Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Pretty Smart Thinking on Rianne's Part


Yesterday was another good day. We rose early and headed north 80 miles up the coast to Coos Bay for another scheduled blood draw. Rianne was feeling tired again and was certain that her blood counts would be low. We were gearing up for another Blood Transfusion, but, to our surprise, her counts were strong. We were happy to hear the news because it marked the first time that she had really good numbers a week following an infusion. When the results were read she immediately perked up and felt a second wind. The rest of the day went well and, although she went to bed worn out, she was in really good spirits. It was actually a nice trip up to Coos Bay yesterday and we were hoping for the same today.
Today we had 2 doctor appointments scheduled so it was off to Coos Bay again. She had been taking a very large calcium pill that was like swallowing a log, so yesterday she changed it to liquid supplement instead, hoping that it would be easier to take. She took the liquid dose this morning, a vitamin D pill and a pain killer with a light breakfast. When we left she felt fine but 20 minutes into the trip she began to feel very nauseated. A few minutes later she had me pull the van over and she vomited on the roadside. It changed her entire day. Now she had no appetite to drink or eat and she also emptied her stomach. She began to feel weak and continued to feel nauseated. 20 more minutes passed and we were again on the side of the road and she was again leaning over. This time she completely emptied out her stomach. It’s a helpless feeling to stand and watch – all that I could do was rub her shoulders while holding her steady enough to help her keep her balance as she heaved again and again. This was only the second time that she got nauseated through this entire ordeal, but it was tougher than the first because her bed wouldn’t be possible to use until the day ended. She made due with the passenger seat in the van and stuck it out, especially so that she could see the ear, nose and throat doctor who she has wanted to see for close to a year now.
Her 9:45 appointment with her psychiatrist went well, although she was uncomfortable fighting the nausea in his office. Upon completion of the appointment we went to a car wash. I washed and vacuumed the van while she laid back and rested inside. When the van was finished she leaned up in her seat and said she felt better. We grabbed a small burger for her and she was able to keep it down. Amazing how just a small amount of food can revive the body and put new strength in it. We killed some time shopping here and there, then she checked in for her 3:00 appointment with the ear, nose and throat doctor.
In June of last year she flew to Boise for a wedding and on the return trip to Oregon her right ear would not decompress. The ear has given her problems since, which has been close to a year now. She saw a specialist in July and he put a tube into the eardrum. The eustacian tube inside of Rianne’s right ear system was flattened due to a combination of the pressure of the flight and a cold she was fighting off. It didn’t return to it’s normal hose-like shape. The doctor felt that a tube placed in the eardrum would possibly alleviate the problem by relieving the pressure. The tube, which is about 1/8” in diameter, looks and is shaped like a tire rim. It has flanges on it so that it can be placed into the eardrum and stay in place, allowing the eardrum to grow and press against it. The tube was intended to release pressure by allowing air to flow through the tiny pinhole in the center of it. It has been allowing air to pass through it, but the pressure is still there. Today’s doctor was the third ear, nose and throat specialist she has seen regarding the troubled ear. He discovered that the tube placed in her eardrum by the first doctor has moved and is in jeopardy of sliding behind the eardrum and into her middle ear. This could be disastrous and would require surgery to remove it. He invited me to look into the ear microscope and I saw for myself that it was slightly dislodged. To remove it surgically he will need her to return another day following another hearing test, which is also her third. So here we go again with the roller coaster ride – up yesterday and down today!
The tube will be removed from her ear on Monday of next week, followed by another scheduled blood draw from her Port. Her hearing test will be sometime this week in the late afternoon in Brookings, which is 30 miles away from Gold Beach to the south. We can only hope and pray that the ear will eventually quit taunting her and return to it’s original state. Sometimes she can hear a swooshing sound in it which the doctor says is the sound of her blood vessels. It is a major stressor that she doesn’t really need teaming up with the cancer right now. To combat the ear problem and the swooshing noise she bought an Ipod today to play into her ear when it is pestering her! Pretty smart thinking on Rianne’s part! Why not beat the noise with some sounds that she enjoys.
The ride home was uneventful. Rianne ate another burger because it was the only thing that she felt even the slightest appetite for. She leaned back and rested, keeping her eyes on the road but not saying too much. She was miserable on the ride home and her bed wasn’t showing up soon enough. We finally made it home around 6:45 and she headed straight for the warmth of a shower. She felt better when she got out, wound down a little, hopped into bed and called it a day.
I’m remembering to take it a day at a time. I expected today to be another good day, but it started poorly and she never fully recovered from the initial nausea. Even at her 3:00 appointment she notified the ear, nose and throat doctor that she was still nauseated. The long days to Coos Bay tend to catch up to her if she doesn’t find a way to rest sometime during the day. Unfortunately I’m afraid more days like this are ahead of us. We’ll just need to remember to face each day as it arrives!

2 comments:

  1. There is a site called legalsounds and you pay 25 dollars up front and you can download any song for.09 cents. It is amazing I am using it now and it is so cheap. Please inform Rianne of this so maybe she can find some good songs to listen to :)

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  2. Yikes! Hearing about all your trips to Coos Bay to the doctors, and remembering those winding, winding roads, and then to think of adding chemo nausea on top of that?!! Wow, you are such a trooper. Gold Beach is a wonderful place but it sure doesn't make doctor's appointments easy.

    I'm so sad to hear about the ear problems. Good luck with that! I'm soooo happy you found the problem before it turned into a disaster though.

    The kids and I made something for you today but it will take awhile to get there. I think it will make you smile. =-)

    Hang in there both of you!!!! (and if the nausea gets worse and they try to give you phenergan, ask for ODT zofran instead!)

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