TOUGH MONTH...RADIATION...PAIN...KIDNEY FAILURE...SEPSIS and ICU

10.17.14

This has been a very busy yet trying month since I last wrote. I haven't had time and when I did, frankly, I just didn't feel like writing.

Jimmy has thankfully finished radiation but the side effects are still around in full force. Since the radiation was targeted in Jimmy's groin area, his organs got zapped in the process, including his colon, intestines, bowel, kidneys and bladder. This past month has been so hard for him. The pain is still around in his groin area, but has been very severe down his left leg. He has had pain behind his knee all the way down to his foot. The swelling has gotten really bad in his half, ankle and foot. The blood vessels and capillaries are breaking and his ankle and foot have been swollen to twice their normal size. He has had to be careful to make sure that the skin doesn't break and get infected for fear of serious repercussions. The radiologist said that he would have side effects but nothing we never imagined all that's been going on. The doctor explained the edema in his leg is a result of a leaking lymphatic system and the fluid settles in his foot and can't be pushed back up, therefore, it just swells. This causes his leg to be hyper-sensitive, painful and numb all at the same time. Of course, he doesn't stay off of his feet like he is supposed to be doing and that doesn't help anything.

Jimmy is still having night sweats and isn't getting much sleep. The medication has been really messing with his system. The steroid has caused him to eat all day and all night. In less than 3 weeks time, he gained 25 lbs. and has been feeling very bloated. The pain medicine has to be taken so that he can function during the day but taken enough to help alleviate pain. There have been days that the combination of medication didn't work at all. Jimmy has also be cramping in his hands and feet. They would spasm and become gnarled in positions that were completely unnatural. The cramps were very painful and happened often. He kept drinking water to prevent dehydration but the cramps continued. The exhaustion of all of this has taken its toll emotionally as well. Jimmy is so tired of being sick and having to deal with all of this. He has good days and bad days all the while trying to stay positive through all of this.

This week we had another 911 scare. Jimmy started running a high fever, along with lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea and back pain. He was beet red and his skin was sizzling hot. I had to call 911 to take him to the emergency room. He did not want to go and fought against it but I knew he had no choice. Again, he had to be carried out of the house because he was so weak. When he arrived at the hospital, his fever was still high and his oxygen levels were very low. We spent several hours in the emergency room before he was admitted to the hospital. They weren't sure what was going on. They suspected a bacterial infection or a virus. They started him on IV fluids and gave him some strong pain medication and antibiotics and took lots of blood samples for testing. He had a chest x-ray and ultrasound looking for the source of the fever.

At 6:30 a.m. the following morning, the doctor called me to let me know that he had been put in ICU because of the severity of what was happening, coupled with the fact that he has cancer. They even called in an infectious disease doctor to evaluate him. Jimmy's liver enzymes were elevated as were his lactic acid levels. We soon learned that a virus was not the problem. Jimmy was very dehydrated and his kidneys were starting to fail as well as showing the beginning signs of sepsis. Had he not gone to the hospital when he did, it would have only gotten worse very quickly and the results would have been a lot worse. Thankfully, his chest x-ray and ultrasound were clear, which meant that there was no sign of pneumonia or blockage anywhere.

By the second day, Jimmy felt so much better and really wanted to leave the hospital...no surprise there. Even though he was definitely feeling better, the doctor wanted to see the blood culture results. By the following day, we found out that the cultures were clear and the doctors cleared Jimmy to go home later that day. I am so grateful that we got him in the hospital so that we could find out what was going on and that they thought he was well enough to go home.

As for Logan and I, Logan was awake when Jimmy started feeling so crappy before he went to the hospital and for that I am relieved so that he knew what was going on. I didn't want a repeat of having to tell him after the fact and have him feel like I was hiding something from him. As for me, these emergency room visits are so scary and I am so afraid that something is going to happen to Jimmy. I have had many sad days in the past month because I am so emotionally drained from having to deal with all of this for almost 2 years.

10.18.14
This morning started off like any other morning but Jimmy has started running a fever again and is having some issues leading us to believe that he still may have an infection...maybe bladder or kidney. We checked in with the doctor and he has to monitor his fever and if it continues over the next couple of hours, we will be back at the emergency room. Jimmy is feeling pretty badly right now and he looks about as bad as he feels. Please pray that this is just temporary and that he won't have to go back to the hospital.

Surgery note...Jimmy has two surgeries scheduled in November. The first surgery is the insertion of an IVF filter in the femoral artery in his leg. This is to help prevent blood clotting. Even though he is on blood thinners, clots are still a very real possibility. This surgery will be done about a week before the tumor removal surgery. That surgery is scheduled for November 10th and that day can't come soon enough. This time around, the treatment has been so much worse that the first time around and I just want this to be over and for Jimmy to be healthy.

I have to say a big thank you once again for all of your support and prayers during our journey with all of this. They are truly felt and very much appreciated.