Another Cancer? Must Be August - Part 2
August 2013 and Joe is back in California traveling between home, Orange County and San Jose. (Interesting point - Joe was in San Jose the FIRST time he was diagnosed with cancer. My Father's reaction when I told him this, "that damn California pollution". We were soon to discover that it was actually Viet Nam and Agent Orange but that's another blog.) Recovery from the lung removal had been pretty good. He had some difficulty with breathing, he became short of breath easier than usual and he had a funky, watery cough but he felt good. We all noticed a slight change that was daily becoming more noticeable. Words didn't come quite as easy. He seemed a bit forgetful. He was a bit irritable. He had been through a lot so but all this was understandable. One evening after dinner walking to his car, he fell. He told me he didn't trip or stumble - he just fell. He didn't think much about it but to me, things were a little "off".
The second week of August, as luck would have it, Joe was working from home while he was getting prepared for a business trip to central Mexico. We both noticed that he was having great difficulty concentrating, picking things up and understanding what he read or what someone had just said. He had difficulty in getting the car in the right gear and while out with Kaitlin one time was greatly confused trying to back up while the car was in neutral. He thought he was just tired but the next day when he was having dizziness he went to the doctor. Their first impression was high blood pressure. I tried to stress upon them that he had the exact opposite problem - low blood pressure. Hey, what do I know. I just live with the man 24/7 and it frustrating because I KNEW that wasn't the problem. They put him on a medication to try to stabilize his blood pressure and, surprise, no improvement over 3 days. Back to the doctor for a series of physical testing - stand up, sit down, repeat 20 times. No change in his BP. Try this different pill - again I point out that he traditionally does not have issues with his blood pressure - again, what do I know. By now he is having major problems walking. His left foot would not lift up correctly. He was having headaches - which he never had. We went out on the 12th for dinner with our girls and the next day Kaitlin and I were going to ASU for her Freshman Orientation. When he woke up on the 13th his head was pounding and he had trouble seeing. I strongly urged him to go to the doctor and tell them he was getting much worse which he did. He called me while we were at orientation to tell me that they were sending him to get a brain scan to make sure there wasn't a tumor. I had that way too familiar floor falling away from my feet feeling. I knew what they were going to find. I knew what we were going to be doing in the very near future.
Less than 2 hours later Joe called to ask me to meet him at the doctor's office - now. We left ASU for the long 24 miles trip back to Chandler. We met the doctor and walked back to his office to hear what he had to say. What we already knew. There was a very tumor on his brain with a large amount of fluid around it. The doctor told us that Joe had to go to the hospital now. He feared if we waited the tumor and the fluid would do irreparable damage and maybe even cause so much pressure on his brain that he would die. I hate to say this but the news did not have the same impact as the first time or even the second time. It was a feeling of shock and "here we go again". Maybe because it escalated from a headache to brain tumor in a matter of hours and didn't really register what was being said. Either way, seriously? Again, we heard the words "this situation is very critical and the outcome could go either way. We just won't be sure until we are actually removing the tumor".
A couple of interesting symptoms of the tumor: when asked to stick his tongue out his tongue curved sharply to the left. He could not stick it out straight. When asked to hold his arms out and close his eyes, his right arm would turn so that his hand was palm up. It was out of his control and became the Vegas lounge act at the hospital. Apparently this was rare so all the doctors and staff wanted to see it in person and since he was having surgery the next day - the entry to his room became revolving door. Not too sure he saw the entertainment value in those two things but everyone else did!
Surgery was a success and once again, the doctor thought he got it all. Surgery was on Thursday and by Saturday evening we were home. We were scheduled to see another radiation oncologist to start a specialized laser radiation treatment, but no chemo! This time - same amount of radiation as with the throat and neck cancer but much more intense - 5 treatments but the power of 7. Should not have the same impact on his skin and healing. Like before his head was strapped down to a table while the gamma knife did it's healing powers. Of all four of the cancer treatments this was by far the easiest to deal with. There was some skin burning but pretty minor and on the 3rd, 4th and 5th treatments he was asleep before we even got home.
Life for the next few months went on as usual, as usual for someone who had weekly doctor visits, xrays, CTScans and PTScans at regular intervals. Joe was feeling well enough that I actually went to Florida at the beginning of October to spend time with my mother and a beach vacation while he and Kaitlin visited some of the area's fall Relay for Life Events. We were active in church events. We attended band competitions and football games when Joe was up to it. He still tired easy and his hacking cough never did go completely away. As the end of October came to an end we received some good news.
From my journal: October 30, 2013 After last week's appointments for a MRI, PET Scan and various other tests - Joe's post op, post radiation appointment was today. His oncologist - all clear. No new growths, No new suspicious areas. Nothing to be concerned about. Come back in 3 months. Can I get a hallelujah!
We continued to enjoy 2013 while Joe was on short term disability waiting until the repeat of all the scans and other tests that would clear him, once again, to go back to work. We celebrated birthdays and holidays.
He felt great - suffering from none of the symptoms from before the removal of the tumor. Life was good. And then, 2014.
The second week of August, as luck would have it, Joe was working from home while he was getting prepared for a business trip to central Mexico. We both noticed that he was having great difficulty concentrating, picking things up and understanding what he read or what someone had just said. He had difficulty in getting the car in the right gear and while out with Kaitlin one time was greatly confused trying to back up while the car was in neutral. He thought he was just tired but the next day when he was having dizziness he went to the doctor. Their first impression was high blood pressure. I tried to stress upon them that he had the exact opposite problem - low blood pressure. Hey, what do I know. I just live with the man 24/7 and it frustrating because I KNEW that wasn't the problem. They put him on a medication to try to stabilize his blood pressure and, surprise, no improvement over 3 days. Back to the doctor for a series of physical testing - stand up, sit down, repeat 20 times. No change in his BP. Try this different pill - again I point out that he traditionally does not have issues with his blood pressure - again, what do I know. By now he is having major problems walking. His left foot would not lift up correctly. He was having headaches - which he never had. We went out on the 12th for dinner with our girls and the next day Kaitlin and I were going to ASU for her Freshman Orientation. When he woke up on the 13th his head was pounding and he had trouble seeing. I strongly urged him to go to the doctor and tell them he was getting much worse which he did. He called me while we were at orientation to tell me that they were sending him to get a brain scan to make sure there wasn't a tumor. I had that way too familiar floor falling away from my feet feeling. I knew what they were going to find. I knew what we were going to be doing in the very near future.
Less than 2 hours later Joe called to ask me to meet him at the doctor's office - now. We left ASU for the long 24 miles trip back to Chandler. We met the doctor and walked back to his office to hear what he had to say. What we already knew. There was a very tumor on his brain with a large amount of fluid around it. The doctor told us that Joe had to go to the hospital now. He feared if we waited the tumor and the fluid would do irreparable damage and maybe even cause so much pressure on his brain that he would die. I hate to say this but the news did not have the same impact as the first time or even the second time. It was a feeling of shock and "here we go again". Maybe because it escalated from a headache to brain tumor in a matter of hours and didn't really register what was being said. Either way, seriously? Again, we heard the words "this situation is very critical and the outcome could go either way. We just won't be sure until we are actually removing the tumor". 
A couple of interesting symptoms of the tumor: when asked to stick his tongue out his tongue curved sharply to the left. He could not stick it out straight. When asked to hold his arms out and close his eyes, his right arm would turn so that his hand was palm up. It was out of his control and became the Vegas lounge act at the hospital. Apparently this was rare so all the doctors and staff wanted to see it in person and since he was having surgery the next day - the entry to his room became revolving door. Not too sure he saw the entertainment value in those two things but everyone else did!Surgery was a success and once again, the doctor thought he got it all. Surgery was on Thursday and by Saturday evening we were home. We were scheduled to see another radiation oncologist to start a specialized laser radiation treatment, but no chemo! This time - same amount of radiation as with the throat and neck cancer but much more intense - 5 treatments but the power of 7. Should not have the same impact on his skin and healing. Like before his head was strapped down to a table while the gamma knife did it's healing powers. Of all four of the cancer treatments this was by far the easiest to deal with. There was some skin burning but pretty minor and on the 3rd, 4th and 5th treatments he was asleep before we even got home.
Life for the next few months went on as usual, as usual for someone who had weekly doctor visits, xrays, CTScans and PTScans at regular intervals. Joe was feeling well enough that I actually went to Florida at the beginning of October to spend time with my mother and a beach vacation while he and Kaitlin visited some of the area's fall Relay for Life Events. We were active in church events. We attended band competitions and football games when Joe was up to it. He still tired easy and his hacking cough never did go completely away. As the end of October came to an end we received some good news. 
From my journal: October 30, 2013 After last week's appointments for a MRI, PET Scan and various other tests - Joe's post op, post radiation appointment was today. His oncologist - all clear. No new growths, No new suspicious areas. Nothing to be concerned about. Come back in 3 months. Can I get a hallelujah! We continued to enjoy 2013 while Joe was on short term disability waiting until the repeat of all the scans and other tests that would clear him, once again, to go back to work. We celebrated birthdays and holidays.
He felt great - suffering from none of the symptoms from before the removal of the tumor. Life was good. And then, 2014.
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