The Nerd Family Blog

Update

2006-05-14T10:11:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that Emma and I are doing better. I went back to work in April, and it has been a long adjustment period for both of us. HCDE hired me to take Dan's position as Science Consultant. They have very generously agreed to let me have summers off, and I am working part-time for now. I stay very busy all day, which has helped me tremendously.

Doing Okay

2006-03-06T13:43:00.000-06:00

Just a note to let everyone know that Emma and I are doing okay. We are so thankful for all the support from family and friends.

I have decided to keep the guestbook page from Dan's obituary online so Emma can still see it when she learn to read. If you have not already left a comment, you can add one by click on the link below.

http://www.legacy.com/houstonchronicle/Guestbook.asp?PersonID=16671513

Obituary

2006-02-12T20:30:00.000-06:00

Dan's obituary is posted online at: http://www.legacy.com/houstonchronicle/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=16671513

Home at Last

2006-02-10T20:04:00.000-06:00

We got Dan home at about 10 am this morning, and he passed away at about 11:30. He was a bit more responsive after we got here, so I think he knew he was finally safe at home. Emma, his sister Laura, our good friend Kay and I were with him at the time. I can assure everyone he was not in any pain at all.

His funeral will be at 10:30 am on Wednesday February 15, at Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Humble (1400 FM 1960 East Bypass, just east of Hwy 59). Visitation will be at the church from 10:00 to 10:30 am, and there will be a lunch gathering at the Fellowship Hall following the funeral.

We are asking for contributions to Emma's college fund in lieu of flowers. Checks can be made payable to "College Bound Fund" with Emma's name in the memo field. For more details, you can contact Dan's secretary Lili Maldonado at lmaldonado@hcde-texas.org.

Hospice, Day 2

2006-02-09T19:56:00.000-06:00

Dan was doing well this morning, and ate a large breakfast, which I thought was a good sign. Later in the day his breathing became more labored and he is pretty unresponsive now. I have arranged to move him home (finally). He should be here by lunchtime tomorrow. Hospice nurses will be here around the clock for at least 48 hours until we have a routine established.

We had a wonderful meal provided by friends - Betty and Jimmie Howard. They drove all the way from the Pasadena area to deliver a feast. My friend Carol sent a huge box of goodies and our neighbors Joe and Hattie brought dinner yesterday, so we have been very well fed this week.

Hospice, Day 1

2006-02-08T20:09:00.000-06:00

Well we finally got Dan moved out to Humble, and he weathered the trip just fine. We had a rough afternoon, mainly becuase the temperature of his room was too hot. His temperature rose to 104, so he was pretty miserable. They finally got the room cool, and I brought a fan from home, so he is resting comfortably now.

I am not sure I will keep him there, though. His doctors told me home hospice was not an option because of his IV meds. However, they removed all his IV's, so I do not understand why I cannot take care of him at home. As long as our insurance will cover home health care, I will start the process tomorrow.

Dan's mom is doing better - she should have been discharged this afternoon, but the doctor never showed up to sign the release papers. All in all a frustrating day.

Hospital, Day 26

2006-02-07T19:48:00.000-06:00

We got the news from the MRI back today, and the melanoma is spreading to Dan's brain. He also has small amounts of bleeding in the brain. He slept almost all day today while we tried to get him transfered to a facility in Humble. He will be moved first thing in the morning (hopefully). Once I find out more info like room number and phone number, I will post it on the blog.

Dan's mother is having a very hard time with this - they had to call for an ambulance this morning. Her heart rate dropped dangerously low. They are keeping her in the hospital overnight for observation. So please keep her and the rest of Dan's family in your prayers as well. My friend Kay stepped in to help get Emma from school and to take Laura up to the hospital, and then stayed to do yard work all afternoon. I do not know what I would do without her!

Thank you to everyone for the letters to Emma I have been receiving as well as all the e-mail and flowers. Thanks also to Don and Priscilla Dukes for dinner tonight - it was delicicious!

Hospital, Day 25

2006-02-06T19:15:00.000-06:00

Dan is doing about the same today but sounds like he has some fluid in his lungs. They have finally decided to give him a diuretic to get some of the fluid out. He was awake most of the day and never asked for pain medication, so all in all it was a good day.

It looks like we will be moving to a hospice, maybe even as soon as tomorrow. There is one here in Humble about five miles from the house. It will shorten my daily commute by about 60 miles. I will get to spend more time with both Dan and Emma, so I am very pleased. It will be so much easier to bring Emma for a short visit, too.

Thanks again to Becky Godsey for the wonderful meal she brought yesterday. Emma has eaten her weight in macaroni and cheese!

Hospital, Day 24

2006-02-05T19:18:00.000-06:00

Dan is doing a little worse today. He is starting to have trouble breathing, so they have put him on oxygen and have a respiratory therapist coming in to give him breathing treatments. It is now very difficult for him to talk on the telephone, so if you want to send him a message, an e-mail would be best. You can send it to his room at M. D. Anderson ( https://www2.mdanderson.org/sapp/contact/message.cfm) or send it to me (lfelske@earthlink.net).

Hospital, Day 23

2006-02-04T20:31:00.000-06:00

We missed the doctor this morning, so I do not know the results of Dan's MRI from yesterday. He is doing about the same as yesterday except maybe a bit more tired. He had a steady stream of visitors (14+) all day long, which he enjoyed. He was very happy to see his parents and his sister.

Hospital, Day 22

2006-02-03T20:26:00.000-06:00

Dan is less confused today - I think it proves my hypothesis about the dilaudid to be correct. However, he is more tired. Emma completely wore him out today. We stayed until about 3 pm. He got a well deserved nap after we left. Emma slept all the way home too.

He continues to gain fluid which is now completely out of control. His nurse told me his weight, and I could not believe it. He has gained 60 pounds of fluid weight. I realize he is very sick and that it is a complex problem, but 60 pounds is ridiculous. His breathing has become labored, and I am sure it is due to the excess weight.

Dan's parents arrived this evening, and Emma is ecstatic at all the new attention. His sister Laura arrives tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks so much to all the visitors, for all the cards and email. It is very comforting to have such tremendous support.

Hospital, Day 21

2006-02-02T19:50:00.000-06:00

Dan was not doing so well when I got to the hospital this morning. He was having hallucinations and was generally even more confused. After lengthy conversations with the doctors, they finally agreed it just might be a result of one of the pain medications. The medicine, dilaudid, is not supposed to cause confusion, etc., but as I have stated before, I just know it is a problem for Dan. So they finally took him off of it completely. It may take up to 48 hours for all of it to clear out of his system, but he was markedly better this afternoon - even lucid. He was able to talk with visitors even though he was very tired, and this evening, he could even remember events of the day and remember that Emma is coming with me tomorrow. So all in all, I would say he is doing much better without the medication. The doctors want to schedule a brain MRI just to make sure that my diagnosis is correct. They think the melanoma might have spread to the brain.

I got some unpleasant business out of the way today, namely planning the funeral. I wanted to have everything taken care of by the time Dan's parents arrive tomorrow evening. Some of you may know we lost Dan's sister to brain cancer just last April. His sister Laura is also coming from Michigan on Saturday, so it will be wonderful for Dan to have his whole family here together.

Hospital, Day 20

2006-02-01T21:53:00.000-06:00

Dan had some moments of lucidity this morning - enough to ask about specific workshops and their dates. He feels bad about canceling everything in February. He asked how much time he had left, and I told him that the doctors do not know exactly, and that there is always room for hope, but as of now, the cancer seems to be winning. He has large tumors on his adrenal glands that have been there for months, but are now affecting their function, Mainly the aldosterone levels have decreased, so he is excreting too much sodium. They have added steroids to his daily cocktail, hoping to decrease swelling and also decrease pain. He seemed to rest more comfortably today.

Later in the day, the doctors gave me an estimate of 2 to 4 weeks and discouraged me from bringing him home. But I am still investigating that option. Any option where I can spend more time with Emma is a good one. The stress is really starting to get to her. I had to come home early (4pm) so that I had more time to play with her today. I am planning to bring her with me all day Friday.

Thanks for the visitors (Laura Harlow, Bob Sanborn) and thanks for the lovely plant Joanna and Myron. We are blessed to have so many friends to support us.

Hospital, Day 19

2006-01-31T20:33:00.000-06:00

This was not a very fun day. I spent the morning with two of the grief counselors at the hospital discussing how to best help Emma through this situation. Dan's confusion has gotten worse. They gave him some IV sodium to try to help, but all it did was increase his edema. He got some lovely flowers today from STAT, brought by Martha Griffin. Thanks also for the food gift certificate! He enjoys having people come visit, even though he may not remember later.

Message from Emma

2006-01-31T20:11:00.000-06:00

hsgwgwgwgwwgggwgwgwgwwg 2uu2ggwgwgwgwgwwu22w2u
u2uhwjwhwjwhwhwhwhwhhw
2u2u2uggwggaggggag22uu2 22uu22u2u j2agagagaggaggggagqyqyqu2u2uu22u2u2u2u

This means Dear Daddy,

I want you to get better and come home soon. When you get home I want to play with you.

Hospital, Day 18

2006-01-30T21:50:00.000-06:00

They have put Dan back on the pain medication that I hate. The doctors swear it does not cause confusion, but it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that he began to get disoriented when they put him on it, got lucid when they stopped it, and got disoriented again when they gave him more. They tell me that his current disorientation is due to low sodium levels in his blood. They restricted his fluid intake to help. They cannot give him any sodium through his IV because of all the edema. He asked for water about a million times, and could never remember why he could not get any. He pretty much spent the day thirsty and disoriented. Then they moved him to a new room, so now he is very confused.

He is now on the pallative care unit (12th floor) in room G1251. His new phone number is 713-563-9004. The new room is a palace compared to the old one. He appreciates all phone calls and visitors (thanks for coming Laura!), but since he has no short term memory, he promptly forgets everything.

Hospital, Day 17

2006-01-29T20:13:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not, Dan's kidney function continues to improve. It was normal today. His hemoglobin/hematocrit values are finally remaining stable. He actually got to have a day without a blood transfusion. He could not believe it when I told him he has been given more than 16 pints of blood.

The doctors took him off of the painkillers that were basically making him delusional. His pain is not as well controlled now; he was very uncomfortable all day long. His back hurts where he had the nephrostomy done, and his legs are sore from being so swollen with fluid. But he is lucid most of the time, and for the most part understands what is going on.

Thanks so much to everyone for all the supportive e-mails and telephone calls.

Hospital, Day 16

2006-01-28T20:09:00.000-06:00

Miracle of miracles, Dan's kidney function has improved. His color is better, he is more alert and he is much less confused. They plan to change his pain medication this evening to (finally) see if the meds are the main problem. It will take 1-2 days for the old medications to get out of his system.

He had several visitors today, most notably Emma. She was a little scared when she saw all of the tubes, etc. and bruising on his arms and legs, but overall she did very well. His colleague Carlata Rodriguez from HCDE came with her husband to see him. His good friend Gene Chiappetta also came. He also had a nice visit with Bob and Ellen Sanborn. I know I have discouraged visitors, mainly because of his confusion, but he is doing well enough to talk with people now and actually remember that they came.

Thanks so much to everyone for all of the prayers and positive thoughts. I know it has really made a difference. His prognosis is still very poor, but just being able to communicate with him now is a blessing.

Hospital, Day 15

2006-01-27T20:06:00.000-06:00

Dan's kidney function improved slightly from the nephrostomy performed last night, but the improvement is not as dramatic as we had hoped. The swelling in his feet and legs is increasing again. If his kidney function does not get better by tomorrow, it will probably not get better at all. With poor kidney function, the chemotherapy will have to be stopped. They plan to continue the chemo as long as he is still getting radiation (through next Wednesday). If his kidney and liver function continue to decline, they will move him to the 12th floor - pallative care where basically they just try to keep him comfortable.

Thanks so much for all the e-mail to me, to Dan at the hospital, and the posts to the blog. It really is a comfort to know that so many people are praying for us.

Hospital, Day 14

2006-01-26T21:47:00.000-06:00

The swelling in Dan's legs was much improved today. However, he is now confined to bed because he had a fall yesterday during physical therapy. He is just too lightheaded, mainly due to low hemoglobin. Even though he got 2 pints of blood last night, his hemoglobin was lower today than it was yesterday. His kidney function remains stable (but poor). His liver function is beginning to decline. He had a nephrostomy done late this afternoon. They are trying to drain urine from his right kidney above the ureter and bladder. He weathered the procedure just fine, but we do not yet know if it will improve his kidney function.

His prognosis is very poor. They have asked me to bring Emma in to see him, which we plan to do on Saturday when it is less hectic.

Hospital, Day 13

2006-01-25T18:57:00.000-06:00

Another long day. Dan's kidney function is even worse. Tomorrow, they are going to install a tube in his right kidney to drain fluid. They think there is tumor blockage below the kidney. If this procedure is effective, he should get better fast. If not, he will have to start kidney dialysis.

Hospital, Day 12

2006-01-24T21:21:00.000-06:00

Dan had a long day of more tests and radiation. The swelling is getting a little better, but the drugs they are using are causing his kidney function to get worse. His confusion is increasing, due to prolonged use of the painkillers. Today he could not even tell us what hospital he was in.
A bit of good news - there is less blood in his urine, so it looks like the radiation might be helping. I hope it means they can decrease the painkillers.

Dan's good friend Howard Lindsay came by for a visit and ended up staying quite a while due to testing delays. I think Dr. Chiappetta came by after I left today.

Hospital, Day 11

2006-01-23T18:36:00.000-06:00

Not much news to report today. Dan's kidney function is about the same (poor). His lymphedema (swelling) is starting to move up his trunk and into his arms. He has gained 22 pounds of fluid weight. His doctors are very concerned, but have limited options due to poor kidney function. He has more scans of his abdomen done this afternoon so they could get a better look at what is going on.

Hospital, Day 10

2006-01-22T21:14:00.000-06:00

Dan had another day with a little less pain. We are hoping that it means the radiation is helping. His kidney function is staying stable, but the swelling in his legs has gotten much worse. They put compression pumps on his legs this afternoon, and I think it is already helping a bit. He also had to get 2 more units of blood.

They definintely want him to stay in the hospital for the entire course of radiation, so that means he will be in the hospital for at least 11 more days, longer if they cannot manage his pain with pills instead of IV drugs.

Hospital, Day 9

2006-01-21T20:21:00.000-06:00

No real news to report today. I don't think much is done on weekends. Dan's kidney function is a little better today. The renal scan shows that his right kidney does not drain very well, but they do not know exactly why. Rather than doing even more invasive procedures, they have decided to just watch and wait.

He had less pain today; it looks like the radiation may be helping already. We finally got him out of bed and moving around today. He also got a visit from our good friends Taco and Kay, and that cheered him up quite a bit.

Hospital, Day 8

2006-01-20T21:35:00.000-06:00

Dan had a renal scan on his kidneys today to see if his declining kidney function is due to a blockage somewhere. We should find out results tomorrow. He also had to have another blood transfusion and started radiation treatments today. Still no word on how long his hospital stay will be, but the radiation can be done on an outpatient basis. They are waiting for his kidney function to improve before he can come home.

I was able to spend part of the day with him but had to wear a surgical mask. His pain medication is making him confused and disoriented at times. I suggested decreasing the dose, but the doctors did not agree. Now he has to have a babysitter (nurse assistant) in the room with him. He is lucid most of the time, but at other times, it is like he is asleep but still talking. The doctors say as long as he is not hallucinating, it is not really anything to worry about. The nurses say he uses less pain medication when I am there, so I am very glad my parents are here to help with Emma; it means I can stay up there longer.

Hospital, Day 7

2006-01-19T19:09:00.000-06:00

As suspected, I have a raging case of strep. The doctor gave me a big shot of penicillin, and I already feel much better. He says I can go to the hospital tomorrow as long as I wear a surgical mask and wash my hands often.

I do not have much to report on Dan since I was not there today. He could not remember what the doctor said. After talking with his nurse, I know his creatinine levels (kidney function) are up slightly again. They did another ultrasound on his kidneys, which he said was painful. I think he does not begin radiation until tomorrow morning.

Emma is handling things like a trouper. She wants me to "stop talking funny," though. Hopefully my voice will come back by morning. She is looking forward to seeing my parents - they are coming back tomorrow.

Hospital, Day 6

2006-01-18T20:34:00.000-06:00

First of all, thanks so much to all of you who have sent Dan e-mail to his hospital room. It makes a huge difference in his outlook to know that everyone is sending him good wishes.

They changed his pain medication to something that is working more effectively at a lower dosage. He is no longer groggy from the sedating effect of the meds. We got the results back from his MRI. It looks like the Temodar/Thalidomide regimen has not been effective, so he is starting something new today. He will still take Temodar, but will take it every day at a lower dosage. They will couple this with weekly injections of interferon. The MRI also led the radiation oncologist to suggest radiation as a way to alleviate symptoms - he is not sure how effective it will be. Even worse, they plan to do it inpatient vs. outpatient, so it looks like Dan will be in the hospital for 2 more weeks.

As if things could not get any worse, I am fairly certain I have come down with strep throat. It is running rampant through Emma's school. The first doctor's appointment I could get is in the morning. So if it turns out to be strep, I will be unable to go back to the hospital until I have taken antibiotics for 24 hours. I suppose it could be worse - if this is a virus, I may have to stay away for days.

Hospital, Day 5

2006-01-17T21:13:00.000-06:00

Dan finally got an MRI done today. The radiation oncologist should let us know tomorrow if radiation will help alleviate symptoms. He also had a consult with a doctor who specializes in pain management. I still have not heard whether or not they are going to start his chemotherapy today - he is due to start round 9 this evening.

I had to come home early. My parents went home this morning, so Emma went to school. She was fine until her teacher started to leave at her scheduled time (2:30). She balked at joining the rest of the kids who are in extended day, so her teacher (Ms. Janet) stayed late until I could get there. So it looks like my time at the hospital will be shortened. Hopefully Dan will get to come home before too long.

Hospital, Day 4

2006-01-16T19:49:00.000-06:00

Dan's kidney function continues to improve, but I do not think he will get to come home until it gets back to normal. His doctor has asked for a radiation consult - they think focused radiation may help reduce the bleeding. They will most likely keep him in the hospital for the radiation instead of doing it as an outpatient. We should know more tomorrow.

My parents have to return home tomorrow- they came here from visiting friends in Baton Rouge instead of from home. My dad needs to get more of his medications. They will come back for the weekend if Dan is still in the hospital. Luckily Emma can stay at school late so I can still spend some time with Dan every day.

Hospital, Day 3

2006-01-15T21:35:00.000-06:00

Well, Dan had to have 2 more pints of blood last night, but overall looks better. His kidney function continues to improve, but they are keeping him a few more days to run some additional tests. He has three different teams of doctors reviewing his case, so I feel that he is in good hands. He is also starting to get a little cranky, so I think he is feeling better. : )

Emma is enjoying all the attention from her grandparents, but she is having a hard time with the upset in her normal schedule. I came home tonight early enough to play with her and eat dinner here at home.

Back in the Hospital

2006-01-14T11:32:00.000-06:00

Dan was not feeling very well yesterday, so we went in to see the doctor and they decided to put him in the hospital. They gave him 2 more pints of blood and are now checking to see where the bleeding is coming from as well as running tests to check his kidney function. We do not yet know how long he will be there, but the best estimate is 3-5 days.

He is at M.D. Anderson this time around. They will deliver e-mail to his room. You can fill out a form at: https://www2.mdanderson.org/sapp/contact/message.cfm You do not need to fill in his birthdate or patient number.

Several people have asked me about donating blood in Dan's name. There is free parking at the Fannin South Professional Building, and parking is validated for donors at TMC garages 2 and 10 (Garage 10 is the closest to the hospital). You can find info about M.D. Anderson's blood donor program at: http://www.mdanderson.org/departments/bloodbank/dIndex.cfm?pn=0A133F7B-C05C-4906-A3B0DB0161B9CD6C

Round Eight, Day 2

2006-01-04T20:28:00.000-06:00

We spent most of the day at the hospital again. Dan got a blood transfusion, some platelets and an injection of Aransep, which should boost his red blood cell count. He will get 3 more injections (one per week) before his next doctor visit. His blood pressure is up, his color is already much better, and he says he feels better as well. He is scheduled for X-rays and a CT scan to assess progress on February 1.

Emma is doing great; we had a follow up visit with her pediatrician this morning. She had a fine time with Mr. Karl and Ms. Connie. She started crying when she saw me because she did not want to come home.

Dan Starts Round Eight

2006-01-03T21:46:00.000-06:00

After spending about 7 hours at the hospital, Dan made it home with his chemo medication plus antibiotics to ward off strep throat. However, he has to return tomorrow for a blood transfusion. His hemoglobin and hematocrit are low and so is his blood pressure (90/60).
Thankfully our wonderful neighbors (Karl and Connie) will watch Emma so that I can drive him there and back. Hopefully Dan will feel better and less tired after the transfusion.

Emma is doing great. After only 3 doses of penicillin, she is bouncing off the walls and asking for something to eat every ten minutes - in other words, back to normal. She even begged for popcorn this afternoon, so her throat cannot be too sore. I take her in to see the doctor in the morning and will hopefully get the all clear to send her back to school and keep her birthday party on schedule for Saturday.

Happy New Year??

2006-01-02T21:09:00.000-06:00

Dan is still feeling under the weather and will start round eight of chemo tomorrow anyway. Unfortunately, I will be unable to drive him to M.D. Anderson - I hope he feels well enough to drive himself. Emma is sick, so I have to stay at home with her. Believe it or not, she has developed scarlet fever. Yes, I said scarlet fever. Strep with a rash. She's on penicillin for ten days and can't go back to school until Thursday. She has a rash all over and also has the strawberry tongue, a classic symptom.

Of course, as always happens when someone here gets sick, it happens on a holiday weekend. Her doctor's office was closed today, and my mother's intuition told me not to wait a day, so we spent much of the day in the minor emergency clinic. She was feeling much better by the time she got to see the doctor. She never once complained about a sore throat, and still says her throat does not hurt, even though it is very inflamed and almost swollen shut. She eats just fine when her fever is down. The rash is starting to itch, so I gave her an oatmeal bath. Hopefully the antibiotics will start to work quickly! Her birthday party is scheduled for Saturday.

Round Seven is Over

2005-12-28T14:37:00.000-06:00

Dan finished this latest round of chemo on Monday. However, he is very tired and does not have much of an appetite. Even with the beautiful weather, he does not feel well enough to play golf. At least we know the chemo is doing something. He has an appointment on January 3 to check his blood, etc. and pick up prescriptions for the next round. They will do CT scans to assess progress in early February.

Doing Better

2005-12-23T19:06:00.000-06:00

Dan is doing better now that he is halfway through this round of chemo. He played nine holes of golf yesterday and played 18 today. He has plans to play practically every day for the next week. He finishes this round on Monday evening, and then gets a week off before starting the next one.

Emma is so excited about Christmas. She got to see Santa last weekend and is very worried that Santa's booty is too big to fit down our chimney. She asked her Daddy to send him a key so that he could come through the front door.

Round Seven

2005-12-21T18:49:00.000-06:00

Dan started Round 7 of chemo last evening. Unfortunately, it has been a little rough on him. He did not sleep well at all, and he has had an upset stomach. In retrospect, the homemade chili he wanted for dinner was probably a bad idea. We had beautiful weather today, but Dan did not want to play golf, so you know that means he feels pretty bad. At least he is on vacation and does not have to worry about work. He is doing a little better this evening, so hopefully he will want to play golf tomorrow.

End of Round Six

2005-12-13T12:58:00.000-06:00

Well, Dan made it through seven days of chemo with no problems. He even played 9 holes of golf on Sunday. Today he was honored in front of the board of trustees at Harris County Department of Education. He received an Applause Award. These awards are given to people who go above and beyond their job requirements. Dan was recommended for this award by his superintendent, Dr. John Sawyer, for his exemplary work at CAST (Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching). He is pictured with Dr. Sawyer and Board President Raymond Garcia.

Round Six Begins!

2005-12-06T16:34:00.000-06:00

We spent the entire day at M.D. Anderson. Although it takes forever to get an appointment, they don't waste any time once you are there. Dan starts round 6 of chemotherapy this evening. He will be taking a combination of Temodar and Thalidomide. He will take Temodar for 7 days, then take a 7 day break, then back on Temodar for 7 more days for a total of 8 weeks. The Thalidomide enhances the chemo, and he takes it every day for 8 weeks. Then he will have another CT scan to assess progress.

His doctor thinks he is a good candidate for a new protocol still being approved by a review board. It should be ready to go by February. So if this round of chemo is not totally effective, she has another regimen in mind for him.

We are very happy to actually get something started. The waiting has been stressful. This regimen is all pills that Dan can take at home, so we are relieved that Christmas will not have to be celebrated in the hospital this year.

Hit a Rough Patch

2005-11-30T12:56:00.000-06:00

We had a nice Thanksgiving with my parents and my sister and her family. Unfortunately Dan started having trouble with the tumor that is in his bladder, and we ended up in the emergency room Sunday evening. They let him come home, and his doctor is monitoring his blood more closely. His hemoglobin and hematocrit are extremely low, and he will get a blood transfusion tomorrow (2 units). The doctor says it should make him feel much better. So between that and some more powerful painkillers, he should be more comfortable until we go to M. D. Anderson next Tuesday.

A Wonderful Weekend

2005-11-20T16:31:00.000-06:00

We have had a wonderful, relaxing weekend - kind of nice for a change. Our good friends, Kay and Taco brought dinner over last night. It was the most fabulous coq au vin I have ever tasted, along with cabbage, roasted potatoes and a wonderful Scottish dessert called sticky toffee buns. Dan played golf Saturday and Sunday. He had 5 pars and 2 birdies today, so he was very happy.

News from M. D Anderson

2005-11-18T13:21:00.000-06:00

We finally received word from M.D. Anderson. Dan has an appointment on December 6. They already have all his records, and we have his scans to carry with us. Hopefully they will decide quickly on a new course of action. Dan is feeling well - he is out playing golf.

More Mixed News

2005-11-07T21:43:00.000-06:00

We got the report from Dan's CT scan and brain MRI, and again, the news is mixed. The good news is that the melanoma has not spread to new areas, and that the tumors in his lymph nodes are markedly smaller. The brain MRI showed no evidence of melanoma. The bad news is that the tumors in his lungs and abdomen are growing again. So his first chemo regimen worked on part of the tumors, and the second regimen worked on a different set, but that neither one is working everywhere.

Our plan now is to go to M.D. Anderson. Hopefully getting a referral from his present doctor will speed up the process. Way back in June when I tried to get an appointment there on our own, the first available appointment was over 7 weeks away. We felt that starting immediately was more important - he had 2 treatments before he could have gotten in at M.D. Anderson. We should know by Wednesday when his appointment there will be - hopefully not a 7-week wait.

Happy Halloween!

2005-11-01T16:21:00.000-06:00

Emma had a wonderful time on Halloween. It was pouring down rain, but she still loved every minute of it. Dan took us around in the golf cart, and I carried the big golf umbrella. Everyone stayed pretty dry except for me.

Emma thought it was great. She got to ring doorbells (a favorite), wear a costume and get candy.

Back to Normal (for us anyway)

2005-10-31T14:56:00.000-06:00

We are finally finished with CAST (state science teacher's conference)! Dan was the local chair, and it was very stressful. It was also very successful - an estimated 6000 attendees. Dan was fighting a bad cold the entire conference. However, he had wonderful people on his team who dealt with most of the problem-solving. We both really appreciate everyone's help in keeping his stress level down. He was very surprised to discover that the entire conference was dedicated to him - the first page of the program had pictures of him at work, with Emma and playing golf.

I conducted two workshops myself as well as helping out with the administrator's strand. Since Emma's school is almost 40 miles from Reliant Center, I have done a lot of driving this past week!

Almost Done with Round Five

2005-10-22T17:25:00.000-05:00

Dan has one more day of Temodar, and he will be done with Round Five. It has been harder on him than the last two rounds - he does not feel very well and has lost most of his sense of taste, but luckily not his appetite.

We had a big garage sale this morning, and we are both very tired. We sold all the baby gear, so our attic is now nearly empty. It will be a lot easier to get to the Christmas decorations now.

Middle of Round Five

2005-10-20T12:59:00.000-05:00

Dan started a new round on chemotherapy on Tuesday and is doing fine. His doctor thinks he looks great; he is her only patient gaining weight on chemo.

He is doing a workshop today, but then will get a break (from workshops at least) until after CAST. He has another CT scan and brain MRI scheduled for November 3, and then a doctor's appointment to discuss results on November 7.

Back to Normal

2005-10-13T20:49:00.000-05:00

Dan went back to work today - he has a 2-day workshop for Biology teachers. His chemo has been rescheduled for next Tuesday. Hopefully all will go well so that he will feel well for CAST. We all enjoyed getting in the hot tub this evening. Dan has not been able to get in since his PICC line was put in. Since it is gone, he can get in any time he wants. Taking a shower without waiting for help wrapping up his arm is nice, too.

Finally Home

2005-10-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

I got to the hosptial this morning just in time to check Dan out. The bacteria was a strain of pseudomonas. After helping my parents pack up and leave, he is already busy preparing for a workshop tomorrow and Friday. Emma and I are going up to work with him this afternoon to help set up.

He will take oral antibiotics for 5 days, and then is ready for chemo again. This entire incident should only delay his treatment about a week.

Hospital: Day Three

2005-10-11T20:11:00.000-05:00

Another long day - we did find out that Dan's PICC line was the culprit as far as the infection. His doctor wanted a consult from Infectious Disease to decide whether he needed more IV antibiotics or if oral antibiotics to take at home were good enough. We waited all day for the doctor to show up and let us know when he could go home, but no one came. He was not happy to stay another night in the hospital. He should be able to come home in the morning.

Hospital: Day Two

2005-10-10T20:08:00.000-05:00

After lots of IV antibiotics, Dan's fever is gone. We are just waiting on cultures to come back to try to identify what actually is causing the problem. The doctors have no idea, but the nurses think that it is his PICC line (catheter in arm). He should be home by Wednesday at the latest.

Back in the Hospital

2005-10-09T20:49:00.000-05:00

We had a very long day. Dan's sister and niece are here visiting from Michigan, and we were on our way to Galveston for the day when Dan started shaking uncontrollably. We turned around and headed to the ER at St. Lukes. He was running a high fever (went up to 103.7). His white cell count was good, so it is not due to the chemo. They removed his PICC line to check for infection. It looked fine, but they are culturing the tip just in case. He was very happy to have it taken out.

The doctors have no idea what the problem is, so he was finally admitted after 9 1/2 hours in the ER. He will have to stay for at least a couple of days. If you want to send an e-greeting, the link is: https://www.sleh.com/sleh/SectionSecured/index.cfm?pagename=Send%20an%20eGreeting&PageMD=Families%20and%20Visitors He is in room 2001.

He was scheduled to begin another round of chemo on Wednesday, but that has been postponed.

No News is Good News

2005-10-03T14:22:00.000-05:00

Sorry there has not been a timely post; I have been under the weather myself. Dan made it through round 4 and is scheduled to begin round 5 on October 12. He has been busy at work and gearing up for CAST, the state science teachers' conference (he is the local chair).

We took Emma to see the Astros on Saturday. She liked the first 7 innings, but the game was a little too long for her. She even sang along with "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at the 7th inning stretch.

Round Four, Day Four

2005-09-25T09:56:00.000-05:00

Well, we survived being on the edge of Hurricane Rita with almost no effects. Our sweet gum tree lost a few big branches. One hit the neighbor's roof and knocked off their gutter, but no real damage occurred. Dan has already cleared the front yard of all the pine tree debris, but the backyard is still covered in pine cones. We were very fortunate.

We were without power and water for about 20 hours, but luckily everything came back on about bedtime last night. Emma has been sick with some type of stomach virus. I was very glad she did not have to sleep in a hot room. I was even more glad when I could finally do some laundry, because she was sick to her stomach all day long.

I was worried about Dan getting too hot in the middle of the chemotherapy, but he did just fine. He still has not had any side effects this round.

Round Four, Day Two

2005-09-23T16:48:00.000-05:00

It's been a pretty quiet day so far. Dan is tolerating the Temodar just fine - he did not even take Zofran for nausea all day. He spent the morning with more hurricane preparation outdoors, but it looks like Rita may go east of us. They still predict 85 mph winds. It is already getting dark and windy, but it has not reached us yet. We are having steak and shrimp for dinner. Might as well eat the expensive food out of the freezer just in case. If we do not make a post tomorrow, it is because the power is out.

Round Four, Day One

2005-09-22T14:25:00.000-05:00

Well, we got to the medical center with no traffic this morning. Dan got his IV of taxotere and his presciption for temodar with no problems. It was a little trickier getting home due to the MILLIONS of people on the freeway trying to get out of town. On our way in, we did not see outbound traffic back up until midway between Loop 610 and Beltway 8, so we got on the outbound 59 HOV lane at downtown, hoping not to encounter any stalled cars. We made it to our exit without incident, but it took a while to get from the freeway to our house.

Since Hurricane Rita is looking like it will move east of Galveston, we have decided not to evacuate to my parents' house, since they live northeast of here. We have the option of going to relatives in Arlington, but driving conditions are terrible - estimates of 24+ hours to Dallas and no gasoline anywhere. We did not have an option of leaving earlier due to Dan's chemotherapy this morning.

Dan has been feeling good - the steroids he takes to prevent swelling are giving him extra energy. He has been very busy securing everything in the yard, moving things into the garage, etc. He took a break to go play golf with Taco this afternoon.

A reminder to family that we have digital telephone service. This means that when the power goes out, so does our telephone. We have cellular phones we can keep charged, but we have no idea if we will have service over the weekend.

Getting Ready for Round Four

2005-09-21T12:32:00.000-05:00

Dan had a doctor's appointment this morning, and his next round of chemo is scheduled for tomorrow morning, assuming it does not get cancelled due to impending Hurricane Rita. Emma's school has been cancelled for the rest of the week, so we will have to take her with us. Luckily, he only gets one IV bag, so it should not take too long. His doctor thought he looked great. She could not detect any growth in lymph nodes, so that is a good sign. He will not have another CT scan to check progress until after round five, about three weeks from now (mid-October).

We are in good shape as far as hurricane preparedness. We are thankful that we live on the northeast side of town, about 70-75 miles from Galveston. If it looks like we will be without power for too long in 95 degree heat, we will travel to my parents' house in east Texas.

Golf as a Cure

2005-09-11T16:22:00.000-05:00

I must say golfing is certainly a positive motivator. I don't know which is worse, preparing the night before or actually trying to avoid a double bogie. I played Walden on Lake Houston for the first time since the beginning of July with my good friends Kay and Taco. I had three pars and a birdie on hole 6 which is the hole the Felske's live on. Lisa and Emma had just come home from church and caught me teeing off. God likes golfers (most of the time).

Made it Through Round Three

2005-09-08T20:45:00.000-05:00

Well, Dan made it through this round of chemo and only missed one morning's work. He is back at work full time now and gearing up for several upcoming teacher workshops and the state science teacher's convention for which he is the local chair. He will have another round of taxotere and temodar in a couple of weeks, followed by another CT scan to check progress.

Things are slowly returning to normal - I have even managed to get some work done this week. I have a big project about to wrap up after over a year of curriculum writing and editing. Emma is doing better at school, too. For the first time, she did not cry when I left today (she's been going since June).

ChemoMan Pars a Few

2005-09-05T15:35:00.000-05:00

Well it certainly was nice being with my ol' teaching buddies and playing 18. It was the first 18 I have been physically able to play since June so you can understand my delight after posting 5 pars for an 86. When I was done it did feel like Labor Day but was worth every minute!

Round 3 Update

2005-09-04T16:50:00.000-05:00

After three days of the new chemotherapy routine I have no noticeable side effects. I cleaned the hot tub yesterday, pulled weeds, ran errands, and generally could not sit down. I went to the driving range today to prepare for the yearly Washington HS Teachers Tournament. Four of us, some now retired, have been playing every Labor Day since the mid-nineties. T-time is 7:30 AM (yikes!). Have a great Labor Day.

Round 3

2005-09-01T12:02:00.000-05:00

After a very long but successful day hosting a science education leadership meeting for over 100 district science supervisors and specialists followed by a marathon CAST meeting (Science Teachers Association of Texas state conference I am chairing) we went this morning to begin my third round of chemo. At least I am now out patient with this treatment. So far no side effects but I have to take three chemo pills every evening for 5 days so we'll see in the morning how I feel. I really appreciate all the support everyone has given me. I even received an e-mail from an old college buddy now living in Switzerland. The Internet has surely been a blessing!

Gearing Up for Round Three

2005-08-31T20:40:00.000-05:00

Dan is feeling great and is happy that Round Three does not involve a hospital stay. He has gone to work every day this week and still has energy when he gets home. He got a tremendous amount of support at his Science Leadership meeting today, and I know that all the good wishes will help have him a more postive outlook.

Emma is feeling better and is back at school this week. My family has coordinated an effort to help us out with meals. My sister Leah in Arlington, Texas cooked several casseroles and her husband came to Houston on business and delivered everything this afternoon. Out freezer is now full, and it is very nice to have a break from cooking and grocery shopping. My niece Alyssa baked some cookies that Emma and Dan have already gotten into tonight. Thanks to everyone for all of the support.

A New Course

2005-08-26T20:33:00.000-05:00

We have decided to start a new chemotherapy regimen rather than staying with what we have been doing. Since the present therapy has had no efffect on Dan's lymphatic system, it seems like a good idea to try something new. So Dan will now be getting taxotere through an IV and then follow that up with 5 days of temodar, which is a pill. This regimen will not have any immunotherapy or any hospitalization, for which Dan is very thankful. It is also not as hard on his bone marrow, so there will be no injections afterward either. He will begin this new treatment on Thursday morning.

Emma is still battling a virus (since Sunday evening). I took her to see the doctor yesterday. She is so congested that she has developed a mild ear infection, so she is now taking antibiotics. She also has an antibiotic cream for her eyes. She has had quite a bit of discharge from both eyes, and they are red from rubbing them. She finally started eating today, and played most of the day, so I know she is feeling better. She still has a terrible cough, but ibuprofen is keeping her fever down.

Mixed News

2005-08-24T19:10:00.000-05:00

Well, we got the report back from Dan's CT scan, and it is a case of good news, bad news. The good news is that melanoma has not spread any further. The tumors in his lungs, prostate and adrenal glands are markedly reduced. So are most of the tumors in his abdomen. However, there is one abdominal tumor that increased in size. The tumors in his lymph nodes are also slightly larger, meaning that the chemo- and immunotherapy was not effective.

At this point we have two options. We can either continue with the same very aggressive regimen and hope that Round 3 will have better results, or we can try something else. Other types of chemotherapy are not as aggressive, but work in different ways, so they may be more effective in the areas that appear to be resistant.

Of course we are discouraged that there is not a partial response everywhere, but we are trying to maintain a positive outlook.

Back To Work

2005-08-23T20:45:00.000-05:00

Dan felt well enough to go back to work for a half-day today, and even worked from home when he got back. His appetite has finally returned - he cleaned his plate at dinner tonight. Now Emma is not eating, though. She has come down with something. She has fever, a sore throat, a terrible cough and a lot of congestion. I suppose it is from moving to a new classroom last week and getting exposed to some new germs. She had to stay home from school today. She refused to eat, but I did get her to eat some ice cream and some popsicles. She spent most of the day on the couch watching cartoons - very unusual for her.

Dan has a doctor's appointment in the morning. Hopefully I will have some good news to report tomorrow.

Getting Better

2005-08-20T20:44:00.000-05:00

It has been a busy day. I took Emma to the pool this morning - she has been indoors too much this week. She was delighted that Mr. Taco came over to see her Daddy and play with her as well.

Dan has started eating more, and has finally stopped losing weight. He has lost 30 pounds in one week (most of it fluid gained in the hospital). He had a big breakfast and even started snacking. Thanks for the chocolate-dipped strawberries, Sally! Dan loves them. Emma is crazy about the bear, too.

Hanging in There

2005-08-17T21:09:00.000-05:00

Dan is making progress on eating, but is still losing quite a bit of weight. The interferon makes him really tired - we have 2 more shots to go and will be done on Saturday.

Emma came home from my parents with a stomach virus, which I have been lucky enough to catch. It means I have had to stay away from Dan as much as possible so that he does not come down with it as well. Since we have a two-story house, I just tried to stay upstairs. It looks like I am over it now - no more fever anyway.

Emma is doing well at pre-school. Her teacher thinks she is advanced for her age and thought that she was four years old. We have been practicing writing her name, and she is quite good at it. We have also been working on learning the states (she has a puzzle and a placemat) and she can identify about 42 of them. Even Dan was surprised at how many she knew. She certainly keeps us too busy to dwell on everything else.

Looking Good

2005-08-15T21:36:00.000-05:00

Dan's recovery is right on track. He still has a lot of fluid in his tissues from the interleukin-2, and if I could keep him off his feet, his ankles might go back to a normal size. He has dropped almost 15 pounds of fluid since Saturday. We did get the neulasta instead of neupogen, so he is happy about getting 7 fewer shots this time. He still has to have 3 more interferon injections.

He is eating solid food and making requests for dinner, so that is a good sign. He worked from home all afternoon today, too.

We go in for another round of CT scans on Monday, August 22. We will know the results after his doctor's appointment on Wednesday August 24.

Home Sweet Home

2005-08-13T13:17:00.000-05:00

We left the hospital about 10:30 am with only one delay - the parking machine ate my ticket, and I got stuck in the parking garage.

Dan is doing great, especially now that he has showered, shaved and had a nap. Since he did not suffer as much with the interleukin-2, we are hoping he bounces back more quickly this time.

Round Two, Day Five

2005-08-12T21:17:00.000-05:00

It was another long day, but Dan is finally finished with the immunotherapy. His creatinine is good and his blood pressure is slowly rising (90/58). If all of his blood work looks good in the morning, he will get to come home tomorrow.

Emma is also ready to come home. She asked me not to let Georgia (the dog) play with any of her toys.

Round Two, Day Four

2005-08-11T21:30:00.000-05:00

Dan is having unpleasant side effects from the chemo, but is still doing much better than he did in Round One. It looks like there will not be a trip to ICU this time. His kidney function was better this morning, so he got another dose of cisplatin. He got his last bag of the interleukin-2 at 5 pm, and he is now counting the hours until the last of it is delivered tomorrow.

The gooblet is having a fine time at my parents' house. My father sent me this picture of her pretending to be a puppy. I can see some new toys on the table - just what she needs!

Round Two, Day Three

2005-08-10T20:53:00.000-05:00

Dan did not have a good day today. The nausea and lack of appetite has kicked in. His creatinine went up so his doctor stopped the cisplatin for today and is waiting to see lab work tomorrow morning before deciding whether to give it to him on Thursday.

Overall, though, I think he is doing much better than he did in round one. He is more alert (and cranky) and less red. His blood pressure is low but not going lower, so he has not had as much IV fluid. He has gained 15 pounds from fluid, but he gained 30 last month. He does not have dry skin as severely either.

My friend Laura came to take me out to lunch, so I had a short break and got to see some sunshine. It has been dark on my commute to and from the hospital every day.

Round Two, Day Two

2005-08-09T20:42:00.000-05:00

Overall, everything is going much more smoothly than Round One. The cisplatin is not elevating his creatinine levels quite as high, and so far he has fewer side effects. The Interleukin-2 is making him run a fever and the nausea meds are making him sleepy. But he was alert for most of the day and ate well - he even cleaned his plate at dinner.

They are starting his interferon injections much earlier, and it means I will only have to give him one injection instead of four. The hospital is also working with our insurance company to get him neulasta instead of neupogen. That will mean one shot instead of eight when he gets home. However, at $2200 a dose, our insurance company may balk at paying for it.

Thanks to everyone for all the e-mail and posts to the blog.

Round Two, Day One

2005-08-08T21:16:00.000-05:00

Well, our day started VERY early. We left the house at 5:30 am. We went through admissions and got to a room by 7:15. It then took only 7 hours for the meds to get delivered. He has already had his dose of all 5 medications (vinblastine, dacarbazine, cisplatin, interferon and interleukin-2). When I left the hospital tonight, only the interleukin-2 was still being delivered. It takes 24 hours to dispense at 12 mL/minute.

Dan is doing great so far and is in very good spirits. Knowing what to expect lessens anxiety quite a bit. Volunteers will deliver e-mail to his room. If you would like to send an e-greeting, click on the following link. He is in Room 2042.
https://www.sleh.com/sleh/SectionSecured/index.cfm?pagename=Send%20an%20eGreeting&PageMD=Families%20and%20Visitors

Emma is having a ball staying with her Grammy and PaPa. She has already been to McDonalds and shopped for new dress-up clothes.

A Wonderful Weekend

2005-08-07T12:53:00.000-05:00

We have had a wonderful weekend. Dan played 9 holes this morning and even made par on one hole after a month of no golf. We had a great time last evening with our friends Taco and Kay (thanks for the beer, salad and flowers!). Emma wants Mr. Taco to come back and play McDonald's with her again.

Dan has been filling up on food - we had steak and shrimp last night. Hopefully he will not lose another 20 pounds with the next round of chemo.

Thanks to everyone who has called and e-mailed their support going into Round Two.

Not So Rich but Soon to be Famous

2005-08-05T21:04:00.000-05:00

Dan got a call yesterday from his urologist's office about having his case featured in an upcoming article in a medical journal to be written by staff at Baylor College of Medicine. He signed release forms today, but we don't yet know which journal it will be. So now you will know exactly who the "47 year-old male patient" really is when the article comes out.

His oncologist told him today that he looks better than she expected. His blood cell counts are all up, and he feels just fine. He has been busy planning weekend meals for days, knowing that next couple of weeks he will not feel like eating anything.

The plan is to go to the hospital early Monday morning and get the chemo started ASAP. Our best case scenario is getting home on Saturday, but she told us to plan for Sunday. My parents are coming to get the gooblet and take her back home with them for the week. I am sure she will be thoroughly spoiled by the time she gets home. PaPa has already been stocking up on popsicles and other treats.

I'll do my best to keep everyone up to date next week!

Dr. Emma

2005-08-01T12:13:00.000-05:00

The quality of my patient care has improved with the addition of "Dr. Emma" to the medical team. Here you can see her directing 'Nurse Lisa" in the art of "flushing the pic line." I keep getting stronger with each passing day in preparation for Round II next week.

Thanks to Carol for the munchies from Zingerman's.

Getting Back an Appetite

2005-07-28T19:58:00.000-05:00

Dan is finally starting to eat food again. He ate at every meal yesterday and today. He also went into work for a half-day this morning.

Emma had a Science Fair at pre-school this afternoon, which he hated to miss. Unfortunately being around a bunch of children with a suppressed immune system is not a good idea. Grandma and Grandpa went with us and took some great pictures.

Back to Work

2005-07-26T21:11:00.000-05:00

Dan went back to work for a meeting today - just 3 hours, but it completely wore him out. I had to drive him there and back because his vision is still a little blurry. He is going to work part-time, mainly from home until the next round of chemo. That way he will not have the long commute or risk infection by being around so many other people.

He had his last dose of interferon today and will get his last neupogen injection tomorrow. Hopefully some of his flu-like symptoms will subside.

Thanks to everyone in Instructional Support Services at HCDE for the food gift card. Having the option of not cooking is very nice!

A Relaxing Weekend

2005-07-24T14:34:00.000-05:00

We have had an enjoyable weekend with family and friends. Dan's parents arrived Friday afternoon, and the gooblet is ecstatic to have so much attention. Our good friends the Chiappettas brought over a veritable feast yesterday - homemade meatballs, sauce, sausage, and even a roasted chicken. With all the fruit and salad fixings, there is enough for several meals. Dan really enjoyed it and ate more at dinner last evening than he has eaten in quite a while.

He is feeling a bit better every day and is even planning on going to work part-time a few days next week.

News of Round Two

2005-07-22T15:26:00.000-05:00

This is a proof of the family picture we had done just before Dan started his chemotherapy. We all look the same except a LOT more tired. Emma has gotten a much needed haircut as well.

Dan's blood work looked good today. If all goes well, his next round of chemo- and immunotherapy begins on August 8. After the next round, he has more CT scans to see if any of this is helping.

I have had a couple of people ask for better directions for posting on this blog. Click on the COMMENTS below this post (Not the e-mail icon). A new window will pop up. You can type in your comment and select Anonymous post if you are not registered at blogger.com.

Thanks again for all the support. Thanks also to Chris and Laura for the beautiful flowers and food gift certificate.

All is quiet on the Felske front

2005-07-21T20:38:00.000-05:00

There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep. - Homer

We had a very quiet day for a change. Dan felt more tired, probably because he did too much yesterday. He had a couple of naps this morning, went over all his e-mail, and then had a few more naps. Emma took a long nap when she got home from school, and I even managed to have a nap this afternoon as well.

Tomorrow is a big day. Dan has an appointment with his oncologist in the morning and his parents arrive in the afternoon.

And You Thought the TAKS TEST Was Tough?

2005-07-20T12:35:00.000-05:00

Hello to all my friends and supporters during my family's time of need. I really appreciate you taking time from your personal lives to share with Lisa, Emma, and myself your thoughts during these trying times.

On a lighter note, during one of my immuno-drug induced dreams I realized that with the proper care and encouragement all students can pass the TAKS. However, "stressing" TAKS will only lead to apoptosis and academic failure. We don't have enough immumnotherapy to fix the problem so we must re-learn to teach and nurture. Then I saw John Lennon and ....

There's No Place Like Home

2005-07-19T16:00:00.000-05:00

We are finally home - got here about 2 pm and we are all exhausted. The gooblet behaved well for her CT scan and all is well with her shunt. When she saw Dan she wanted to know why he was covered in "fur." He has been unable to shave due to skin sensitivity. When I have time (ha, ha) I need to go get him an electric razor.

Dan is already on nap #2 since we got home. It will be awhile before he is back to himself. He starts getting neupogen injections tomorrow to stimulate white blood cell production and hopefully that will help boost his energy level. He will also get continuing injections of interferon until all rounds of chemo are complete. A home health nurse is coming tomorrow to show me how to do it correctly.

We will not know any new information until his doctor's appointment on Friday. Hopefully Dan will feel well enough to post a message tomorrow.

Round One, Day Six

2005-07-18T21:20:00.000-05:00

We finally got out of ICU this morning. Dan was not too happy to discover that he could not come home today. He says that despite any evidence to the contrary, time really does stop.

He is feeling better and is losing some of the deep red color to his skin. After he saw himself in the mirror today, he said that he understands why they would not let him go home. Assuming he does not develop a fever overnight, he will get to come home tomorrow.

I have to be at Texas Childrens Hospital at 7:30 am with the gooblet for her annual CT scan to make sure her shunt is functioning correctly. After her doctor's apppointment at 9:45, we move next door to pick up Daddy (hopefully) at St. Luke's. I am looking forward to a break in my daily drive to the medical center.

Thanks for all the supportive e-mails. I've been printing them and and taking them to Dan every day.

Round One, Day Five

2005-07-17T22:08:00.000-05:00

Dan is doing so much better today! He is officially through with his treatment for this round. He should get out of ICU in the morning, but may not get discharged until Tuesday.

He wanted me to tell everyone that the turkey at lunch today had a greater tensile strength than rubber. If he had the proper measuring devices, he would post the data to prove it.

He hates being tethered to the bed with monitors - he asked the nurses to let him loose so that he could go caroling to all the other people in ICU. He obviously feels better and is more than ready to come home. He looks a bit like a boiled lobster from all the cytokines, but he is in much less pain than before he started chemo. We are hopeful that it is already working. Thanks to everyone for all the support.

Round One, Day Four

2005-07-16T20:39:00.000-05:00

It was quite an eventful day. They called in a consult to a nephrologist yesterday about Dan's kidney function, and she decided he needed to be moved to ICU this morning. The Interleukin 2 he is getting dilates his blood vessels and thus lowers his blood pressure (it was 75/40 yesterday). They were giving him lots of IV fluids but thought that kidney function was being impaired.

His oncologist thought they were overreacting and says it is just a side effect, but thinks that since he is already in ICU, that he can just stay there. He is doing MUCH better today over all, his blood pressure is up (100/60) and his heart rate and temperature are down. He is very alert and at least was awake for most of the day. He was cracking jokes about one of the nurses, so I think he is finally back to normal. He is being monitored much more closely, so I think I will sleep better tonight.

His last dose of chemo will be given about 9 pm tonight. The interleukin 2 takes about 24 hours to dispense, so he will be done by about this time tomorrow night and is still on track to be discharged on Monday.

He did not get any email today, so I do not know if it gets delivered to ICU. His new room number is 7 South ICU#3, Bed 6.

Round One, Day Three

2005-07-15T22:11:00.000-05:00

It was another long day with Dan sleeping most of the time. It is probably due to one of the anti-nausea drugs, and they are going to decrease the dosage tomorrow. He didn't eat as well, but the food was not very tasty today- I wouldn't want to eat it either.

One of the chemo drugs (cisplatin) is elevating his creatinine so they are not giving it to him this evening in order to protect his kidneys. We do not know if they will add it back tomorrow or take him off of it for this round. He is being monitored very closely by three different doctors now, so he is in good hands.

He got a lovely plant today (thanks Laurie, David and Leah) and some very nice e-mail delivered to his room. Thanks so much to everyone.

Round One, Day Two

2005-07-14T20:48:00.000-05:00

It was another long day. Dan is tolerating the chemo pretty well, but the anti-nausea medications have really sedated him. He slept all day long. He woke up to eat, but would go right back to sleep. He is eating well, and even asked for a milkshake between lunch and dinner.

He really enjoyed reading the comments to the blog as well as all the e-mail he has received at the hospital. Thanks to everyone for all the support.

Round One, Day One

2005-07-13T21:39:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been a very long day, but we have begun treatment at last.

Dan is in Room 2014. You can send an online greeting by clicking on the following link: https://www.sleh.com/sleh/SectionSecured/index.cfm?pagename=Send%20an%20eGreeting&PageMD=Families%20and%20Visitors Volunteers will deliver the e-mail to him.

We started out the day at the doctor's office at 8 am to pick up paperwork to take to the hospital. We got to the hospital about 9:30 and were finally in a room by noon. It took until 3 pm for his PIC (peripherally inserted catheter) line to get installed. It runs from his forearm into his vena cava. It will stay installed for the next couple of months and most of his meds can be injected into it so they do not have to stick him all the time. His chemo medications finally arrived about 7 pm. So far he is tolerating everything very well. For all the science-types reading this, they gave him vinblastine, dacarbazine and cisplastin along with plenty of fluids for hydration and other meds for nausea. He then got an interleukin-2 injection. Tomorrow will be more of the same minus the dacarbazine.

He is in good spirits and giving the nurses a hard time (of course).

Thanks to everyone for your continued support!

Finally

2005-07-12T12:42:00.000-05:00

Well we just got news about when Dan's chemo and immunotherapy will begin. We are going to his doctor's office at 8am tomorrow (Wednesday) and then straight to the hospital. I will not be able to post his room number, etc. until the evening, but you can always call the hosptial switchboard at 832-355-1000.

My father is coming to stay with Emma so you can be rest assured that she will not only be happy and well taken care of, but completely spoiled too. I don't think we have room for even one more toy in our house, but I am sure PaPa will see otherwise.

Thanks to everyone who has called or sent an e-mail to show their support. It is very comforting to know so many people are praying for our family.

Please click on COMMENTS just below this post to leave Dan a message. It really cheers him up.

Hello from the Gooblet

2005-07-11T08:29:00.000-05:00

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][;;gfdcaqqetklmn vfdfr[pp kioopoppp ppp[cpp[ uyyfrdgnmv fdfffuopl dym,m,yt6t;'/ shgyr fgngrfynn gn gtbhtgfn sbgfrbthadn

(Translated, this means I'm using a stethoscope on my Daddy. He has the yucks.)

The Latest Scoop

2005-07-09T11:18:00.000-05:00

We found out on Tuesday July 6 that Dan's melanoma has recurred and is pretty much spread throughout his abdomen, pelvis and maybe his lungs, but fortunately not to his brain. There is too much cancer to do any surgery at all. He is scheduled to begin chemotherapy and immunotherapy sometime next week at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital. We had an appointment for July 19 pending at M.D. Anderson, but we got a call yesterday postponing it until July 27th. We are planning to stay with his current doctor, so we can begin treatment much sooner. The plan is to do at least 4 rounds of treatment, each requiring a 4-day hospital stay.

Nerd Family Blog

2005-07-08T15:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the weblog of the Felske Family.