A Day In The Life......

Monday, September 26, 2005

Monday and the Treatments Begin

Karl got admitted to Presby Plano this morning. What a great ICU! A lot roomier and better care than at RHD. Don't get me wrong, RHD is a nice hospital and we never worried about his level of care but Presby is a lot newer and they have more staff. He has a nurse, Karen, who is assigned to him and one other patient who will probably be gone before Karl's week is up. She is great! She even put him in the one of only two rooms with a real bathroom and door on the bathroom. The "corner suite". Also he can get flowers, balloons and lots of visitors. Unlike RHD where he was limited. Unfortunately Anika is still not allowed but she's been talking to daddy every afternoon. She's busy making a book for him as I am writing this.
For those who want to send wishes or visit, room phone 972-981-8225 he's in #6.
Visiting hours are 8-10am then 12-2 then 4-6 and 8-10. He's on the second floor in the ICU.http://www.phscare.org

We saw Dr. Wyzinski, his oncologist, who came in right before they started to dose him up with the Interleukin IL-2. They are going for the stronger protocol where Karl gets a "nuclear" size dose of IL-2 in a 15 minute time period every 8 hours. Dr. Wyzkinski and others warned us that his usually aches, fever and chills will probably be worse than ever. They are really worried about his blood pressure and kidneys. He had extra xrays and ultrasounds on his heart for before pictures just in case his blood pressuer goes in the toiles. Which means, Karl will probably be on Morphine for most of the week. All this for 3 silly lymph nodes! But the good part about this is no chemo throat and mouth burns after and no interferon. YEAH! Just two weeks to recoup and then the next round. Scans will happen after round two in the ICU and then potentially more rounds and radiation. He was starting to feel the effects when I left at 5pm, he told me to go home and come back at 8pm when he is really starting to feel bad. They also give him Benedryl which makes him really sleepy. More tomorrow.

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