01/14/12 - Today was a difficult day. After pushing herself to get to both the boys basketball games in the morning, Rachel began experiencing severe vomiting without any fever. I want to think it is related to Abby not cooking the chicken dish properly and will pass soon. But, with every little strange symptom, it is easy to fear the worst. She also said that she is having a little difficulty seeing out of her left eye. I hope it is just petechiae from the severe vomiting she had. The compazine she took did relieve the symptoms for the most part but she needed a lorazepam to calm the nausea down completely. If these symptoms continue I will need to take her to the hospital tomorrow. I pray tomorrow will be a better day for her.
01/15/12 - Today Rachel felt a little better. The nausea was still there but she never vomited. Her vision is also better. She is still taking her anti-nausea medication and it is helping. We will be better off waiting until Monday to talk to her regular doctor. Rachel showed me a bit of good news that the new ointment the radiation oncology office gave her is working better than the prior product to sooth the burning from the radiation. We missed church because I was too tired and she was not feeling up to it either. We were invited to a friends house to watch the Packer game but Rachel wasn't up to going. She went to her parents house instead just in case she became sick. I hate days like this when we end up going separate ways or she is just not up to doing much.
01/16/12 - Rachel got through the day with less nausea than on Sunday. It seems to be mostly gone. It might sound weird but I was relieved when I woke up to find that Luke had come home sick throwing up with no fever just as Rachel had started on Saturday. Abby seems to be getting a headache and with her that is always the first sign of getting sick. It's great to get back to having run of the mill illnesses burning through the house.
01/17/12 - Finally, Luke and Rachel are both feeling better. Luke was better after a second day off school and is ready to return tomorrow. Now lets hope nobody else gets this stomach virus.
Abby had a basketball game again. Her play just keeps getting better. Rachel was well enough and came with to Abby's game. I'm not sure she saw much of it because of all the talking and carrying on. It was nice to let her take care of the conversations for a change. Due to the snow and very slippery roads, she cancelled her radiation today. Not a big deal, it just means she will finish one day later than she would have. It is still exciting that she has now completed 17 out of 35 (half for the math challenged) of her radiation treatments!!!
01/23/12 - Rachel now has completed 21 out of 35 radiation treatments. The burning is getting real bad. It looks like a deep 2nd degree burn. The radiation nurses seem more concerned about it than the doctor. The nurses gave her some thin foam to apply over the burnt area under the arm to reduce the rubbing from moving her arm. The doctor gave her a vicodin Rx which she is taking about 3 times per day. We will see what he says about the skin at Wednesday's appointment.
Abby and the boys all played well in their basketball events. On Friday I worked out with a trainer and by Sunday I thought I was going to die. In addition to a mix of cardio and weights, he had me doing exercises I had never done before. So most of the weekend was spent reading and recuperating. Hopefully this will be a good kick-start to getting back in shape.
Saturday the boys and I tried out some ice fishing with some friends and after the outcome of Sunday's football games I have completely lost interest in the NFL for the year.
01/24/12 - Well the nasty stomach cold virus that started with Rachel has now taken down 5/6 in the house with Rebekah being the last hold out. Yes, this means that I who arrogantly claim to never get sick finally got this one. Poor Rachel was running all day to clean up puke from Sam and Abby. I found it sickly satisfying to be the one being taken care of for a change. I got by on rice and chicken broth for the day and managed to hold it together by a thread. She missed her Radiation again today to take care of everybody. This should give her skin a little more time to heal up. Wednesday she will see the Radiation Oncologist. I wish I could go with but I don't think I'll be up to it. 0630 cant come soon enough this night.
01/15/12 - Today Rachel felt a little better. The nausea was still there but she never vomited. Her vision is also better. She is still taking her anti-nausea medication and it is helping. We will be better off waiting until Monday to talk to her regular doctor. Rachel showed me a bit of good news that the new ointment the radiation oncology office gave her is working better than the prior product to sooth the burning from the radiation. We missed church because I was too tired and she was not feeling up to it either. We were invited to a friends house to watch the Packer game but Rachel wasn't up to going. She went to her parents house instead just in case she became sick. I hate days like this when we end up going separate ways or she is just not up to doing much.
01/16/12 - Rachel got through the day with less nausea than on Sunday. It seems to be mostly gone. It might sound weird but I was relieved when I woke up to find that Luke had come home sick throwing up with no fever just as Rachel had started on Saturday. Abby seems to be getting a headache and with her that is always the first sign of getting sick. It's great to get back to having run of the mill illnesses burning through the house.
01/17/12 - Finally, Luke and Rachel are both feeling better. Luke was better after a second day off school and is ready to return tomorrow. Now lets hope nobody else gets this stomach virus.
Abby had a basketball game again. Her play just keeps getting better. Rachel was well enough and came with to Abby's game. I'm not sure she saw much of it because of all the talking and carrying on. It was nice to let her take care of the conversations for a change. Due to the snow and very slippery roads, she cancelled her radiation today. Not a big deal, it just means she will finish one day later than she would have. It is still exciting that she has now completed 17 out of 35 (half for the math challenged) of her radiation treatments!!!
01/23/12 - Rachel now has completed 21 out of 35 radiation treatments. The burning is getting real bad. It looks like a deep 2nd degree burn. The radiation nurses seem more concerned about it than the doctor. The nurses gave her some thin foam to apply over the burnt area under the arm to reduce the rubbing from moving her arm. The doctor gave her a vicodin Rx which she is taking about 3 times per day. We will see what he says about the skin at Wednesday's appointment.
Abby and the boys all played well in their basketball events. On Friday I worked out with a trainer and by Sunday I thought I was going to die. In addition to a mix of cardio and weights, he had me doing exercises I had never done before. So most of the weekend was spent reading and recuperating. Hopefully this will be a good kick-start to getting back in shape.
Saturday the boys and I tried out some ice fishing with some friends and after the outcome of Sunday's football games I have completely lost interest in the NFL for the year.
01/24/12 - Well the nasty stomach cold virus that started with Rachel has now taken down 5/6 in the house with Rebekah being the last hold out. Yes, this means that I who arrogantly claim to never get sick finally got this one. Poor Rachel was running all day to clean up puke from Sam and Abby. I found it sickly satisfying to be the one being taken care of for a change. I got by on rice and chicken broth for the day and managed to hold it together by a thread. She missed her Radiation again today to take care of everybody. This should give her skin a little more time to heal up. Wednesday she will see the Radiation Oncologist. I wish I could go with but I don't think I'll be up to it. 0630 cant come soon enough this night.
"I found it sickly satisfying to be the one being taken care of for a change." Mark, you deserve it, despite the crummy circumstances to get yourself taken care of. :oP Sorry Rachel, that made me laugh. Thanks for updating us all with such personal journal entries... we love you guys!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update! Carter informed us each day with how Luke was feeling. Glad that everyone is starting to feel better. Think and pray for you all daily!
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