Today, Jerry and I have our monthly oncology appointment at Dr. Bob's office in Century City. At this appointment, we were expecting Jerry to start on a more aggressive treatment which included chemo therapy since his PSA was rising because of the on-going C-Diff; Colitis. Jerry's PSA is bouncing around, and has gone down to 14.89 and seems to have the C-Diff; Colitis slowly coming back since he stopped the Vancomycin over a week ago. He is also very anemic (below 10). So I will update you as soon as I possibly can.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Monday, May 05, 2008
May 2, 2008 Tornado Greers Ferry, AR
Friday, 05.02.08 Greers Ferry, AR
EF 3 Tornado hits!
This is the home of Don Leith and his wife at Emerald Isle near Greers Ferry. The Leiths stayed the night for the first time Thursday. Mr. Leith said they sought shelter in an unfinished safe room in the home. He said there wasn't a door on the room, but it still saved their lives. (Sun-Times photo/Louis Short)
Cleburne County residents couldn't dodge the damaging storms Friday after being put under a tornado warning around 8:15 a.m. Strong storms moved through north central Arkansas, knocking out power, tearing down trees and power lines/poles, and destroying homes. As of 2 p.m. Friday, seven deaths in the state were being blamed on the storms, but no injuries were reported in Cleburne County.
Residents in the Greers Ferry area of Cleburne County were hit hardest. Damage starts at Pryor Mountain along Hwy 16 at the rock quarry to Frontier Canyon, north of Hwy 92.
This is the home of Don Leith and his wife at Emerald Isle near Greers Ferry. The Leiths stayed the night for the first time Thursday. Mr. Leith said they sought shelter in an unfinished safe room in the home. He said there wasn't a door on the room, but it still saved their lives. (Sun-Times photo/Louis Short)
This is my sister, Vicki's and her husband, Don's newly build house in Emerald Isle, Greers Ferry, AR. Several years ago Vicki and her husband, Don, sold their home in Canyon Lake, CA, furniture etc, stored personal effects that they wanted to save and took off in their 35ft Monoco motor home traveling across the United States. About a year ago, they decided to settle down in Greers Ferry, AR which is close to Vicki's daughter Kimberleigh and granddaughter Ashleigh. Vicki, was in here in California to meet and supervise the moving company, packing up their storage area and transferring all their personal effects to the moving van that would transport everything they had saved to their new residence in AR. The moving van arrived in Greers Ferry, early last week. The last week in April, Vicki and Don were finally able to start moving into their new house.
- The only thing left to their 4 car garage is the cement slab.
- One of their two cars is destroyed. Evidently a garage door fell on it, flattened the tires
- All the personal effects transported from California are gone.
The Governor of Arkansas was their today assessing the damage, Vicki shook the governors hand!
I am planning to leave on Thursday, to Arkansas to support my mom and sister Vicki. Don't know that I can be of much help with a tragedy like this, but I can certainly be there and give them love and support. Please remember all those people who have been devastated by these and all natural disasters. My God bless them all.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
04.17.08 Update on Jerry PSA / Diarrea / Colitus
Even though recently Jerry has been feeling okay... just a few problems with feeling tired, enemia and periodic intestinal problems. Jerry's PSA has soored to 15.6. Normal PSA range should be in the 0.290-5.600. Obviously, the lower the better. Jerry's PSA at the time of his diagnosis 8 years ago was about 26.0. Since 08/2007 Jerry's PSA has been between 4.1 and 7.9, until last month, when it jumped to 11.9. Now this month it has jumped, again, significantly to 15.6. Because of the C-diff; Colitus and his continued intestinal problems since December 07 his daily medications and monthly treatments are passing right though and not working as well as they should. If the intestinal infection doesn't get cleared up his PSA will continue to rise. As always, please keep Jerry in your thoughts and prayers.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Oncology Appointment - 2008 April 9
Since Jerry's appointment last Wednesday, he has been doing fairly well, better than usual, after his treatment. However, Jerry is still taking the medication (Vancomycin) for the C-Diff Colitis and while he's on the medication he doesn't have too many problems with diarrhea. But, he is still having some problems... just not as bad. The Gastro and Oncologist both agree that they cannot do a colonoscopy or take more aggressive cancer treatments until the C-Diff Colitis has cleared up and the stool tests come back negative. Once the infection is cleared a colonoscopy and a more aggressive cancer treatment will begin. Jerry's tumor inside the prostate has grown since the last color Doppler in Oct.07. Here is what the report says and comments from Dr. Duke Bahn of the Prostate Institute of America...
Power Doppler and Tissue Harmonic Transrectal Ultrasound of the Prostate
Clinical History: This is a follow-up to the previous study of October,2007. The patient is still on Leukine, Revlimid and Intron. However there has been a significantly elevating trend of his PSA since his last visit. It is now up to 11.3.
Digital Rectal Examination: Nodular prostate, more in the right lobe than the left.
Gland volumn is 25cc, unchanged
The predicted PSA is between 1.9 and 3.0.
The recent serum PSA level is 11.3.
The post-void residual urine volume is 88cc.
The International Prostate Symptom Score is 5.
The urinary continence score is 5.
The SHIM score is 1.
Ultrasound: Careful gray scale and color Doppler ultrasound study again reveals an extensive infiltrating-type lesion involving almost the entire prostate with more tumor volume in the right lobe than the left. At the base level, it measures 40 x 12 mm. It was 36 x 12. At the mid level, the lesion measures 40 x 12. It was 37 x 7 mm. At the apex level, especially on the right side, it measures 17 x 6 mm. It was 15. 6 mm. There is a variable degree of neovascularity, in the 1 to 2+ range. There is evidence of extracapsular penetration as before.
Conclusion: There is evidence of the tumor progression by measurement. There is also an elevating trend of his PSA. Therefore, I recommended that he return to Dr. Leibowitz for discussion of treatment changes or further treatment.
Power Doppler and Tissue Harmonic Transrectal Ultrasound of the Prostate
Clinical History: This is a follow-up to the previous study of October,2007. The patient is still on Leukine, Revlimid and Intron. However there has been a significantly elevating trend of his PSA since his last visit. It is now up to 11.3.
Digital Rectal Examination: Nodular prostate, more in the right lobe than the left.
Gland volumn is 25cc, unchanged
The predicted PSA is between 1.9 and 3.0.
The recent serum PSA level is 11.3.
The post-void residual urine volume is 88cc.
The International Prostate Symptom Score is 5.
The urinary continence score is 5.
The SHIM score is 1.
Ultrasound: Careful gray scale and color Doppler ultrasound study again reveals an extensive infiltrating-type lesion involving almost the entire prostate with more tumor volume in the right lobe than the left. At the base level, it measures 40 x 12 mm. It was 36 x 12. At the mid level, the lesion measures 40 x 12. It was 37 x 7 mm. At the apex level, especially on the right side, it measures 17 x 6 mm. It was 15. 6 mm. There is a variable degree of neovascularity, in the 1 to 2+ range. There is evidence of extracapsular penetration as before.
Conclusion: There is evidence of the tumor progression by measurement. There is also an elevating trend of his PSA. Therefore, I recommended that he return to Dr. Leibowitz for discussion of treatment changes or further treatment.
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