First off, thank you Tammy for posting the Grandma comments about the Broncos. Everyone loved it. Karma said that Detlef laughed, and she and Marsha laughed and cried. So much fun from a 97 year old, amazing woman!
Karma and I didn't get a chance to connect yesterday for an update, but we all know what happened to the Broncos! So sad! They pulled many games out at the last moment, but last night it didn't happen. Karma said that the Denver fans were handling the loss well, by appreciating the run that they had.
Now on to the Detlef news. The biggest news was that Karma made some homemade chicken noodle soup (Grandma Gray's famous recipe), and everyone in the Grimm family feasted for a couple of days. Nothing tastes better than homemade noodles, the Ann Gray style. Tonight Karma is working on chicken and dumplings to take into Detlef. Amazing how good grandma's comfort food can be, whenever we don't feel well.
Detlef has been doing pretty well overall. They have placed a PICC line which is a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter. Basically is an IV that goes into someone's arm, and threads up into the superior vena cava, which is a blood vessel that feeds into the heart. This is technically a central line, but the risk of infection is lower. They can still give all of the chemotherapy medications through that line, and also drawn blood tests from it.
Detlef is finishing up his first round of chemotherapy this week. Tomorrow he will receive a dose of Vincristine, and then he also has some days of oral steroids, then in about 2 more weeks he will start the second round of chemo, which will have different medications than he is getting this round. He still hasn't had the spinal tap, and the infusion of chemo there. We are waiting to hear when that is going to happen. Some of the reading that Jennifer has done, points to this as the important next step. She is going to be talking with the doctor about it tomorrow.
Detlef is getting sick of being in the hospital, which I'm sure that all of us would be feeling by now. Karma said that the doctors might let him go home for a couple of days next week if things are stable. Then he would go back into the hospital for the second round of chemo. They are going to be deciding whether or not he will do the next round in the hospital he is currently in, or move him to the hospital in LaFayette. LaFayette would be a lot closer for everyone, but Detlef has gotten to know the doctors and nurses in Denver. It will be a hard decision to make.
I had Scott read over what I have written so far, and he had a question, that maybe many of you have as well. He is wondering how they could be considering letting Detlef go home for a few days if his immune system is low. How can they let him go home and go out in public, when his risk of infection is so high. So the first answer the comes out of my head, is that the germs that are floating around the hospital, are generally far more virulent (much more dangerous, resistant to medications, etc), than the germs that Detlef would encounter at home. Basically, he would need to monitor himself for any signs and symptoms of infection, and would need to have some blood tests drawn as well. With any signs of infection at home, they would have him come in for some antibiotics if needed. Again, he will need to be back in the hospital for his next round of chemo.
Actually, Scott asking this question has given me a great idea. If any of you who are following the blog have questions, let me know. You could either e-mail me at lisabeanrn@gmail.com or just post a comment on the blog. This might help me figure out, what all of your inquiring minds want to know, and I will try to find out the answers.
Let me know!
Lisa
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