Hubby needs prayers now

[misothere]

Thanx for continued prayers for Vic! He stood up today & lost his balance - probably 'cuz it's 4th day without food (still only ice chips). Not to mention morphine on empty stomach since Weds. nite surgery. Nurse left room & good thing I was there to "spot him in case he fell"!

He had a low temp & they're telling him to blow in the "thing" hourly, which he doesn't (but I'm gonna' nag more) so fluid doesn't settle around lungs & turn into pneumonia.

One of oncologist team gave us paperwork & Vic has appt. 3/7 with Radiologist. Another oncology team member came & told Vic Radiology is usually Mon-Fri & they want to have him do Chemo at the same time 'cuz chemo enhances Radiology for a better outcome.

She also said it could be "Up to 6 weeks" for all this, and that's after a "few" weeks to allow body to heal first!

Man...all that, plus the financial aspect really could make people go nuts!

Vic had a nurse in ICU named "Faith", & Friday in regular room one named "Joy" - all he needs now is one named "HOPE"!!

Nurse in ICU said pathology took "up to 3 weeks"!
Oncologist said 3-5 days (MUCH BETTER)! Maybe they'll tell us before Vic's released from hospital this time?

We ARE keeping the faith & hope that he'll beat this!

[katlnhats]

Hi Lisa,
Continued prayers for you both, from us both. Sounds like you'll get the report soon, which is good. Yep, make sure he blows in the thingy, it probably hurts right now, but it's important.
Hugs,
Marilyn

[misothere]

Vic got upgraded from ice chips to ice water Sat. AM. He took a short walk with Physical Therapist down short hall & back to room around noon. He was allowed 1 cup of gingerale to sip very slowly.

Around 4:30 he did a walk 3 times the length & didn't say he was woosey or in pain "too much". Around 6PM he got a 2nd. cup of gingerale & "Jello" (Woo-Hoo) first thing he can use a spoon instead of a straw for & actually chew before swallowing.

Swelling on arm that had IV was moved to chest 3-way that they could've been using for IV's & blood drawing right along. They removed his bandages & said he's healing well too.

Most of all he doesn't seem "down" about having to deal with healing & then the Radiation & Chemo ahead, but he might just be "putting up a good front" so I don't worry as much.

[katlnhats]

Wow, he's having jello already? That's good, and it also means he's healing! Good news as he's also walking too. Continued prayers, and I think you'd know if he were putting on a front, just like he'd know if you were!
Hugs,
Marilyn

[misothere]

Sunday they told Vic he could try eating light stuff so he tried toast & jam at lunch. Then he short walk. Stomach didn't feel weird like before when he ate for the first time. He ended up having 9 visitors throughout the day & never had a 2nd. walk - too tired, napped as soon as last visitor left.

Monday they removed his nutrition IV & Morphine button & he did short walk & 1st time on short stairwell. He hates foot massage things that must be worn if he's in bed, so he sat up & read most of the day.

Dr ordered him 2 Percocet every 4 hours, now that he's off morphine & he only took 1 at 1:00PM after walk & stairs.

Ate egg on muffin breakfast - soup & jello lunch & 1/2 of pasta & sauce & roll at supper! His stomach handled all fine!

I took him for long walk after supper & he got into bed & napped til' they took vitals at 7:00PM & he asked for just 1 Percocet again.

He's really doing well with eating, mobility & pain & off IV's so who know's he could be sent home REAL soon!

Hoping they'll have the Pathology Biopsy results to tell us before we leave the hospital tho', since they said "as early as Monday they could have the results".

Not sure if they take out the drain from operation &/or Staples from surgery before he gets released from hospital tho' ??

[june72]

Glad to here Vic is coming right along! Not taking much pain med's and healing as good as he is, is a great sign! He is strong and a fighter and he will endure this will the Lords help! I am praying and trusting God to see a great outcome!

[misothere]

Hubby came home early evening Tues 2/27 & says he' not in "too much pain" & told me he didn't think he'd need Percocet prescription & not to run out & buy it.

I got him a pr. of gym pants for comfort after surgery & he looked at the $4.00 prescription printout & I hope he's not sucking up pain 'cuz they have no pain killers on that list!

Visiting nurse comes tomorrow to check his surgery area for healing &/or infection signs.........

Prayers still up & I know your's are too! Thanx!!

[june72]

Glad to hear Vic got home! How's he doing? I pray that all is well and he is not in pain.
Hope his visit with the nurse went well also!
Continued prayers

[misothere]

So far pain is not an issue, dealing without even over the counter meds.

Visiting nurse spent 1.5 hrs. here (but 1st. visit involves lots of paperwork & questions). Vic learned & changed his Ostomy bag (except for making template for size fit) on his own & did very well.

Mon. 3/5 Urologist appt. (should find out "Pathology" Biopsy results) & perhaps the 25 Surgery staples will be healed enough to remove???

Weds. 3/7 Oncologsist then Radiologist appts. to find out "what the treatment plan of Radiation & Chemo schedule will be exactly".

Thurs. visiting nurse again (& she'll come twice a week "for a while").

My job search is temporarily "On Hold" due to all this going on....& we are praying that MassHealth gets approved since we have NO income right now"!

The surgeon & anasteciologist & any office visit bills are NOT covered even if we get approved for MassHealth & they "waste NO time billing you" adding Add'l Stress !

I lay my worries at our Lords feet & know he'll provide!

[katlnhats]

Hi Lisa,
I'll answer your last email when I get time to really write a longer one back to you. Continued prayers for you and Vic - he's doing well, it sounds like.
Question? Is MassHealth like our State Insurance here in CT - if it's not, you ought to qualify for that as well, through your local Social Services office, along with food stamps and some money - you have no income, your circumstances are such that neither of you can really work right now. With the insurance through Social Services, oncologists, surgeons, etc's and prescriptions are covered, but you have to go to the Dr's that take the insurance. We had that for awhile. It's better than nothing, and you should qualify, you as well, for it. I thought all the states had it? Unless in MA, it's called MassHealth.

There (this if for future reference) through the drug companies, for people with no Rx insurance, they will issue vouchers for specific medications, with a Dr's prescription and they're great about doing it. It's a program called Partnership For Prescription Assistance, and there are lots of meds covered. If you call info line at 211, they can give you all the numbers and specifics of where to call, it's worth it.

You should also qualify for energy assistance, heating and electric, that would help out a bit too.
Hugs,
Marilyn

[june72]

Glad Vic is still healing well and learning to do what he needs to. He is still in our prayers as well as you and the rest of your family!

[misothere]

Thanx again girls,

I'm making sure Vic eats healthy to help him heal from surgery & prepare body for Radiation & Chemo (all I can do). He actually takes a multivitam for me after decade & 1/2 of nagging him too!

He should be standing every 1/2 hr. to help circulation according to visiting nurse, but he's been reading & not doing it. Weather was nice today & I wanted to get him to the library & just the short walk from car & around inside & back to car would've been more than longest walk at hospital.

MassHealth I "think" is State of Mass health insurance, but my daughter Mandi said there's something she qualified for called "Commonwealth of Mass Insurance" until' her FT job makes her eligible for health insurance with them.

Financial gal who filled out our paperwork said even if Masshealth gets approved they DON'T cover Anastegiologist & Surgeon & Office Visits.

Guess I should check & see if there's a list of physician's & surgeon's on-line or if dad has a booklet for Sylvie & see if Vic's Surgeon (at least) is on it. Maybe they "could" cover his bills?? Even tho' we didn't have health insurance the hospital called "former primary health care Dr" to "Admit him to hospital". Why can't ER Dr. do that?

Well primary Dr. is the 1 who all info "supposedly flows thru" from Surgeon & Cardiologist who looked at Vic's couple of chest X-rays........

Bill for primary Dr. that Vic said did nothing but visit him a couple times for a minute each & "talk over his head" is $400.00 ALONE!

Guess I'll have to find social svc agency & apply for all that I can. We told the Oncology Soc. Wrkr. our story of no income & only thing she mentioned was "free transportation" to treatments Mon-Fri.

I think it's really important that I be home for the 1st. couple of weeks anyway, during Vic's Radiation/Chemo combo treatments & make sure he's not too sick before getting job & having somebody tranport him. Not like they're going to come in & make sure he eats or clean up vomit if he's sick (hate to put it that way - but it's "round 3" of going thru' this cancer treatment route & it was not BOTH Radiation & Chemo at once that 'caused problems)!

I need eye's checked bad & in May need license renewal & not sure if I can do it on-line & AVOID the eye test!! So maybe I should call that financial gal at hospital & see if I can fill out MassHealth care paperwork with her if they would pay for an eye test & maybe discount new glasses?

Wish me luck, even tho' I "hate asking for help"!

[misothere]

To clarify "round 3" of treatments....it was NOT with Vic, it was first with my mom & then with oldest brother Dave who's lung cancer & bodies didn't take kindly to Chemo just at first & radiation even burned my mom in back of nec. Both of thier lung cancer eventually moved to thier brain.......& they are no longer with us. :-(

[katlnhats]

Hi Lisa,
My Mom and Dad both had problems with just the Radiation, though not everyone does - I don't think my Uncle had any at all. Still - it's best for you and for Vic, if you're there when he's going. It'll be better for both of you.
You might qualify for what Mandi's got, which would also help and everything does go through the family Dr., which in our case, when we had CT State insurance meant we had to switch all of our Dr's as they didn't take that insurance.
Since I have no insurance now, I, lol, can go to anyone I want. (whew,that made no sense!) I don't know if our state insurance covered an eye test/glasses, but it very well might have. It's surely worth checking into. And I know you two haven't really had a chance to check into much of anything, outside of the hospital and the visiting nurse, who's not being all that helpful.
The bills will paid when they get paid, that's all you can do and try not to worry about them in the meantime, that's not the important thing, Vic is and if you're too stressed, you don't want to get sick or anything. Hang in there... prayers continued.
Hugs,
Marilyn

[misothere]

Thanx Marilyn,

Roller coaster continues......1st. treatment was going to be both Chemo & Radiation, then 3/7 Oncologist said just Chemo in High Doses for 4 months.

Then 3/9 Radiologist said Chemo for 2 months - then Radiology for 7 weeks, then Chemo again for what could be 5-6 months (depending if blood work allowed the schedule to be kept). Vic's white count was already high at 1st. Oncologist appt.

Also while we were at appt. with Radiologist, his assoc. came in & "kinda'" was argueing in front of us - then went upstairs to talk to Oncologist - then interupted our appt. with original Radiologist AGAIN!

Vic's case is "DIFFERENT".... they said (& I asked Vic if he wanted a 2nd. opinion in Boston, MA) & he still doesn't!

I wish the Radiologist & Oncologist would get together & go over the best treatment BEFORE we are dealing with this add'l. stress of feeling like "they" don't know the best treatment plan 1st!!

All the other insurance stuff - I'll PM you when I can.....'cuz your right VIC'S HEALTH CARE IS PRIORITY RIGHT NOW!