Feeling Better!

Hi hi
Pam here! So as I finally read the latest blog update Wed. night over a plate of chix parm, and needless to say, feeling better than Sat., Sun., Mon., Tues. - I realized we seem to only update the blog at times during dark moments. Oops! The weekend and early week were not pretty, but, with everything, things pass. When meeting with Dr. Wallace for a few moments Tues., asking how the throat was, I replied, "you know, it really kind of sucks! When you said I'd be feeling some pain, you weren't kidding! It's like I have raw open skin down there." I shared my tales of vicadin and vomit, sores and lack of swallows... After looking in my mouth, he treated me for acid reflux and thrush. More meds for the Paradee pharmacy. And within a day - getting there, 2 days - good, today - great! Sun's shining, weathers warming, ready for the rebirth of spring! So CAT scan update...here's Troy- I'm onto bigger and better things like...scooping the winter's worth of poop in the backyard before that comes in and joins the mud in the mudroom:)

The CAT scan was really for Dr. Wallace to get information to see if he could reduce the radiation field on Pam and do less damage to her lungs. After looking at the results he did see a reduction in some of the cancer spots as much as 20%. He did reduce the area some, taking it out of the the right armpit and covering some more of the right lung. The bottom line is that they are radiation more area than they feel comfortable with, but they have to because of the fact that the cancer has not responded to the chemo. Pam will probably have diminished lung capacity in the future, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

Thanks again for all the support and good wishes,
Troy and Pam.

Radiation is no fun

Hello everyone, sorry I have not kept you updated recently but it has been a tough few weeks for Pam. Pam is very fatigued and her throat is a mess from the radiation, and to top things off I threw out my back and have been hobbling around the house as well.

Radiation started two weeks ago and instantly became a worry because Pam caught a virus from Griffin. She had a fever for a few days and really felt lousy. Just as she came out of the virus, her throat really started bothering her. She has pretty bad sores due to the radiation. She has a lidicaine mixture she can take to help numb it so she can eat, but that makes her gag. She has some vicadin that she can take, but that makes her naseaus (sp?). So as you can see, we have quite a few pills flying around the house. That doesn't even count the steroids that I have been on to try and reduce the swelling in my back!

Anyway, I have stocked up on some ice cream, apple sauce, yogurt and such to try and get some things down with out severe trauma. Scrambled eggs work a little bit in the mornings. Pam has been very tired, going to bed every night around 7:30 and waking at 8 am. She also takes a nap or two during the day. This is because they are radiating such a large area and so many cells are involved. They are doing a CAT scan tomorrow and hopefully they will be able to reduce the area for the next 10 sessions and alleviate some of the effects (hopefully the throat!).
Being as strong as she is though, Pam did manage to strap on her skis on Friday afternoon and take a couple of runs at Sugarbush with her kids! They were so happy to have her there! She said it was worth the extra naps the next day to be with them for that.

We will continue with radiation for the next couple of weeks and then take a break before Pam gets the High Dose chemo and the stem cell transplant. Pam is very strong, but this is testing every bit of her. She is really pretty uncomfortable right now and is feeling pretty blue. Hopefully the change of season will help give her some energy for the next few months.

Once again we cannot thank you all enough for all of your support through this, the meals, the cards, the $, the cookies, the flowers, the surprises. It has been humbling. We appreciate it could not do it without you all. We wish it could be done, but need you all to hang in with us for a while longer while Pam continues to battle this awful disease with her power and grace that cannot lose.
Troy.