2 surgeries in a week

[Kathleen808]

Hi,
I believe I wrote that Dick had surgery last Monday to get specimens to be sent to a biotech company. I will keep you updated on any progress from the company. It will take 2 to 3 months. That surgery went well even though he has been in pretty bad shape the past month or so. The lymphedema has been very bad and one of his legs had to be wrapped almost all the time. He has not been able to go in the ocean and the past 2 weeks he had been awake only about 5 hours a day. The pain was very bad and he was on a lot of pain meds. He had been off chemo for 5 weeks. We went to the oncologist thinking that he could start chemo again in a week. The meeting was hard as Dick was in such bad shape. Pain, fatigue, quite out of it. Half way through the visit his numbers come back and his kidney numbers were very bad. The oncologist said he had to go into the hospital right then. There were no hospital beds available so Dick waited it out in the oncologist's office on a bed. I wheeled him to the hospital for an ultra sound and then back across the street again for an appointment with his wonderful urologist (he saw him immediately at 3:00 Friday). The urologist said, let's put stents in at 9:30am tomorrow. Dick finally got checked into the hospital in a quite room with even a view of the ocean. Surgery (his second for the week) was at 9:30am and he was back up at the room by 2:00pm. By 4:00 he was eating, talking and looked so much better than he had in 2 months. And boy did the fluid come out. His kidneys had been a mess because the ureters had been blocked up, probably from cancer or scars, and once they got the stents in it was a huge relief. I am happy to say that his kidney numbers were normal today and the edema is way down. We hope that the stents can keep things flowing for a long time and he can get back on chemo and beat back the cancer. We also hope the edema stays away or is at least greatly diminished. I am finally home and he will be home tomorrow.
That's our story for the past week. This is a hard road and I am grateful when we get any bit of positive outcome. I hope he can get back up on his surfboard soon. I'll keep you posted.

Aloha,
Kathleen

[skypup]

So glad to read that Dick is getting some relief! And now, you too, I hope.

[pukalania]

So sorry to hear you are going through all of
This but happy there is some relief
Hugs

[Bev G]

Hi dear Kathleen,

I'm so sorry to hear about what you and Dick have been going through. The lymphedema must be miserably uncomfortable. So glad they got those stents in. I hope in no time all his renal function will get back to normal and stay there, all the spare fluid will be peed away, and surfin' Dick will be out doing what he longs to do!

Love and hugs,

Bev

[elise]

((((HUGS)))) to you both!

[gep]

Kathleen,
Glad to hear that things are going in the right direction.
All my best,
Gloria

[beccab1]

Glad he is feeling better! Thinking of you guys.

[Maia]

Happy to hear the kidneys are better now. Surely that will help great time the lymphedema. Sending positive thoughts your way, Kathleen and Dick!

[so-scared]

I sure hope that Dick feels better quickly and can get back to the beach where he belongs!

[jgall]

Thinking of you, Kathleen!

Julia

[Guinevere]

So glad he got some relief! Hopefully, he'll be back in the water soon. Keep us updated on how you're both doing.

God bless ~
Guinevere