August 18, 2009 Update and Recap
I figured it was time to recap all that is going on with Andrew…because it is confusing for me and I live it with him every day! So Andrew has completed 6 of 9 chemo sessions on the 6thof August and released from the hospital on Friday the 7th. He was then readmitted to the hospital Monday the 10th due to increased vomiting and extreme fatigue and was released Friday night. So he has three chemo sessions to go, and if he does not get ill which could prevent him from doing one of them on time, he will finish the end of November. He will not be able to go back to public school until January or February if this is the case, but will be attending the St. Luke’s hospital school and getting help from the Boise school district tutor.
His stomach does not empty or digest, therefore he cannot eat any food by mouth, all it does is cause him to create more acid. Since his stomach does not empty the only way to drain the acid/bile that is produced is by vomiting. He can sometimes go one day without vomiting but makes up for it in the following days. He gets full nutrition through his feeding tube which is placed down in his digestive tract and runs for at least 18 hours a day. He gets very fatigued very easily and therefore uses a wheelchair whenever we go anywhere in public. His digestive issues are directly related to the chemo poisoning his GI tract and we are expecting it to correct itself after his treatments are over. However, from this point on, his health will continue to deteriorate until he finishes, so we are just pushing to get through it until then.
He went to the doctor today because he has started getting colon spasms that cause extreme pain in his back/spine area, which the doctor suspects is colitis. He is getting tested to see if he has a bacterial infection causing it, if there is no infection it is once again due to the chemo and will not resolve until after treatment. I will update when we learn more about how it will apply to Andrew. Thank you so much for all the support and love as well as the wonderful notes people are leaving on Andrew’s website, he, Taylor and I read them and appreciate every one of them.
August 19th, 2009 at 11:20 am
You rock Brattany, Tyalor and Andrew. And George. Say hi to Gaby from me. Hope you have a good day. Lots of love and prayers, Nadine
August 19th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Huge hugs and sloppy kisses to Larry the Cucumber…and blown kisses and big smiles to Bob Amato since I know that it’s no fun to be slobbered on when you feel yucky. I miss you all so much, and you’re in my thoughts and prayers every day!!
Oh, and Bob Amato…you’ve still got all kinds of fans here at work. They come by my desk and ask about you every day! We’re all sending our best energy your way!!
Kiss your Mama for me too!
Always,
Aunt Amy
August 19th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
2/3 of the way there. This really sucks, but it is getting close to over. Re coming up to the cabin. We will be coming down to Boise for good on the 9th or 10th of Sept. WE are going to visit some relatives in England on the 15th and need to get ready. If you can come up the last weekend in August, you are very welcome. Or the first weekend in Sept. We have to winterize when we leave, but maybe we can work something out for September.
Keep up your wonderful, exhausted spirit. I guess they are aiming for one treatment (you have learned to LOVE that word, I’m sure) a month until November?
Keep up the good work, you guys. Love, Wendy and Rocky