Tom Sonday

ANOTHER PREVIEW ))

It’s now obvious to me that I’ll never catch up on this blog, because this fight is pretty much a full time job for the time being. Besides, what you all want to know is what’s happening now, not went on a month ago.

As a quick summary, which most of of you know all about, I’ve been diagnosed with stage IV rectal cancer which has spread to my liver. This is bad. But, you all know that I’m a fighter and you know how stubborn I am.

So, the adventure begins. And, for the beginning here, I’m going to start with my first day of chemotherapy, Thursday, February 28.

THURSDAY, 2-28 (First day of chemotherapy)

Thursday was the big day, my first day of real treatment. I had no idea what to expect. Daughter Jessica transported me to the West Michigan Cancer Center at 11:30 and they soon had me hooked up to an IV that fed me a variety of anti-nausea drugs, antibiotics, and active cancer fighting agents over a period of about 5 hours.

These are loaded into me through a “port” which is a really cool device embedded under my skin just below the collar bone. This allows the nurse to switch chemicals, draw blood, etc., without giving me additional pokes. Being deathly afraid of needles (a fear that I’m starting to get over), I appreciate the port very much.

I slept most of the 5 hours, awakening a couple times to see the nurse asking me questions and hearing Jessica answer them.

At the end, they attached a pump to the port. The pump contains 48 hours of chemical and belts around my waist, allowing complete freedom of movement.

Jessica drove me home; we stopped at Meijer and bought snack foods (for next time) and some other stuff. I remember little.

I had no real reaction to the chemo other than being very tired. Later, Jessica cooked a magnificent steak dinner. I helped to instruct her, but CJH and I agreed that her version is just about the best ever. I went to bed and slept very nicely.

FRIDAY, 2-29

It was basically just a normal day. I slept more than usual, but felt no nausea or other effects. I had a fun time watching the pump count down units remaining and calculating when the thing would be empty. It looked like the timing would be perfect for Saturday’s disconnect.

Nathan, my Meals on Wheels buddy and close-by neighbor, had been worrying about me and I’d been missing him, so I took him out for appetizers around 4:00. We have a “tradition” of getting a newspaper and discussing current events, so it was a pleasant but quiet time. He ate a snail for the first time and was excited. I told him to avoid the rocky mountain oysters, and why. (I later found out that he gathered his family together when he arrived home in order to announce his accomplishment.)

Friday night I went to sleep early, but was awakened several times by severe hiccups. They made me miserable, and I’m pretty sure that they kept CJH awake most of the night, too.

SATURDAY, 3-1

I slept late, then CJH took me to the hospital (Borgess) to have my pump removed at 2:00, right on time. There was some kind of confusion and they expected me at 9:00, but it’s no problem.

The pump was almost exactly empty as we arrived and, in fact, beeps and announces “low volume” in the car as we travelled.

The pump was removed without incident, although one of the nurses seemed to be a little less trained than I might have liked. A little scary, but the adrenalin shot temporarily got rid of the hiccups.

We stopped at Arby’s on the way out and I combined two regulars into one. It tasted great, so my appetite was still okay. Good sign!

We were home by 4:00 and I was totally exhausted. The chemo effects were starting to kick in, but still no nausea, just hiccups. CJH and I watched some TV, but I was soon asleep. Unfortunately, it was another night of sleep interrupted by hiccups.

SUNDAY, 3-2

CJH and I got up and went to watch Sam, Syd and Linda be baptized. It was silly of me, because I felt miserable. I ended up sitting outside the sanctuary. As soon as the baptism was over, CJH came out and we left.

We got home and I changed clothes. I ate a yogurt, but didn’t feel like anything else, so I just went to sleep. I slept pretty well for a while, but then the hiccups came.

Sooz, Jon, and Aaron came to visit, just as I started to feel really good, so I told them I wasn’t getting up and they had to come see me in the basement, which worked out well for me, although the hiccups returned. After everyone left, I went back to sleep. CJH force fed me some crackers and 7-Up at some point, but I had no appetite whatsoever. It wasn’t that I felt nauseous, I just didn’t want to eat.

Around 7:00, CJH went for a walk. She came back around 8:30, thought I felt too hot, and took my temperature which turned out to be 102.8. I was feeling so good that I couldn’t believe and grabbed my own thermometer which I had been using all day. It said 102.9. Ouch.

CJH called the doctor who told us to report immediately to the emergency room. We got there by 9:30 and were quickly put in what I think they call a triage room.

I knew they would soon have me hooked up to an IV, so I used the restroom as we walk to the room. I was careful to void myself as thoroughly as possible which quickly comes back to haunt me. As I entered the room, the first thing they asked for were urine and fecal samples. Ouch again.

Next we basically waited around for a few hours while they ran various tests and waited for my samples. For the most part, they were able to draw the blood needed from my port, but there were two or three that required new pokes. I asked them (jokingly) to use the smallest needle possible and the nurse explained that would depend on how good my attitude was. He shortly showed up with the biggest needle I’ve ever seen in a medical environment.

He was a really funny guy which really helped my attitude as the night wore on.

I finally produced the required samples after about 3 hours. I brought them back to the room and the nurse laughed, explaining that I was lucky since the doctor had just ordered a “catheter in 10 minutes.” I immediately had to go again.

Fortunately, my fever was coming under control. Unfortunately, they came in after a few minutes and told me that I needed to be admitted. I was prepared for this since CJH had been telling me all along that it was going to happen.

The only bed available was in the ortho ward, so I ended up there for the night. This also led to some funny things because the admission to the ortho ward is a little different. For example, they asked me if anything stressful was going on in my life. “No, no, just the cancer thing.” ))

MONDAY, 3-3

I got settled in for the night and Charlotte left. They hooked me up to get two units of red blood cells to fight my anemia.

Shortly after, I started sweating like a pig. They had to change my entire bed twice. It was very odd. I’ve occasionally had night sweats here at home, but nothing like this. Also, my temperature kept dropping, down to 95.6 at one point. They didn’t seem worried. The sweats finally stopped around 5:00 and I slept pretty well until around 8:00. I had a pretty good breakfast, the hospital has a really good menu.

It was about that time that they came in to check my vitals and COULDN’T FIND A TEMPERATURE. That meant it was less than 94. This scared me, but there was no alarm among the staff whatsoever. As the hours pass, it crept up until it got to around 98 at noon and held.

They explained that they were going to repeat a bunch of tests since nothing showed up on the first round – Dr. Liepman wanted to “look in every nook and cranny for the infection” (if that’s what is causing the temp.) The temp may also be a symptom of “severe liver disease” and just happen from time to time.

Dr. Liepman told me that I should expect to be in the hospital for at least a couple more days. She “wants to get me stabilized”. I agree completely.

Later in the afternoon, they gave me an MRI on the brain. (Insert your own joke here.) The MRI staff seemed to go out of their way to make this a very scary process, but it turns out to be nothing.

Charlotte came down and we watched the news together. All in all, it was a pretty good day up until this point.

Then, they moved me from ortho to the the cancer wing at about 8:15. The timing was awkward because I wanted my dinner and it had to be ordered by 9:00. Fortunately, the move went quickly and I was in the new bed by 8:30. I ordered meatloaf.

At 8:45, they took my temperature and it was 97.8. As I waited for dinner, I felt myself starting to flush. CJH noted that I was turning very red, came over and felt my head and called the nurse. My new temperature was 103.5.

My food came. I wasn’t hungry anymore.

Soon, they gave me some Tylenol which helped some. They also started an antibiotic flow. Temperature started to come down some, but they then added some Motrin. Gradually (by midnight or so) I got back to a normal temperature.

Then came the sweats. And my temperature continued to fall, this time not so far, but still to around 95.5. They didn’t have to change my sheets, but did have to do my pillow cases a few times.

I slept on and off, but was up every couple hours all night.

TUESDAY, 3-3

I woke up and had to go to the bathroom a few times, so changed my strategy on when to take my diarrhea medicine. I had a good breakfast (believe it or not, they make an incredible omelet.)

Unfortunately, I was really tired all day and didn’t eat very well the rest of the time. Dr. Liepman came in and told me that they couldn’t find anything yet, that they were repeating lots of tests and that the “infectious disease guys” would be in to see me Wednesday. The cycle continued. Temperature spike (but not so high) at about 9:00, drugs and anti-biotics bring it down (a little more quickly). Then some sweating (but not so bad) and my temperature drops (but not as far). I fell asleep and only got up 2 or 3 times, so it was a pretty good night. It probably helped that CJH was here all night but I feel guilty about her sleeping situation. It can’t be comfortable.

WEDNESDAY, 3-5

I woke up with relatively calm bowels, so that was good, although breakfast seemed to inspire them. I had a great breakfast (toast, cereal, cocoa, omelet, apple, yogurt, cranberry juice). Dr. Liepman came through quickly and told me she’ll probably order a CT scan and that there’s little chance that I’ll be released before Friday.

Then the infectious disease doctor came in and explained that he was going to order lots of tests to eliminate odd, remote possibilities. Dr. Ross said a possibility is that the chemo is killing so many tumor cells that they are flooding the body, but they can only conclude this by eliminating all other possibilities.

I felt much better, and more awake, most of the day.

Today was the day I started to feel a strong desire to get out of the hospital and go home. I made Friday the target.

I had a few visitors today, some of which I remembered )). For example, Rob Wellington came in at some point and asked if it was a good time. I said sure, but I was falling asleep. We talked for a bit, but I don’t remember him leaving. After that, Scott Sebastian came in, I was deep sleeping and had a nonsense conversation with him that I didn’t remember until later.

CJH and Nathan came down about 6:30 and brought me Chinese food, which I didn’t have the appetite for. We stored it in the refrigerator.

I gradually woke up, then Rick and Michelle came in and it was a pretty fun time for a while.

Then, everyone but CJH left, 9:00 came around and so did the cycle. Again, it was not so high, quicker to recover from, less sweaty. You get the picture.

CJH stayed over again and when I woke at about 1:00, I was starving. She nuked my sweet and sour chicken and it was like an orgasmic experience. Afterwards, I slept great.

THURSDAY, 3-6

Happy Birthday to my brother!

Dr. Liepman came in, gave a quick explanation and said that if everything stays constant, she’ll send me home tomorrow. SWEET! Later Dr. Ross stops by and says he has “no objections”.

I ate another excellent breakfast. I was actually in the restroom singing when CJH asks me if I could be a little less joyful, by which I knew she meant “quit singing”.

They gave me two more units of red blood cells. Dr. Liepman wants me “tanked up”.

I discovered that they have awesome chicken noodle soup. I also had another CT scan, a last effort to find any infection.

I felt so good that CJH decided to stay home and sleep comfortably, although she really just wanted to watch Survivor, I knew.

I had a poor emotional moment when my temperature spiked again at 9:00 or 9:30, although again lower than the night before. Unfortunately, Sooz had just walked in as this happened. I like to think that I rallied quickly, but I had a big fear that something, anything would go wrong and I’d still be there Saturday.

Sooz stayed until 10:30 or 11:00. I think she was waiting to see if the temperature did anything dramatic, but it didn’t. I mostly snoozed. I did observe that Sooz got more out of the Kalamazoo Gazette than anyone else I’ve ever seen. I usually get about 5 minutes out of it, she read it for about an hour!

FRIDAY, 3-7

I slept well, awoke and had a great breakfast again. Dr. Liepman came in, asked how I’m doing and asked if I wanted to go home. I just said “Very much,” she replied, “I’ll see what I can do,” and started out of the room.

Then she stopped and said, “Did you get that CT scan?” She said she’d need to check that out, which sounded worrisome, but she didn’t come back, just sent a nurse to tell me that I was to be released.

Then they took a last look at my feet, which turn out to be swollen. So, it looked like another roadblock, but in the end, they let me go.

We walked in the house and I was just too happy. I was even happy to see the dog.

In a shocking development (to me anyway), I weighed myself and measured out at 185 pounds. This is the most I’ve weighed in my entire life. Of course, this is mostly due to the IV’s, but it also means that I gained 22 pounds while hospitalized. No wonder my feet were swollen!

Then I went to sleep and it was wonderful. Everything felt so much better.

Nephew Jay came up and tried on his bee suit (he’s going to be assistant beekeeper this year). It fit great which is impressive when you consider that he’s about 7’8” tall.

I’m looking forward to my bees more than ever this year.

Charlotte and Jay went out for Chinese and brought me back some more sweet and sour chicken, so I ate great again. I even stayed up a little late, to almost 11:00. I slept great, woke up feeling great.

SATURDAY, 3-8

I woke up, had some yogurt then some crackers and cheese, then a huge plate of Chinese, then more yogurt, etc. You get the picture, my appetite is back.

I mostly lazed around all day, although I got a few things crossed off the list. And I got this blog to this point, which is a good start, I hope!

I just felt great all day.

Thanks so much for your visits, cards, thoughts, prayers, calls, etc. You truly have no idea how much your support means to me. I feel the love and it moves me forward.