Jerry's Updates
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Read the updates on Jerry. Return to Peoria Update |
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Read the updates on Jerry. Return to Peoria Update |
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Last weekend was busy with Janet, Mary Jo,and Bernie {Jerome's sisters),
Patton (Mary Jo's son), Little Louise and CJ (Janet's daughter and
grandson) here from Arkansas and Florida. Also, his brother Phil from
Canada and nephew Cory from Chicago. From our immediate family Dave and
Julie, with their children, John, Steve and Christy were here. Paul left
just before the weekend. John returned to North Carolina, finished up what he had to do for his 6th graders and was able to leave before the end of the school year. He drove back here, arriving on Wed eve. This weekend Paul and Kristy will arrive Sat with their 3 children (including Eric, born 1/29, who we have not yet met). They will leave on 5/22. Mike and Edward arrive Sun and will be here until 5/28. Dave is on call this weekend, but is coming on 5/21 to be here for a few days. I think Jerome's brother Jim may get here this weekend, or soon after. He has had work obligations that couldn't be rescheduled. Louise drove north today and met Jerome's cousin, Joey, who can't drive long distances, and drove him here and back. Jerry has gotten much weaker through the week. It is hard to believe that a week ago today we went to Davis Brothers in East Peoria for pizza and he walked from the car to the restaurant and back. Today we had to put him in a wheel chair to go to and from the car when we had blood drawn for labs. He gets from bed to bathroom to living room couch with assistance and much shortness of breath. Jerry started his Gemzar chemo 5/10. They gave him something for nausea before the medication and he had no obvious side effects. Yesterday (5/17) they did not do the chemo because his platelet count was 19,000. On 5/7 it had been 179,000, which is within norms. Today (5/18) they drew blood for platelet antibodies and a number of other coagulation studies. Dave had suggested that the low platelets might be due to an allergic type of reaction to the Innohep injections that he has been getting to reduce the chances of blood clots (a common complication of pancreatic cancer. He has already had one blood clot, in his R leg the day after he went into the hospital.) The oncologist said this is possible, although he didn't think it was likely. But he did order the lab work. Thursday I got the results of the blood work done 5/7, as well as what was done 5/17, and the CAT scan done 5/9. Very little of it is good news. His most recent RBC, HGB and HCT are slightly increased from 5/7, although all still below normal. That is the extent of the good news. His WBC is up from 19,300 to 24,800. Both findings are quite high, but his WBC has been high from the beginning. Dave and his doctors seem to agree that this is due to inflammation caused by the tumor, rather than to an infection. The indicators of liver damage are still all high. For those of you interested in numbers: albumin 1.6, total protein 5.2, alkaline phos 200, total billirubin 1.8, SGOT (AST) 55. Dr. Knost had a CEA done. This is a marker for pancreatic cancer. Jerry's was 73.4. Normal is 0-4.0 Findings of the 5/9 CAT scan: Lesions too numerous to count in both L and R lobes of the liver. Number is increased from scan of 4/18. The pancreatic mass has no significant change in size (For those of you I talked to after Dr. Knost gave me a phone report on 5/16 I don't know why he said the mass was larger. He may have been looking at the dimensions. I don't have the dimensions of 4/18, I only got a verbal report on that one. Perhaps there is a small increase in dimensions which the radiologist didn't think significant.) There is a moderate amount of ascites (fluid) in the abd. A new CAT finding, although his primary physician thought examination indicated fluid in the abdomen before he had the 4/18 CAT. Small effusion (fluid) or pleural thickening at the base of the R lung. When Dr. Knost talked to me about the CAT findings he summarized findings by saying Jerry has widely metastatic (means it has spread) pancreatic cancer. Far advanced disease. We appreciate all your prayers and kind thoughts and words. Love, Mom/Colleen |