Jeannie0613

The love of my life and my darling husband, Jim lost his battle to this horrible disease on January 30th. He fought with everything he had. Just couldn't fight any longer. How do we even go on without him? I wish I knew. I thank god for our three beautiful children because without them I dont' know how I would be doing this at all. I hurts so bad. I miss him so much.

Oh you must go.... Mackinaw Island in upper Michigan by the Mackinaw Bridge. All horse and buggy or bikes, no automobiles aloud on the island. It really is a must see place in Michigan if you ever come to Michigan. Very nice, very relaxing!

Jim and our daughter last year Jim and I last August

Top pic our family just last August right before everything changed Our recent Mackinaw Island Trip Our two oldest on the way to the Island

Jim and I and our children

Oh and Gloria.... My husband, Jim, got to where he couldn't keep food down at all so Ensure is all he could tolerate. He started loosing all kinds of weight. Well, I could not have that so I just started making ice cream drinks. I got Breyers chocolate ice cream poured in two cans of ensure(instead of just milk) and added protein weight gainer as well. It worked he started gaining some of his weight back. Now he eats everything in sight but at this point he is at a stand still and I believe that is due to the chemo. Because he still has shakes, smoothies plus big macs My honey has an appetite and at this point I let him eat whatever his heart desires. He used to weigh about 240 he weighs 169. At his lowerst he was down to about 150. Try anything. I even would make smoothies. He loved strawberries, bananas, pineapple, raspberry and yogurt. I would make a couple of these a day. He still loves them, even though now he can eat. Keep trying and don't give up. You will find something.

Hello Gloria I want you to know that my husband has to go in every day following chemo for the WBC shot. We get off maybe 1 day a week. He has been on texotere and carboplatine since January. The last two treatments(which by the way are given to him weekly) his platlets have been low so he now is getting shots for that as well. So yes, I am with you, and I really haven't heard of many people this happens to. My husband also had the eating issues....megace did not work for him. They even tried Marinol. That did not work either. The only thing that keeps him eating and keeps the food down is the steroids. He is now weaned down to 1mg. I think that will continue until the chemo stops(which we are hoping another 3 weeks and then finished, finally!) Good Luck and I hope you find something that works for him. My thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and your Dad! Tell him to keep fighting and stay strong. Strength and determination can win. Jeannie

Hi Thanks everyone! Ned, his eye problem was only corrected with the prism lenses the doc prescribed. A muscle in the eye has been damaged from either the bells or the radiation(??) they are unsure. However, with these glasses he can see normally again. They aren't dry or itchy either. I just think they were working way to hard and now we have temporarily fixed the problem. They said once he gets through chemo and is up for it they can do a surgery that will correct the problem. Thanks again and I want you all to know just because I don't post often I am always following up with the board. I read the board, I cry, I laugh, and I pray with all of you.

PET scan shows...no sign of cancer anywhere! Everything is gone. Mind you this was our one and only pet scan. They never really felt the need to do one. We were scheduled many times but then cancelled for one reason or another. We are in shock right noe and thanking god and our wonderful oncologist!!! They are going to continue his weekly treatments for another 4 weeks or so to be sure. His CEA level is all the way down to 2.3 too. All test look great..normal for the first time in months. We will repeat Pet SCAN in a few months. I never thought we would make it through this..Hold on to hope and keep the faith. Jim has been through hell over the last year and never once gave up. He is my HERO!!! When all this started he promised he would fight with all he had and I believed in that. He has to much to live for and would not let the beast win... THANK GOD!!!!

Gracie I am so sorry to hear the sad news. I was pulling for her and I truly thought she could get through this. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your entire family. Jean

Thank you everyone! PET scan is scheduled for June 3rd. He has been doing okay. He is down to 1/2 mg steriod(appetitie has decreased). I am really pushing the ensures and he is eating small meals and drinking those up. The vision troubles are still rough on him but alittle better. We see the eye specialist tomorrow. I will let you all know, send some extra prayers our way.

My husband had the port put in his brain, it is called the omaaya resevoir, and it worked.I am not sure if it is the same type but it really isn't as bad as it sounds. He was so sick when they put that in, I mean really sick. Sleeping all the time, vomitting and also a inpatient in the hospital. They gave him blood transfusion, vitamins though and IV etc. and got him stable enough to go through surgery. He did amazingly well then received 4 treatments of methotraxate (chemo)through that port. I know this was chemo going to his spinal fluid however, I would think this is similar. This was for the diagnosis of menengial carcinomatous. Don't give up and keep on fighting. Believe me, my husband has been so sick and we thought, at times, that he would never pull through and is here today, 9 months later, and his CEA level is back almost to normal and he gets better everyday. Hang in there!Its a battle that she can win. Remember that!

We saw the oncologist today for Jims vision problems. He said he believes it is from the chemo but not totally convinced that is what is going on. He said it is also possbile that the steroids may have caused this as well. His eyes are so dry and red and just irritated so badly. He gets blurred vision as well. The only relief he gets is if we bandage his left eye up totally. The doc is sending us to a specialist o find out exactly what is going on. He also gave us his latest blood test results and MRI. EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD! Nothing new and the spot that was on his lung has shrunk in size. He only has the one spot. It has not spread anywhere else..THANK GOD!!! His CEA level has dropped and is down to 5!!!! Which normal is 2.5 range. WE are outta of minds excited. This means the treatment is working. The doc finally ordered a PET scan, that will be next week. To date we have never had one. I am real anxious about those results. Possible remission is what we are hoping for? He said the vomitting (which really wasn't alot) compared to what it was months ago is normal for having chemo and weaning him off the steroids. He goes to 1/2 a mg of Decadron starting tomorrow and then off completley. Once he is done with that he will be taking no prescribed meds. To me that is good, right? I mean he has never had any pain so never had to take any kinds of pain pills and really only needed something for the nausea and heartburn. We are lucky as far as that goes. Anyway, I am hoping and praying we get good results from the PET SCAN. I am positive and so is my honey! He will continue his fight and be the winner of this one, that I am pretty confident of. He has way to much to fight for. He is only 44 and we have three small children who love and need him as much as I love and need him. Anyway, I just wanted to share some good news for once. i

Gail I was reading your post as well....how is his breathing today. Gosh, I worry so much about everyone. Please tell me he is doing better.

I called. The nurse said she would give the doc a message but otherwise he will take a look at him when we come in on Wednesday for chemo. I just feel brushed off lately when I call. It is so irritating. Thanks I will keep my close eye on him and if I have to we will go to ER.