Aunt Betty ... continued Day 2

After visiting the Orthopedic physician, Aunt Betty now has a cast on her leg. From the top of her thigh to her ankle. Dana, her son, contacted me and told me that she was doing better now that she had the cast. Dana was going to leave Aunt Betty's and her neighbor would be checking in on her and Aunt Betty would be calling me if she needed me to come stay with her over night. Since I hadn't heard from Aunt Betty I contacted her around 8:00pm. She didn't sound well, she was in alot of pain and said the cast was too tight and too heavy. I told her I would come over and spend the night with her. I contacted Dana and advised him that I would be staying with her. Aunt Betty had taken some Hydrocodone and was doing okay. Aunt Betty was dosing off and was sleeping when I went to bed around 10:30pm. About 6:00am I heard Aunt Betty rustling around. I told her to wait for me and I would be in to help. Aunt Betty needed to get out of bed and onto the porta potty. I helped her out of bed and onto the potty. I left to go to the bathroom myself and when I returned she was back into bed. I went to empty the porta potty and Aunt Betty said she was not able to do anything because she was in too much pain and couldn't support the heavy cast. She said she was going to hold it and for me to go back to bed. I went back to bed, but couldn't go back to sleep (right away). I stayed awake listening for any noises from Aunt Betty's bedroom. I heard her getting into the pill bottle. I fell asleep until about 8:00am. At about 8:30am, I went into check on Aunt Betty and she was awake but in too much pain. She had taken a hydrocodone at 6:00am and another at 6:45am. Dana called about 9:00am and was trying to get in touch with a care giver that he was going to hire for Aunt Betty. At about 9:30am a Physical Therapist arrived to see how he could help. He discussed how he could help and had Aunt Betty with using a walker and had Aunt Betty take about 6-8 steps with the walker. He also helped Aunt Betty maneuver to get in and out of the wheel chair. Aunt Betty wasn't feeling well light headed, nausea etc. After the PT left, Dana arrived with some microwavable food and to relieve me to go home. Dana or Aunt Betty would all me later and let me know what the situation was or if I needed to come over again. Since I hadn't heard from either Dana or Betty I called to see what was going on. Aunt Betty said she was doing good and that her friend Loretta was there and was going to stay the night. She also told me that her neighbor Mary (across the street) brought over some Chinese for dinner for her.

Aunt Betty - 87 yrs old on December 31, 2009

Yesterday, after the rain stopped and the sun was peaking through a cloud Aunt Betty (Jerry's mother's youngest sister) went outside to bring her trash can (on wheels) up from the street. Aunt Betty slipped and fell on the ground and fractured her knee cap. She obviously couldn't get up and was laying there on the side of the street. She tried to get help, but no one could hear her. She laid there waving at the few cars that drove by and no one stopped for her. Maybe they thought she was waving "Hello". Finally, someone stopped and to help her out. The person that stopped went across the street to get another neighbor (and friend) and the two of them helped Aunt Betty into her car. Her friend, across the street, drove her to the Kaiser ER (close by us). Aunt Betty called me before leaving the ER to ask me if I would be able to stay the night with her and help her overnight. We were all at Aunt Betty's last night getting her settled in with the brace on her leg. I heated up some dinner for her. After she ate she started feeling weak. She was clam'ee and nauseous and started to throw up. Since she hadn't urinated during the 5 hours in the ER she couldn't hold it. The urine got all over her clothes, cloth chair and on the floor. I called her friend (across the street) to come over and help me cleaned her up, clean up the floor and finally get her into bed for the night. Once Aunt Betty was in bed she started feeling better. She got through the night okay, but about 2:00am she needed to urinate again. I got her on the porta potty and she went, and went, and went... must have been holding it for a long time. After that she took some Tylenol and I heard her snoring so she got some sleep. This morning, at first, she was doing pretty good. We were able to wheel her into the bathroom so she could urinate again, she washed up a little and got ready for her 9:45am orthopedic appointment today. Before she was done she started feeling weak and faint'ee so I got her back into bed. She wanted a coke a cola to get her sugar level up. I fixed her some toast, as well. She recovered a little, but never felt too good. Her son, Dana arrived around 9:30am to drive her to the appointment. They need to put a pin(s) in her separated knee cap. Dana will be contacting me later to fill me on on what's next.

Please continue to keep her in your prayers, she's had this blood pressure issue for awhile and she tends to have fainting spells. I am very concerned for her right now.

Cousin - Reunion

Yesterday, my sister, Kathy and I drove to Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles to meet up with our cousin June and her husband Deacon Bob Tyson from North Carolina. Kathy and I picked them up and we all went for dinner at the Salt Creek Grille http://www.saltcreekgrille.com/.
We had a wonderful time sharing memories and catching up. I don't know how long it's been since I have seen June, but over 10 years at least. It was so nice seeing them. June and Bob were in Los Angeles to board their Princess Cruise to the Hawaiian islands celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary. They will be gone for 2 weeks and then will be back in LA for their flight back to North Carolina. Kathy and I are planning to pick them up from their ship, when it docks, and spending a little more time with them before they head home. So glad to see you guys, enjoyed our time with you.

June's mom, Aunt Ethel was our dad's, Merlon Raymond (Ray or Rip they called him) oldest sister. My dad was the youngest of the children and June's mom... I think was either the oldest or second oldest.

Medical Appointment - Thursday January 14, 2010

Definition: Prostate cancer that has become refractory, that is, it no longer responds to hormone therapy.

After Jerry's last chemo therapy treatments (ending December, 2008) his testosterone levels did not recover and are almost zero 0. This is a dangerously low level when treating prostate cancer with hormone therapy. Jerry will immediately begin testosterone replacement using a gel that is absorbed in him body. He is also starting on another inject able Sandostatin LAR. In the next week Jerry will need to get a baseline before beginning treatment. Ultrasounds of the abdomen and bone scans, as well as the color Doppler imaging technology which can more accurately detect subtle abnormalities in the prostate by looking at the blood flow patterns. Prostate disease often results in an increase in blood flow to the affected area, which the color imagining was made for reading http://www.pioa.org/trus.html

Medical Appointment - January 06, 20 10

First Oncology appointment for 20 10...

Left home about noon and stopped for a salad at Carl's Jr. before our trip to see Dr. Bob/Dr. Turner. Little traffic and arrived in record time, about 1:30pm. Nurse drew his blood and Lab technician started the analysis. Because of Jerry's illness Dr. Turner determined that he should have a Chest X-ray. About 4:30pm we left the oncology office for the imagine office for the X-ray. X-ray showed clear so we returned to the oncology office for an IV transfusion of Iron. Arrived home about 8:00pm.

Dr. Bob / Dr. Turner want Jerry to repeat another blood test next week -- may consider having him obtain an ultrasound of his liver if liver function test is higher. Some of his liver enzymes were slightly elevated. Dr. Bob/Dr. Turner want to see him again next week to discuss the use of testosterone replacement, as well as, add Sandostatin LAR.

Cold / Flu / Sinus / Cough 12/29/09 - 01/05/10

Before New Year's Eve Jerry started getting ill. Because of his compromised condition whenever Jerry's ill it is usually to the extreme. This time was no exception.

12/29/09 - PM - started with a neck ache and generally feeling "wiped" out.
12/30/09 - AM - went to work feeling okay
12/30/09 - PM - came home feeling very tired, later on feeling bad.
12/31/09 - AM - congestion, pain side of head / ear possible ear infection which is giving him a headache too (I think maybe infection / jaw or ONJ???)
12/31/09 - PM - same symptoms, as above
01/01/10 - AM - same symptoms, as above
01/01/10 - PM - bad cough, causing headache (I think we should check-in with Doctor, maybe go to ER maybe pneumonia)
01/02/10 - AM - same symptoms, as above
01/02/10 - PM - bad cough, causing headache (I think we should check-in with Doctor, maybe go to ER maybe pneumonia)
01/03/10 - continues having bad cough, other symptoms are better
01/04/10 - continues having bad cough, other symptoms are better
01/05/10 - continues having bad cough, other symptoms are better

01/03/09 - AM - shower and dress for church, walk to get newspaper and 2 doors down to get kitty... too much, wore out NOT going to church.
01/03/09 - PM - bad cough, causing headache (I think we should check-in with Doctor, maybe go to ER maybe pneumonia)

01/04/09 - AM - back to work, all day
01/04/09 - PM - almost continuous, terrible cough doubled over, can't sleep

01/05/09 - AM - shower (getting ready for work), crawl back into bed for hour or so, then off to work, all day
01/05/09 - PM - some cough, going to bed early, too tired to take pills/shot, maybe shower to help me wake up... take pills/shot and off to bed... terrible coughing episode doubled over trouble catching his breath (I thought he was going to pass out) but, finally after a few minutes coughing settled down and minimal coughing during the night.

01/06/09 - AM - off to work, minimum day because we leave a noon for appointment with Dr. Turner.

Happy New Year - 2010

Happy New Year to all my family and friends. May the Lord's blessings bring you much Love, Happiness, Health and Good Will in the New Year. Jerry and Karen