Nothing has changed

We met with Dr. Cizman, the intervention radiologist, who performed the Y90 radioembolization in March.  He said the MRI showed that the liver is about the same as far as tumor load.  Nothing has changed.  The sad thing is they didn't do contrast because of Craig's kidney disease. There is a contrast they could have used that isn't hard on the kidneys but can cause other problems (leathery skin!). The tech didn't want to use it without the consent of the doctor and he was at the VA hospital. So they didn't use contrast which is kind of a waste of a MRI!  The tumors don't "enhance" so it's hard to tell which tumors are doing what.  Another communication error on the part of the doctors.  These happen much too frequently.  Dr. Cizman did not recommend doing another Y90 treatment yet. The next one would target an area of the liver which could cause liver failure and we don't want to risk that when we don't even know that it worked.  I shouldn't be negative because it did work enough to get him home albeit on a glucose drip.  We has had some quality of life but it's pretty limited.  The real test will be this weekend when our kids will all be here!  Maddie and Mitch are on their way driving a truck with all their possessions across the USA and Chase is coming in for Stuart and Sarah's wedding on Friday.  I think this will raise all our spirits to have everyone here!

Less nausea and MRI

This week we met with a nurse practitioner at Huntsman who helps the doctor with symptom management, especially pain.  We talked about the nausea which has really been the most debilitating thing for Craig in the last week.  She told as about a drug that is great for pain and nausea and increases your appetite and we realized he's already taking it!  But not enough of it...so she doubled the dose and it has really helped with the nausea.  It's Zyprexa which is listed as an anti-psychotic but it's really a perfect cancer drug.  He took an extra one when we got home and it made him feel less nauseous all night!  So far so good.  It hasn't really helped with the appetite but she prescribed another drug, Reglan, to help with that.  He hasn't started that one yet as we've learned to just try one drug at a time to see how it affects you.  When you start two at once you don't know which one is causing new side effects.

Today he's having an MRI of his liver.  They finally figured out how to take him off the glucose pump since it can't go in the MRI room.  They're going to have a nurse with a shot of D50 glucose standing by to give it to him if he needs it during the 45 minute MRI.  We'll hear about the MRI on Monday with Dr. Cizman, the intervention radiologist.  Craig said to me this morning, "this is the last procedure I'm doing".

Pain in the gut

Craig is experiencing a lot of pain right in his gut.  We're not sure if it's cancer pain or something else because it's more on his left upper abdomen and that's not where the liver is.  It could be the spleen?  He will have an MRI next week and we will see what it shows.  We had doctor appointments this week but Craig wanted to push them a week later and have this week with no appointments.  The day we have an appointment just wipes him out.  He feels like it takes a day to recover from going out.  So we will stay away from Huntsman this week!

On Sunday night Craig was coughing and could hear a rib crack!  That's adding to his pain now.  We've wrapped him up in a wide ace bandage to help support the rib.  He's done this before so we know there isn't much to do about it.  Although I think he's ready for a little heavier pain medication.  Oxycodone isn't hitting it for him very well anymore.  He says he feels best when he stays still and then he falls asleep.  That's kind of the routine...sleep and then get up and try to eat something.  He does not have much of an appetite.  Ice cream is about the only constant food that he enjoys.  Anything with cherry flavor!

His blood sugars are still holding steady and high.  He's been an average of 222 for the last 7 days and that's with a drop in the rate of delivery from the pump.  The endocrinologist will possibly turn the pump down again this week.  Lisa, Craig's sister with diabetes, says that higher blood sugars make her feel nauseous so that may be the reason he's been feeling that way.