Back on track
It’s been a minute. The last thing I posed was the Tetons, and honestly I’ve been a little reluctant to follow it up, because how do you follow up mountains? The answer is you don’t. You get back to it. We’ve been home for a few weeks now and Dad slid right back into his routine of appointments, infusions, naps, repeat.
Cycle 6 started this week. Six. The pattern has stayed pretty consistent from cycle to cycle: he does okay the day of infusion, and then about two days later it catches up with him and he feels pretty crummy for a stretch. So naps are in order, and he is taking them. He’s earned every single one.
The kidneys are fine. Actually, perfect. Remember the full medical franchise I mentioned last time? We’ve now met the nephrologist (the kidney specialist), and they ran a whole extra round of blood and urine tests beyond what oncology already checks. Every single level and his kidney function came back looking great — nothing concerning, no follow-up needed. He’ll go back in six months just to check in. One specialist down, and honestly, that’s the best possible way to cross one off the list.
Sodium is still stubborn. This is the thing that’s been the biggest pain all summer. Low sodium is what held up treatment back in June and July, so keeping it up is the whole ballgame right now. Later this month we meet with the endocrinologist, who we’re hoping can finally tell us why it won’t cooperate. In the meantime he’s on the salt pills, and he adjusts the dose week to week depending on how he’s doing and what his labs say.
The tricky part is that the salt pills really mess with his appetite, and we’re actively trying to fatten him up — so it’s a constant balancing act between the two. Enough salt to keep treatment on schedule, not so much that he can’t stand the sight of food. Milkshakes remain a load-bearing part of the strategy and cereal.
And one more doctor has entered the chat. He’s on the books to see a general surgeon soon because his stomach has been giving him trouble again. We think it’s the hernias rearing their ugly heads again. Hopefully they can get hi in and just get it done so it’s one less thing bugging him — ideally while his deductible for the year is already met, because we are nothing if not practical over here.
That’s where things stand. Lots of appointments, one really good report, a couple of things we’re still chasing down. Thanks for checking in on him — we appreciate it, and it matters!
