Monday, 9:00 pm Update

It's been almost a week since my last blog. I am happy to report that Steve is still improving. It's at a slow pace but as long as we're going in th right direction I am happy. He has lost a good bit of weight but his appetite is getting better. Tomorrow we see his oncologist for his second chemo infusion. We feel confident that the infection in his port that started all the trouble three weeks ago has been cleared up. Steve is still on antibiotics and will be for at least 6 more days. He continues his oral chemo twice a day with no apparent side effects. Our prayer is that he has no reaction tomorrow and continues to get a little bit better each day.

Tuesday, 10:30 am Update

Hi Yall! Thank God there's not much to report. Steve is doing well. He continues to take his chemotherapy twice a day and his antibiotic at lunch. Thankfully he has had no major reactions to either drug. He tires easily but he did spend yesterday at his office. He asks me to thank you for your continued prayers.

Saturday, 11:30 am Update

Good morning! There's not much to report, thank goodness. Steve is doing great! He is continuing with his antibiotic and he started his chemotherapy yesterday. So far, so good!!!! He is having some itching when he gets up in the morning but we suspect it's from the antibiotic so we're going to see if Benadryl helps. The important thing is that Steve's fever never got over 99 degrees yesterday. I really think we're on the right track now. We plan to enjoy the beautiful fall-like weather this weekend and hopefully I can take my nurse hat off and put my wedding hat back on. There's still soooooo much to do! We thank you Lord for these good days!

Thursday, 5:00 pm update

It is with great joy and some caution that I tell you WE'RE HOME!!!! Both the oncologist and the infectious disease doctor agree that Steve is on the mend and it was time to go home. We have pretty much come to the conclusion that the infection came from his port. The last 2 sets of blood cultures have not grown any bacteria, Thank God. We will monitor Steve's termperature very closely at home and if his fever goes above 101 we have been instructed to get blood cultures drawn right away. Steve will be on antibiotics for the next 3 weeks and he will start back on his chemotherapy tomorrow morning. It is so good to be home!!!! We just want to sit on the patio, soak in the fresh air and thank God for his many blessings.

Tuesday, 11:00 pm update

Tonight I have better news than I did this morning. Steve is responding to the antibiotic!!!!!!! They did a CT scan on him around 1:00 today. It showed no signs of infection in either his abdomen or his chest. The infectious disease doctor met with us this afternoon and said that after eliminating all other suspicions he concludes that the infection either started in his PIC line or his port. His port was used for the first time in a year and a half last Wednesday when they gave him his chemo treatment, and his PIC line was pulled on the same morning. It is impossible to tell which site is the culprit. The important thing is that we know what kind of bacteria is growing and what antibiotic to treat Steve with. After having received two bags of antibiotic Steve's temperature is normal and he has had no more shaking attacks. They will draw more blood cultures in the morning and if all goes as expected and Steve continues to improve the doctor is talking about letting him go home either Thursday or Friday. Please keep the prayers coming....they are working!!!!

Tuesday, 10:30 am Update

Steve is still spiking a high fever. Yesterday it stay low until about 3:00 in the afternoon. After that is stayed between 101 and 103.5 all night. Along with the fever he has violent shaking and it gets hard for him to breath. It's pretty scarey to watch. This morning the doctor came in and said his blood cultures are growing bacteria that typically grows in the gut. They will do a CT scan of his chest and abdomen sometime today and they are calling in an infectious disease doctor to help with treatment. I know we have asked time and again for prayers but it's time to storm Heaven. Please pray for us.

Sunday, 10:30 pm Update

OK now... I've got alot to tell you and it's late, so if I ramble and make mistakes please forgive me. Steve's back in the hospital. I better start at the beginning. Thursday night Steve asked me for a Tylenol pm to help him sleep. He wanted to take two but I only let him have one because I know how most medications effect him. He slept well but the next morning he was so lethargic I could barely get him to get out of bed to eat breakfast. He never really got better Friday buy I thought it was just the Tylenol. Later that afternoon he started running a low grade fever which he had through the night. Saturday morning was a repeat of Friday with the lethargy and lack of appetite. I took Steve's temperature on Saturday late morning - it was 103.3. I called the doctor and he said to get Steve to the ER right away. I did as instructed and after spending all afternoon in the hospital we were sent home with the diagnosis of a possible viral infection. Well Steve had fever off and on the rest of the night and we had a repeat performance Sunday morning. By 3:00 Sunday afternoon Steve's fever was 104. This time the doctor said to pack his suitcase and have him at the hospital pronto. So that's where we are now. They are running all kind of blood cultures and other tests. We have to find out where the infection is and most importantly we have to make sure there is no infection in his portacath (especially since all of this started after the first chemo treatment). We are hopeful that this hospital stay will only last a couple of days. When Steve was first diagnosed two and half years ago a good friend of mine wrote something on a scrap of paper. I have saved that little piece of paper and refer to it often. It reads, "Jesus did not come to remove pain and suffering. He came to fill it with His presence." Lord, we rely on you for strength!!