Hi Everyone,
Jeff had an appointment with his Oncologist on Friday and she said that everything looked good. He will receive blood tests every Friday to make sure his platelets and blood counts are okay. There are still only a few symptoms from the chemo - the newest is fatigue and a flush face - both of which have subsided. Other than that, all is well (as best they can be) in Mingman's house.
FYI - there has been one bright spot in the last few weeks - Brad was accepted at West Virginia University and he's looking forward to being a college student. Luckily for us, it's just an hour and a half drive from my family's home in PA. Brittany is still waiting to see if she was accepted at WVU or Arizona State - hopefully she won't have to wait too much longer.
Also, for those of you who don't already know, Jeff and I are going to be grandparents and Justin is going to be a father!!!!! Justin and his smart, beautiful, and soon to be wife, Courtney, are expecting a baby boy in July - YEA!!! We (and they) are so excited and can't wait for the new arrival. If any of you knew Justin when he was little, you'll understand why Jeff swears he is going to buy the baby a drum set for his 1st birthday.
Linda
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
4 Days of Chemo and so far so good
Hi Everyone,
Jeff has been taking both oral chemo drugs since last Friday and so far, everything has been good. The only two symptoms he has complained of since starting the new treatment is forgetfulness (or brain fog) and some short lived restless leg syndrome. It's still a little early to tell if there will be other symptoms but we've both been a little relieved that things have been mild. He even worked from home yesterday and went into the office today. FYI - I will post again on Saturday or earlier if things change.
Thank you for your continued words of encouragement and prayers!!!
Linda
Jeff has been taking both oral chemo drugs since last Friday and so far, everything has been good. The only two symptoms he has complained of since starting the new treatment is forgetfulness (or brain fog) and some short lived restless leg syndrome. It's still a little early to tell if there will be other symptoms but we've both been a little relieved that things have been mild. He even worked from home yesterday and went into the office today. FYI - I will post again on Saturday or earlier if things change.
Thank you for your continued words of encouragement and prayers!!!
Linda
Friday, February 15, 2008
Today's Oncology Visit
Hi Everyone,
Jeff and I met with is Oncologist today and reviewed the results of his tests that were done last week. There wasn't much that we didn't already know except there are now more tumors near the heart/breast bone (the place they have been watching) and in his abdomen. There is also a new spot on his T10 thorasic spine (lower in his back) which is in addition to the spot on his C7 spine that we knew about and a spot on the tail bone.
His insulin is now 108.6 (2.6 - 24.9 is normal) which is more than double of what it was on his last visit to NIH last fall and the tumors on his liver make up 30% of the liver volume. The liver still is a very big concern for the doctors but the Oncologist wants to treat the cancer systematically now and not just focus on the liver. They have NOT confirmed that the mass in the duodenum is tumor activity but at this point, I'm not sure it matters if Jeff is eating okay and not having digestional problems.
Now, with all that said, they started Jeff on Zometa today (by IV) to stregthen his bones and he'll need this every 28 days. This is a preventative measure to keep the bones strong and hopefully prevent the tumors from causing factures or getting into the spinal column.
They also started him on two oral chemotherapy drugs today - Temozolomide and Thalidomide - which have had a fairly positive affect on neuroendocrine tumors like Jeff's. One of the drugs is taken for 7 days then is stopped for 7 days before resuming again. It looks like this regimine will go on for a few months but Jeff will be monitored closely to make sure his blood counts don't suffer.
The Oncologist recommended these drugs because of their effect on Jeff's type of cancer and also because giving them orally will help him/us maintain a decent quality of life. They did mention that the drugs can cause hair loss, nausea and fatigue (as well as other numerous side affects) but they have taken precautions to help .... with everything but the hair loss that is. Of course, if you may remember from the last time, I think bald is beautiful and very "in vogue" lately. It's just hard convincing Jeff of that.
Jeff is all set to go back to Bethesda next Friday for a follow up visit which his Oncologist as well as his next appointment in 28 days for another IV of the Zometa and a prescrption refill on the chemo drugs.
Please keep him and us in your prayers....I think it's going to be a tough going from here on out.
Linda
Jeff and I met with is Oncologist today and reviewed the results of his tests that were done last week. There wasn't much that we didn't already know except there are now more tumors near the heart/breast bone (the place they have been watching) and in his abdomen. There is also a new spot on his T10 thorasic spine (lower in his back) which is in addition to the spot on his C7 spine that we knew about and a spot on the tail bone.
His insulin is now 108.6 (2.6 - 24.9 is normal) which is more than double of what it was on his last visit to NIH last fall and the tumors on his liver make up 30% of the liver volume. The liver still is a very big concern for the doctors but the Oncologist wants to treat the cancer systematically now and not just focus on the liver. They have NOT confirmed that the mass in the duodenum is tumor activity but at this point, I'm not sure it matters if Jeff is eating okay and not having digestional problems.
Now, with all that said, they started Jeff on Zometa today (by IV) to stregthen his bones and he'll need this every 28 days. This is a preventative measure to keep the bones strong and hopefully prevent the tumors from causing factures or getting into the spinal column.
They also started him on two oral chemotherapy drugs today - Temozolomide and Thalidomide - which have had a fairly positive affect on neuroendocrine tumors like Jeff's. One of the drugs is taken for 7 days then is stopped for 7 days before resuming again. It looks like this regimine will go on for a few months but Jeff will be monitored closely to make sure his blood counts don't suffer.
The Oncologist recommended these drugs because of their effect on Jeff's type of cancer and also because giving them orally will help him/us maintain a decent quality of life. They did mention that the drugs can cause hair loss, nausea and fatigue (as well as other numerous side affects) but they have taken precautions to help .... with everything but the hair loss that is. Of course, if you may remember from the last time, I think bald is beautiful and very "in vogue" lately. It's just hard convincing Jeff of that.
Jeff is all set to go back to Bethesda next Friday for a follow up visit which his Oncologist as well as his next appointment in 28 days for another IV of the Zometa and a prescrption refill on the chemo drugs.
Please keep him and us in your prayers....I think it's going to be a tough going from here on out.
Linda
Sunday, February 10, 2008
For our friends....
Thanks For Always Being There!
The world is moving faster now;
We're on a changing course.
But you have helped me deal with life;
You've been a stable force.
When I have had to follow;
New directions, you were there.
When the world was hard on me;
You always seemed to care.
When nothing held together;
Made the slightest bit of sense.
You have always helped restore;
My inner confidence.
Everyone needs someone;
Who's reliable and true.
Through the moments I've endured;
I'm grateful there was you.
Thanks For Always Being There!
anonamous
Friday, February 08, 2008
Back Home
Hi Everyone,
Jeff was discharged from Bethesda Naval Hospital today after completing the last of his tests (YEA!). It looks like we will meet with the Oncologist next Friday when I'm home and can be there with him. Let's hope it's a nice restful week for him. I'm not sure if I mentioned somewhere in the blog, but Jeff gets sick from any "bug" in the air now. His immune system just can't fight off the normal things that don't affect most people - I think that's why he wasn't feeling well last weekend. The IVs they gave to re-hydrate him seem to have helped a lot.
FYI - Jeff didn't get a chance to check the blog today - they kept him pretty busy finishing up the tests and then checking out. Thank you Gina & Brad for your help in getting Jeff home!!
Well folks, it will probably be a slow blog week - at least until Saturday of next week. I will post any new information that comes up between now and next Friday but if all goes well, it will be a quiet week. Please keep us in your prayers!
Linda
Jeff was discharged from Bethesda Naval Hospital today after completing the last of his tests (YEA!). It looks like we will meet with the Oncologist next Friday when I'm home and can be there with him. Let's hope it's a nice restful week for him. I'm not sure if I mentioned somewhere in the blog, but Jeff gets sick from any "bug" in the air now. His immune system just can't fight off the normal things that don't affect most people - I think that's why he wasn't feeling well last weekend. The IVs they gave to re-hydrate him seem to have helped a lot.
FYI - Jeff didn't get a chance to check the blog today - they kept him pretty busy finishing up the tests and then checking out. Thank you Gina & Brad for your help in getting Jeff home!!
Well folks, it will probably be a slow blog week - at least until Saturday of next week. I will post any new information that comes up between now and next Friday but if all goes well, it will be a quiet week. Please keep us in your prayers!
Linda
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Peaceful Day
Hi Everyone,
Jeff spent his morning getting the Bone Scan and I think his afternoon was spent getting the Verizon aircard set up so that he could get connected to the Internet. He was dozing off when I called tonight but we chatted briefly. The two hour time difference between Maryland and Colorado isn't always conducive to long conversations.
Anyway, his day sounded nicely uneventful - YEA! - and it looks like the Octreotide scan will be done tomorrow morning. There were no more spikes in his blood sugar (that he'll tell me about anyway), and his calcium and urine functions have come back to normal. He should be home resting comfortably by early evening on Friday. (Thanks for the help Gina!)
By the way, I talked to Jeff's Oncologist via e-mail today and she expects to have all the results and a treatment plan together by mid- to late- next week. Treatment should begin pretty quickly after that.
Thank you everyone for the kind notes and prayers!!! Jeff and I talk at least twice a day and I will make sure he knows to read the blog tomorrow....perhaps he will even add tomorrow's post. I may even be able to talk Brittany into sending me some new photo's of Jeff with his favorite furry friend (Fenway) so that I can post them over the weekend.
Til then....hug your spouse and kids for no reason today!
Linda
Jeff spent his morning getting the Bone Scan and I think his afternoon was spent getting the Verizon aircard set up so that he could get connected to the Internet. He was dozing off when I called tonight but we chatted briefly. The two hour time difference between Maryland and Colorado isn't always conducive to long conversations.
Anyway, his day sounded nicely uneventful - YEA! - and it looks like the Octreotide scan will be done tomorrow morning. There were no more spikes in his blood sugar (that he'll tell me about anyway), and his calcium and urine functions have come back to normal. He should be home resting comfortably by early evening on Friday. (Thanks for the help Gina!)
By the way, I talked to Jeff's Oncologist via e-mail today and she expects to have all the results and a treatment plan together by mid- to late- next week. Treatment should begin pretty quickly after that.
Thank you everyone for the kind notes and prayers!!! Jeff and I talk at least twice a day and I will make sure he knows to read the blog tomorrow....perhaps he will even add tomorrow's post. I may even be able to talk Brittany into sending me some new photo's of Jeff with his favorite furry friend (Fenway) so that I can post them over the weekend.
Til then....hug your spouse and kids for no reason today!
Linda
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
More Testing
Hi Everyone,
Jeff and I talked today and he is resting as comfortably as can be expected. Between calls from our family/friends and the nursing staff taking blood sugars, vitals, etc., he isn't getting much sleep. His aircard arrived today so perhaps he can connect with the rest of the world sometime tomorrow. He mentioned that he is scheduled for a Bone Scan tomorrow and the Octreotide Scan is scheduled for Friday.
Jeff also got a visit from the Endo/GI folks today - the CT scan showed what MIGHT be a mass in his duodenum, the part that goes from the stomach to the small intestines, but further investigation is needed before coming to a conclusion. They seemed happy that he wasn't having any symptoms from it - that's slightly encouraging.
If all goes well, he'll be home Friday afternoon. I'm not sure when his Oncologist will have a treatment plan but I don't suspect it will be long.
Stay tuned!
Lin
Jeff and I talked today and he is resting as comfortably as can be expected. Between calls from our family/friends and the nursing staff taking blood sugars, vitals, etc., he isn't getting much sleep. His aircard arrived today so perhaps he can connect with the rest of the world sometime tomorrow. He mentioned that he is scheduled for a Bone Scan tomorrow and the Octreotide Scan is scheduled for Friday.
Jeff also got a visit from the Endo/GI folks today - the CT scan showed what MIGHT be a mass in his duodenum, the part that goes from the stomach to the small intestines, but further investigation is needed before coming to a conclusion. They seemed happy that he wasn't having any symptoms from it - that's slightly encouraging.
If all goes well, he'll be home Friday afternoon. I'm not sure when his Oncologist will have a treatment plan but I don't suspect it will be long.
Stay tuned!
Lin
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
A lot has happened in 4 months
Hi everyone,
It's been almost four monts to the day since my last blog. At the time of that post we were waiting to hear about a new/different procedure at the University of Pittsburgh since Jeff couldn't have any more PHPs at NIH. Well, Tricare, our government insurance program, did not approve the procedure because they considered it experimental. But you know us...we didn't give up. Instead, we followed our instincts and began going through the VA in Baltimore to see if they could help and in fact they tried. They referred us to the University of Maryland who can do the same procedure as the University of Pittsburgh and since it was through the VA, we wouldn't have to get approval from Tricare.
After another round of the ususal testing (CTs, MRIs, Octreotide, etc.), the physicians at the University of Maryland determined that Jeff should have a "systemic" approach to his cancer. The doctor that we spoke to last Tuesday (who was very thorough) explained that Jeff has moderaly active tumors on his right pelvic bone and his shoulder bone. He has other spots (perhaps less active) on his left pelvic bone, in the right hip joint, and the C7 spine. He went on to explain that while they can do the procedure on the liver, it would be in Jeff's best interest if he received other treatment first. Needless to say the information was a little more than upsetting.
Jeff had an appointment with his Navy Oncologist the very next day and after reading the Univ. of MD radiology report, she quickly went into action. She admitted Jeff to Bethesda Naval Hospital on Monday (February 4th) to do some additional testing and is actively working to determine the best course of treatment for Jeff. She explained that there are some new chemotherapy drugs on the market as well as some new research protocols that he may qualify for. I suspect that Jeff will start some form of "systemic" treatment before the end of February since the cancer appears to have become more aggressive than it was originally.
Anyway, so far Jeff's inpatient stay has been just a little rocky but we are VERY glad he is in the hospital being monitored. He was sick over the weekend before being admitted (flu like symptoms) and was very dehydrated. His blood sugar was near 350 at one point today (80-120 is normal) and has both an elevated white blood cell count and higher than normal calcium levels in his urine......most of which is going back to normal with rest and an IV.
It's amazing that after all the low blood sugars we never gave much thought to his blood sugars going the opposite direction. Jeff hasn't felt all that well over the last month or so but because he wasn't having low blood sugar symptoms, we weren't checking his blood sugars on a regular basis. It will be interesting to see if the 350 is just an isolated case (or perhaps just pancakes for breakfast) or if it will continue to happen...anyway, stay tuned.
Well folks, I better run. I will post more information as it becomes available. Jeff thinks he may be home by Saturday but we'll know more in the next day or two.
Oh yea, I forgot to mention that Jeff got a call from Justin on Monday afternoon. It's always such a nice treat to get a call from him especially considering his deployed location. Brit and Brad are doing well under the circumstances and are looking forward to graduation in May.
Linda
It's been almost four monts to the day since my last blog. At the time of that post we were waiting to hear about a new/different procedure at the University of Pittsburgh since Jeff couldn't have any more PHPs at NIH. Well, Tricare, our government insurance program, did not approve the procedure because they considered it experimental. But you know us...we didn't give up. Instead, we followed our instincts and began going through the VA in Baltimore to see if they could help and in fact they tried. They referred us to the University of Maryland who can do the same procedure as the University of Pittsburgh and since it was through the VA, we wouldn't have to get approval from Tricare.
After another round of the ususal testing (CTs, MRIs, Octreotide, etc.), the physicians at the University of Maryland determined that Jeff should have a "systemic" approach to his cancer. The doctor that we spoke to last Tuesday (who was very thorough) explained that Jeff has moderaly active tumors on his right pelvic bone and his shoulder bone. He has other spots (perhaps less active) on his left pelvic bone, in the right hip joint, and the C7 spine. He went on to explain that while they can do the procedure on the liver, it would be in Jeff's best interest if he received other treatment first. Needless to say the information was a little more than upsetting.
Jeff had an appointment with his Navy Oncologist the very next day and after reading the Univ. of MD radiology report, she quickly went into action. She admitted Jeff to Bethesda Naval Hospital on Monday (February 4th) to do some additional testing and is actively working to determine the best course of treatment for Jeff. She explained that there are some new chemotherapy drugs on the market as well as some new research protocols that he may qualify for. I suspect that Jeff will start some form of "systemic" treatment before the end of February since the cancer appears to have become more aggressive than it was originally.
Anyway, so far Jeff's inpatient stay has been just a little rocky but we are VERY glad he is in the hospital being monitored. He was sick over the weekend before being admitted (flu like symptoms) and was very dehydrated. His blood sugar was near 350 at one point today (80-120 is normal) and has both an elevated white blood cell count and higher than normal calcium levels in his urine......most of which is going back to normal with rest and an IV.
It's amazing that after all the low blood sugars we never gave much thought to his blood sugars going the opposite direction. Jeff hasn't felt all that well over the last month or so but because he wasn't having low blood sugar symptoms, we weren't checking his blood sugars on a regular basis. It will be interesting to see if the 350 is just an isolated case (or perhaps just pancakes for breakfast) or if it will continue to happen...anyway, stay tuned.
Well folks, I better run. I will post more information as it becomes available. Jeff thinks he may be home by Saturday but we'll know more in the next day or two.
Oh yea, I forgot to mention that Jeff got a call from Justin on Monday afternoon. It's always such a nice treat to get a call from him especially considering his deployed location. Brit and Brad are doing well under the circumstances and are looking forward to graduation in May.
Linda
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