Check-Up Number 3

Chris had his 3rd check-up on Friday. Basically, we went in and they told us that the x-rays that he'd had the week before were clear. Good news! Cancer free for 6 months! Almost through the first year...

In November he has to have a CT scan...it's just a more in depth test that they want him to have, ya know because he did have stage three cancer. The x-rays are a good indicator of something awry, but the CT scan is even better. Oh, they also do labs on him every time we go and check his tumor markers. We haven't gotten the results of the labs they ran on Friday, but if we don't hear from him then all is well. In the last two check-ups, the results have been negative.

So now we just wait until November, until the next batch of tests are ran.

I think we both feel like we are still waiting month to month just seeing if this monster will come back. It's a lot of breath holding, hand holding, and praying going on around here for a while longer. I guess that's how it will be until he hits the "five year clear" mark.

Oh and he'd probably want me to mention that he did lose three! pounds. It must have been all of that heavy lifting when we moved last weekend.

Bi-Monthly Conversations

On Thursday, Chris had his 6 month post cancer chest x-ray. We will find out the results and have a doctor's visit on Friday. He has these appointments every two months.

Sometimes we have the bi-monthly conversations walking through the hall at the hospital. Sometimes it happens as we are driving to the hospital. It has even happened as we are leaving the hospital to go home. Regardless, we have the same conversation every two months...

Him- "Am I always going to be nervous about these check-ups?"
Me- "Probably, but I feel okay about it. I just hope I haven't gotten a false sense of security."
Him- "I'm nervous/scared. I can't believe it's already been __ months since it all started."
Me- "Yep, and we got through it. Together."

I have to admit, I feel a little less scared/stressed now that we have insurance. Thank God for insurance. It could not have come at a better time.

Now if we could just pay off the $30,000 hospital bill and the $13,000 chemo bill. Right, Chris? But at least one doctor will be paid off as of October 1st! <:dances around the room:>

The process of getting the x-ray is super fast and painless. It's waiting the whole week after it's taken that's no fun.

A few weeks ago we were out having dinner and Chris saw a guy about our age who was eating alone. He wouldn't have said anything about it until he saw the tape. You know? The colored tape they wrap around your arm after drawing your blood/taking out an IV.

Yeah that.

I could tell that Chris felt bad for him. The guy didn't have much hair, and he wasn't getting around very fast. I don't know if he was getting treatments or what but just to see him eating there alone made me feel bad. I asked Chris if he thought going through treatments alone would have been as successful as going through treatments with me/a support system. He was like, "Uh, what do you think?!"

I'm glad I could be there for him, and I'm glad/thankful we are still getting ourselves through this together...even with all of the debt and doctor's appointments.

February-March 3rd

Big things are happening for Chris in February.

Tuesday, Feb. 1st- Chris has chemo. Typical Tuesday

Tuesday, Feb. 9th- Chris has chemo, labs and an office visit with J. Dr. K's NP. Almost typical Tuesday.

Notice I skipped the 16th of February-that's because there's no more chemotherapy TUESDAYS!

Monday, Feb. 22nd- He has to get blood work done. (Labs) Which we are going to try and reschedule so that he doesn't have to miss work. So, this might happen Tuesday instead of Monday.

Wednesday, Feb. 24th- This is the day he gets a CT SCAN so we can see how the chemotherapy worked! Big day. In Dr. K's words, "I'll be surprised if I'm surprised." Please let that be the case.

Wednesday, March, 3rd (Yes a whole week later!)- We have an office visit with Dr. K. to get the results of the CT SCAN!

Oh and did I mention during all of this he's filling out tons of applications so that he can crossyourfingers get hired by Apple?  Instead of working for a contract company.

The man is a machine.

Week In Review

This is quickly turning into a blog about my cooking excursions. Oops. I know you guys check in so that you can see how Chris is doing. So, here we go...our week in review.

Tuesday Jan 12th- I had a job interview, don't worry, I didn't get the job that'd be too much to ask eh?. I missed Chris' appointment with Dr. K. I was sad. Where we stand- Chris has one more full week of chemo where he goes every day. That is next week. That should be his last week. Crossyourfingersitworkedandit'shislastweekofchemo. After next week, he has chemo the first two Tuesdays of February. Confused yet? After those Tuesdays, he will have a CT scan to see how the tumors look/see how the chemo worked. That's the updated plan of attack. He also had chemo on this day.

Wednesday Jan 13th-We did absolutely nothing. Relaxed. Rented Public Enemies. Watched it.

Thursday Jan 14th- Chris' last day off of work for the week so we ran errands (groceries!) and tied up some loose ends. Watched Grey's and Private Practice!

Friday Jan 15th- Chris worked, I went over to my aunt's house to hang out. Found out some exciting news about my cousin! This is the day Chris started eating us out of house and home. His appetite is GINORMOUS right now. Oh, and we celebrated being together for four years.

Saturday Jan 16th- Chris worked. I baked.

Sunday Jan 17th- Chris worked. I watched the Cowboys lose. Had family dinner at my cousins house.

Monday Jan 18th- Chris worked. I did nothing. Ok, I cried about how there is no food in the house because Chris ate it all!

Tuesday Jan 19th- Chemotherapy Tuesday! Then we went and hung out with my grandparents that afternoon.

Today- We are having PJ day. Not leaving the house and not leaving our PJ's. Chris has been reading all morning and I've been trying to entertain myself with various other things. Like, laundry, cleaning and blogging.

See? PJ's and a book.

Even Jaycie is participating in PJ day.

And by PJ day I mean sleep away the day.

Seriously, when I first met Chris he ate a whole lot and weighed 100 lbs wet. Then, when we moved to TX he slowed down a bit. Now he's back to his old TN ways! So, he's feeling good. It seems like chemotherapy Tuesdays don't make him feel as bad as they used to...Not sure if that is good or bad. We still try to chill on Wednesdays anyway. And by chill I mean he eats while I cook. Sheesh. It's almost time for dinner already...

Later!

Day Two.

November 21 & 22, 2009:

Chris was in the hospital from Friday night until late Sunday afternoon. I left off on my last post just after his surgery* which happened Saturday afternoon.

We waited for Chris to come back up to his room after the surgery for what seemed like 1,000 forevers. I was itching to see him and to be totally honest-go home and shower and see/feed Jaycie (baby kitty.) Finally he got back into the room and he was out. Like, I was about to ask for some of what he had because he was so relaxed. I figured he'd be in and out of it for the next little bit so my aunt and her boyfriend stayed with him while I ran home. I kissed him and told him I'd be back in about an hour, and then my grandma drove me to our apartment (I'd been up for days at this point and she didn't trust me driving 10 miles back home.) Thanks grandma! I showered, picked up a few things and fed baby kitty. Just as we got into the car to drive back up to the hospital my phone rings.

My aunt- "Chris is hungry bring FOOD."
Me- "What does he want? Ask him what sounds good."
My aunt- "Oh he's already asleep again."
Me- "Ok be there in ten minutes."

I got back to the hospital (with no food) and he was wide awake. Aw. He was so happy to see me. Of course I don't even know if he knew I was ever gone. Just kidding baby of course you did!

And now begins what I like to call Morphine Chris...

Everyone finally left about six on Saturday night and it was the first time we had been alone all day. Chris was actually awake and alert now so I asked him again what he wanted for dinner. His request? Chicken strips and gravy from Sonic. Hello? Is my boyfriend in there? That's an Ashley request not a Chris request. Anyway thanks to my uncle (who really isn't my uncle because my aunt and uncle split but is still MY uncle) for stopping by Sonic and getting us food. He was gagging as he walked in with it and was like, "Dude, I could have brought you food from anywhere and you wanted this?" Let's just say Chris thoroughly enjoyed his gravy and chocolate malt. Ew.

Later that night...A new nurse. If you read my previous post then you've heard about Horrible Nurse. She was replaced with hmm, what shall we call her? Hold on let me ask Chris, ok, Nurse Cutie.

Gag me.

We'll blame it on the morphine. He looooooved Nurse Cutie.  Especially when she brought him meds. I think he tried to stay awake most of the night just so he could flirt talk with her. I love you Chris! He fully admits now that she was cute. I'm okay with that except for the farewell that went down while I was "sleeping" on a cot next to his bed. It was 6 in the morning on Sunday...

Nurse Cutie- "I'm leaving in about 30 minutes, do you want me to go ahead and give you more pain medicine now or do you want to wait until the next nurse comes in? I don't know how long that will be and I don't want you to be uncomfortable."
Chris- "Now, give it now."
Nurse Cutie- "Mmm K I'll be right back."

Three minutes later Nurse Cutie administers the goods and the farewells begin.

Nurse Cutie- "Ok, Chris, I'll be back tonight at 7 so if you're still here then I will see you then!"
Chris- "Oh, ok." (You can probably insert a sad face here but I was"sleeping" so I can't be sure) "You've been such a wonderful nurse and I just want to thank you for taking such good care of me. You've been awesomeeeee."
Nurse Cutie- "Well you haven't been so bad yourself!"

The tone of her voice made me sit straight up on that squeaky cot and she was outta there.

Okay, now that I type it out it doesn't sound so bad but you just had to be there. He was so drugged up that he was dragging out words and it would have been cute if he hadn't been so googly eyed. Funny story? My grandpa has had the same nurse and they compared favorite body parts "notes" as soon as my grandpa found out Chris had had her as his night nurse. Men.

I know this post is super long but I promise I'm getting to the goods here soon.

Oh did I mention that Horrible Nurse was back for the day? Joy. Of course, we didn't see much of her.

At 7:30 on Sunday morning in walks his oncologist. Dr. K. Holy cow he's an early bird. Immediately Chris and I look at each other and know we are going to love this guy. Dr. K. comes in and tells us that yes, the cancer has definitely spread into his abdomen (bad) and he has a two and a half inch mass on his abdomen and another smaller one as well (bad). We also learn then that testicular cancer spreads in a certain way. It originates in the testis, moves into the lymph nodes (in his groin), goes into the abdomen, then into the lungs, and finally ends up in the brain.  You know my friend Lance Armstrong? Well he's not really my friend but we'd love to meet him. Anyway, his testicular cancer had spread into his lungs and brain (this was in 1996.) And look at him now! Chris's cancer has only gotten as far as his abdomen(good.) No lungs or brain involved yet. Yay, Chris!

Back to Dr. K. and the plan of attack! He immediately told us that he wants Chris to bank sperm (chemo will most likely make him sterile.) Wow, it was hard to type that out and I'm sure hard for him to read. It's okay though because we have options. And, Dr. K. wants Chris to start chemotherapy on December 14th. Dr. K. said that testicular cancer is very responsive to chemotherapy and he is sure all of the cancer will be "mopped up"with chemotherapy treatments (good). Dr. K is very eccentric.

Did I mention we looooove him?

Chris was such a trooper and did so well the day after his surgery that he was released from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. Don't ask about the discharge. Horrible Nurse really lived up to her name on Sunday. I'm sure he was secretly sad he wouldn't get to see Nurse Cutie that night. But all was well and he got to sleep in his own bed! I can't believe we've been home for two weeks.

Who else saw that nail biter of a football game last night? I can't believe those Longhorns. Of course I'll admit the game wasn't too interesting until there was only about two minutes left in the fourth. Or ONE second left in the fourth!

*Go read the previous post, it talks more about his inguinal orchiectomy...I should let you guys know that Chris really didn't have much pain after the surgery and morphine. Mostly when he switched positions, laying to sitting etc, and walking up/down three flights of stairs (because who wanted a third floor apartment? Oh yeah, that was me) he felt a little pain. Nothing a little Motrin couldn't handle.