and we're talking about you, please send Mark and Dianna another email so they can stay in touch.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Great News
Mark was given the release from Dr. Zangari to begin his maintenance program and he started the medication regimen today. He will receive two of them by I.V. injection once a week at the hospital and a pill once a week that he'll take at home. He will go to the hospital every Wednesday for the I.V. and to do lab work.
Mark and Dianna will see Dr. Z again on May 22nd. If everything looks good then, they will do another round of testing and then schedule the second transplant for June sometime (Mark is NOT looking forward to that).
Mark is feeling a bit better each day, starting to eat, and gaining more strength.
We can't thank you all enough for your prayers and support, gifts and cards. We will continue to keep the blog updated as newsworthy things happen. In the meantime, we hope you all have a great spring.
CANCER IS SO LIMITED THAT:
~ It cannot cripple love
~ It cannot shatter hope
~ It cannot corrode faith
~ It cannot destroy peace
~ It cannot kill friendship
~ It cannot suppress memories
~ It cannot silence courage
~ It cannot invade the soul
~ It cannot steal eternal life
~ It cannot conquer the spirit
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
No Infection!
Mark met with the infectious disease doctor yesterday. The doctor just shook her head and said she didn't know why Dr. Zangari sent Mark in to see her. I guess that's good news. She did go over all his lab work and gave him an exam but did not see any infection that would concern her. Mark's rash is gone so the doctor figures it must have just been a reaction from the bandage that was covering his port.
Dianna and Shane did yard work over the weekend and Mark insisted on riding on the lawn mower for a bit. He also thought he could spray some weeds down but of course that wasn't a good idea. It still doesn't take much to make him sick but Dianna still has trouble keeping him from doing too much.
Mark's sweating episodes have slowed down quite a bit and he's gaining some energy back. He's still having trouble eating -- nothing sounds good to him and he just doesn't feel like it.
The next appointment is with Dr. Zangari on Wednesday and then hopefully he will be on maintenance until June (daily pill regimen plus weekly lab work). As a side note, one of those pills cost $5,000 per bottle. Thank God for insurance!
Dianna and Shane did yard work over the weekend and Mark insisted on riding on the lawn mower for a bit. He also thought he could spray some weeds down but of course that wasn't a good idea. It still doesn't take much to make him sick but Dianna still has trouble keeping him from doing too much.
Mark's sweating episodes have slowed down quite a bit and he's gaining some energy back. He's still having trouble eating -- nothing sounds good to him and he just doesn't feel like it.
The next appointment is with Dr. Zangari on Wednesday and then hopefully he will be on maintenance until June (daily pill regimen plus weekly lab work). As a side note, one of those pills cost $5,000 per bottle. Thank God for insurance!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Still No Appetite
So sorry for the delay in posting an update.
Mark ended up being too weak over Easter to make a trip to the dunes so they opted to go to a movie instead. That alone wore him out.
With no appetite, he has continued to lose weight and is down to 221.
Mark came down with a urine infection this week so he is taking more antibiotics. He will see an infectious disease doctor on Monday about his sweating and a rash that just won't go away. Then next Wednesday he will see Dr. Z again.
Mark ended up being too weak over Easter to make a trip to the dunes so they opted to go to a movie instead. That alone wore him out.
With no appetite, he has continued to lose weight and is down to 221.
Mark came down with a urine infection this week so he is taking more antibiotics. He will see an infectious disease doctor on Monday about his sweating and a rash that just won't go away. Then next Wednesday he will see Dr. Z again.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Finally Some Good News
Mark and Dianna met with Dr. Zangari today and everything looks great. The Echo and EKG results show no problems with Mark's heart and Dr. Z found no infections. Mark hasn't thrown up since Monday and is no longer having trouble with the random sweating episodes.
Mark is doing so well, in fact, that Dr. Z gave him the go-ahead to make a trip to the dunes as long as Mark doesn't over-do it. Dianna may drive him out for a day this weekend, weather permitting. He should continue to avoid large crowds and stay away from anyone that is sick.
Dr. Zangari thinks Mark may be allergic to the bandages that were covering his port. He pulled his port and will go ahead with the double lumen tube in his arm when they do the next stem cell transplant.
Mark and Dianna will go back to the hospital on Wednesday and Mark will begin his maintenance drugs then. Assuming Mark is healthy and strong, Dr. Z is forecasting mid-June for the second transplant.
Hope you all have a very nice Easter.
Mark is doing so well, in fact, that Dr. Z gave him the go-ahead to make a trip to the dunes as long as Mark doesn't over-do it. Dianna may drive him out for a day this weekend, weather permitting. He should continue to avoid large crowds and stay away from anyone that is sick.
Dr. Zangari thinks Mark may be allergic to the bandages that were covering his port. He pulled his port and will go ahead with the double lumen tube in his arm when they do the next stem cell transplant.
Mark and Dianna will go back to the hospital on Wednesday and Mark will begin his maintenance drugs then. Assuming Mark is healthy and strong, Dr. Z is forecasting mid-June for the second transplant.
Hope you all have a very nice Easter.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Quick Update
Mark has been feeling pretty good over the last couple of days and has been able to hold some food down. He will go to the hospital tomorrow for an echo, labs and to meet with a couple of doctors.
Mark is still trying to convince Dianna that heading out to the dunes would be great medicine but she's not budging.
Mark is still trying to convince Dianna that heading out to the dunes would be great medicine but she's not budging.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Not the News We Wanted to Hear
Unfortunately Dr. Z did not write a prescription for time off. Mark is throwing up again at times (not every day but occasionally), and today it happened right in front of the doctor.
Mark has had a rash that Dianna has been able to control with cortisone but it is now under his bandages where the port is (and where they can't use anything to control it). Dr. Z thinks Mark may have an infection somewhere. Mark is still have terrible sweating episodes for no apparent reason. In addition, his white blood cell count is going down (at 4.5 today).
Dianna is having a difficult time getting him to eat or drink anything so every time they go to the hospital, Mark is in need of fluids. The fluids make him feel better but they knock him out for the rest of the night.
Dr. Z is running more tests, including an electrocardiogram and an echocardiogram, to watch his heart because the port runs into the left ventricle. If Mark is still sick by Friday, Dr Z. may pull his port and put a double lumen tube in his arm.
It's still very hard on Mark because he wants to be able to get around and do things but he just can't. Sometimes when people are sick, getting up and moving around can help build up strength. In Mark's case, doing that could easily cause over-exertion and make him sick. He has been told to do nothing but rest and that his strength and energy will come back if he just gives it time.
Mark and Dianna will find out tomorrow when they will go in for testing and another appointment with the doctor.
Mark has had a rash that Dianna has been able to control with cortisone but it is now under his bandages where the port is (and where they can't use anything to control it). Dr. Z thinks Mark may have an infection somewhere. Mark is still have terrible sweating episodes for no apparent reason. In addition, his white blood cell count is going down (at 4.5 today).
Dianna is having a difficult time getting him to eat or drink anything so every time they go to the hospital, Mark is in need of fluids. The fluids make him feel better but they knock him out for the rest of the night.
Dr. Z is running more tests, including an electrocardiogram and an echocardiogram, to watch his heart because the port runs into the left ventricle. If Mark is still sick by Friday, Dr Z. may pull his port and put a double lumen tube in his arm.
It's still very hard on Mark because he wants to be able to get around and do things but he just can't. Sometimes when people are sick, getting up and moving around can help build up strength. In Mark's case, doing that could easily cause over-exertion and make him sick. He has been told to do nothing but rest and that his strength and energy will come back if he just gives it time.
Mark and Dianna will find out tomorrow when they will go in for testing and another appointment with the doctor.
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