Not So Good Today

Mr. Fixit isn't feeling well today. He is having a digestive problem that we were told could be a consequence of the medication, and he says he's feeling tired. That can also be blamed on the medication. When he doesn't feel well, he gets a little grumpy. I know I probably would be grumpy, too. He went to paint this morning, but came home about 2:00 pm. I fixed his lunch as suggested in the literature, but he still isn't up to par. He's lying down now. Let's hope that the change in his diet will ease the symptoms he's having.

. . .Oh, What a Relief It Is

It seems as if every little thing has become a major cause for concern since Mr. Fixit's diagnosis. Sometimes I don't realize how uptight I get. The refill for his meds was promised for Thursday. As the day worn on, I began to get a little worried. By 3:00 pm, I was worried that something had stalled the delivery. What if they lost it? What if the company had decided to drop production? You can see how nuts I get. By 4:30, I looking through the literature to see what procedure to follow if it didn't come. Finally, just before 5:00 pm, the Fedex man rang the doorbell. If about that time yesterday you heard a strange noise, it was only my sigh of relief.

Wonders of Wonders

Today was the day to call for a refill of Mr. Fixit's cancer medicine. As I mentioned before, the refills are shipped from a Walgreen's specialty pharmacy in Pennsylvania. I was advised to call for the refill ten days before the month's supply runs out. When I called, of course, I was told by their computer to push 1 for this, 2 for that, 3 for the other, etc., etc. None of them seemed to apply to me so I just waited until something familiar came along. Finally, "Hey, I think I'll try this one." Now I know this may be hard to believe, but I connected to a Real Person. I was so excited! I gave her almost all the pertinent information (she didn't need the prescription number), and she said that we should receive the meds on Thursday. Wow! I was unprepared for simplicity and the speed of the shipment. Yea! for Walgreen's!

So Far, So Good

Mr. Fixit is doing very well. He seems to be having few side effects from the medication, although I have noticed that he seems to be tiring a bit more. He was at the trailer park painting and came home at 5:00 pm. He went to bed very, very early and didn't get up until the next morning. He was a little depressed yesterday, but he won't talk to me. He had only one medical appointment this past week; it was for labs only. He doesn't have an appointment for two weeks. I assume they will call if a problem shows in the blood tests.

Yippee!

Mr. Fixit had his first checkup since beginning his oral chemo. The doctor said his labs were all normal, and he lungs sound fine.

He has had no side effects, but the doctor said it could happen. He said the lack of symptoms bodes well though. He needs labs again in two weeks and then in another two weeks, more blood work and an office visit. In three months, there will be another scan to check on the lungs.

As we were sitting in the waiting room, I realized how lucky we are. There were several women who were in various stages of hair loss, several people in wheel chairs, some with walkers. Some appeared to have lost much weight.  One man requested refills of his powerful pain meds that he takes every four hours. Mr. Fixit was talking about going to paint some of our son's trailers after his appointment. I am so grateful for both his quality of life now and for the possibility of a good outcome.

First Side Effect

Last night Mr. Fixit suffered what we suspect is his first sign of side effects. He had pain in his shin and his feet swelled and the veins were popping out. His feet looked like a body builder's muscles pumping iron. I suggested Tylenol and propping his feet up in bed. He said this morning it took about an hour for pain relief and the swelling was gone when he got up.

I should have asked the doctor what to do about the possible side effects. The only thing he said was to use a body lotion if a rash develops. Of course, all this stuff happens on the weekends.

Other than that, he is feeling great. Today he is going to help our older son paint some of his rentals.

Getting It Right

When we received the first week's supply of Mr. Fixit's medicine, the instructions from the pharmacist and written on the medicine container indicated that he should take four pills at a time. Then we received from another pharmacist in another state a month's supply. The instructions on the container was to take "four tablets a day." The instructions could be construed to mean to completely different things. If the first pharmacist was wrong and he was meant to take four tablets during the day, then it could be if he took them all at the same time, it could cause an overdose or some such thing. However, if the second instruction was followed to take four daily (that could mean one every 4 or 5 hours), it could diminish its effectiveness.

I called our local doctor's office this morning for clarification. The call was placed at 9:12 am. I received an answer at 10 am. Now that's the way it should be! Hooray, for them!

Tip of the Day: After the cancer diagnosis, a pad and pencil should be available at every phone in your house. It is important to note the time, the person you are speaking with and his/her phone number, and the information imparted. It may be necessary to know the exact information at a later time, or just to refresh your memory.

Mr. Fixit is trying to keep busy. He's feeling very well so far.