Dad

Dad seems to be going down hill often lately. :( He was in the hospital last week, because of a couple of infections. He had a urinary tract infection and also an infection in his lungs. They took out a liter in one of his lungs! Crazy right! Let me back up. he went to the doctor on Tuesday morning, because he was having trouble breathing. Dr. Thomas, (who was our family doctor growing up) told him he needed to go to the ER. So, what does my dad do, he goes out to dinner with his sister and her boyfriend first. He has had the best outlook on life during this time of cancer. He has been so positive, and has just wanted to enjoy himself. I talked to Kellie, and she was a little bugged that dad didn't go in right away, but after all, can you blame him. He knows he'll go to the hospital and be stuck for a few days. Atleast he got a good meal out of it!
So, he went in on Tuesday and was able to get out Saturday. I talked to Dad on Tuesday, and he's in a lot of pain. They took his pain meds away, bc he didn't have them in the prescription bottle. I understand that there is policy for that obviously, BUT, they lowered his pain med dose. Seriously!? Give the guy a break. He was in so much pain and they wouldn't give him anything ore for it. Luckily, Dr. Cohen came in on Wednesday and approved his meds again. Dad says he is supposed to be eating salt, and drinking lots of water, to get his creatin levels up, but they wouldn't give him the salt he wanted either. He's so miserable. :( It's such a roller coaster, bc on Thursday morning, we thought all would be well, and he would just get his lungs drained and go home. Turns out, he couldn't have the lungs drained because he was on a blood thinner, so they couldn't do the procedure until Friday. He was on a blood thinner, bc I guess it's hospital policy.. something like that. It just seems we don't get all the questions answered that I feel like we should. Friday, he was able to get one lung drained, a whole liter, but that is when they found out it was an infection, so they couldn't drain the other one. ...again, something to do with the way things are done, they had to drain the infection out another way... We should find out what the infection is at the beginnign of next week, but I'm guessing if we haven't heard anything, then it's treatable. He's tired, but he is breathing better. That's an answer to prayer. He was really bummed that he missed his grandson, Vance, first birthday party. It was even at his house, but they just wouldn't discharge him. :(
Kellie and Will said he was sleeping all day Saturday and Sunday. Hospitals wear him out. I hate cancer. :( From one it sounds like though, this was just another bump in the road. They are occurring a lot more lately, and they seem to be worse each time something happens, but at least he's home and resting.
One more thing. It's hard to let myself go back... "there." In September, we really thought it was the end. He was SO sick, and we didn't think we had much time with him. Then, over Thanksgiving, he did a 180, and was so awesome! I mean, he was tired, but he had great energy, and was getting around really well. It just makes us think that, once again, dad is unstoppable, and can beat anything. ...even though I know this will be his fate, it's hard to let myself go to that place again. It's emotionally draining.

We're hoping his creatine levels go down enough for him to be able to get the experimental treatment in Houston that he has been working for at MD Anderson. He has been out a few times, but something always seems to happens. The insurance isn't covering it, they don't have enough drugs, his creatine levels are too high. I hope and pray something will come of it if he is able to go this weekend!!