A Couple Updates.

I had begun to write a blog post the other day before finding out we needed to get to Harriman Hospital because they were going to transfer my Mother-in-law to UT. I am now posting that blog, but first an update on Jean's condition....She is doing remarkably better!!!Yeah!!! They took her off the pain pump and are giving her pain medicine through her IV every six hours, which is a big improvement. I stayed with her the first two nights and then Billy stayed last night and Donna is there tonight. Billy said the doctor said this morning that they may send her home this weekend, they need the bed. I guess Donna will find out when the doctor comes in, in the morning, if she was serious. It's a little hard to believe, considering all Jean has been through, in such a short time frame. She is now tolerating the feeding and drain tubes well. They actually started feeding her through the feeding tube today. She hasn't experienced any set-backs so far and hopefully she won't. Please continue to pray for her. I know this is a very trying time for her, but I also know, firsthand, the marvelous grace of God, that is sufficient for our needs!!!!

Well, I didn't want to set some kind of record and go a month or so without sitting in a doctors office, so I decided to make the trip!!!! For the last two months or so I have been experiencing pretty bad night sweats. There are nights when I wake up drenched!!! I have had to get up, sometimes twice in one night, and shower. These night sweats have recently evolved into "day" sweats as well. Also, I have, for the last two months or so, been running a low grade fever, off and on. My body temperature is normally 97.8*. Lately I have experienced times when I begin to chill for no reason. I finally realized that I had a fever and started checking my temperature. It has been running about 99* most times when I check, then on a Saturday night it had risen to 101*. Knowing that night sweats and low grade fevers are a sign of cancer, I began to grow more and more concerned, thus the doctor visit. The bone pain I have been having has also gotten increasingly worse over time. The doctor ran several tests ... a TB test, chest x-ray, head x-ray, EKG, urinalysis, and blood work. The doctor reached a conclusion that I have a sinus infection that is probably causing the low grade fevers. I do not feel as if I have a sinus infection, but he said that was all that showed up, he could see a pocket of infection on the x-rays. So he wrote me several prescriptions and I was on my way. Having had cancer, the night sweats and low grade fevers still somewhat worry me. I know there are people who have had cancer that read this blog, if you have experienced the fevers and sweats and the bone pain I would love to hear from you, to help me understand if this is somewhat normal. I don't mean to sound as if I am always complaining about my aches and pains!!!LOL!!! I am extremely grateful to be alive and here to experience this life with my family. I do have a wonderful life for which I am extremely grateful and very undeserving of. My doctor has prescribed medicines to help with the pain and once I take it I can function normally for the most part, without it I am useless. I just hate being dependent on pills to get through the day. I also feel as if I am just masking the problem with the medication and not curing the problem. I keep hoping my doctor will find the root of my pain problem, give me some kind of wonder drug, and I will magically be cured of the pain and I will no longer be so dependent on the daily medicines. I would really like to hear from someone who has dealt with the cancer/chemo/radiation experience to hear if my bone pain and night sweats and low grade fevers are just something to be expected, even this far out from treatment. I am only seeing my GP on a regular basis now and he is the one who is trying to treat my pain and symptoms. He is not a cancer doctor and does not deal with cancer and the treatments and the after effects, as an oncologist would, who when I tried to get an appointment with, told me I needed to go to my GP. I guess I would rest a little easier hearing that the symptoms I am experiencing now, are common after the things I have gone through. So if anyone out there has any knowledge on these subjects I would love to hear from you either by commenting here or my e-mail address is debbieruppe@yahoo.com .