Yearly Blog Session

Yes, it has been over a year since my last post. A lot has changed since my last post. My step dad lost his battle with cholangiocarcinoma (a type of liver cancer). He was doing really well by the end of August of 2006. His cancer had decreased by 30%. We really thought we were going to whip this one too. I'm not sure what really happened. My sister and I were able to go to Germany to see our brother in September of 2006. While I was away Medicare had changed the administration of the chemotherapy. My step dad had been getting his steroid medication along with another med mixed together then infused. I believe it was his anti nausea med and steroid med together, then he would receive the cancer fighter drug. When I returned the Cancer Center, due to Medicare Rules, had changed his treatment. He was now getting the anti nausea med by itself, then his steroid by itself, then the cancer fighting drug by itself. Whatever the deal was, he began to have problems with his blood sugar. His blood sugar began to go low instead of high. He had one episode of extreme low blood sugar, the ambulance was called because my mom wasn't sure what was wrong, but did know that it was serious. The ambulance rushed him to the hospital, his blood sugar was in the 40's (normal is usually around 70 to 110). The hospital gave him some glucose I.V. to raise his blood sugar level, then released him. They should have kept him over night for observation, I think, due to him being a chemotherapy person, a diabetic person, but they didn't. He returned home that morning. We talked to him about keeping candy near by for low blood sugar episodes. We talked to him about needing to eat well, to include protein and carbs together to slow the release of insulin. But when you have a person on chemotherapy, you have to help them with nutrition in every way possible, because a lot of times they do not feel like eating. If you don't eat, you can not keep up your strength, and if your diabetic, that is a double whammy. We had another chemo the following week. I should not have taken him, but he said he was feeling up to it. We went to the chemo treatment and within three days we lost him. He died in his sleep. They didn't do an autopsy or blood draw, but I know it was because his sugar dropped too low (the reason he died in his sleep). We were so heart broken. We were going to speak with the doctor the following week to specifically order the meds the way he was getting them in the first place. If you have the doctor write a specific order for a specific medication, then Medicare will have to pay for it. We told the nurses at the Cancer Care place about the low blood sugar episode, that should have been a red flag for them to contact the doctor, but I should have told them to contact the doctor, or just not have taken him at all that week. If you are ever in this predicament, always err on being too cautious. It may not have changed anything, but I can't help but think if I had been a little more with it I may have helped him to live longer. I do believe that the Lord watches over us, and that we do not leave this Earth until it is our time. My step dad was a really super nice man, never complained, appeared pretty happy most of the time, even with the cancer. He was building him a deer stand, and was planning on hunting in October 2006. He passed in October 2006. I drove him to his cancer treatments every week. My mom was still recovering from her bout with Lung Cancer. This whole episode has really taken a toll on her, and the rest of this family. We have been dealing with cancer now for about 4 years. I am ready for a new chapter in life to begin. After my step dad passed, my mom went into a bit of depression, or should I say she went into deeper depression. Mom became extremely ill in May of 2007. We knew that she
was ill, but didn't really know how ill until she ended up in the hospital. My younger brother had been spending the night with her and she asked him to call the ambulance. The ambulance took her to the hospital and the E.R. people could not find a pulse or blood pressure, I don't know if they could even hear her breathe. My sister called me on the phone and said that the E.R. doctor stated they couldn't find a pulse and asked if mom had any DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) orders. I asked my sister if she knew where mom wanted to go. My sister said what do you mean? I asked her what funeral home did mom want to go too? She said that she didn't know. We didn't speak much more, then we were off the phone. A few minutes later she called and said that our little brother told the doctor that mom was a FIGHTER. So they gave mom some meds to get her blood pressure up, put her on a respirator, stabilized her, then sent her to a bigger hospital capable of treating her more successfully. Mom had allowed her lungs to gunk up really badly, but she didn't know this at the time. When you have emphysema or have had lung cancer (which she had had), any type of respiratory disease, you have to hop on the band wagon as soon as possible to prevent infection or stop infection EARLY. We learned, while mom was hospitalized, and under the care of a GREAT Pulmunologist (lung specialist), that any changes in sputum warrants immediate attention. You don't wait for it to change from clear to yellow, or God forbid GREEN, because by then it could be too late. If the sputum gets thicker, even if it is still clear, you call the doctor, or go see the doctor. It is called PREVENTION people! Also, if you have ever been diagnosed with CHF (Congestive Heart Failure), you need to be under the care of a doctor for prevention in that department also. BUT, you have to be aware of the signs and symptoms to help with the PREVENTION. A couple of things that are usually done for CHF are diuretics, and depending on the type of diuretic, potassium supplements, to restore the potassium that the diuretic can leach out. It is a balancing act that is extremely important, and you working with your doctor can nip this one in the bud. My mom also has the CHF, but was not being treated for it after being cleared up a couple of times from this sneaky critter. Some of the symptoms may feel like pneumonia, because its hard to breath, you are winded when you walk only 5 to 10 feet or just getting up. This is the congestion of the fluid on the lungs. It happens because the heart is unable to circulate the fluid properly so it backs up into the lungs, when you already have lung problems, you are in deep cow patties. Any how, it all is a little more detailed than what I am saying, and I may be off a bit, but it is somewhat like this. Mom was having problems with her breathing, went to the hospital (at another time and a different hospital than the one in May2007), they were treating her for pneumonia, but she was also having CHF, and they hadn't caught it. Part of the reason was because mom was being a little difficult, and the nurses weren't quit sure what to do with her. The breathing treatments were making her nervous and anxious, so she refused them. After about a day, maybe 2, the doctor released her from the hospital because she was not being very cooperative so I guess they thought she could do just as well at home. While we were at the house we started taking her fluid pills (diuretics) and potassium (because the diuretics she was prescribed needed potassium to be replaced). She started breathing much better, and finished her antibiotics for the pneumonia. Mom did get better, but it doesn't take long, or much to get a respiratory infection, or fluid build up if you don't watch out. I know I am rambling, but am almost done here, please bear with me. After mom was released from the hospital in May 2007 we had learned about the sputum to prevent and/or catch lung infections EARLY. Then the next big break through was the daily weighing. Mom finally understood that once you have CHF, you always have the possibility and/or probability of getting it again (or you may never be rid of it). But you can prevent the fluid build up. Mom was put on a daily diuretic and potassium. The doctor told her to WEIGH herself daily on her home scales. He told her that if her WEIGHT increased by 3 pounds over night that she was to take one and one half water pill plus one and one half potassium. If her WEIGHT increased by 5 pounds over night that she was to take 2 water pills and 2 K+ pills, but if the weight stayed the same then she was to just take her normal daily dose. This would keep the fluid off, and help her with breathing. She also was to watch her salt intake. The sputum was to be checked by herself daily, and if there were any changes, she was to contact the doctor. The usual regime would be antibiotics and steroids until sputum was clear and consistency of sputum returned to what was her normal.I know this is probably more than most of you wanted to know about sputum and fluid build up, but I hope it helps someone. Always contact your doctor when you have concerns about your health, but if you are having to go to your doctor more than normal, or you don't seem to be getting better, GO SEE SOMEONE ELSE! Keep changing until you find someone who seems to know what they are doing, network, ask friends, etc... God bless you and keep you safe, amen. P.S. My younger brother has named our mother (Momma Lazarus)!