Hello family and friends, just a very short update. Dave and my mom left this morning for Stanford and he is scheduled for labs, chest x-rays, and a meeting with his doctor today. It looks like we are going with Option 1. Not that we had a choice really, but Option 1 it is. Dave and I are actually liking Option 1 more since it has only one session of chemo instead of two. He will have his chemo treatment of Melphalan on Wednesday and the transplant is scheduled for Friday, June 3.
Dave was full of energy over the weekend. Mom and I joked that he was like a pregnant woman nesting. I'm not even kidding, he worked on the yard, organized closets, went through pictures, etc. We though his water would break any minute. I really shouldn't joke about water breaking since Dave is having to drink so much to just stay hydrated. We certainly wouldn't want anyting having to do with water breaking.
We had a nice little barbeque on Sunday and enjoyed some time with family and friends before they left on their 30 + day adventure. I felt emotional over the weekend for sure. It's like you wait for this moment for months and now its here and you just kind of don't know what to think or feel. I hate thinking my parents are not just down the street. I hate that I can't be there every step of the way. And yet, I feel peace. I feel like everything is going to be fine and that Dave will have a easy time of it. Well, that is what I'm hoping for and I think Dave is going into this with a fighters spirit! If you could though, pray that Dave's body accepts the new healthy stem cells and that they do their part in healing him. Please pray for my mom as well. Pray that she has peace knowing that Dave will be okay and that everything will be taken care of at home.
I will keep you updated every step of the way as I will be in contant (annoyingly so I'm sure) contact with my mom and Dave. Thanks to everyone for your continued support. We can't imagine going through this alone and you have all been so loving, kind, patient, and selfless. Thank you to Peggy for housesitting my parents "babies". Ya, no pressure there Peggy! Please feel free to write, email, call, whatever. I know that the next 30 + days away from home are going to be difficult so it would be nice to hear from you all. If you'd like to write, send cards, donations (sooo, kidding, just a little inappropriate humor) you can send them to:
Dave and Carol Callahan
1766 Sand Hill Rd. #207
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Dave Update-May 23, 2011
Hi there family and friends, it looks like we have a new schedule. Stanford has scheduled two treatment plans, one with highly fashionable BCNU chemo that is currently out-of-stock. The second plan is with the Melphalan chemo only. Obviously, we are hoping for the "original recipe" which is the second option. The two schedule scenarios are listed below:
I. Melphalan only
1. May 31- Report to Stanford for labs, chest x-rays, and meeting with doctor.
2. June 1- Receive Melphalan chemo treatment
3. June 2- No Chemo
4. June 3- Transplant
5. June 4-on Live locally (4-6 weeks)
2. BCNU (if it comes in) Why do I feel like we are waiting for a new shoe shipment? Anyway:
1. June 1- Report to Stanford for labs, chest x-rays, and meeting with doctor.
2. June 2- Stay overnight for BCNU chemo.
3. June 3- Discharge to local housing with caregiver. Start continous IV fluids with home infusion
pump.
4. June 4- Report back for Melphalan chemo
5. June 5- No Chemo
6. June 6 Transplant
7. June 7- Discharged to local housing with caregiver. Live locally (4-6 weeks)
Now that I'm looking at this, why do we want option II? I mean, seriously. Who wouldn't choose option I. Perhaps it's a conspiracy. They offer you Option II to make Option I not looks so bad. Interesting. Genius, really. Time will tell what their master plan is and I will let you know the definitive date of Option I or II once it is confirmed.
The good news is mom and Dave were able to secure housing. It's only one bedroom and costs a bit more than the two bedroom they previously secured, but it is closer to the hospital. That part, I like.
Once I get their address I will post on this blog. Feel free to send cards, letters, whatever. They will be there for awhile and I'm sure they would be thrilled to hear from family and friends.
Dave has been doing fairly well. His appetite is up and down and I think he now owns stock in Aquafina from all the water he has to drink to stay hydrated. I think he is just looking forward to getting this over with and getting back to his life before cancer took over.
Below is a link to a short video on the whole transplant process Dave has been going through. Please note: This is a video for services offered at Cancer Centers of America and Dave is not receiving treatment at their facilities.
http://www.cancercenter.com/video/treatments-technology/stem-cell-transplants/autologous
I. Melphalan only
1. May 31- Report to Stanford for labs, chest x-rays, and meeting with doctor.
2. June 1- Receive Melphalan chemo treatment
3. June 2- No Chemo
4. June 3- Transplant
5. June 4-on Live locally (4-6 weeks)
2. BCNU (if it comes in) Why do I feel like we are waiting for a new shoe shipment? Anyway:
1. June 1- Report to Stanford for labs, chest x-rays, and meeting with doctor.
2. June 2- Stay overnight for BCNU chemo.
3. June 3- Discharge to local housing with caregiver. Start continous IV fluids with home infusion
pump.
4. June 4- Report back for Melphalan chemo
5. June 5- No Chemo
6. June 6 Transplant
7. June 7- Discharged to local housing with caregiver. Live locally (4-6 weeks)
Now that I'm looking at this, why do we want option II? I mean, seriously. Who wouldn't choose option I. Perhaps it's a conspiracy. They offer you Option II to make Option I not looks so bad. Interesting. Genius, really. Time will tell what their master plan is and I will let you know the definitive date of Option I or II once it is confirmed.
The good news is mom and Dave were able to secure housing. It's only one bedroom and costs a bit more than the two bedroom they previously secured, but it is closer to the hospital. That part, I like.
Once I get their address I will post on this blog. Feel free to send cards, letters, whatever. They will be there for awhile and I'm sure they would be thrilled to hear from family and friends.
Dave has been doing fairly well. His appetite is up and down and I think he now owns stock in Aquafina from all the water he has to drink to stay hydrated. I think he is just looking forward to getting this over with and getting back to his life before cancer took over.
Below is a link to a short video on the whole transplant process Dave has been going through. Please note: This is a video for services offered at Cancer Centers of America and Dave is not receiving treatment at their facilities.
http://www.cancercenter.com/video/treatments-technology/stem-cell-transplants/autologous
Friday, May 13, 2011
May 13, 2011-Dave Update
Hi there family and friends, well a small, but annoying, change in plans. It has been three weeks since Dave completed second and final stem cell harvesting and he was scheduled to start pre-transplant chemo on May 16, with a scheduled transplant for May 20. Housing was secured, house sitter in place, ready to rock-n-roll. On Wednesday, May 11 Dave, along with his good buddy Steve, headed to Stanford for a meeting with his doctor. It was at this meeting that the doctor informed Dave that they were out of his chemo medication that was scheduled for Monday, May 16. They explained to him that they hope to have it in two weeks. Huh? This isn't like we went to the McDonald's drive through and they tell you they ran out of ice cream for a vanilla cone, we are talking about a pre-scheduled transplant that has been several months in the waiting. WTF! Sorry, Grandma and Grandpa, I just didn't know any better way to express the frustration we are all feeling.
1. My parents had secured and signed a contract for an apartment right next to the hospital. They will now have to cancel the apartment, lose a couple hundred bucks, and not know for sure if they will be able to secure another one before they rescheduled the transplant.
2. We don't even know IF they will get the chemo medication in since apparently there is a short in this particular chemo. I guess it is very trendy for Spring and everyone HAS to have it.
3. From what the doctor says, if the chemo medication doesn't come in, we'll go ahead and forgo it, and just do the Melphalan chemo (which was going to be the secondary chemo med administered on the 18th. Okay, seriously? This is like you being told that for your car to work properly it will need a new transmission and an oil change, but sorry we don't have the transmission, but we'll go ahead and give you the oil change and that should be fine. Sure, okay! Apparently, they used to do stem cell transplants with the Melphalan chemo alone, so they seem to think this would be fine because this is what they USED to do. Really? Problem is, you told us of this other chemo that was part of the plan and now we'll always wonder if we received the BEST care!
4. Dave and my mom have been mentally preparing themselves for this process for months and for them to run out of the medication they already had planned in advance to administer, is in my opinion, sloppy. There is a lot of planning to do to leave your home, family, and job for 4-6 weeks. Obviously, they are frustrated. And I don't know if you can tell, but I'm frustrated too! This is a family journey that we are on and we were all prepping for our parts.
Okay, enough with Debbie Downer. What am I grateful for:
1. I'm grateful that we have an amazing support system of family and friends that have opened their homes, offered to house sit, prayed, and just listened and supported us over the past 9 months.
2. I'm grateful that Dave is in complete response going into this transplant and has responded so well to all treatment.
3. I'm grateful that Dave has my mom as a caretaker. He couldn't be in better hands.
4. I'm grateful for the amazing local Oncologist and nurses that have given Dave the greatest care and support for the past 9 months here in Visalia.
5. I am grateful and aware of God's control on this situation and will remain faithful no matter how his plans doesn't always match our plans.
So for now, we patiently wait.... I will let you know the new schedule once we are told.
1. My parents had secured and signed a contract for an apartment right next to the hospital. They will now have to cancel the apartment, lose a couple hundred bucks, and not know for sure if they will be able to secure another one before they rescheduled the transplant.
2. We don't even know IF they will get the chemo medication in since apparently there is a short in this particular chemo. I guess it is very trendy for Spring and everyone HAS to have it.
3. From what the doctor says, if the chemo medication doesn't come in, we'll go ahead and forgo it, and just do the Melphalan chemo (which was going to be the secondary chemo med administered on the 18th. Okay, seriously? This is like you being told that for your car to work properly it will need a new transmission and an oil change, but sorry we don't have the transmission, but we'll go ahead and give you the oil change and that should be fine. Sure, okay! Apparently, they used to do stem cell transplants with the Melphalan chemo alone, so they seem to think this would be fine because this is what they USED to do. Really? Problem is, you told us of this other chemo that was part of the plan and now we'll always wonder if we received the BEST care!
4. Dave and my mom have been mentally preparing themselves for this process for months and for them to run out of the medication they already had planned in advance to administer, is in my opinion, sloppy. There is a lot of planning to do to leave your home, family, and job for 4-6 weeks. Obviously, they are frustrated. And I don't know if you can tell, but I'm frustrated too! This is a family journey that we are on and we were all prepping for our parts.
Okay, enough with Debbie Downer. What am I grateful for:
1. I'm grateful that we have an amazing support system of family and friends that have opened their homes, offered to house sit, prayed, and just listened and supported us over the past 9 months.
2. I'm grateful that Dave is in complete response going into this transplant and has responded so well to all treatment.
3. I'm grateful that Dave has my mom as a caretaker. He couldn't be in better hands.
4. I'm grateful for the amazing local Oncologist and nurses that have given Dave the greatest care and support for the past 9 months here in Visalia.
5. I am grateful and aware of God's control on this situation and will remain faithful no matter how his plans doesn't always match our plans.
So for now, we patiently wait.... I will let you know the new schedule once we are told.
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