Good News! Went to Emory today for additional blood work due to the blood clot. Joe's platelets are UP!!!!!!! They are at 117,000. Having said that, Joe will not continue on the clinical trial drug which apparently was the cause for his platelets to lower. On June 9th Joe will start back on the chemo drug, Temodar with what they refer to as the maintenance plan. This plan is 5 days every 28 days he will take Temodar at a higher dosage.

The swelling in his left leg due to the blood clot has gone down a little. Dr Voloschin said it would take a couple of weeks for the swelling to be totally gone.

His right eye is much better. The redness & pain are gone.

Joe has been extremely fatigued & weak but it was explained to us again today that this is due to the radiation treatment. We were told that around the 9th or 10th week he should be regaining his strength and be passed the fatigue for the most part. Joe asked me to let everyone know that this was to be expected and that each day he will get stronger. He knows that those of you who have been around us the last couple of weeks were concerned but he wants to assure everyone that he will get stronger & rested.

We appreciate everything and everyone! Love you all!!!

I woke up this morning about 5:30am to Joe crying out in pain with leg cramps. Got him up and his legs stretched out. He then fell back to sleep. He slept until 7:30am which then I got him up and to the couch in order to take all his meds, 2 eye drops, test his blood sugar level & the Lovenox injection. He eat breakfast and now is back sleeping.

I hope this is just a little bump in the road and he will get past it over the weekend.

Later.

Came to a curve in the road of our journey today...we went to Emory for the usual labs today and found that Joe's platelets had not changed any and remain low.

We also discovered Joe has a blood clot in his left femur. His ankle has been swollen off and on but this week it had gotten worse and this morning his big toe was blue. We brought it to Dr Voloschin's attention today and he ordered an ultrasound which verified that there is a blood clot. Dr Voloschin then sent us to the infusion lab for Joe's first injection of the blood thinner, Lovenox. Guess who got to inject him in his abdomen???!!! I received my training of 2 minutes and BAM as Emirle would say it was a done deal! So everyday for at least the next 6 months Joe will be receiving Lovenox,by subcutaneous injection by me twice a day in the abdomen.

Next Dr Voloschin deferred us to Joe's local eye doctor to treat his right eye. Dr Newman diagnosis the red watering eye as having herpes virus the same virus that caused the cold sores inside and outside his mouth that Dr Voloschin had been treating.

So what was suppose to be a simple couple of hours today having his labs done ended being a full day and 3 new drugs to add to the list.

We also experienced our first use of a wheelchair. Now that may not sound like much but it's a big thing with Joe. It's like some kind of surrender to him. However, we turned it around with a few good laughs of me steering him into things such as the elevator wall. Or better yet when he has his foot sticking out when I'm trying to turn a corner! :) You have to reach down deep for those laughs but it's what gets you through the day.

We have to be back at Emory on Monday for follow up labs and to see Dr Voloschin and then again next Thursday as well as Dr Newman in Conyers on Thursday afternoon.

Just a reminder Joe can't type on the keyboard or email or text on his cell phone. If you what to contact him he ask that you call him. He is very fatigued & weak but will either answer your call or return as soon as he is able. Thanks for the understanding.

I am also sharing your messages with him from the blog.

Yesterday was not so good of a day for Joe. He was very fatigue more so then ever. He was also very weak most of all in his legs. However when I got home after work he insisted on attending the opening ceremony of the Walton Co Relay for Life. My office had a team in the Relay in honor of Joe. He hung in there and we were both glad he was able to show the girls his appreciation by attending. Some of our friends also attended and we were excited to see them there.

This morning Joe woke with a headache, weaker & nauseated. I called the doctor and we were instructed to increase the steroid back up to 6mg again. He took pain medication which is causing him to sleep which he needs.

Cheryl brought me groceries so we are set for a quiet afternoon and evening and hopefully uneventful. Be back later.

Supporting the troops

The below link takes you to The Newton Citizen newspaper article that was written about Joe & the WWR, etc. There is another picture that you can see if you go to the newspaper site itself. I may be able to add it later today.

Supporting the troops

I want to clarify how I said something earlier. When Dr Crocker lowered the steroid dosage to 2mg, Joe & I were in agreement with that decision. The physician has to lower the dosage gradually for Joe's system to adjust. It is not until what happened that weekend do you know if your system can do without it or how low a dosage can be tolerated. The steroid is for the swelling which is either due to the radiation or the tumor or both.

We have all trust in our Oncology team!