Ringing Out

Ringing Out

Ring This Bell
Three Times Well,
A Toll To Clearly Say
"My Treatments Done,
This Course Is Run
And I am On My Way!"

Sign above the bell in the lobby at Methodist Hospital Radiation Annex.

Yep, David "rang out" yesterday, real loud! I think it surprised him how loud! He had people sticking their heads out of offices! His main technican came out of the treatment room, people clapped and he actually smiled! He's a grinner, but teeth actually showed! Very exciting and more emotional than he thought it would be.
I baked cookies and we passed them out to the staff and both doctors. Rene surprised his dad by coming by and taking part in the bell ringing! Rene is the reason we had radiation at Methodist, he hooked his dad up, one of his customers is Methodist and he called and got it set up for us to see Dr. Butler. The doctors and staff were WONDERFUL! So caring and gentle, always asking how you are doing, you know they are interested in you as a person as well as a patient.
I suprised David by taking the day off and planning a day trip to Galveston. We sat on the beach, held hands, had a beer and watched the waves rush to shore. Nothing like a little quiet time with God and his wonderful creations. The Gulf of Mexico may not be as pretty as the California or Florida water, but the sound of waves crashing to shore sounds the same! His legs were "marked" with 3 blue lines, so he could be positioned in the same place every day for treatment. I took a picture of his legs with the gulf water washing his marks off, pretty cool! We had a pact at the start of this journey that he would always tell me what he was feeling and thinking...no matter what. He confessed to me that when I told him the plans for the day he got a little emotional.
Glad we can check this step off the list. Fatigue seems to be the only issue, and that will go away in about a month or six weeks. Having our friends and family walk the walk with us has been unbelivable! David got a card EVERY day from Phil, Sharon, Vickie and or Tuck. Don't know how they managed to time that, but it is was pretty amazing! He looked forward to the mailman everyday. I have no idea how many prayer lists he was on, but it worked! Thanks to everyone, we felt the love and prayers daily.
Can't wait for the family get together in May for his birthday celebration. Great idea Sharon! Never one to like being the center of attention, David is looking forward to seeing everyone. His second post surgery PSA test will be May 10th, and I know we will have more good news to celebrate!
Love to all,
Mom

Last meeting with Dr. Butler

Every Tuesday we meet with Dr. Butler to review the week, today was our LAST meeting! Day after tomorrow will be the 32nd and last radiation treatment! David had blood work done last week and the results were good. His white blood count is where it should be, no signs of infection. We were told his radiation beams don't go near any orgins that could be harmed by the radiation so they didn't expect any elevation in the white count (fighting infection from damage) He has never had any blood in the urine or problems with the flow of urine-this would also indicate infection. Dr. Butler was really please with the way David has progressed through the treatment plan. Fatigue is still a problem and David will continue feeling tired for about a month to 6 weeks. He comes home and takes a nap every day, but yesterday mowed the lawn when he woke up.
All the staff at Methodist are just fantastic, Debbie, our nurse today could not stop smiling as she went over the discharge papers. They are all so supportive and excited for your progress. I will post again Thursday with pictures of David ringing the bell announcing the end of his treatment. The bell is in the lobby, and when you finish treatment you ring it to give hope and encourgment to other patients. Kinda cool, when we started treatment David said he didn't think he would ring it, but he has since changed his mind and wants to shout from the roof top he is DONE!
The follow up plan-David has his 2nd post surgery PSA test scheduled for May 10th. We will have this done with Dr. Sukin and the results will be sent to Dr. Butler, we will see him for a follow up at the same time.
Love to all-Mom

David update

David and I had our regularly scheduled Dr. Butler meeting today. He is VERY pleased with how well David is progressing through the radiation treatments! Only 7 more and we are done! Mark it down, Thursday April 7th!

Allergies and fatigue are the only problems he is experiencing. I make him take a 2 hour nap every day, the dry hacking cough is getting out of control, keeping him awake at night. Last Friday the doctor gave him a prescription for something that in my opinion didn't work. Today they gave him codeine, hope it takes care of the cough. Weight is the same, blood pressure is great, no burning, no problems....feel VERY blessed! They have not done any additional white blood cell testing.

Not much of a update, but David is doing so good there is not much to report!
Love to all, thanks for the prayers, phone calls and cards.

Dancin' the Irish Jig!

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

I waited until today to do the weekly doctor update, not just because I'm Irish and like St. Patrick's Day but because today marks the HALF WAY MARK! David is officially 1/2 the way to completing the radiation treatments! 
Dr. Butler was out of the office Tuesday so we saw Dr. Grant. We had been told they might "add" sessions to the end of the treatment plan. I ask when they would make that decision, I was told by Dr. Grant that he thought Dr. Butler had already decided NO ADDITIONAL SESSIONS! (Needs to be confirmed next Tuesday with Butler)
The fatigue is about the same, David takes a nap everyday and can function okay. No pain, no other issues, no weight gain or loss. 
Spring Break was this week and we got to see kids and grandkids. We took Addy to the Woodlands to listen to music, and had a 1st Birthday party for Sophie. Billy went to treatment with David on Monday...regular stuff. Felt very good!
No blood work this week, but he will have a white cell count test next week.
Thanks again for all the cards, calls and prayers. Love you all.

White blood cell count

We met with Dr. Butler today for the weekly check up, they had done blood work last week to check the white blood cell count. White cells fight infection, he didn't give us the number, but told us they were good. David is doing fine, played a round of golf this week and last. He is starting to feel some fatigue, it is to be expected, and so far the only problem he is having. Today was the 10th treatment, and since we are shooting for a total of 32 that means he is about 1/3 of the way through.
Sarah came down last week and went with her dad to the Friday session. The nurses took her in the room and explained the machine and treatments to her. Jennifer and the kids are coming down this weekend, they are going to spend spring break here and at her parents. Billy just called, they are coming down Sunday for a couple of days. The cards and phone calls are great moral boosters, and the prayers are a wonderful comfort to us both. It only takes looking around the waiting room to know how blessed we are.

Dr. Butler meeting today

Every Tuesday after treatment David and I will meet with Dr. Butler to talk about how the week has been for him. Today was the first of those meetings, and we found out the number of sessions....drum roll please......32. They may add more, depends on how it looks towards the end. This was really good news because we thought it was going to be 37. So that's a WHOLE week less! David has gained one pound, and is not showing ANY signs of the radiation.
Depression is something I have been watching for, and some days I think he lets it get to him. Example: This weekend, I cleaned the garage, he was bringing me some stuff from the front porch and he saw the Christmas lights. He told me the thought crossed his mind that he may not feel up to decorating next year. And he wanted me to tell the kids he didn't want them to do it for him. Not that he won't be here to decorate, but that he won't feel like doing it. The other side of that, he is meeting with a woman he knows from work that her ex husband is dealing with 8 months of incontinence-he wants to help him by getting the guy to exercise. Depressed some days determined to help others some days.
Thanks for all the cards (Sharon, Phil, Vicki and Tuck) all the phone calls (kids and grandkids) and big thanks for all the prayers. Keep it up, I know he feels your love.

First Treatment

David had his first radiation treatment this afternoon. We don't know how many sessions he will have until we meet with Dr. Butler on Tuesday. This week his treatment times are all afternoon, hoping next week he can be moved to morning sessions. They told us it was important to keep him at the same time everyday, don't know why. He will also be kept on the same machine, and have a CT scan done prior to every treatment. According to David, no pain (the balloon isn't comfortable-but doesn't hurt) start to finish time is about 20 minutes, including scan.
I am going to be able to take him twice a week, and he feels comfortable he can manage the other 3 trips.
David has said he might start posting, so you may get another update. If not I'll post what Butler tells us Tuesday.
Thanks for all the prayers we feel them.
Mom