Don's progress

Daddy's kidney function tests were elevated back to where they were when he was admitted. He is retaining a lot of fluid, but they are working on that. The kidney function tests are not as high as they were at one point. If they can get them back down, it would be great.

The oncologist says he is not going to get better until they start the chemo. He said Daddy is very sick and this will make him sicker, but there is hope.

Daddy has his sense of humor, but is very tired and is hard to understand. They started chemo today and premedicated him with Benadryl, a big dose (IVPB for you nurses) of Zofran (something for nausea), and an IV bag of steroids. He should sleep through most of it today.

They said he would get ulcers/sores in his mouth and to expect it. Also bleeding gums, possibly some blood in the urine, nausea and vomiting, and lab values will all be very low. We let the kids see him one last time today because they won't be able to be around him after the chemo.

Keep us in you prayers and hopefully everything will be all right. By the way, he had lots of visitors yesterday...Ron and Margaret, Jeannie, Jerry and Ruby, Meryl, Jamie and her boyfriend. Also Aunt Nita, Uncle Goza, and Stan were here for the weekend. Of course, all of us were here as well. He really enjoyed it! Ray Wise...he asked about you! We told him you were working and that somebody in your family was in the hospital. Anyway, love you all.

Tracy