Being sent to Huntsman for the night

So, the ER is sending us up to Huntsman for the night so they can keep an eye on his labs and make sure his nausea/vomitting resolves. He is due for chemo tomorrow, and that's not going to happen..

No Obstruction :)

The CT does not show a bowel obstruction (should have listened to us).. They think he has a GI virus because his small intestine is very inflammed and irritated. They are going to keep him overnight to make sure his nausea and vomitting is under control and that he is able to tolerate liquids orally before letting us go home. I wish they allowed Pugs in the hospital, on second thought, I would then be listening to Curtis and Bella having a competition on who can snore the loudest :)

CBH

Here is a pic of Curtis, just getting back from his CT scan. He is very exausted, but I had him read my previous post and he laughed :)

Our Dreams..

Here is a pic of an Airstream that we want. We want to buy one, totally gut it and remodel it, then live in it on a big piece of land.. Curtis said I can have a goat if we live in an Airstream :)

Here is a picture of the dog Curtis wants:

And the dog I want:

And, of course, my goat:

Picture perfect!

ER at U of U

So, here we are in the University of Utah Emergency Room, again. Curtis started feeling sick last night with abdominal pain which turned into headache, fatigue and now severe nausea and vomitting. We called the Huntsman doctor on call and they wanted us to bring him to the ER. We got here about 9:30pm tonight and they took some blood, started him on fluids (2L) and oxygen because his O2 was down to 81 (should be at least 90-100). He had to drink some contrast and needed a lot of IV Zofran for nausea to drink half of the contrast for the CT scan. They are thinking he has a bowel obstruction and severe dehydration.. We will see when we get the CT scan back. They want to send him to Huntsman to stay overnight tonight if there is no bowel obstruction so we can make sure we get a handle on his nausea and vomitting. Curtis asked me to add to the blog more stuff about our family and stuff we like to do, so I will start doing that too. We went down to AZ for treatment and found out 2 hours before he was due for infusion that they can't do the infusion because of the study drug he is on at Huntsman. (Even though they were fully aware he was on a study drug, and spoke with his doctors at Huntsman several times before our trip). So, we flew out there Thursday am and came home Friday am. It was a very stressful trip and a total waste of time. Our tenants moved out of the condo so we have starting painting it and cleaning it for us to move in, hopefully this week.. AZ said they would pay for a portion of our COBRA premiums, which are $956 per month, and now they will not be paying for a portion of it, so I am not sure how this will pan out. If anyone knows of any organizations/groups that help pay for the ridiculously high cobra premiums for cancer patients, let me know.. Curtis just came back from his CT scan, so I will post again with the results. Good thing Starbucks is open 24 hours, looks like a long night is ahead for me. (PS I am supposed to have a 12 hour clinical beginning at 6am) That ought to be interesting..

Uggh, sorry for the delay

It has been a very crazy last few weeks. It has taken a lot of time (and pain) to get the dose adjusted correctly on Curtis' new pain pump. I wouldn't even say we are there yet, but it is better. We are having a very difficult time controlling his constant urge to use the bathroom. His doctors started him on a Prednisone dose pack for a few days to see if it will help with the inflammation and allow him time in between his constant trips to the bathroom. Lately, he has to go every 30-45 minutes, which obviously does not allow him much sleep. He has been taking some anti anxiety medications at night (Clonazepam) which seems to be helping now too. The steroids seem to be working too, but he can only stay on them for a short time (due to irritation to the stomach). We have an appointment to see the surgeon on August 11th and see if he has anything else to offer. We are also happy to announce that we have found a way to go back to Arizona. The plan for the next visit is to go back August 25th through the 28th. He will probably get his next PET scan at that time as well. He had infusion last Tuesday and actually has done very well with it this week. The dang mouth sores get him every time though.. Other news, we were denied Medicaid.. Apparently they think we have money, we clearly don't.. We will be getting on Cobra through my previous employer ($950 a month) that Huntsman and Cancer Treatment Centers of America have graciously agreed to pay half of the premiums each. HUGE HELP! Survivors at the Summit is Saturday also. It is at Snowbird and you can hike or ride the tram to the summit and fly a personalized flag in remembrance of a loved one you have lost to cancer, or someone who is fighting, or someone who has fought and won! All the proceeds go to the Cancer Wellness House. The Cancer Wellness House is a great place for patients and caregivers for support, yoga, massage, children's activities and tons more.. Here is more info on the hike

INFORMATION:
Survivors at the Summit 2011 marks the 15th year of this signature event for Cancer Wellness House, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free resources to anyone whose life has been affected by cancer. This multifaceted event:

Symbolizes the challenges individuals experience when faced with cancer

Pays tribute to their courage and determination

Honors the memory of all those whose lives have been cut short by the disease

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2011
TRIBUTE FLAGS:
Tribute flags honor loved ones who have faced the challenges associated with a cancer diagnosis. Personalized flags are displayed atop Hidden Peak at Snowbird at the Celebration of Life ceremony on Saturday, August 6, 2011. This event symbolize the individual “summit” each person with cancer faces and achieves. Personalized flags can be purchased for $20 each at Cancer Wellness House or by phone at (801) 236-2294. Flags sold at other locations throughout the community as well.
HIDDEN PEAK CELEBRATION OF LIFE:
Everyone living with a history of cancer, their friends and families, and those who have lost a friend or relative to cancer are invited to hike the 3.5 mile trail (or take a free tram ride) to Hidden Peak on Saturday, AUGUST 6, 2011. A sea of personalized Survivors at the Summit 2011 commemorative flags will welcome participants at the summit. Join in an inspirational Celebration of Life ceremony at the top of Hidden Peak (beginning approximately 12:30 p.m.). The celebration continues on the Snowbird Plaza Deck with the prize giveaway and activities for the entire family. Bring a picnic or buy lunch at Snowbird.
PANCAKES ON THE PLAZA:
This year, the Cancer Wellness House Board of Directors want to personally thank all of our sponsors, donors, hikers, members, survivors, and families with the third annual Pancakes on the Plaza event in conjunction with the Celebration of Life at Snowbird on AUGUST 6, 2011. From 8:00 – 10:30 a.m., CWH volunteers will team up with Snowbird’s chefs to offer steaming plates of pancakes to hikers, tram-riders, sponsors, and other participants to fuel their journey to the top of the Peak. A breakfast ticket can be purchased at the event for $4 per person. Bring your friends and family for a good, old-fashioned hiker’s breakfast while supporting families in need!
For more information contact: Cancer Wellness house at (801) 236-2294 or visit http://www.cancer-wellness.org/.