Another ER Visit and Infusion
On April 20th, as you may already know, I went to the ER as a result of several small seziures, which resulted in a major seizure shortly after arrival at the hospital. I spent a couple of days up north being monitored and was then sent home. I was placed on a regiment of anti-seizure meds and steroids. The steroids, in general, have helped me a lot with swelling in my brain throughout the course of this battle. It was believed that the seizures were caused due to swelling around the tumor that had been irradiated at the beginning of April.
Less than two weeks after getting home from the hospital, I was off of the steroids. It had been a very quick taper filled with rather low doses of the steroid. While the general idea has always been to get me off of the steroids as quickly as possible, this seemed a little quick in my opinion. That being said, we went along with it.
So, on Wednesday, May 6th, I was officially off of the steroid. The next couple of days seemed fairly normal. I was back to working out regularly and adjusting to the other meds I was on. Then Saturday rolled around... Early Saturday afternoon I started to have a headache. Headaches are rare for me. I hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and eat pretty dang clean. So, when a headache creeps in, given that I have brain tumors, I sort of perk up and pay attention. Sunday morning, still had the headache. So, I took some meds. The pain meds seemed to help with the pain of the headache and so I went on with my normally scheduled Sabbath activities.
By the time Monday morning rolled around, I was hoping the headache would have resolved itself, but it hadn't. I hadn't slept very well the past couple of nights, which is always miserable. And by now, I'm beginning to wonder what's around the corner. This was reminiscent of what transpired prior to my seizures. So, I took some pain meds to help with the headache. They helped a bit, but not much. I was also slightly fevered. I did manage to push through a workout that morning, but then I was drained the rest of the day. In fact, I took a nap for a few hours hoping that would help.
When I woke up from the nap, it was about 5:30 pm and my head hurt. So, I took more pain meds. I also checked my temperature and found out that I was slightly fevered. This time, however, the pain meds didn't have any impact. Come 7:30 pm, I was still exhausted and climbed in bed for the night. Slowly...time passed. And I couldn't sleep. And the headache didn't go away. And now I was getting slightly naseous. After an hour of lying there, reflecting on what was going on and how similar this was to my seizure episode and brain surgery episode, I called Kim. Yes... I called Kim from the bedrom! haha I asked her to come in and call the on-call oncologist at Huntsman's to find out what we should do.
The oncologist recommended that we go to the ER to be observed and to already be there if something happened. So, that's what we did..
It took a while once we got there to get things going, but the back and forth between the ER and Huntsman's can take a minute. It was decided to not do any scans this time. If my symptoms didn't improve with some pain meds and steroids over the next couple of days, then a scan would be done. They gave me some morphine, which always makes me feel weird, but that took care of the headache immediately. I'd also been nauseous, so they gave me some Zofran for that. They also started me back up on the steroids, but this time at a higher dose than I was on immediately following my seizures. Fortunately, we were able to head home and climb in bed. I believe it was just after midnight by the time we made it back home. I think we both slept well that night and I was able to jump on and work the next day.
You know, during my last semester of college, I took a database admin class and swore I'd never be a programmer. Less than a year after graduating, I was a programmer! And when I look at the way that has impacted my life, in particular right now, I can clearly see God's hand in it all. As a stage 4 cancer patient with some rough days throughout the process, I am still able to work a full-time job from the comfort of my own home and provide for my family. God is good. He doesn't always take away our trials, but, if we are willing and faithful, He provides a way through them. I do know that to be true.
I am still currently on the steroid. I am just about to start my last step in the taper and will be back off the steroid this Wednesday. We will see what happens... All in all, I have been doing better. I've been tired, but no headaches or fevers to speak of.
On May 14th, Kim and I went up north for an infusion. Mother's Day had just passed and so we stopped by my parents' house to give my mom her present. It had been a while since we'd visited, given all the COVID-19 stuff going on, so it was good to sit down and chat for a minute. They've done some renovations to the home, including my old bedroom. It was weird to see my room so different, but it was fun to see the changes and to see them. After visiting with them, we stopped by my grandparents' house to give my grandma her Mother's Day and Birthday present. We visited while sitting in chairs in the driveway and enjoyed seeing them for a minute.
We then headed up to HCI for my infusion. Still, Kim isn't allowed in, which is disappointing, but she was wonderful and was able to get some errands done while I was infused with toxic chemicals that help my body kill cancer. I was forced, for the first time mind you, to wear a mask while there until I got to my infusion pod. I hate masks...
I can understand the perspective that the hospital is coming from, but I just don't like them. Anyway, I had my blood drawn without any issues. The nurse, who is normally very nice, seemed to be having an off day and didn't act as professionally as she should have. She complained about work and used some inappropriate language, but we all have days like that, right?
I then went back to the infusion center and was able to take off my mask. Hallelujah! My labs all came back looking good, including my kidney function, which had been an area of concern at the beginning of April. They were pretty quick about getting things going this time, which was nice. Fortunately, the infusions aren't too long and, now that I've removed the Zomeda, the side effects are minimal. Mostly just some fatigue.
After finishing up, Kim picked me up and we headed back home! I thoroughly enjoy the visits with Kim while we drive. She's my best friend and we talk and talk and talk. It's wonderful to know that, despite being together so much for over five years, we still have so much to talk about. She's beyond patient with me and incredibly loving and kind in the way that she serves me and loves me. I couldn't ask for a better wife and eternal companion to walk by my side throughout this life and the next.
Less than two weeks after getting home from the hospital, I was off of the steroids. It had been a very quick taper filled with rather low doses of the steroid. While the general idea has always been to get me off of the steroids as quickly as possible, this seemed a little quick in my opinion. That being said, we went along with it.
So, on Wednesday, May 6th, I was officially off of the steroid. The next couple of days seemed fairly normal. I was back to working out regularly and adjusting to the other meds I was on. Then Saturday rolled around... Early Saturday afternoon I started to have a headache. Headaches are rare for me. I hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and eat pretty dang clean. So, when a headache creeps in, given that I have brain tumors, I sort of perk up and pay attention. Sunday morning, still had the headache. So, I took some meds. The pain meds seemed to help with the pain of the headache and so I went on with my normally scheduled Sabbath activities.
By the time Monday morning rolled around, I was hoping the headache would have resolved itself, but it hadn't. I hadn't slept very well the past couple of nights, which is always miserable. And by now, I'm beginning to wonder what's around the corner. This was reminiscent of what transpired prior to my seizures. So, I took some pain meds to help with the headache. They helped a bit, but not much. I was also slightly fevered. I did manage to push through a workout that morning, but then I was drained the rest of the day. In fact, I took a nap for a few hours hoping that would help.
When I woke up from the nap, it was about 5:30 pm and my head hurt. So, I took more pain meds. I also checked my temperature and found out that I was slightly fevered. This time, however, the pain meds didn't have any impact. Come 7:30 pm, I was still exhausted and climbed in bed for the night. Slowly...time passed. And I couldn't sleep. And the headache didn't go away. And now I was getting slightly naseous. After an hour of lying there, reflecting on what was going on and how similar this was to my seizure episode and brain surgery episode, I called Kim. Yes... I called Kim from the bedrom! haha I asked her to come in and call the on-call oncologist at Huntsman's to find out what we should do.
The oncologist recommended that we go to the ER to be observed and to already be there if something happened. So, that's what we did..
It took a while once we got there to get things going, but the back and forth between the ER and Huntsman's can take a minute. It was decided to not do any scans this time. If my symptoms didn't improve with some pain meds and steroids over the next couple of days, then a scan would be done. They gave me some morphine, which always makes me feel weird, but that took care of the headache immediately. I'd also been nauseous, so they gave me some Zofran for that. They also started me back up on the steroids, but this time at a higher dose than I was on immediately following my seizures. Fortunately, we were able to head home and climb in bed. I believe it was just after midnight by the time we made it back home. I think we both slept well that night and I was able to jump on and work the next day.
You know, during my last semester of college, I took a database admin class and swore I'd never be a programmer. Less than a year after graduating, I was a programmer! And when I look at the way that has impacted my life, in particular right now, I can clearly see God's hand in it all. As a stage 4 cancer patient with some rough days throughout the process, I am still able to work a full-time job from the comfort of my own home and provide for my family. God is good. He doesn't always take away our trials, but, if we are willing and faithful, He provides a way through them. I do know that to be true.
I am still currently on the steroid. I am just about to start my last step in the taper and will be back off the steroid this Wednesday. We will see what happens... All in all, I have been doing better. I've been tired, but no headaches or fevers to speak of.
On May 14th, Kim and I went up north for an infusion. Mother's Day had just passed and so we stopped by my parents' house to give my mom her present. It had been a while since we'd visited, given all the COVID-19 stuff going on, so it was good to sit down and chat for a minute. They've done some renovations to the home, including my old bedroom. It was weird to see my room so different, but it was fun to see the changes and to see them. After visiting with them, we stopped by my grandparents' house to give my grandma her Mother's Day and Birthday present. We visited while sitting in chairs in the driveway and enjoyed seeing them for a minute.
We then headed up to HCI for my infusion. Still, Kim isn't allowed in, which is disappointing, but she was wonderful and was able to get some errands done while I was infused with toxic chemicals that help my body kill cancer. I was forced, for the first time mind you, to wear a mask while there until I got to my infusion pod. I hate masks...
I can understand the perspective that the hospital is coming from, but I just don't like them. Anyway, I had my blood drawn without any issues. The nurse, who is normally very nice, seemed to be having an off day and didn't act as professionally as she should have. She complained about work and used some inappropriate language, but we all have days like that, right?
I then went back to the infusion center and was able to take off my mask. Hallelujah! My labs all came back looking good, including my kidney function, which had been an area of concern at the beginning of April. They were pretty quick about getting things going this time, which was nice. Fortunately, the infusions aren't too long and, now that I've removed the Zomeda, the side effects are minimal. Mostly just some fatigue.
After finishing up, Kim picked me up and we headed back home! I thoroughly enjoy the visits with Kim while we drive. She's my best friend and we talk and talk and talk. It's wonderful to know that, despite being together so much for over five years, we still have so much to talk about. She's beyond patient with me and incredibly loving and kind in the way that she serves me and loves me. I couldn't ask for a better wife and eternal companion to walk by my side throughout this life and the next.
#FaithOverFear
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