Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Update

Here's a brief update, to let folks know how I'm feeling and what's going on around here.

I'm going to get into the lab this afternoon for the 2nd time since I was made aware of my need to put in 10 days by mid-April to save my long-term disability benefit (and with it, my health insurance). I've been too tired on the days I've been home to make up any time there (yet) but imagine I can start that soon enough.

I've called to have them reduce my pain meds just a bit -- I'm still not hitting my "bolus" button all that often (the button that gives me an extra shot of the meds against break-through pain) so I figure I can risk cutting back a bit more. I can't say as I've seen any retreat of the tumors we are currently targeting with radiation, but it's early. And hopefully, when I do, I'll be able to turn back the pain meds that much more.

Still no official word on whether or not I'll get a last round of chemo before leaving Knoxville, though I'd bet not. I'll see the local oncologist that Thursday before leaving town on Saturday.

I'm very much looking forward to being among friends, and to hearing what Dr. Mulcahy has to offer as far as continuing treatment. I know that anything we try is a long shot, at best, to beat back my cancer. But I'll take any shot we've got at this stage...I'm just not ready to accept mere palliative treatments.

And that's about it for the moment. Thanks as always for your constant thoughts and prayers.

5 comments:

Storm Duper said...

Thanks for the update again Dennis. You are certainly in all my daily prayers and petitions. Let's have a chat here in the next 48 hours, eh?

Anonymous said...

You are in our prayers. Continue to fight the good fight. Let me know if there's anything I can do.

Eloise said...

Hi Dennis, Just want to say that we are still thinking and praying for you. I am still at Laura's in Colorado to help her with the kids and she reminded me about your blog again. I admire your faith and courage.

Eloise said...

Hi Dennis, I am here with Laura in Colorado and she was reading your blog the other day and that reminded me that I hadn't read it for awhile. So here I am. You are in our prayers. I admire your faith and courage!
Eloise G.

Anonymous said...

Hi Dennis, finally I got some spare time - while Robert is away practicing with Far From Home - to look into you blog more deeply and thank you for your detailed information. I reminded our children just the other day to try to never forget to pray in the evening before they go to bed and to include you in their thoughts and prayers whenever it occurs to them. They remember you very well and I hope you know how much we all luv u and miss you! We certainly keep you in our prayers constantly. You are just the bravest person ever with such deep faith and overwhelming zest for live I, we, ever met. I can only keep repeating that I consider myself and my family blessed to have been given the chance to meet you and spend some precious time with you while you were in Munich. You know what the funniest thing is: Whenever I think of you I have this special picture in mind: Remember the place called "Little Banjo"? We had two gigs there, but the one time you were wearing this beige hat, you even had to lean on a bar stool in between while playing your bass because you were pretty exhausted from the effects of your chemo, but you still sang your song "Keep your hands to yourself". I like thinking of that moment, it was somehow very special and it took place in a nice surrounding ...
Hope you will be able to get back to all of us with good news.