In my first blog entry, I shared with you the urge to start a blog with a big question of my purpose or reasons for doing so. I have not posted any entry for over a month and there are a few reasons why... but the main reason is that I recently was informed that my father (Alexander Lewis) has lung/thoracic cancer that has also spread to his ribs. He has been in pain since August of 2009 and he has been to several doctors to try to determine the cause. He has been poked, probed, x-rayed, sent to physical therapy, he's been given all kinds of medication, he's been told the pain is just old age and arthritis and possibly a torn tendon and in between all of this, he suffered a severe case of shingles. Now it is ten months later and they tell him he has stage 3A lung cancer. What a messed up world we live in!!!!
I understand now why I was driven to start this blog....
There have been so many of his family members and friends who have inquired about his condition and how he is doing. I will do my best to keep you all up to date about his latest challenges and progress through this journey he is on. Through all of this, he has managed to keep his sense of humor and a desire to make everyone he meets smile back at him. He amazes me!!! He tries to remember the names of everyone we come in contact with and sometimes has a nickname for them.
Last week was a little tough...
Monday morning he was at the hospital by 6am (thanks to my sister Geralyn) to prep for a biopsy of tumor. Doctor needs to make sure that the cancer is lung cancer and not colon cancer spread to lungs. The course of treatment is determined by the type of cancer. He was so nervous and worried but he as always made the nurses laugh and smile and of course he had to know all their names (I can't remember them all but I bet he can). It was a long tiring day but all went well.
Tuesday he had off. No doctor appointments but on top of his usual pain, he had major pain from where the biopsy was take.
Wednesday: I received a call from the City of Hope in response to an application I filled trying to get a second opinion and possible treatment there. They informed me that his insurance does not include City of Hope as a participating member and that I would need a referral from Blue Shield Facey. Well... I was also informed that we can put in a request for City of Hope, but Facey will deny it. He is allowed a second opinion but only with an oncologist within Facey. What a Bunch Of Bull!!!!
Dad had an appointment to see a radiology oncologist which went well. Dr Nancy Ellerbroek and her assistant explained the process of the radiation treatment he will be receiving. She will be using a machine called Tumo Therapy Hi-Art System to administer the radiation. There are only 27 of these machines in the US and they are fortunate to have one of them and it is the same radiation machine the the City of Hope uses (I was glad to hear that). He will be receiving treatments of radiation Monday - Friday for the next 33 days starting Tuesday July 6th. The doctor also prescribed steroids to help with the inflammation she believed was attributing to his pain and thought that we should double his dose of morphine.
Thursday: He returned to radiology oncology to get a mold made of his upper torso which will assist the doctor during radiation treatment. A CT scan of dad was take with the mold in place... what this does is gives the doctor a picture of the location of his tumors, which she then in turn programs the machine to target the exact areas and spots she wants the radiation treatment. Pretty amazing!!!
Dad started taking the steroid medication that was prescribed to him along with the increased dose of morphine and for the first time in 10 months, he told me that he felt no pain. WOW... I was elated.
Friday: A much needed day off from doctors and test. Family came for a visit and brought a medical bed. Dad had a very active and good day spent with grandkids. He unfortunately had a bad reaction to the steroid medication which caused hiccups throughout he day. The doctor recommends that he continue to take the steroids to help with pain if he can bare with the hiccups and that is he is doing.
The next step in his journey continues this week with radiation treatment and with the possibility that chemotherapy treatment will also begin. I will try to update you all on a regular basis. If you are interested in his progress, check this blog. Thank you for your love and support and keep those prayers and positive thoughts coming!!!
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