Day 128
Jackie and I had a wonderful date night. She has spent the last three days working hard just to make sure our lives stay comfortable. The treatment has definitely made her lose some of her endurance and strength. She become tired more easily. Her hair has not fallen out yet, but does thin out slightly. Jackie has always been a hard worker with good work ethics. Yesterday she came home tired and restless. She had sore shoulders and felt bone pain. This has been the first time since the last three cycles that Neupogen has affected her. Luckily a good night’s rest did alleviate some of her pain. I watch her carefully when she is with me. Everytime she sighs and awkwardly arches he shoulders signals something is wrong. I don’t know what to do to help her out. I’m so helpless.
Tonight however I made dinner and we went to the tennis gardens to watch Rafael Nadal in action. What an enjoyable event with plenty of action. God blesses both Jackie and I. Somehow He is always able to provide us relief from stressful times. Jackie is hanging in there and this weekend we will be going back home. Next week is her final treatment. We will be counting down.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Day 125-127
Lately I have felt very uninspired to write. Are human beings just a creature of habit? I wake up, drive to work, work, lunch, work, drive home, dinner, tv, and sleep. Jackies treatment goes steadily with chemo on Friday followed by a weekend of being uncomfortable, then five shots of Neupogen, and we wait until Friday again. I’m not sure what else to expect, because she is doing great. In less than two months we will be celebrating our one year anniversary. In the beginning things kicked off with a bang and then Hodgkin’s came along and it definitely has been a long test. It has mostly been a test of patience. Treatment lasts from anywhere between half a year to a year. We are not allowed to go on vacation, go to public events, have certain foods, and so on. These restrictions keep you pretty well confined in a specific area for awhile. Luckily modern technology has made it easier to enjoy entertainment, communicate with family and friends, and pass time. Life should be spontaneous, exciting, and unpredictable. That is what Jackie and I miss the most.
On a lighter note, we have finally earned a response back from one of the many charities that we applied to. I was certain that we would be denied because apparently our salary is too high. I don’t unerstand why my net worth is in the negatives but I don’t t qualify for anything. To my surprise though they have afforded to pay a portion of certain bills. I feel very fortunate to have found such a great organization. Thank you Lymphoma research foundation. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and will be reciprocated.
Lately I have felt very uninspired to write. Are human beings just a creature of habit? I wake up, drive to work, work, lunch, work, drive home, dinner, tv, and sleep. Jackies treatment goes steadily with chemo on Friday followed by a weekend of being uncomfortable, then five shots of Neupogen, and we wait until Friday again. I’m not sure what else to expect, because she is doing great. In less than two months we will be celebrating our one year anniversary. In the beginning things kicked off with a bang and then Hodgkin’s came along and it definitely has been a long test. It has mostly been a test of patience. Treatment lasts from anywhere between half a year to a year. We are not allowed to go on vacation, go to public events, have certain foods, and so on. These restrictions keep you pretty well confined in a specific area for awhile. Luckily modern technology has made it easier to enjoy entertainment, communicate with family and friends, and pass time. Life should be spontaneous, exciting, and unpredictable. That is what Jackie and I miss the most.
On a lighter note, we have finally earned a response back from one of the many charities that we applied to. I was certain that we would be denied because apparently our salary is too high. I don’t unerstand why my net worth is in the negatives but I don’t t qualify for anything. To my surprise though they have afforded to pay a portion of certain bills. I feel very fortunate to have found such a great organization. Thank you Lymphoma research foundation. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and will be reciprocated.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Day 124
Today is recovery from a whole day of fun yesterday. Yesterday we spent the whole day outside socializing, eating, and enjoying life’s finer things. Today we rested. Jackie seemed a lot more tired and preoccupied by chemo compared to yesterday. We decided to stay in the house all day. Thank God for satellite television. There are always plenty of mindless shows that can burn time. Jackie has been drinking lots and lots of water. Everytime she feels something is going wrong, a glass of water seems to help. I feel that she is handling chemo so much easier now compared to day1.
Jackie also got a nice surprise visit from her brother. He happened to be in this area, so we did have time to grab dinner and enjoy family time. I know this means so much to her. It is always the simple parts of life that we remember.
This week is going to be the same routine. Five shots of neupogen, a little bit of working, and enjoying life.
Today is recovery from a whole day of fun yesterday. Yesterday we spent the whole day outside socializing, eating, and enjoying life’s finer things. Today we rested. Jackie seemed a lot more tired and preoccupied by chemo compared to yesterday. We decided to stay in the house all day. Thank God for satellite television. There are always plenty of mindless shows that can burn time. Jackie has been drinking lots and lots of water. Everytime she feels something is going wrong, a glass of water seems to help. I feel that she is handling chemo so much easier now compared to day1.
Jackie also got a nice surprise visit from her brother. He happened to be in this area, so we did have time to grab dinner and enjoy family time. I know this means so much to her. It is always the simple parts of life that we remember.
This week is going to be the same routine. Five shots of neupogen, a little bit of working, and enjoying life.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Day 121-123
Chemo #7 is gone. This infusion flew by. I felt that we went in and took a nap and came right out. I guess we are getting better at it, if there is such a thing. Just one more to go! Two more weeks! Jackie and I had these great tickets to a large tennis tournament this weekend. We were so enthusiastic about going to this even ever since we went last year. I was worried that Jackie would be feeling nauseous or have stomach upsets and wouldn’t be able to make this event. We were going to take it day by day. I woke up this morning and Jackie was wide and awake. She drank and drank many cups of water to flush out the toxins. We ended up going to the event with suite seating. We stayed for five hours before I got tired and wanted to leave. It was such a great day. We had a blast with many memories ti back it up.
Tomorrow is going to be a day of relaxation. It is time to sleep in and enjoy time alone at home. Jackie will be prepping herself for her last cycle of chemo. Maybe it is time for a vacation after all this treatment. We will take this day by day like we have for the past four months. Almost there!
Chemo #7 is gone. This infusion flew by. I felt that we went in and took a nap and came right out. I guess we are getting better at it, if there is such a thing. Just one more to go! Two more weeks! Jackie and I had these great tickets to a large tennis tournament this weekend. We were so enthusiastic about going to this even ever since we went last year. I was worried that Jackie would be feeling nauseous or have stomach upsets and wouldn’t be able to make this event. We were going to take it day by day. I woke up this morning and Jackie was wide and awake. She drank and drank many cups of water to flush out the toxins. We ended up going to the event with suite seating. We stayed for five hours before I got tired and wanted to leave. It was such a great day. We had a blast with many memories ti back it up.
Tomorrow is going to be a day of relaxation. It is time to sleep in and enjoy time alone at home. Jackie will be prepping herself for her last cycle of chemo. Maybe it is time for a vacation after all this treatment. We will take this day by day like we have for the past four months. Almost there!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Day 121
Things have been going very smoothly these days. Jackie has chemo #7 coming up the end of this week. She has been gaining her strength each day. Her hair is actually growing to the point where she is needing a haircut. She works 2-3 days a week and has full energy to cook a delicious dinner. Everything is going the way it is planned. Now if all is well, Jackie should be done with chemo in 3 weeks and move on to radiation planning. Radiation can last anywhere from 3-5 weeks. It is a M-F job with the weekend to recuperate. The most stressful time of radiation will be the planning and execution of the process. In today’s modern world the doctor’s can use many different CT and PET scan to determine the size, depth, and shape of the residual mass. The plan of attack is to wipe out any cancer cells left with the minimum amount of long term side effects. But before all this can be done Jackie needs a scan to determine how much the chemo effected the lymphoma. I am counting the days to find out her progress from these last 4 months.
Things have been going very smoothly these days. Jackie has chemo #7 coming up the end of this week. She has been gaining her strength each day. Her hair is actually growing to the point where she is needing a haircut. She works 2-3 days a week and has full energy to cook a delicious dinner. Everything is going the way it is planned. Now if all is well, Jackie should be done with chemo in 3 weeks and move on to radiation planning. Radiation can last anywhere from 3-5 weeks. It is a M-F job with the weekend to recuperate. The most stressful time of radiation will be the planning and execution of the process. In today’s modern world the doctor’s can use many different CT and PET scan to determine the size, depth, and shape of the residual mass. The plan of attack is to wipe out any cancer cells left with the minimum amount of long term side effects. But before all this can be done Jackie needs a scan to determine how much the chemo effected the lymphoma. I am counting the days to find out her progress from these last 4 months.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Day 120
We are definitely holding up very well. Our marriage has never been stronger. We constantly look out for each other as if each step was a decision maker. Jackie takes care of me very well. She loves me and always looks out for my well-being. Yesterday I was accidentally choked on some water and she rushed over to me to make sure I was alright. It is all about the small things in a marriage that add up. A relationship is not about who can out buy the other in gifts. It is about understanding your partner’s needs. I am not sure how to be a husband and definitely not an expert on relationship building. However, I think I would be able to author my marriage as long as I have my wife co-author. Love is no longer about self, but it is selfless.
We are definitely holding up very well. Our marriage has never been stronger. We constantly look out for each other as if each step was a decision maker. Jackie takes care of me very well. She loves me and always looks out for my well-being. Yesterday I was accidentally choked on some water and she rushed over to me to make sure I was alright. It is all about the small things in a marriage that add up. A relationship is not about who can out buy the other in gifts. It is about understanding your partner’s needs. I am not sure how to be a husband and definitely not an expert on relationship building. However, I think I would be able to author my marriage as long as I have my wife co-author. Love is no longer about self, but it is selfless.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Day 117-119
Jackie has been sufferring less bone pain now that she takes a lower dosage of Neupogen. After her 5 consecutive days of shots she still end up going to work. This weekend has also been extremely enjoyable. We were able to enjoy good quality time with each other doing the things we love. We went to a movie, enjoyed food, and hung out with friends. Jackie and I are trying very hard to move along with our lives according to plan with just an extra step due to Hodgkin’s. Our plans include moving out of our current area, finding a new job, and buying a house. The tough part about our plans have to do with our current economical crisis. Jobs are scarce, espescially those that are full time with health benefits. Health benefits are a number one priority now. No benefits equals no moving for us.
For those that read my wife’s side of the story, she has provided a monetary synopsis of all her pre-chemo treatment expenses. Doctors, hospitals, and staff can charge whatever they want for procedures. There are no set rules or caps on procedures listed by the government. One hospital can charge $700 for a CT scan while the hospital on the other side of town can charge $3000. Jackie’s pre-chemo fees were a total of $69,311. The insurance company has a contracted fee with the hospital for procedures. The total amounts after using the contracted fees for procedures were $24,069.
There difference between having insurance and a cash patient is a three times difference. I can bet every other country with universal health care is just mocking our country. How can this great nation allow these types situations happen. I would have declared bankruptcy before Jackie even started chemo if we didn’t have insurance.
Jackie has been sufferring less bone pain now that she takes a lower dosage of Neupogen. After her 5 consecutive days of shots she still end up going to work. This weekend has also been extremely enjoyable. We were able to enjoy good quality time with each other doing the things we love. We went to a movie, enjoyed food, and hung out with friends. Jackie and I are trying very hard to move along with our lives according to plan with just an extra step due to Hodgkin’s. Our plans include moving out of our current area, finding a new job, and buying a house. The tough part about our plans have to do with our current economical crisis. Jobs are scarce, espescially those that are full time with health benefits. Health benefits are a number one priority now. No benefits equals no moving for us.
For those that read my wife’s side of the story, she has provided a monetary synopsis of all her pre-chemo treatment expenses. Doctors, hospitals, and staff can charge whatever they want for procedures. There are no set rules or caps on procedures listed by the government. One hospital can charge $700 for a CT scan while the hospital on the other side of town can charge $3000. Jackie’s pre-chemo fees were a total of $69,311. The insurance company has a contracted fee with the hospital for procedures. The total amounts after using the contracted fees for procedures were $24,069.
There difference between having insurance and a cash patient is a three times difference. I can bet every other country with universal health care is just mocking our country. How can this great nation allow these types situations happen. I would have declared bankruptcy before Jackie even started chemo if we didn’t have insurance.
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