Fire Drill

At 3:00 A.M. this morning, Nonnie had to endure what Papa calls a "Fire Drill". She woke up with a fever of 104 degrees, which sets things in motion. If you remember, the staff immediately starts their battery of tests; blood samples, chest x-ray and a urine sample to rule out infection.

To top it all off, the dreaded nausea came back for a brief visit. She was given Zofran to battle the nausea and Tylenol to break the fever. By mid-morning, she felt much better and was able to take a bath before receiving platelets.

Nonnie's fan club expanded again, with a visit from Rick & Charlotte and Neil & Jane. Papa then took them all out to a nice lunch in Westwood Village.

Neutrophil 101

Last night, Nonnie had a rough night while on her own. She developed a low-grade fever that prevented her from getting much sleep. While it never developed into a high fever, she was nervous because of her experience a couple of weeks ago. They are planning to give her platelets tomorrow and we got some encouraging news regarding further blood tests today.

There are several different types of white blood cells, which are cells of the immune system that defend the body against infections. They are all produced in the stem cell that is found in the actual bone marrow. The "Neutrophil" cells defend against bacterial and fungal infections and are the first responders to such a problem. The reason I mention this, is that Nonnie's Neutrophil counts are on the rise and this is what we need for her eventual release from the hospital down the road!

I failed to mention that Nonnie's dear friend Brenda from T & C went to UCLA yesterday after Mike & Shannon left. Papa is back at the hospital and they are expecting a few more visitors to come by if she is feeling well. Keep those prayers coming!

No News Is Good News

Papa went home this morning, while Mike and Shannon visited with Nonnie at the hospital. He came down to watch Dustin's last baseball game of the season tonight, and is going to watch Blaine's soccer game in the morning before going back to UCLA. Everything else seems to be status quo for the time being. 

Happy Birthday Papa

When a person is in the hospital for an extended amount of time, the likelihood of having to celebrate a holiday or other special day while being treated is certain. Over the last couple of months, Nonnie has done just that.....she celebrated Easter with the entire family, and last weekend, Lisa and I spent our 11th anniversary with her and Papa. 

Papa celebrated his birthday today with his sweetheart. The staff brought in a specially made birthday cake for Papa (bacteria free) so Nonnie could share in on the fun. He has obviously earned the reputation for being the most loving and supportive spouse in history! After the celebration, Papa was able to sneak out to see a movie during the afternoon. Nonnie is expected to get a fresh blood transfusion due to her drop in hemoglobin.

While You Were Sleeping

While most of us were sleeping at 4:00 this morning, Nonnie's nurse came in to take her vital signs and a blood sample. Since beginning her treatment, she has been getting platelets when she reaches 10,000 or 20,000 when she has a fever. The normal range for a healthy person is between 150,000 and 400,000. Today, her platelet count was at an all time low of 4,000. By 5:00 A.M. she was getting platelets, Tylenol and IV Benadryl. Fortunately, the Benadryl kicked in and she was able to sleep until 8:00 A.M.

Nonnie really appreciates the phone calls and visits she has been getting since she has been in the hospital. That tends to break up the day. Today was no exception, in fact, she had visits from Kenny & Kathy Winkler and Chuck & Kathy Reid. It is so awesome to see lifelong friends support each other through all of life's challenges! 

The outpouring of love and support have been incredible to say the least. Over the weekend, Nonnie received a hand knitted throw blanket from Debbie Guerrero. Nonnie worked with her at T & C. She also got another throw/wrap from Gretchen (daughter of Rick & Charlotte). She told me they are "her colors" and she can't wait to snuggle with these once she gets back home!

Phone-A-Friend

Papa made the trek home today to tend to the yards, pay bills and get caught up on laundry. As usual, Nonnie began to feel bored and lonely. Fortunately, she received several calls from friends and family that allowed her to get her mind off of her situation. Her platelet levels have dropped, which means she will likely get fresh blood or a platelet transfusion soon. 

The doctor told her that every other patient on the floor is having a bad day today, and that she was doing the best of all his patients today. I can only imagine how badly she felt for the other patients, but it also must have lifted her spirits knowing that she is on track and staying strong!

Keep Going Nonnie

After several days in a row of feeling well, Nonnie woke up this morning feeling a little nauseous. Fortunately, the staff acted quickly and gave her medication to alleviate the symptoms. Mike and Mary Carpenter went to the hospital and had a really nice visit with Nonnie and Papa. We hope you all had a nice Memorial Day weekend. 

Lifted Spirits

Lisa and I took the kids up to see Nonnie and Papa today. She has been feeling a little bummed about being in the hospital lately, and this is just what she needed! To see her face light up, as the kids opened the door was worth the drive to Los Angeles. Sydnee and Nonnie colored pictures from a coloring book, while Dustin made brain teasers for her to "keep her brain working".

I forgot to mention that the quarantine that she had a few days ago was lifted after a few hours. They were testing for a virus that is common in nursing homes and hospitals. They were just being extra cautious to make sure she was not exposed because of her depressed immune system.

Nonnie remains anxious waiting to be able to return home. Last time, it took 20 days after her treatment for her counts to start increasing to the point where she was able to go home. The doctor gave some discouraging news today. Because of the intensity of the second round, it may take a little longer to see those counts rise this time. The good news is that she looks and feels great, and the worst is behind her!

Oregonian Sighting

With each passing day, it marks one day sooner that Nonnie will be able to return home. She had another really good day, and has ramped her walking routine up to 30 minutes! David's sister Kathy has been in Los Angeles this week with a group of women from her church in Oregon. She stopped by for a visit this afternoon before they return home tomorrow. We are all looking forward to going back up to Oregon later in the year to see the rest of the family.  

Beer Me!

It has been over a week since Nonnie went back to UCLA to get her second chemotherapy treatment. Her blood counts are continuing to plunge, in fact, they are lower now than they ever got before! Since the onset of symptoms, Nonnie lost approximately 25 pounds. Fortunately, she is slowly getting her appetite back. Her new favorite things to eat are pancakes or a hot dog with 7 mustards! Not 6 or 8. Since discovering this cool new diet, she has gained 3 pounds. 

Yesterday afternoon, the hospital staff decided to expand the quarantine to Papa. He was asked to wear a gown, booties and mask similar to the ones that the staff had been wearing. Papa would do most anything for Nonnie, but that was a little over the top. He decided to go down the street to grab a bite to eat and watch a movie. When he takes his walks, there is a restaurant that he has had his eye on for a while. As he walked in and asked for a table for 1, the hostess gave him a look as if he was homeless. 

He looked around the restaurant and noticed that all of the guests were wearing at least a coat, if not more dressy! He looked down and couldn't help but notice he was wearing his favorite shorts and t-shirt. If Papa has learned anything over the past couple of months, it is not to sweat the small stuff. The cold beer was the perfect way to wash down the $18 burger!

Nonnie Knows Best

When Papa returned to UCLA this morning, he was glad that Nonnie decided to stay in the hospital instead of going home. The doctors had anticipated her blood counts to start dropping later in the week, but she had a different idea. Her hemoglobin and white cells have already begun to drop, which prompted a blood transfusion this afternoon. 

Despite being tired from not getting much rest last night, she was able to log 3 walks today! The doctors are testing her for a possible virus, which may just turn out to be a side affect of the chemotherapy. In the meanwhile, Nonnie was placed in quarantine inside her room. Only this time, it is not too bad because Papa is with her. 

Right On Track

I spoke with Nonnie tonight, and you would never know what she had just endured over the weekend! You will all find comfort in knowing that she sounded very positive and upbeat during our conversation. It is always a good sign when Papa feels comfortable enough in going home for the night. The doctor even asked if she felt like going home for a couple of days! The reason why the doctor said that, is because he does not expect her counts to begin going down for a few days. They decided that it would be easier staying in hospital, instead of being discharged and go through admissions again later in the week. In the meantime, she is feeling well, but she still has not found her appetite yet. 

Nonnie Does A 180

After a couple of horrible days, Nonnie came back swinging today. She began to start feeling much better last night and throughout the day. Somehow, she mustered up the energy to take a couple of walks today as she prepared to have her last chemotherapy treatment this evening. What an amazing difference from the weekend! Her strength and will to fight is so amazing and we are all so proud of her. We must now sit back and trust God, as he begins heal Nonnie. 

Winding Down

After fighting a fever for almost 48 hours, Nonnie finally broke it this afternoon. The fever has completely wiped out her appetite and energy level. To get an idea of how tough it was on her body, she does not recall any of yesterdays events. She started her new chemotherapy medication last night at 5 PM.  The drug is called Etoposide, and she is scheduled for 3 treatments spaced 24 hours apart. Today, she received 2 units of blood, anti-fungal medication, eye drops, Etoposide, Benadryl, Tylenol and Cytarabine. 

We are looking forward to tomorrow, as Nonnie is getting her 8th and final Cytarabine treatment at 8 AM and her 3rd and last Etoposide treatment at 5 PM. Nonnie has proven she is a fierce warrior and that she came to battle. Keep up the good work!

Increased Dose

Yesterday was a brutal day for Nonnie. She was awake all night with a fever, and it lasted throughout the entire day. At one point, her temperature was 104 degrees. Along with Tylenol, the nurses packed her in ice to reduce the temperature. This caused her to begin to shiver, and then warm blankets were placed on her because shivering is our bodies mechanism to get warmth.

This chemotherapy treatment is approximately 10 times the strength of the first round. Last round, it was on day 12 that she began to have a fever. She should be done in the next day or so with the current treatment, and her doctor spoke of giving an additional chemotherapy medication afterwards. She has completely lost her appetite, which causes her to become weak and tired.

Fight, Fight, Fight!

It should not come as a surprise, that today was going to be a very busy day for Nonnie and Papa. There were multiple doctors and nurses that came by to exam, take vital signs and administer medications to her throughout the day. It sounded so exhausting, but somehow she managed to sneak in a couple of walks in between all of the attention she was getting. The bone marrow biopsy tests came back, and the leukemia is still in her blood as anticipated by the doctors.

I learned that the Cytarabine treatment is actually being administered every 12 hours, over a 2 hour period for 4-5 days. She is getting her third dose as I write this entry tonight. The dose is stronger than the last, and she is feeling the adverse effects sooner than before. She feels a little weak, loss of appetite and she began to have a fever when I was on the phone with Papa. One of the side affects of Cytarabine is damage to the cornea of the eye. She needs to use a medicated eye drop to avoid potential damage. 

I remain very optimistic, as the symptoms she is experiencing must mean the potent drug is working. I have confidence that she is in the best of care, as the picture from yesterday states "Best in the West". Moreover, she has God watching over her each and every second of the day! Good night.

Getting Back Into The Routine

As you all know, Nonnie returned to UCLA this morning for another round of chemotherapy. There were a few familiar faces, which helped ease some anxiety about going back today. The staff took an x-ray of her PICC line to make sure it is still patent, and Nonnie got another bone marrow biopsy. We do not have any results yet, but hopefully tomorrow I can give updated information. She is scheduled to begin her chemotherapy at 8 P.M. tonight. This will be a higher concentration, single dose given once a day for 5 days. Below is her new contact information:

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

757 Westwood Plaza

C/O Linda Asam, Room 6131 

Los Angeles, CA

90095

(310) 267-6145

Change Is Good

These last six weeks have been emotional, uplifting and inspiring to all those who have been following Nonnie's story. It is incredible to see so many people, literally coast to coast, give so many words of encouragement and countless prayers in order to show their love for Nonnie. As she prepares to return to UCLA for her second round of induction chemotherapy, Nonnie wants to thank everyone for their support. 

Whether you have spoken to her in person, over the phone or have been following this blog, I am sure that each of us has changed for the better in some way. Her strength continues to amaze me and I pray that her body responds favorably to this therapy.  

Lifetime Friendship

Papa was able to go out and do his errands as planned today, while Pam came over to babysit Nonnie. They had an awesome visit together, catching up and sharing over 40 years of memories. Having company during the day helps Nonnie not only pass the time, but it also keeps her mind from going into overdrive. She is continuing her daily walks around the house, and she even walked up to the top of the street today with Pam. Doug and Annie also stopped by for a quick visit this afternoon. Tomorrow will be spent packing up in preparation for the return trip to UCLA. I believe this short break away from the hospital is what Nonnie needed prior to going back for her next battle. 

Familiar Faces

Over the past several weeks, Nonnie has not had an appetite for anything other than peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. She was able to eat steak and baked potato for dinner the last 2 nights. Lisa went out to visit her mother today, followed by a visit from Mike and Mary. Papa picked up the kids from school as they always have until Mike and Shannon get off work. It was nice to have some normalcy back in their home this afternoon. 

The home health nurse came by to take Nonnie's vital signs and draw blood samples. She felt very good today and is looking forward to tomorrow. Papa is going to get out to do some errands, and since Pam is in town from Lake Havasu, she is coming over to spend time with Nonnie. Remember, it was Pam, Bubbles and Jack that worked together to find the perfect wig for Nonnie. I have had this picture for a few weeks, and I feel it is time to introduce you to "Robert" her hairdresser while Nonnie poses for a picture in her new look.