Carla was dismissed from the hospital this afternoon. She is now settled into the bed in our apartment. She still has a lot of pain but seems to be doing OK. Hopefully she will be able to make her 2:00 appointment with Dr. Barlogie. I am going to attempt to get it cleared at the clinic ahead of time so she can be wheeled directly to the top doc and not have to spent time in the waiting room. Dr. Barlogie told us to do that this time.
Carla was coughing up some mucus tonight and I feel like I am coming down with a cold. Hopefully a good night's sleep in the quiet apartment will help both of us.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving
As we reflect back on this year, there are so many things for which we are thankful.
a. For our many family and friends who have support us as Carla has gone through this myeloma experience. Your thoughts, prayers, friendly phone calls and uplifting words have meant a lot to us.
b. For the great doctors and researchers who have persevered in their hunt for a cure for this terrible disease called multiple myeloma. Dr. Barlogie is leading this charge. We are thankful that the Myeloma Institute is within driving distance from Springfield. Many of the myeloma patients and their caregivers have to fly to Little Rock for each of their sessions of therapy and for their many checkups during maintenance.
c. For Home Away From Home apartments for which we have been able to use for all of the chemo treatments but one and during this stay for Carla's surgery. It makes me wonder what needs are in our community back home that need to be addressed by us.
d. For God's sustaining strength as Carla "walked in the shadow of death" during each of her six chemo therapies and stem cell transplants.
e. For good medical insurance that has spent upwards of a million dollars on Carla's treatment.
Update on Carla's condition:
Early in the week it seemed like they could not control Carla's pain. Tuesday evening they installed a morphine drip and a couple pain pills besides her oxycotin she has been on since her August 2009 back surgery. Once the pain subsided, Carla was able to get her badly needed rest.
Wednesday she was able to get up and sit in a chair a couple times. This was a good break from the bed.
Tuesday night her temperature went up to about 100.5 and stayed there for about 24 hours. It is only slightly elevated now.
If they can get her off the morphine today there is a good chance she can be discharged to our apartment tomorrow. If not Friday at least by Saturday. She has an appointment to see Dr. Barlogie at 2:00 on Monday. We plan to head home whenever we determine Carla is up to the four-hour trip. We have the apartment rented until December 5.
I thought I would share a couple pictures with you. Carla lost her hair during Induction 1 the first of December 2009. Since the completion of her chemo the first of September, her hair has returned. The myeloma patients are always concerned about what color their hair will be when it returns. You can see a red tint to Carla's hair. The scab on her scalp was where a needle sensor was inserted during her surgery to monitor her brain signals.
Carla is on the eighth floor of the "new" hospital. Her large east window looks down Capitol Street. The tall tower on the left is the new Rockefeller Cancer Institute. This is building houses the Infusion Center. During each chemo sessions Carla would go to the Infusion Center each day for her blood draws and any necessary IV's or blood transfusions.
The tall building on the immediate right is the Eye Institute. The next building on the right is the Spine Institute. This building houses the Myeloma Institute. Dr. Barlogie's office is in this building as are all of the MIRT physicians.
Far down the street that runs by the Spine Institute is the Arkansas Capitol building. It is near the two tall buildings in the background. This is a nice view at night. I thought I would get a picture of the lighted Capitol but the last two evenings have been too stormy and foggy for a good picture.
Here's wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
a. For our many family and friends who have support us as Carla has gone through this myeloma experience. Your thoughts, prayers, friendly phone calls and uplifting words have meant a lot to us.
b. For the great doctors and researchers who have persevered in their hunt for a cure for this terrible disease called multiple myeloma. Dr. Barlogie is leading this charge. We are thankful that the Myeloma Institute is within driving distance from Springfield. Many of the myeloma patients and their caregivers have to fly to Little Rock for each of their sessions of therapy and for their many checkups during maintenance.
c. For Home Away From Home apartments for which we have been able to use for all of the chemo treatments but one and during this stay for Carla's surgery. It makes me wonder what needs are in our community back home that need to be addressed by us.
d. For God's sustaining strength as Carla "walked in the shadow of death" during each of her six chemo therapies and stem cell transplants.
e. For good medical insurance that has spent upwards of a million dollars on Carla's treatment.
Update on Carla's condition:
Early in the week it seemed like they could not control Carla's pain. Tuesday evening they installed a morphine drip and a couple pain pills besides her oxycotin she has been on since her August 2009 back surgery. Once the pain subsided, Carla was able to get her badly needed rest.
Wednesday she was able to get up and sit in a chair a couple times. This was a good break from the bed.
Tuesday night her temperature went up to about 100.5 and stayed there for about 24 hours. It is only slightly elevated now.
If they can get her off the morphine today there is a good chance she can be discharged to our apartment tomorrow. If not Friday at least by Saturday. She has an appointment to see Dr. Barlogie at 2:00 on Monday. We plan to head home whenever we determine Carla is up to the four-hour trip. We have the apartment rented until December 5.
I thought I would share a couple pictures with you. Carla lost her hair during Induction 1 the first of December 2009. Since the completion of her chemo the first of September, her hair has returned. The myeloma patients are always concerned about what color their hair will be when it returns. You can see a red tint to Carla's hair. The scab on her scalp was where a needle sensor was inserted during her surgery to monitor her brain signals.
The tall building on the immediate right is the Eye Institute. The next building on the right is the Spine Institute. This building houses the Myeloma Institute. Dr. Barlogie's office is in this building as are all of the MIRT physicians.
Far down the street that runs by the Spine Institute is the Arkansas Capitol building. It is near the two tall buildings in the background. This is a nice view at night. I thought I would get a picture of the lighted Capitol but the last two evenings have been too stormy and foggy for a good picture.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Surgery
We reported to the UAMS Hospital at 5 a.m. only to be told Carla was an "add-on." Nobody could tell us what that meant only that she was not scheduled for surgery. About 7:30, the surgeon's nurse came and told us that in preparing for the surgery the surgeon had deemed the June CT scans to be outdated for a myeloma patients whose bones grow and change rapidly. So Carla was rushed for a CT scan and then went to the OR about 11:00. She was in recovery shortly after 2:00 and in a private room shortly after 5:00.
The surgeon said he removed the rod from her back and replaced it with a longer one. The rod extends from vertebrae T5 down to T11. He also attached bones to the existing vertebrae.
Carla is resting comfortable now that she has her does of pain meds. I probably will leave if she seems settled for the night.
The surgeon said he removed the rod from her back and replaced it with a longer one. The rod extends from vertebrae T5 down to T11. He also attached bones to the existing vertebrae.
Carla is resting comfortable now that she has her does of pain meds. I probably will leave if she seems settled for the night.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Surgery Update
Carla's surgery is scheduled for 7:00 a.m. Monday at the UAMS Hospital in Little Rock. She is to check in at 5:00 a.m. We plan to drive down on Sunday and take the westerly route through Centerton, Arkansas. We will have lunch with my son John, his wife Lauren and their soon-to-be year old daughter Olivia. It is longer to go this way rather than highway 65 but it is four-land all the way and it is less hilly.
Praise the Lord! We received a call yesterday from Home Away From Home. We have an apartment that that we can get this Sunday and cane stay as late as December 5th. Another myeloma patient has it rented but is going home on break and wanted the apartment when they returned so they are subleasing it to us!
Praise the Lord! We received a call yesterday from Home Away From Home. We have an apartment that that we can get this Sunday and cane stay as late as December 5th. Another myeloma patient has it rented but is going home on break and wanted the apartment when they returned so they are subleasing it to us!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Spine Surgery Scheduled for Monday, November 22
Carla's back surgery is scheduled for Monday, November 22. We plan to drive down on Sunday. This surgery is to repair the loose screw holding the bottom of the rod used to fuse the two vertebrae above T7 with the two vertebrae below T7. The T7 vertebrae is the one that was partially removed in her August '09 surgery. Likely the surgeon will remove the rod and insert a longer rod thereby fusing more vertebrae together.
The loose screw is dangerously near Carla's spinal cord. This surgery will remedy that problem and hopefully it will make her back be more comfortable with less pain. Hopefully the pain meds can be reduced.
The surgeon thinks Carla will be in the hospital about five days and he wants her to stay in Little Rock for a week after surgery. We may be able to sub-rent one of the Home Away from Home apartments or stay in a motel. Hopefully her hospital stay will not be extended due to Thanksgiving.
The loose screw is dangerously near Carla's spinal cord. This surgery will remedy that problem and hopefully it will make her back be more comfortable with less pain. Hopefully the pain meds can be reduced.
The surgeon thinks Carla will be in the hospital about five days and he wants her to stay in Little Rock for a week after surgery. We may be able to sub-rent one of the Home Away from Home apartments or stay in a motel. Hopefully her hospital stay will not be extended due to Thanksgiving.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Surgery Is Delayed
We just received word from Dr. Pait's office in Little Rock that Carla's scheduled spine surgery has been postponed due to the influx of trauma and critical myeloma patients who are currently in the hospital. We don't know when they will be able to schedule it now. Their schedule for surgeries for next week is full. They hope to give us at least a day's notice due to our four-hour travel time.
Pray that she can get scheduled soon and won't have to repeat the pre-op tests she had completed when we were down the first of October.
Stay tuned for further developments!
Pray that she can get scheduled soon and won't have to repeat the pre-op tests she had completed when we were down the first of October.
Stay tuned for further developments!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Upcoming Spine Surgery
We have enjoyed our time back in Springfield but is\t is about time to head back to Little Rock. We spent October 4-6 in Little Rock where Carla underwent a PET scan, MRI scan, blood tests and pre-op tests. Her PET scan showed no active lesions. The MRI showed that the 50+ lesions she had are getting smaller. The blood tests showed no myeloma components!!!
We will return to Little Rock this Thursday, October 28th, and Carla is scheduled to have the surgery on her back on Friday at the UAMS hospital with Dr. Pait as the surgeon. Dr. Pait thinks he will have to take the rod out that was implanted August 2009. This rod fuses the two vertebrae above T7 with the two below T7. T7 was the vertebrae that was practically devoured by the multiple myeloma and was pinching the nerve last summer. They probably will implant a longer rod and hopefully the screws will hold now that Carla's bones are stronger and denser.
The doctor anticipated Carla would be in the hospital about five days and he wanted us to stay in the Little Rock area for another week. As yet, we haven't been able to locate a reasonably priced furnished apartment we can rent for two weeks. We are on the waiting list for Home Away From Home but it looks like we will have to stay at a motel. Last summer, Carla found our recliner to be very comfortable as she was recovering from surgery. I hope to get it loaded in the Highlander so we will have it if she wants it.
The doctor has not claimed that the surgery will decrease her pain... only that he hopes it will. He is primarily concerned with the loose screw that is very near her spinal column. Please pray that the surgery will correct this problem and that she might be free from the pain and off her Oxycotin!
Carla had all the tests that needed to be done before she starts her maintenance phase. The Myeloma Clinic plans to see Carla just prior to our returning to Springfield. They will give her about a month to recover from surgery and will commence the Velcade and Revlimid about the first of December.
We will return to Little Rock this Thursday, October 28th, and Carla is scheduled to have the surgery on her back on Friday at the UAMS hospital with Dr. Pait as the surgeon. Dr. Pait thinks he will have to take the rod out that was implanted August 2009. This rod fuses the two vertebrae above T7 with the two below T7. T7 was the vertebrae that was practically devoured by the multiple myeloma and was pinching the nerve last summer. They probably will implant a longer rod and hopefully the screws will hold now that Carla's bones are stronger and denser.
The doctor anticipated Carla would be in the hospital about five days and he wanted us to stay in the Little Rock area for another week. As yet, we haven't been able to locate a reasonably priced furnished apartment we can rent for two weeks. We are on the waiting list for Home Away From Home but it looks like we will have to stay at a motel. Last summer, Carla found our recliner to be very comfortable as she was recovering from surgery. I hope to get it loaded in the Highlander so we will have it if she wants it.
The doctor has not claimed that the surgery will decrease her pain... only that he hopes it will. He is primarily concerned with the loose screw that is very near her spinal column. Please pray that the surgery will correct this problem and that she might be free from the pain and off her Oxycotin!
Carla had all the tests that needed to be done before she starts her maintenance phase. The Myeloma Clinic plans to see Carla just prior to our returning to Springfield. They will give her about a month to recover from surgery and will commence the Velcade and Revlimid about the first of December.
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