Tuesday, September 29,.2009

Today started off with blood work at the hospital this morning. Michael ran fever last night, but refused to go to the hospital e.r. Come to find out, he has mouth sores again which is probably causing the fever at night. We just can't get our platelet count up where it needs to be. Yesterday, platelets were 19 and today they are back down to 6. Had to go to the hospital this afternoon to have a bag of platelets. Hopefully these will help. This is the most platelets we have had to inject since starting this journey. We have had 4 units of blood and 6 units of platelets this cycle. Michael is so tired and worn out ........doesn't want to go to the hospital and his attitude needs some adjustments. I guess if I had been poked and prodded as much as he has in the last 6 months, my attitude would be bad also; probably worse than his. We are just ready to get this over with and get our life back to normal.

September 26, 2009 Saturday

Go Red Raiders! We are sitting here watching the University of Houston and
Texas Tech Red Raiders playing football. We were warned this morning that we didn't want to say loudly that we were for the Red Raiders being in Houston. That would be like tell Olney folks you were a Holliday Fan in Olney. We have had a fairly uneventful day. Had platelets last night and of course had a reaction to them. His body just doesn't know what to do when it gets something he needs. Ran a pretty good fever after they started the platelets, but finally went down. He has felt better today, but still not good. Just a little fatigued. Counts are still very low even after having blood and platelets on Thursday and Friday. Hopefully counts will start rebounding now since we have some good blood. We hope to get the PIK line out tomorrow. Decided to leave it in this time until we were sure we would need no more blood and platelets. We are officially completed with round #7 and look forward to the beginning and completion of Round #8. Just three more weeks we hope.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Just a quick note to let everyone know what is going on today. We have been to the hospital this morning to have blood drawn to see if we are going to have to have a couple units of blood or platelets today. Our counts were falling yesterday and look for them to be lower today, but hopefully not. Maybe the chicken fried steak he had for dinner last night has brought them up. This coming week will be the week we have to watch counts so closely. Yesterday was not a good day for either of us. God got us through it though......but had to get our attention to do it. He is so Good.......
Will write more later.......
Terri and Michael

Well, we are at the hospital getting blood..... counts were low today....will be at hospital until a little after midnight...Hopefully will be all we have to have this cycle......pray that it will be.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Today is a great day in Houston. Weather is cooler and God has sent Houstonians some much needed rain. I guess we have had about an inch. We will take that anytime, but hope and pray I am out of the area when the hurricanes start brewing. We are having a great day. Michael is up and laughing today. Had about 5 hours sleep yesterday afternoon and feels much better. Will have blood work done tomorrow to see where we are platelet and hemoglobin wise. Have to go back to the hospital tonight about 10:00pm for a bag change...thought it would be the last day, but Dr.'s orders have decided another day. Maybe it will keep the counts from dropping so much. Continue praying and praising our Miracle Maker, Jesus Christ.

Monday, September 21, 2009

We have had a pretty good sort of a day in the great Southeast......Went and had blood drawn this morning and counts are dropping dramatically. White blood count is 2.2, hemoglobin is 8.2, platelets are 79, magnesium is 2.0 , potassium is 4.4, and creatinine is 1.0. If they continue to drop, we will probably have to take advantage of the Olney Blood on Wednesday. Probably have to have some platelets as well. He is soooooo tired today, hasn't even been on his computer. He is asleep right now and very pale. It is amazing how fast his body can react to the chemo....one minute he feels great and the next minute he can hardly go! We have to go in tonight about 9:00pm to have the fluid bag replaced. Tomorrow everything comes off and Round 7 will end...except for the count watching. I am ready to come home and get our lives back to normal if there is such a thing. Thanks to all for your continued prayers and encouragement. I have decided my being strong has just about left me. Only one more round...though......

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Good morning all.....we are doing well here in the big city. Michael has had a good 4 days of chemo....no big side effects other than being a little fatigued at times. This is the first round without hiccups so he is happy about that. They certainly do aggravate him when he has them. Tomorrow we will start watching our blood counts again. Hopefully they won't go as low as they have in the past. We are still getting the Lovenox shot each evening for the blood clot and guess we will until platelets fall below 50. We will be getting fluids only after tonight. This is the last day for the other chemo. Yeah! Round 7 is almost history. We are looking forward to coming home for good. Michael is such a trooper. He has developed a big fan club here in Houston. The nurses and all the staff just love him. They all want him as their patient and they all come by to see him when he is in a room. They have become part of our extended family. It is so neat to be walking down the hall and someone will say "hi Michael and Mrs. Wipperman". Guess with a name like "Wipperman" no one can forget it. Ha! Hope everyone gets a nap this afternoon and ready for a new week.....Love to all, Terri and Michael

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Look out medical profession, here I come! I have been promoted from nurses aide to nurse over a matter of a shot. Michael is having to take blood thinners for the blood clot in his lung and I gave him his shot last night for the first time. We started our 7^th round of chemo last night. We are taking adriamycin/“red devil”, ifosamide, mesna (protectant for kidneys), venicristine, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. We will have all with the exception of the ‘red devil’ for 5 days. The red devil is for only 3 days thank goodness…

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2009

PRAISE THE LORD....NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT RIGHT NOW WITH THE LIVER....GREEN LIGHT FOR CHEMO TO BEGIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Today began with us arriving at the hospital at 8:00am for the CVC line insertion. First of all it usually takes about 45 minutes and today it took 2 hours. I was beginning to get a little uneasy about the time factor when the head nurse came and called me into the room where Michael was lying. His pulse rate on the machine was 177 and she advised she was a little worried about it. Said she had checked it manually and had not noted any irregular beats or skipped beats. She let us go to x-ray for the picture to make certain the line was not hooked on the end. Said his veins are very difficult to put a line in. Said they weren't hardly large enough for the catheter to be inserted. We went back to the hospital tonight to start our round 7 of chemo. Was there about 4 hours and chemo was never started. They advised that Dr. Ravi had ordered a liver test due to Michael's white count being up in such a short period of time. They called Dr. Ravi and he advised to have blood work done and then results would determine if we could start chemo tomorrow. Seems like the longer we are here, the harder it gets. Seems like there are a lot of curves these days instead of straight roads. My oh my, just wish the "Wip" was still around to be with us through all of this. Maybe he saw the hand writing on the wall and couldn't take it.....ha! I'm beginning to wonder if I am strong enough to make it to the end....I'm beginning to feel as old as I am plus about 20 years. As Ronnie Stroud would tell Michael, keep on keeping on. ......

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

WE MADE THE TRIP BACK TO HOUSTON THIS AFTERNOON WITH A FEW PROBLEMS, BUT NOTHING TOO BAD. FIRST OFF THE BAT, THE JEEP WOULDN'T START THIS MORNING WHEN WE STARTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR LAB WORK. HAD TO GET RICK CLARIDA TO COME JUMP ME OFF AND OFF TO NAPA FOR A NEW BATTERY. WOW.....BEFORE WE GET THROUGH IN HOUSTON, WE WILL HAVE A NEW VEHICLE AGAIN REPLACING EVERYTHING ONE ITEM AT A TIME. FIRST THE GASKET ON THE OIL PAN AND NOW A BATTERY. THANK GOD I WAS HOME WHEN THE BATTERY DECIDED TO CRASH. UPON OUR ARRIVAL IN HOUSTON, WE LEARNED A YOUNG MAN ABOUT 2 OR 3 YEARS YOUNGER THAN MICHAEL HAD PASSED AWAY LAST NIGHT ABOUT 11:00PM. WHAT A BLOW TO US. HE HAD A DIFFERENT FORM OF SARCOMA CANCER THAN MICHAEL AND HAD NOT HAD THE RESULTS FROM TREATMENT THAT MICHAEL HAD HAD. PLEASE PRAY FOR HIS FAMILY....HIS NAME WAS JAKE NEVES. HIS MOTHER SAID THEY WERE RELIEVED THAT HE WOULD SUFFER NO MORE BUT THE LOSS OF THEIR SON WAS DEVASTATING. HIS PAIN WAS STILL CAUSING HIM LOTS OF MISERY. THEY WERE REALLY A SWEET FAMILY AND WE VISITED WITH THEM EACH TIME WE SAW THEM. WE HAVE THE PICK LINE PUT IN TOMORROW MORNING AT 8:30AM AND THEN GO BACK TO START CHEMO ROUND 7 TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6:30PM. IF PLANS GO AS INTENDED WE SHOULD BE FINISHED HERE THE END OF OCTOBER. HALLELUJAH!!!!!

Thursday, September 10,2009

Thought I would write a few lines since everyone is wanting to know what is going on in our lives, right Nita? We have been home since Sunday evening getting some much needed down time or rather Michael is getting some much needed time. We will be going back to Houston on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning depending on what the counts are on Friday. Michael's white count has dropped hard since we have been home for some unknown reason. His platelets are near the 'going back for more ' range but are waiting on the word about his white count. He was scheduled to start Chemo last night but counts weren't high enough. Today has really taken a toll on Michael due to losing his boss, Harold Stewart to cancer. Our thoughts and prayers are with Fay, Robert and Danny and their families. He was a very unique individual and was a huge ICON in Olney, TX. He will be greatly missed. We certainly know where he is tonight, enjoying time with the Lord and having a great reunion with his mom and dad.

PRAISE THE LORD.......SEPTEMBER 4, 2009

WELL, IT WAS THE NEWS WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SINCE COMING TO HOUSTON. NO SIGN OF ANY CANCER......HIP HIP HOORAY AND PRAISE THE LORD. MICHAEL IS IN FOR THE CT SCAN AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE TO CHECK BACK WITH THE DOCTOR AFTER IT IS OVER TO SEE WHAT THE RESULTS ARE. IF THEY ARE POSITIVE THE BLOOD CLOT EXISTS, THEY WILL START HIM ON BLOOD THINNERS TWICE A DAY. WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW TODAY......IN FACT, WE CAN DEAL WITH ANYTHING......SINCE WE KNOW GOD IS IN THE MIRACLE BUSINESS......AMEN. OF COURSE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WON'T RETURN, BUT WE CAN BEAT IS AGAIN....RIGHT? DR. RAVI DID TELL US THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK BEFORE THE NEXT ROUND AS MICHAEL'S SYSTEM IS VERY TOXIN.......WILL PROBABLY COME HOME FOR REST...HE HAD A SLIGHT FEVER THIS MORNING OR WE WOULD HAVE GOT TO GO HOME TODAY......SAID THE CHANCE OF IT WORSENING IS HIGH SINCE HE HAS NO DEFENSE IN HIS WHITE BLOOD COUNT. SAID IT COULD BECOME LIFE THREATENING IN LESS THAN 4 HOURS.....SO WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST OF NEXT WEEK.....PROBABLY TUESDAY.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SAID A PRAYER, SENT CARDS, CALLED, AND EVEN THOUGHT OF US DURING THE PAST MONTHS. YOU'RE AMAZING AND OUR GOD IS TRULY AN AMAZING GOD. ALSO TO THOSE WHO HAD ANY PART IN THE BAKE SALE AND THOSE WHO DONATED TO THE MEDICAL FUND. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HAD SOME PART IN KEEPING OUR OLNEY HOME GOING......WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE ALL THIS WITHOUT YOU ALL.........

LOVE, TERRI AND MICHAEL

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Well, today has been a very trying day. Arrived at the hospital this morning about 6:15 am to have blood drawn to see what our counts were. After blood work was completed we made a trip over to the Outpatient Radiology Center to have our even cycle chemo CT Scan on Michael's full body. To start off the scan, we were told that they had a block on the scan because our insurance company had not approved it. The appointment was for 7:00am and finally at 9:20, they advised that it had just been approved and they would proceed. Michael was really praying that it wouldn't be approved because he didn't want to drink the two bottles of barium. God didn't answer his prayer, so he went in for the scan. We finally got out about 11:20am and went by Burger King to get him something to eat. When we arrived home about 12:00noon, we received a call that his hemoglobin count had dropped to 6.5 and that he would need to return to the hospital for two units of blood at 1:00pm. But before they ended the call about the blood, we were also informed that the Radiologist had just called Dr. Ravi and advised they had found a blood clot in Michael's chest and they recommended him getting a more detailed scan of his chest. They advised that they would try to get it scheduled later this afternoon. We went in for the 2 units of blood and was released about 7:30pm. Needless to say, the scan was not done, so we have to be back at the hospital at 6:30am in the morning for blood work, 8:00am for appointment with Dr. Ravi, and 9:15 for the CT Scan. We were hoping to get to come home this weekend, but looks like it will be postponed for a day or so. Hopefully, something good will come out of the horrible week in that the cancer will be decreasing or gone. Think positive....although it is hard to do after a day like today.......I am mentally exhausted......Keep praying.
Love,
Terri and Michael

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2009

We are in the hospital as we speak having a cardiac scan done. I have my feet propped up and relaxing a while. The cardiac scan was at 1:00pm and the PET Scan is at 3:30pm and needless to say we are running about 40 minutes late so far on the cardiac scan and probably will be at least 1-2 hours late on the PET Scan. Michael is starving to death - he thinks. Nothing to eat since last night and can't eat or drink anything other than water until after the PET Scan. We are praying for a clearer if not clear report from the Pet Scan than the one after round 4. We should have the results on Friday when we see the Dr. Hopefully we will get the okay to come home for Labor Day before starting the next round of chemo. Michael has felt good the past couple of days. We did have to have platelets last night since his platelet count was down to 2 yesterday. They dropped from 20 to 2 in 24 hours. Platelets 10 or under requires a platelet transfusion and hemoblogin7.1 and under requires two units of blood.