Our PDX

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Another trip to the ER meant another stay in the hospital.

Tuesday Feb. 19th was a sleepless night due to pain throughout my entire body. I had a lot of bone and muscle aches along with sharp shooting pain. This kept me up all night. The same symptoms continued on throughout Wednesday and Thursday. I started to take two Vicodin at night and one during the day every few hours. Even with the amount of heavy meds I was still in a ton of pain and unable to get out of bed. Thursday evening it was worse and I suddenly came down with the chills. I knew that this could only mean a fever was on its way. While going through chemo any temp over 99 means a trip to the emergency room. So around 6:00 p.m. I took my temp and just as I thought I was 101. As soon as Becky came home she called my Doc who informed us to get right to emergency. Luckily the ER was not busy and I was put in an ER room right away. They took some blood, did a chest x-ray and immediately got me on Dilaudid injections through an IV. This Dilaudid worked great and would instantly make the pain tolerable. After a couple of hours the doctors said my white blood cell count was up and looking great, although my Neutrophil white blood cells were only at 7%. With this news the doctor admitted me to the Oncology department and got me started on antibiotics. I was given the Dilaudid every 4 hrs even though it only lasted 3 hrs, go figure- so I had to spend that last hour in pain. Finally we decided to try to stagger the drugs and give me the Oxycodone 2 hours after the Dilaudid. While this worked, I became completely useless and could do nothing but try to sleep. Finally this morning [Saturday] I took my last Dilaudid injection at around 6 a.m. and only took the Oxycodone for the remainder of the day. I was finally able to go home this afternoon. I am continuing to take the Oxycodone every two hours. On Sunday if I have any pains I’ll only be able to take Tylenol due to my surgery being Monday. The doctor thinks that the pains are most likely due to the Neulasta shot as my overall white blood cell count on Saturday was really high. So my bone marrow was working extremely hard trying to produce all the white blood cells. He also thinks I got another infection which is what brought the fever on.

I just gotta stay germ free and healthy.

8 comments:

Roger & Maria said...

Dude:

We are following this closely. You are doing well, better than most or all other people I know would do, including me. You will get through this sooner than you think. We wish there was something we could do besides stand around and hope and pray. If there is anything let me know. Keep in mind we do love you and many others do and that you have many in your corner.
Love,
Roger & Maria

Anonymous said...

Hey Jay,

This is so hard to read as I know there is nothing I can do to help or make the pain go away. Just know there are prayers coming in for you from a place very far away! I know you can tackle this as all challanges you have faced you have come out on top! Stay strong!
kathryn

Anonymous said...

Good morning, Jay! I hope Monday is a better day for you. I can't believe what you've been through with each of these treatments! Well, our prayers are continually with you, every day and every night. Hopefully the next two months will go by quickly and you'll be back doing cartwheels (you could do those before, right?) Take care, son. we both love you, Mom/Dad (Ronnie & Robert)

murph said...

yo
so cal has got your back
keep the faith
murph

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/e8e4424115

Anonymous said...

Jay,

Hope your recovery from the surgery is going smoothly. I'll call you tomorrow so you can rest today. Keep kickin' ass! The victory party is in the making! I want to come back up, as soon as your ready let me know.
Love
JR

Roger & Maria said...

Hey Dude:

Where ever I am and wherever that victory party JR is talking about is I'll come with bells on. So, what can I bring? I'm thinking a couple of Palm Beach (tricks) sorry, chicks, JR knows about them, but your married so thats out. What do you drink? Hey, if it's that stuff with the worm in it I'll stop by Mexico and get some on the way in.
If it's Everclear I'll go to Nevada and get some. And Dude, in Honduras, they got this stuff that'll make you go blind. Got some of that too I can bring but can't drink none of that myself with you for awhile, not till my eyes clear up. Since I am in the Castro area I'll pick up some Cuban cigars. I figure the Doctors got the drugs covered so I'll leave that up to them. We do love you and are praying for you always.

Roger & Maria

Melissa V. Castaneda said...

J Victor,

I love the pictures. I haven't seen you in so long and it was GREAT to see your smile!! You are always on my mind, in my heart and in my prayers!! I love you so much!! I hope todays surgery went ok. I'll check up on you soon!! And of course I'll be at the VICTORY PARTY as well!! Can't wait!!

Love you,

Misha, Ramiro and Munchie

Anonymous said...

Hey bud,

sorry to here you keep going thru this "extra" crap, stay positive and lock yoursel in a fricken germ free inviroment for awhile if you have to.

Kepp kickin' this other things ass bro.

Keith