January 30,2009 - Larry's Houston stay is almost over!!!!!!
Not much has happened this week.
Tuesday, Jan. 27: Larry's red blood cell count was 8.0 and platelet count was 13.0. They set him up for red blood and platelet transfusion. He didn't seem to mind it so bad since they left the IV thingy (remember I'm medically challenged) in his arm from yesterday. He said the nurses were very nice to him today. I said "Larry, they are always nice to you" and he said "I know but since they didn't have to stick me today I was in a better mood and I guess I just now noticed it". He got out of the hospital at 7:00pm and said they took the IV thingy out....I asked why and he said "they didn't expect to have to give me a transfusion tomorrow". He is so hyped up about seeing the doctor tomorrow to see if he can come home this week end.
Wednesday, Jan. 28: Larry red blood cell count was 10.3, his white blood cell count was 0.1 and his platelet count was 16.0 so he didn't have to get a transfusion which he was very grateful for that. Larry asked the doctor if they could do his bone marrow test this week and the doctor said they have to wait til the 28 day of his cycle which will be Mon. Feb. 2 and the doc wants to see Larry on Wed, Feb. 4 in the afternoon. Larry called me at 7:00 pm and I couldn't hardly understand him.......it sounded like he was talking with a wad of cotton in his mouth so I asked him if he had something in his mouth and he said "Mo, I tant hardwy tawk, I wuz powtn when I gop on te buz en I steppeb on mi wip en etz swowum. De buz dwivor hepped me woll mi wip up en geet on de buz". (TRANSLATION: No, I can't hardly talk, I was pouting when I got on the bus and I stepped on my lip and it's swollen. The bus driver helped me roll my lip up and get on the bus). He said he had the driver stop at a service station on the way back to camp and he bought a bag of ice for the cooler. When he got back to the camper he put the ice in the cooler, left the lid off of it and put it in front of his chair, sat down and straddled the cooler and slowly unrolled his lip and lowered it in the cooler full of ice. He said he's probably gonna sleep with the cooler beside his bed tonight........poor baby :-(
Friday, Jan. 30 (today): Larry called me at 11:30 am and told me that his red blood cell count was 10.0, his platelets were 5.0 so they had him set up for a platelet transfusion this afternoon at 3:30 pm. He said his lip was back to normal and he wasn't so upset because he only had a few more days to go. He was really hoping to come home this week end but he decided that he would just stay there and rest and wait for the doctor to give him his blessing on Wednesday. He also said it depends on his bone marrow test next week as to whether or not they will give him another cycle of chemo. Larry said the doctor thinks the chemo might have been a little too strong for him so he might let Larry go without it for a month. We will just have to wait till he sees the doctor on Wednesday.........We are counting the days till he gets to come home from HOUSTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you all for your prayers,
Jean

January 26, 2009-Larry's getting more platelets this morning!!

I spoke with Larry last night Jan. 25th and he said he was feeling better but he was having trouble sleeping at night. I asked him if there was anything wrong and he said "Yes, I'm homesick". I asked him if he was ready to come home so I can aggravate him and he said "Yes, I sure do miss you picking on me", and I said "Well I can do that over the phone", and he said "I know but I also miss seeing all my furry babies"!!!!! That just blew my mind, I thought he only missed me....I guess that's what I get for thinking8-]

I just got through talking with Larry at 11:00 am and he said he was waiting to get platelets again this morning and I asked what his counts were. His red blood cell count was 8.7, his white blood cell count was 0.1 and his platelet count was 0.0. He said the PA told him that was normal and not to get excited but they are going to leave his IV thingy (yes I'm medically challenged) in his arm because they want him to come back in the morning and again Wednesday morning for blood tests and he will probably have to have more transfusions. The PA said that leaving the IV thingy in his arm would keep him from having to be stuck with a needle so many times. Now why didn't they do that from the very beginning? Larry said he hated that his counts have been crashing Friday and this week because he's afraid they won't let him come home this Friday. I told him that it's better that it happened now then after he came home cause he would just have to go back to Houston. He knew I was right even though he said "NNNNNOOOOOOOO WWAAYYYYYY, once I get outta here I aint coming back for another month." He did say that he was going to be on his best behavior for a change this week so they'd be shocked and let him come home. Guess I better get out my pen and paper and start my "HONEY DO LIST" so I can give it to him for his homecoming present. He just loves it when I give him home made presents straight from the heart especially the ones that I put alot of effort and time in!!

More on Larry later.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support,
Jean

January 23, 2009-Larry's counts crashed today!!!!!

Hello Everyone,

I just talked to Larry and he is depressed. He is sitting in the transfusion waiting room to get blood and platelets. His red blood cell count was 7.6 and his platelet count was 0.1 and the PA said that on this protocol that the crash usually happens on day 18 which is today. I told Larry not to let it get him down because he only has a week to go if all goes well. I also told him if he just couldn't take it any more and he needed to call someone to take out his frustrations just give me a call and I would give him a list of people he could call and yell at ;-)

I know Larry is upset but he said he'd get over it. I told him it was just a little bump in the road. I did make him promise since I wasn't there that he try to behave himself and not throw a temper tantrum like he usually does because they are usually slower than he thinks they should be and he said.............he'd think about it (I know what that means) NO!!!!!! He was hoping that he would only have to get platelets today so he could sneak home for the week end because there were so many things he wanted to get done. I asked him what was all the things he wanted to do and he said, "well..........just mostly come home". I said "did you make a list of things to do" and he said, "well............uh, NO but .......I just wanted to come home and tend to a few things". I told him that there wasn't anything here that had "RUSH" stamped all over it so what ever he thought that he needed to do could wait til he got released from the doctor. The main thing he needs to do is take care of himself so he will be able to come home when he is released. I guess I'm going to have to go back down there and duct tape his hands behind him, throw him on the bed, stuff surgical gloves in his mouth, pick up a bed pan and threaten to whack him on the head if he doesn't straighten up!!!!!!!!! Don't you think that will make him straighten up????? I'm sure he's reeeaaalllll scared of me...........nah!!

I'll call him later tonight and make sure he is doing ok and I will keep everyone posted about his condition.

Thank all of you for your prayers,
Jean

January 21, 2009

Larry called me this morning and said his test showed that his red blood cells were 8.9 which were down a little from Monday but still high enough that he didn't need more blood. His platelet were 0.2 again so he needed another platelet transfusion. He talked with his protocol nurse and she said he should be seeing a slight rise in his blood counts in a few days. He is hoping that on Friday that his counts will be up enough so he can sneak home for the week end. He is getting so home sick he can't hardly stand it. I just hope that he doesn't come home if his counts are still too low even though I would love to see him.

January 19, 2009

Larry had a blood test and reading of the test on Friday. His red blood cell count was 9.4 and his platelets were 0.3 which were too low and he had to get a platelet transfusion. Larry told me he would be there for a couple of hours so I should catch the shuttle, go back to camp to pack and go home. As I was leaving he told me to be sure and go to church Sunday because he sure missed it and he knew I was missing it as well and he was right.

I went back to the camper and packed and drove home. It was a l-o-n-g and lonely drive but I finally arrived in Arp at 7:00 pm. Jason had already fed the horses for me so I went home and unloaded the truck then I called Larry to let him know that I was home. He said he was feeling good and he thinks the nurses he got today treated him very well. He was really shocked that he got out so quick. Larry's nurses are always good to him but he gets very frustrated and I understand how he feels. I told him that no one would be able to give his transfusions as fast as he would like.

Saturday Yvonne, Joseph and Jason came to visit and we went to the pasture to play with the horses. Yvonne worked with Sadie (Larry's horse) and treated her with tender loving care. Larry would have been proud. Joseph worked a little with Max (my horse) and I put a riding pad on Max and Joseph rode him around the pasture. He's such a cute cowboy!!! We came back home and Yvonne brought fixings for fajitas and boy was it goooooooood!! We talked to Larry and told him that his horse was well taken care of and I had been pampered by Yvonne and Jason as well. Larry said he wanted to wash clothes but the laundry mat was full today so he would try it again tomorrow. He said he had real good supper and had rested most all day and was feeling good. I tell you, I couldn't be more blessed.

Sunday I got up and went to church.....what a site for sore eyes. All our friends wanted to know how Larry was doing and said they had all been praying for him and to let him know he was truely missed. I left church and returned home to prepare myself for work today. Boy, it's been a long two weeks.

I went to work this morning and called Larry at 10:45am. He said his red blood cell count was 9.3 so he didn't need any red blood but his platelets were 0.2 so he needed a platelet transfusion. I know it seems extremely low which it is but it didn't drop as low as the last two times he had a blood test. Hopefully this means that his blood has bottomed out and is now slowly rising. We will hope that Wednesday's test will show an improvement as well.

January 12, 2009

Blood test at 10:30 am and doctor's appointment at 2:30pm. Larry's HGB counts were 9.4 and his platelets were .4 so the nurse set him up to get a platelet transfusion after his doctor's appointment. You can probably guess that Larry wasn't a happy camper and I really don't blame him as I'm sure he feels like a human pin cushion.

The first tech wasn't able to get a good vein and had to call in a more seasoned tech which also had a hard time getting a vein but with a great deal of patience was able to find one the first stick. Larry was getting impatient because it was taking a little longer than he thought it should. I didn't come prepared and he was becoming quite a hand full. I searched the room for something......anything that would distract him at least for an hour or so but there wasn't anything in that tiny cubical to keep his mind occupied except the TV. I was very afraid to turn it on as I remember what happened the last time but I though what the hey!!!!!! I reluctantly gave him the remote. He turned the TV on an slowly started flipping through the channels and guess what, he couldn't find one station with Elvis on it?? What a relief.....he suddenly calmed down and was very content just flipping through the channels between a couple of naps and before we knew it his transfusion was complete and we were able to return to the park.

I must say that today was very tiring so we ate supper as soon as we got back to camp and he rested in front of our TV.

January 9th

Larry is doing fine. He had to have blood and platelets on Tuesday, Jan. 6th and also again yesterday, Jan 8th. He didn't see the doctor yesterday but he had a blood test and they reviewed his test and determined that his counts were too low and it wouldn't be safe for him to go through the week end without a transfusion. He will get another blood test on Monday morning and will see the doctor around 3:00 that afternoon. Today is day 4 of his chemo and so far he hasn't had any side effects that I can tell but you all know how he likes everyone including me to think he is this big tough guy that can handle anything. I have been watching him like a hawk though to make sure he isn't hiding anything from me and so far he seems to be doing really good, praise the Lord!! Yesterday he was at the hospital all day lying in bed hooked up to the IV and all he could get on TV was ELVIS PRESLEY movies. Did any of you know that yesterday was Elvis' birthday????? Larry is NOT an Elvis fan although he does like a few of his songs. I can't tell you how UPSET he was that Elvis was on every channel. He got so SICK of him that by noon he decided to turn off his TV but when he did he could still hear "that Elvis noise" because all the other rooms had their TV's on. I was so afraid that he would just lose it and bolt from the hospital screaming "he really is alive, somebody just put me out of my misery right now"!!!!! Of course, I was there and being the quick thinker that I am I jumped out of my chair and stood in front of his bed and started singing and tap dancing (note to self, tap dancing should never be done with tennis shoes on). Larry's eyes got real big, he reached out his arms and wiggled his fingers so of course I thought he wanted to hug me. I walked around the side of the bed to hug him back but when I got next to him I guess he started having arm muscle cramps because I suddenly felt his hands around my neck and he was slowly squeezing the life out of me! I couldn't get away from him so I moved my hands around trying to find something to pry his hands off me. I grabbed the bed pan that was next to the bed and quickly knocked him on the head with it which got his attention long enough for me to get loose...... I turned around and started to run when I ran smack dab into this ginormous 9 ft. 4 in. tall nurse who had been standing there the whole time watching this horrible event unfold. I slowly picked myself off the floor, pushed my hair out of my face and look squarely at her knees when she said "Mrs. Roberts, could you hold it down a bit, the other patients are having trouble hearing ELVIS sing"!! I quietly melted into the chair, smiled and nodded......she turned around and walked away. I looked at Larry and was glad to see that his arm cramps had finally gone away. He looked so sweet lying there with his arms hanging over the sides of the bed, his head cocked slightly to the left, this goofy smile on his face and his eyes wide open.........I didn't know he slept with his eyes open, but where did that silver helmet on his head come from?? Oh I remember, it use to be the bed pan! I just hope Larry doesn't remember any of this when he wakes up. If he does.....this will be the last time I will email all of you until the bones heal in my hands ::--)) Sending our love from Houston. Please keep us in your prayers,

We're Back in HOUSTON

Hello Everyone, Just a quick note to let you know that Larry and I arrived in Houston around 1:00 pm give or take:-) Richard brought the camper, I drove the truck and Larry drove his jeep. Thank goodness Janet rode with me and kept me calm as we closed in to the Houston traffic. It wouldn't have been a big deal except I WAS DRIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, this was a first for me but I survived It did however take me about 45 minutes to regain the color in my hands. Janet and Richard set up the camper for us, we all ate a late lunch and they went back home. I'm so blessed to have such a sweet sister and brother in law. I know they are so tired from the drive here and back. I just hope they know how much we appreciate them and love them so much. Larry and I finally got everything unloaded and set up in the camper. When we left Arp this morning it was 65 degrees and when we got to Whitehouse it dropped to 49 degrees. When we arrived in Houston it was 72 degrees but the temp slowly started to drop. I'm not sure what the temp is right now but it feels like 20 below................ok, well it's more like 48 anyway to me it's COLD!!!!! Larry has a full day scheduled for tomorrow and more than likely after seeing the doctor at 2:30 he will have to get blood and platelets. I will go with him to his appointments but will probably leave him when they hook him up for his transfusions, he probably won't get out of the hospital til 11:00pm or so. I guess I will just play it by ear so to speak. I know you are thinking, she said this was going to be a quick note!!!! Alright, I guess I'll sign off for now but will try to keep everyone posted. Please keep us in your prayers,