Dad will be moving to the University of Iowa Hospital tomorrow morning for the duration of this hospital event. He is scheduled to get a couple units of platelets and a PICC line installed. The PICC line will be a welcome addition to dad's treatment as I about passed out watching a guy trying to find a vein in dad's arm tonight amid a sea of purple bruises from all the blood draws this past month.
We found out today that dad has a rare more aggressive form of Lymphoma that is going to require an intensive chemotherapy treatment. All things are pointing to an acute onset of this cancer in his body, potentially it first presented itself just 6 weeks ago. When he finally makes it to the University hospital he will be in the bone marrow unit as they have specially trained staff that deal with the kind of treatment he will be undergoing. Right now the regiment will start out with 5 days of drugs followed by at least a week of monitoring. He'll also probably be getting blood transfusions on a regular basis while in the hospital. After that he will return to Iowa City for possibly 7 more alternating courses of treatment. They have an alternate course or regiment they can try if this first one proves to be too much for his body to take.
For as much as he's gone through in such a short time he is doing remarkably well. His still has a very positive outlook on things and has developed the power to bring grown men to tears with a single look or simple word. If you have A+ or O+ blood type the next time you donate you just might be helping a very good man back on the road to good health.
2 comments:
Keep the information coming brother. That PICC line comment hits home. If there ever was a time I wish I didn't understand what you were talking about, that was it. Give your dad a hug for me and tell him when I'm back in Orion I'll be expecting to check on TWO recovering EX chemo patients.
Well I put my money where my mouth is and donated blood for the first time today. It was easy and I'm not one for needles and things. In the Quad Cities the Mississippi Valley Blood Center on 53rd St. in Davenport is a good place to go and donate. Clean, quick and friendly people. They take walk ins as well. My next donation is already scheduled for July 6th at 4:30pm - see you there!!!
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