General Updates

Cycle 1 (Continued)

This week had much less activity from a medical perspective. There were no medical visits for Doris until Thursday.

Each day is similar in its progression with our getting up, getting a breakfast, and taking the scheduled medication in the form of two chemo pills morning and evening. These pills are toxic. Therefore, we need handle them very carefully. As such, I do not help Doris with these pills, but I set a reminder at 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM to remind her to take her medication. She does not really need this reminder anymore, but it is something I can do.

After Doris takes here morning medication, we go for a walk. We follow the same course along the paths in our subdivision. Our course includes 40 minutes of walking, not including some standing breaks, and some sitting for a couple of minutes on each of the benches that are in convenient locations along our way. There are ponds with geese and ducks with their respective young, and some frogs in the lily pad pond. There is also a blue heron that we have seen from time to time. We enjoy the quietude of the setting where the benches are. The route is not level; there is about a 42-foot elevation gain along the way, but it is mostly gentle and manageable. Last week I began bringing along a camping chair in case Doris needs a break somewhere between the benches. So far this week, Doris has not needed the extra sitting breaks.

 

View from one of our resting benches

 I started marking the calendar each weekday with either a “W” for walk, or “I” for infusion. We had four “W” days and one “I” day last week. This is a way to mark a victory for each day. I have been working this week on repainting our office space. We have an L-shaped desk, which I set on furniture gliders, and I just moved it around the room and away from the walls that I was painting at the time. I need to wrap up the trim, the closet door, and the entry door.

When we get a chance, we like to run our errands together. Doris usually stays in the car with the windows open to avoid contagious interactions. With her treatments, her immune system is weaker, and we are trying to avoid getting any illness or infections.

 

Third Infusion Day (Meridian, Idaho) June 5 – Thursday

This day marks the first full dose infusion experience. We arrived at the designated time, and since there was no blood draw, we were situated in a station and Brenda, my fourth cousin once removed took vitals. Our RN for the day was Steve. He is very pleasant and helpfully supportive. He reminds me of Ed Beggley, Jr. He is tall, and wears glasses. We started again with the Benadryl and steroid premedications. After 30 minutes the infusion began. This time the dose started at 100 mg/hour. That compares to 26 mg/hour that the first introductory infusion gave Doris. The ramp-up continues at the rate of 100 mg/hour with that transition happening every 30 minutes. That translates to 100 mg/hr rate for the first 30 minutes, 200 mg/hr rate for the second 30 minutes, 300 mg/hr rate for the third 30 minutes, and a 400 mg/hr rate for the final 1 hour and 45 minutes. We finished at 1:00 PM – the earliest yet! There were also no infusion reactions! We barely were there long enough to have the complimentary lunch for Doris. I had lunch as well, but mine is not complimentary.

One of the greatest blessings of today was our conversation with the infusion pharmacist, who helped us better understand the side effects of some of the medications. The greatest blessing was the use of Zofran – the anti-nausea medication. We were both under the impression that Doris should be taking the Zofran to counteract the nausea associated with the infusion and the oral chemo pill, but its side effects are difficult. We now understand better that she should take the anti-nausea medication only on the onset of nausea. In two days, that is already showing great promise.

Carly also came by and gave Doris a foot massage.

Friday (Eagle, Idaho) June 6

Today, the day after her most recent infusion – a full dose – on our walk we skipped the last bench! Amidst all of what we are going through, the expectations and indications of diminished physical abilities – we skipped the last bench! The fact that we were able to skip the last bench rest seems promising, but we have the impression the time will come when that will no longer the be the case.

Throughout this experience, there is a verse in one of our hymns that recurs in my mind:
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,(,,,)
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

We have no doubt that these deep waters in which we are swimming are indeed a call from the Lord. We take comfort in the promise that these rivers, as sorrowful as they are, will not overflow us. We know that our deep distresses, uncertainties, fears, and concerns will be sanctified to our ultimate joy and comfort.

         

How Firm a Foundation

You can see all the verses of this hymn, which is not unique in our church, but in other Christian churches as well in the above reference. There are scriptural references for the text of this hymn, and I have added emphasis to some of the most meaningful phrases. These phrases find their way into the hymn text as well.

 

2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

(Isaiah 43:2-5)

 

One of our favorite presentations of this hymn was during the April 2018 General Conference for our church in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Two of our sons - Andrew and Kyle - sang with this choir. At 3:36, you can see our youngest son Kyle singing on the lowest row on the screen, second from the right.

 

How Firm a Foundation Priesthood Choir from BYU - Idaho