Great News

I guess I better fill everyone in on the last Dr appt.  We found out  the CT scan showed "No evidence of disease", which is great news!  His next scan will be in six months.  He also got the go ahead to have his port removed, he is extremely excited about that.  He has a love/hate relationship with his port (his port is the device that is surgically placed under his skin, by his collar bone that is direct access to his vein, this way he didn't have to have an IV, ghe just accessed his port).He was glad he had it during chemo, but he is ready to sleep on his right side and he was unable to go hunting with the boys last year, so I know he is ready for this year.

Dr M. said the symptoms he is having is just lasting effects from chemo and radiation and we need to give it a full year before he is going to start to feel like himself.  He said not to expect so much so soon :-)

Thanks for all the prayers.


:-) Delana

Please Pray

So much has happened since my last post.  Dust finished his last radiation without too many problems.  He didn't have the horrible stomach issues that we were told he might have, his main problem was fatigue.  He had a hard time keeping his eyes.  We were happy to get back home to our house, our boys and our babies (Bean and Baby).  We did enjoy Tulsa for the 4 weeks we were there, but we decided the next time we spend 4 weeks away from home we are going to Hawaii. 

After his radiation treatments he went back for a 2 week follow-up with the Radiation Oncology NP and his favorite Oncology NP, both said he was doing great and he would have a follow up scan in October (this appointment was back in August).  Since then he has been doing OK, he has tried to walk every day (he is up to 5 miles a day).

 He was slowly getting his energy back.  About 4  weeks ago I  noticed he was sleeping longer, his color was pale and his abdomen was getting bigger (like it did when he was first diagnosed).  He also started complaining of increased back pain and stomach burning and pain.  I called his oncologist and they wanted a scan sooner than October, but his Dr was on vacation (no Dr, no scan).  After a few days they called back and made an appointment for the scan to be 9-17, then to see his Dr for review 9-21.

Dustin is in Tulsa getting his scan as I am writing this.  We will wait until Friday for the results, that will be the longest 4 days!

Please pray for a clean scan and that his symptoms are just left over side effects from radiation.

:-)  Delana

First Week of Radiation

Well he had his first week of radiation treatments last week, 5 down 13 to go. 

Last Monday we got up and I took Tyler to the DMV to take the driving test to get his license, bless his heart he was so nervous, but he did great and passed.  So what do we do....we throw him his keys and we leave for the week, we drop Logan off with my parents and off to Tulsa we went.  For Dustin's radiation treatments we have to stay in Tulsa for the week and we are coming home on the weekend.  So Tyler has the most important job of all, he has to take care of the babies, he is taking care of Bean and Baby Girl!!  I don't know who is more miserable Tyler or the babies!

When he went in for his very first treatment, of course neither of us really knew what to expect.  People have always told us that it takes longer to get set up than it does to do the actual treatment, well they called his name and he went to the back.  I decided to get my phone and check out what was new on Facebook...it didn't even get loaded before he was back and ready to leave...lol now that is fast.

So far his treatments haven't been too bad, he does have some redness on his stomach and his back but he said it really doesn't bother his too bad.  He is just starting to have some stomach issues and he is not too thrilled about that!  The worst right now is back pain, not the normal pain, we are calling this  radiation pain.  All in all he is doing really well.

There have been so many blessings happen in our lives this past week! Sometimes things happen and all I can say is, "It was just a God thing", there is no other way to explain it.  Dustin and I are fortunate to have the American Cancer Society pay for our hotel room.  We found out my aunt is having back surgery in Tulsa and is going to be there for 3-5 days and my mother is going to stay with her.  Last week when we got to our hotel I looked across the street and the building said "Tulsa Spine......".  I called my mom, and could not believe it, out of all the hotels in Tulsa we were staying across the street from the hospital that my aunt was having surgery!  We would be at this hotel for the next 4 weeks, not only would we be there for my family, my mom had a place to stay!  That's a God thing!!

I want to thank everyone for keeping an eye on Tyler and keep up the good work :-)

New Game Plan

To catch everyone up, when we last saw the oncologist in April, we found out that the PET scan was good and there was no evidence of disease.  Dustin was finished with Chemo.  Dr. M did was us to see a radiation onc just to make sure Dustin didn't need radiation, Dr. M was certain he would not need radiation because he did not have a tumor or a large collection of lymph nodes to radiate.

We were very happy and excited with this news, we had been through a rough 9 months, so we decided to go on vacation to the beach.  Dustin was starting to feel better, the side effects of chemo were just wearing off so my parents and the 4 of us headed to Florida.  We spent 6 days in a condo on the beach in Ft. Walton Beach.  We had a great time.  Dustin was still tired some days, but he took one for the team and slept on the beach.  I could not have asked for a better family vacation.  Wonderful memories were made that week.  We all decided when we win the lottery we will be buying a 2nd house on the beach ( I need to remember to buy that ticket!). 

So that brings us to today.  We went to the radiation onc appt today just as a formality, like Dr. M said he wouldn't need radiation, "We just want to see what she has to say".  So we met with Dr. N this morning, she was extremely kind and thorough, she started from the beginning and explained all of his PET scans and pathology.  Sadly his onc had not explained anything to us the entire 9 months we saw him. 

Dr. N explained that since he had spleen involvement and spine involvement he would need radiation.  He would need 18-20 treatments, needless to say this is not what Dustin was prepared to hear.  Dr. N continued to tell us his type of radiation was going to cause nausea, vomiting, burning hemorrhoids, radiation enteritis (eating followed by immediate diarrhea) for up to 1 year.  He starts this process Monday.  He is not too happy or excited about this but knows it has to be done.


:-) Delana

Waiting Game

Dustin had his PET scan this morning. Now we will have the longest 7 days until we travel back to Tulsa to get the results. I am sure we will do our best to keep busy until then! I haven't been feeling too well this past week, Lupus has decided to show up to remind me it is still here and can cause he!! on my body! My hands and hips have really been giving me problems, so Tyler went with Dustin this morning to his scan. Tyler is NOT a morning person, he takes after his uncle Dwight, I remember my mom trying to wake him up for school each morning and he was such a bear, well Tyler acts just like him! Tyler was in my room this morning at 4:30 am asking if I forgot to wake him up. He didn't need to get up until 5:30! But he was excited to be able to go with his dad :-) We have keep them away from the tests, chemo and other ugly things for now but I was glad Tyler went today, it was good for Dust and Tyler (and my dad didn't have to go, Thanks Pooh!!). After the PET Dust and Buddy went back to Pizza Shoppe, I have a feeling we will be going there every trip to Tulsa now 7 days and counting. :-) Delana

Picture Day

Here are the promised pictures from yesterday and some others I think everyone might enjoy.

This is Dustin's favorite nurse, Annie.  She is hopefully giving him his last chemo treatment.

This is Annie charting at the little desk they have in the middle of the room.  She is the sweetest nurse!  Plus she told Dustin how to get to Pizza Shoppe....bonus points for her!!!

This is Wanda giving him his Neulasta injection.  They go in the back of his arm and they burn like fire.  He hates them.

His Pizza Shoppe pizza!  He was like a kid at Christmas when we got there.  I have to admit it was really good and made us both remember when we were younger (much younger) and we would go there with each other.  He was only able to eat what u see in the picture before he started to feel bad :( but it was worth the drive to see him so excited.

Back at the room after treatment.  You can see what the spidey juices do to him, the dark circles around his eyes always show up.

Had to show the best blueberry pancakes I have ever had.  We had breakfast at The Wild Fork before his chemo this past Wednesday and it was awesome.  He had a plain pancake (of course) and he said it was good too.  We usually go to McDonalds, so this was a step up...lol


Now for pictures of "The Babies".

This is Beanford eating a ham bone.  It looks like he is smiling....kinda creepy.


These next pictures are for one of my great friends Betty, otherwise known as "McFarland".  She said I never posted any pictures of our other baby, Baby Girl.  Well Betty, Baby is crazy! She keeps us on our toes and keeps us laughing.  I tried to get a picture tonight and this is what happened. 

Dustin took this picture of Baby last week.  She is laying on his lap holding a little stuffed toy.

Last but certainly not least.  Our baby boy turned 14 this week!  I know some family has not seen him in awhile so here he is.  That is my dad behind him and it should explain a lot to my friends on why I am the way I am....lol

;-) Delana

Last Treatment??

Dustin may have had his last treatment today. He has a PET scan next Wed and we get the results the following Wed, if all is clear we go home and say good bye to Hodgkins, if there r still signs of cooties we do 2 more cycles (4 treatments) or we may have to do a stem cell transplant.

So today on the floor of the treatment center the nurses knew today could be his last but you don't want to jinx it, so we told them goodbye but in the back of our mind both of us were thinking "I really hope this is good bye!!"

Today went perfect for Dustin, he had his favorite nurse and he did not have to wait on his meds! We were out of the hospital by 1 pm today, that never happens. We had a celebratory lunch today, he found the only Pizza Shoppe in Oklahoma, it was about 30 miles away but he said he was going!! It was awesome, it tasted just like the ones in KC.

His last round was pretty rough on him, the fatigue, bone pain and nausea about did him in. I really hope this round is not so bad but unfortunately it probably will be. I just have to remind myself this could be the last one. Dust and I pray it is the last one and I know we have many friends and family praying for us!

I have pictures from today but I am unable to post withy phone, when we get home I'll post them.

:-) Delana