So, Monday is the big day... my dad starts treatment for the cancer. Both radiation and chemo start on the same day. He will have radiation Monday through Friday for 6 weeks and take his chemo 7 days a week at the same time.
About 2 weeks ago, I went with my mom and dad for his appointment to get his radiation mask fitted. This was very anxiety provoking for my dad and he became extremely claustrophobic during the procedure. Thankfully, they cut the eyes and mouth out of the mask to help him feel like he could see and breathe. He also has anti-anxiety pills he can take prior to the radiation to help calm his nerves. I'm hoping, for his sake, that he begins to "get used to" wearing it so that the 6 weeks of treatment can pass as quickly as possible for him. He will be on a lower dose of a pill form of chemotherapy throughout the duration of the radiation, and once it is complete, he will only be taking the chemo pill, but at a higher dose.
Please keep him in your thoughts and/or prayers during this time. He is doing much better at this point than he was the week of diagnosis. Not only because he is recovering from his surgery well, but because his attitude mentally has changed. He has come to terms with what he is facing and has made the choice to do what he can to fight back.
I even signed him up as a "survivor" (anyone who has heard the diagnosis 'you have cancer') for an upcoming Relay For Life event in Belleville in mid-July. They have a special dinner and event before the big relay starts and he will get a t-shirt. My mom has a survivor t-shirt from the Relay event I did at SIUE while in nursing school, and my dad has been "admiring" it ever since his diagnosis. So, now, he will be able to have his own.
If you would like to donate to the American Cancer Society on his behalf, please visit his personal fund raising page for the event. I need to have him personalize the page still, but here is the link:
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY11IL?px=21287049&pg=personal&fr_id=30534
When my dad came home from the hospital, we set up a bed in their living room for him until he was able to go up and down stairs safely again. And, yep, this past week Dan helped put the bed away and move the furniture back to normal. I'm so proud of my dad and the effort he is putting forth toward his recovery. The only other change is his anti-seizure medicine. He was initially put on Dilantin, but when he had his blood work done, he was below the therapeutic level so now he is on Dilantin in addition to Keppra (both are anti-seizure meds). Either way, he has remained seizure free since the three he had on Easter Sunday.
That is all the latest news as of right now. I'll keep updating when there are more things to say :-)
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