[BethW]

Dear Judith,

I know you must be so upset. Anybody would be. We will be thinking of you and hoping things go well at Stanford. Please let us know how the doctor visit goes.

Take care and you are in our thoughts and prayers,
Beth

[BethW]

Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Jane, and to everyone on the group. We will all continue hope and pray for miracles. They do happen.

We are on our way very early in the morning for my dear husband’s platelet and red blood cell transfusion. They are at 8.1 and 14,000. He is also suffering with gout in both feet. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers too.

Beth

[BethW]

Jay:
I’m not sure about what your father will physically experience either. My husband is showing new problems all the time too with one thing being low platelets. I can tell you, however, that we had Hospice for my mother and I have never seen such a loving, caring, competent group of people in my life. They made sure she was never in pain and were loving with her as if she were their own family. I have heard the same thing from people all over the country. They were also wonderfully supportive for the family too, and I have always been grateful for them.

You and your family are still in my thoughts and prayers everyday, Jay.

Beth

[BethW]

Jay, you will be in my thoughts and prayers. I know you must have been very surprised and sad to get this news today. I am so sorry to hear about all you are going through. Your father sounds like a wonderful man and I know he must be very proud of you for taking such good care of him and being such a loving son. He has taught you to be a wonderful father and Noah is so very lucky to have you. Please do come back and let us know how you are doing. We’ll be thinking of you.
Beth

[BethW]

Neil, wanted to add my thoughts and prayers. You must be so glad to be home. Sure is great to get back home, isn’t it, and probably helps with recovery. Take care of yourself and keep us updated about how you are.

BethW

[BethW]

Thanks Jack for responding. Haven’t juiced in yrs. Hope the juicer still works. Need to be doing that for other fruits and veggies as well anyway.
Beth

[BethW]

Thank you, Jack, KLS, Cheryl, Linda, and anyone else I might have missed for your suggestions. They were all very wise and helpful. My husband’s next appt with the Hematologist is next Wed. He had said he felt it was time to find a local physician to follow him and gave us the name of an oncologist. I am feeling now as if we should get a referral from him to UAB since even the town closest to us doesn’t have certified Hematologists. It seems though that every medication I look at is not for him because this cell line or that cell line is down and thus is not a viable option for him. Since all are low, does it make it harder? Anyway, our current Hematologist hasn’t recommended anything new. We need to have an open, frank talk with him next week and see what other options we have.

Thanks to all of you for reaching out and answering questions and being so supportive,
Beth

[BethW]

Hi Susan,
I haven’t had a chance to get on the computer the last couple of days and e-mail you, but have been thinking of you. My husband’s site of infection under the arm is slowly getting smaller but we called today because we felt the Infectious Disease doc should see it again because it still looks terrible. Also, I am beginning to be able to see that “tired/weak” look my husband gets when his levels after transfusions, platelets, etc. are dropping again. I’m not sure yet how accurate my observations are, but I gently persuaded him to go back and we got an appt tomorrow. He agrees now.

How is your Dad doing this week?

Love,
Beth

[BethW]

Hi Susan,

Thank you so much for your reply. It helped a lot. My husband’s doc is in B’ham at a different hospital and has given us a referral locally. We live in a small town so there is not a hematologist here. It will involve a much shorter drive though. His doc suggested that it is time for him to change to a local doc, but my husband trusts his current one. He tried to get home health care with home antibiotic IV but the infection down his arm got so much better the infectious disease doctor kept him over the weekend. The primary site of infection, however, is still not resolved and may involve minor surgery to remove the knot.

We will probably have to go back up there end of this week or early next week. We are supposed to be watching for a certain sign to call. I am so sick from the week hospital stay that I can barely walk. I am homebound myself and in a lot of pain. Seems small though compared to his illness.

His 3 sons and my son live in other states and can only make quick trips briefly but did get us back home this time, which was a tremendous help.

Would it be okay if I e-mailed you? It would be nice to have someone in the same state to communicate with.

Thank you so much,
Beth

[BethW]

Hi Katie,

So glad for your updates. You, your Dad and family have been and still are in my thoughts and prayers.

Beth

[BethW]

Thank you all for your replies and welcomes. My husband’s type is RA but we don’t know much else right now. Some tissues were sent to the Mayo Clinic for the genetic and ? part. Not back yet. He got his first red and white boosters last Wed and having some light fevers, lower body pain and light bleeding gums last night. Why do these things always happen on the weekend? Our next appt next Wed. In workup they discovered a tumor on the kidney so we are being directed back to same hospital for what to do about that. Frankly I am even more scared now.

I haven’t checked back here with everything going on and thought I would be notified if a reply was made to my message. I must not have clicked the right thing. Just happened to check this morning. Love to all of you for reaching out to me.

Beth

[Author]

Posts