Aside from taking a walk, which was lovely, nothing worth mentioning
happened today.
Monday, November 11, 2013
My friend Merry is in town this week and we are trying to squeeze in
as much time together as we can before Thursday, when Robert goes to
the VA for his first infusion of anti-cancer meds. Today we, Robert
and I, met Merry and Bob Chervin at the Tandori Grill for lunch. The
Tandori is in the Table Mesa Shopping Center. It was an enjoyable 2
hours we spent there. Chervin shared a story about Steven Schneider
that was pretty amusing; the spreading of his ashes in 6 different
places. Each presenting a quandary for his widow as to just where each
of these destinations actual was. But, she managed to scatter 5 of
the 6 bags, but the 6th is supposed to be scattered in Australia and
that has yet to be accomplished. I would gather that Bob joined her
for each of the 5.
We did wish Robert, our only vet in attendance, a happy Vets day.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Merry and her significant other, Rob, came for dinner. Rob is a
physicist and they were in Denver for the Plasma Physics Conference.
Rob is a quiet man such that from the kitchen I could hear neither he
nor Robert.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Merry joined us and Buck, Dennis and Vince at Casa Alfarez. Vince
seems to have recovered from his automobile accident although he is
still on oxygen. Buck is going through a series of medications for
his lung cancer. He has had that for more than a year and continues
to do well. We discussed a variety of things, some remembrances of
Chervin at NCAR and beyond. We must have talked about him, in a
positive way, for almost an hour.
Robert and I broke up the party at 2:30 because we had to go to the
Denver VA for an appointment with doctor Braun;. a pre-infusion
appointment and lab.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
I had arranged for us to be picked up at 7:00 AM for our 8:30 AM
appointment at the Infusion Clinic at the Denver VA hospital.Connie
will be around about noon and will drive us home, when ever we are
set to go.
They started the anti-body infusion about 10 AM. It went pretty well
until about 2 PM when Robert had a reaction, first he was having
terrible chills. I put a warm blanket over the chair so that he would
sit on it and wrap it over his shoulders and then 2 more on top of
him. That helped, but he had been given so much fluid through the IV
that he had to keep getting up to go to the men's room. At some point
in started gagging, in addition to the chills. I think that was just
from the Tylenol the nurse gave him, for the chills. Eventually the
anti-body bag was empty. He relaxed and dosed for a bit and then the
actual Chemo was started. He received 2 different types of Chemo.
Both of these worked well and didn't cause any problems, but still we
had to wait quite a while after they had been given before we could go
home, while we wait for the liter of saline to be dripped into him..
Connie had arrived before noon and then gone to the Zoo to kill time.
She was back after the chills and went out to get us some dinner; by
this time it was dinner time. She brought back tortilla-less
burritos. I shared mine with Robert; they were huge, but he didn't
eat very much. He was pretty beat up.
Finally, about 8 PM we were released to go home. Connie drove us home
and we were very grateful for that. Robert was totally exhausted and I
was tired, too. It was sort of the day from hell.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Back again this morning to the VA. We didn't have to get there until
11 AM so the traffic was light. Yesterday it was really jammed up and
took a long time.
He only had to have the 2 chemos today, no anti-bodies. The chemo was
over by 1:30, but then they added a liter of saline solution that he
had to have infused. That seemed to take forever, but we finally were
able to leave about 3 PM.
Robert felt good enough to drive and unless he is half-dead he prefers
to drive...so he drove us home.
At least we were home in time for me to fix dinner..
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Today has been quiet. Robert was up every hour during the night to
get rid of that liter of saline. But, he felt OK by lunch time and
has stayed busy the rest of the day. At 3 PM, he said he was going
for a short walk. I joined him and we did the full loop, so clearly
he is feeling much better.
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