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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Cancer / February 2006update on Curt
It's been pretty busy around home. Curt has been back home since Dec 1, 2005. Since then he has been in the hospital 3x. He has been in for blood transfusions 2x and a bowel obstruction. He is having a difficult time eating food (no appetite, doc says that cancer leaches protein and now that it has stripped his limbs of muscle his body is rejecting protein (food) so he vomits it up. and the body also develops anorexia). His facial numbness(paralysis) is now on his right lip and his entire chin. His memory is worse. He is very impulsive. He also spends most of the time sleeping in his chair. He had another blood transfusion today. 2 units. hemoglobin was 9. his platelets are 108 so he's had a slow dripping nosebleed for about a week. We have an appointment for hospice to come to our house SUn at 10am. I was told today that my insurance won't pay for any more Lupron or blood products when he goes into hospice. So now Curt is saying no to hospice. I assured him that if he needs a blood transfusion he will get it. I will make it happen. I will have them bill me. I told him that I can delay creditors better than most. I just paid off a student loan that I took out in 1984 LOL. so we will see what they say on Sunday. take care all Lori > We have an appointment for hospice to come to our house SUn at 10am. I > was told today that my insurance won't pay for any more Lupron or blood [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > take care all > Lori Sounds like hospice would be able to deal with the symptoms and make his time remaining more comfortable. Are there Bridge programs where you live, that is when the hospice nurses come but bill under the home care benefit. It is tricky since the hospice has to be part of a Visiting Nurse Association. Also some for profit hospices will take patients like your husband since they usually have a large program therefore can afford such treatments. Best of luck with your appointment. Alex. Our Insurance company has been great ($2m cap per family member ), but once you enter Hospice (I was told today) that they won't pay for Lupron shots or blood transfusions anymore. I am going to see that if it is comfort care (blood) if that can be covered. he isn't due for his next Lupron for 4 months so I am not going to worry about that one til then. I will ask about that on Sunday. thanks > It's been pretty busy around home. Curt has been back home since Dec 1, > 2005. Since then he has been in the hospital 3x. He has been in for [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > week. > We have an appointment for hospice to come to our house SUn at 10am. Hello Lori, I've been thinking of you all. I know you'll do what's best for Curt. I know you'll treasure every day. Thank you for update. ( ( ( Lori, Curt and family ) ) ) J Thanks, Lori. I know this is difficult, but you do some of us a great service. This site has always been great in providing information on how to beat the bastard. But, some of us are going to lose in the end and none that I can recall have discussed the end times.  SignaturePSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46 Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins PSA .1 .1 .1 .27 .37 .75 EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47 PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32 Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 (4 mo), 12/03, 4/04, 09/04, 01/05, 5/05, 10/05 PSA .07 .05 .06 .05 .08 Non Illegitimi Carborundum > It's been pretty busy around home. Curt has been back home since Dec 1, > 2005. Since then he has been in the hospital 3x. He has been in for [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > take care all > Lori : It's been pretty busy around home. Curt has been back home since Dec 1, : 2005. Since then he has been in the hospital 3x. He has been in for : blood transfusions 2x and a bowel obstruction. <Remainder snipped> I haven't forgotten you, Lori, nor Curt or you son. My prayers are with you all. Ken Bland Hello Lorelei, I appreciate your sharing of this set of events with all of us here on the News Group. I am saddened by the direction of the disease, and the problems surrounding it. What can I say. You are quite a warrior. I give you my thoughts, and wishes. Thank You, and hopefully there may be light at the end of a long tunnel. John Loomis > It's been pretty busy around home. Curt has been back home since Dec 1, > 2005. Since then he has been in the hospital 3x. He has been in for [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > take care all > Lori > that my insurance won't pay for any more Lupron or blood > products when he goes into hospice. So now Curt is saying no to [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > take care all > Lori Lori, whenFranzi was in the hospital and we were coming to a place where insurance would not cover (I believe it ws the X number of cays or X $ for Hospice since he was not under Medicare) the doctor told me not to worry, that there are ways and resources and all would be taken care of. Have an open and earnest talk with your physician who is on staff and see just what is open to you. You have our blessings and prayers. Thank you very much for posting this update. You are a real trooper Lori and Curt and your children are lucky to have you. There reaches a point where further treatment just prolongs the suffering without providing any more good time for the patient. Perhaps your doctor can give you a knowledgeable estimate of how much time Curt has and how his disease will progress. Perhaps he can advise you about whether there is any point in further treatment or whether hospice care is the best thing for him at this time. A good hospice may be able to provide very good pain relief and also take care of Curt's physical needs - making life easier for him and for you and the kids. My heart goes out to you and Curt. Alan I agree. Hospice Rn and social worker came yesterday to get more things settled. Curt's nosebleed worsened while they were there and we decided to go get him checked. We (they) didn't even know who we were supposed to call or where to go. Finally one of them called Dr Bloom Onc. and he said go to Monticello ER and get his nose packed and get a CBC (complete blood count). His Hemoglobin was 7.4!!! and Platelets 50,000. these are very low especially considering that he got 2 units of blood 6 days prior. Packing his nose was horrible and I had them sedate him for that. They gave him 2 units of whole blood last evening and this am his hgb (hemoglobin) was 7 again. they were going to discharge him but I asked them to keep him while I worked a 16 hr shift today. I am going back to the hospital (slept there last night) and they gave him 2 more units today. I will have to call Hospice in the morning and have them come set some stuff up. The doc (not our usual one) said that Curt's bone marrow is shot from all the radiation and he is making antibodies that are destroying his red blood cells. His body is starting to shut down and that soon all he will want is to be sedated. He has been all day today this doctor met Curt a few weeks ago when he had his bowel obstruction and he says that this isn't the same man he met then. Curt had drive and determination . had to get out so he could work. today he doesn't care about anything but floating. and I am going to let him. . Outside time period left . at the most 8 weeks. Sam (14) was in the adolescent psych unit from Monday pm until Wednesday noon because he was suicidal. He had 2 plans. shoot himself with Curt's pistol or od with curt's drugs. He is now with my family. he doesn't want to come home right now.. I can't get him in any place for treatment for 3-4 weeks. I've asked my brother to feel him out as far as staying with him for a while. I don't want him to feel like my 2nd choice. so complicated. basement master suite is lsess than 2 weeks from done. could be done in 7-10 days if everyone's schedule works. take care all and love each other. : I agree. Hospice Rn and social worker came yesterday to get more things : settled. Curt's nosebleed worsened while they were there and we decided [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] : : take care all and love each other. I haven't the words to say that might offer comfort, Lori. You are extremely brave and whether you realize it or not, you are growing in knowledge that may be of help to others later on. I am sorry for you, for Curt, for your son, and for others of your family who are watching you go through all of this. I do not know if you believe in the Bible, but God promises that He will not allow us to experience more than we are capable of bearing. In this regard, you are stronger, no doubt, than most of us here reading your updates. Blessings to you and to all your loved ones, Ken Bland > [...] > . His body is starting to shut down [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > doesn't care about anything but floating. and I am going to let him. . > Outside time period left . at the most 8 weeks. Lori, my thoughts are often with you and Curt. > Sam (14) was in the adolescent psych unit from Monday pm until > Wednesday noon because he was suicidal. He had 2 plans. shoot himself [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > 2nd choice. so complicated. basement master suite is lsess than 2 weeks > from done. could be done in 7-10 days if everyone's schedule works. I know you've got a lot on your plate right now. Hugs J >I agree. Hospice Rn and social worker came yesterday to get more things > settled. Curt's nosebleed worsened while they were there and we decided [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > take care all and love each other. Rallied through another crisis. curt dropped out of Hospice because they won't authorize any blood transfusions for him. according to them, they get $3000/month to spend on Curt's care. they decide where it is spent. Curt is not ready to give in yet and I support his decision. I guess they also have a Palliative Care program that works differently. We are awaiting more info on that. He's been eating more and looking better. He is going in to the Monticello Er to get blood drawn and a probable blood transfusion. he had a bloody nose all week again. Sam is finding out that there are rules everywhere you live and home ain't so bad. Our trimmer is down in the basement right now doing the door, window trim and the baseboards. almost downstairs and then Sam is coming home until a spot opens up for him at St Cloud. he needs a dual program. He was out of control yesterday evening and I was half way up to the hospital when he finally calmed himself down. I CAN say that since Dec, CUrt hasn't been the a.shole he had been since shortly after his diagnosis. Hospice left their copy of his chart at our house and I strongly recommend that those that have any inkling that they are getting the whole truth, that they ask to read their own chart. His prostate biospy showed extremely disorganized cells. I know from my reading that that's the most aggressive. didn't know that until now. Brain tumors cover most of dura and also have displaced L frontal lobe brain for a mass effect. didn't know that either. thought one big one and a scattered smaller ones. Doctor has a bad opinion of curt based on faulty information that he has never had clarified or asked about. I read it in chart. best wishes to all. thanks for the vent time yet again. Lori SignatureLori Devoted wife of Curtis Prostate Cancer mets to bone at age 40 now 42 with mets to brain You and Sam are in our hearts and prayers. The strength the two of you have amazes me. I hope Sam realizes that you need him as much if not more than he needs you. Blessings. |
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