Chemo Again

Wayne just finished the first month of his new chemo regimen and the doctor told us that his chext xray appears to show the cancer is shrinking in his lung.  Not very much yet, and he was comparing it to the PET scan, but it's the best news we have heard  yet.  He will finish eight rounds of chemo and then we will get a new MRI of his brain and a CT of the lung for comparison.  If the chemo is working then Wayne will continue on with it.  If not, then we will try something different and I will be pushing hard to get him into the tumor study or any other study that might be helpful.  But Dr. Nicholes seemed like he thought this regimen is working, so I am choosing to be optimistic about it.

Meanwhile, Wayne is finding chemo to be pretty draining.  He has very little energy.  He also has increased pain in his legs.  Apparently there is a nerve in the chest that goes to the legs and the doctor thinks that is what is causing the pain, more so than the brain tumors.  He said sometimes anti inflammatory meds work better, so he put him on indocin, which turned out to be very expensive.  Medicaid has not yet come through yet so we are having to pay for everything out of pocket.  Last week it was super expensive mouthwash, this week he upped the amount of oxycodone Wayne is taking along with adding in the indocine.  The pharmacy bill yesterday was $98, and I know we have to pick up several of mine still and there may be new ones again this afternoon after seeing the neurologist.

Wayne is also getting a bit depressed.  I can't imagine why!!  However, it's better for him to not be depressed because he can fight harder that way.  We talked to the social worker yesterday and she gave him a short questionnaire that can suggest depression, which it did.  She talked to the oncologist about it, but because most antidepressants cause a lowering of the seizure threshold, he wants the neurologist to add a medication if possible.  Wayne agreed to go to some support groups as well, as soon as we get moved down here in Missoula.  

We are hoping that we can get moved in over Thanksgiving weekend.  I think they are just waiting for the last of the paperwork to come through.  We have loved being at Fern and Bob's, but it is really time for us to have our own place.  It will sure make all things medical much easier.  I'm not sure if we will be able to move our things from Wenatchee that weekend.  We may need to wait until the 9th or 10th because Amanda is coming on the second and she wants to see Montana!  Wayne's sisters can set us up to start with, so that is what we may do.

Thanks for all your prayers and love.  I think Wayne could use some extra encouragement.  I know he'd love to get phone calls or cards.  I read him these comments, but I think that he may need a more personal touch.  He's been sleeping a lot, and while I know that the cancer can make him tired, I think some of the sleeping is because he's depressed.  If there is anyone out there who might like to help us move Thanksgiving weekend, let me know.  If not, we can wait.  Lots of love to all of you, from both of us!