Causal Chains Unravel
Cause and Effect are hard to discern when one is on a journey with brain cancer.
When speech is extra difficult to come by, where do you look for the cause? Is it the increase of dosage in one medication, or the tapering of another? What is causing that sensation of pressure in Chester's head? Is the aching in his leg from the steroid taper or from the exertion of physical therapy? And why is all of his skin itching, all except the one place that has a bit of a rash?
Such are the questions we grapple with every day. Chester senses into what he is feeling, reports as best as he can what he is experiencing. I read all of the different medication literature inserts, trying to sort out the side effects of the half dozen drugs he is taking, ask the doctors questions, and do research online. We observe daily, log vital signs, and track changes in several logs. And still, often we are left puzzled. Swimming in the unknowing. Allowing the mystery of it all.
For the past several days, Chester has had long stretches of wonderfully fluent speech, but today was extra difficult for him to get words out. Mostly, he has been confident and at ease with transfers to and from his wheelchair. Tonight he was cautious. After a shave and a shower, he decided to "call it a day" and is now resting in bed.
Chester's oncologist cleared him for his next round of chemotherapy yesterday after looking at his blood levels and making sure all else was ok. She is increasing the dose from 300 mg/day to 400 mg/day. We are hoping he will continue to tolerate it well and that fatigue will be the only side effect. He will begin the next course on Monday, Feb. 6th and will take 400 mg. of Temodar for five days.
The rehabilitation team is continuing to challenge Chester with new exercises and refinements of his movement. I am learning as much as I can so I can continue assisting him with rehab. This picture is from yesterday's Physical Therapy session. Chester is practicing a new exercise, where he raises his strong left leg in the leg rest and then uses his right leg to scoot around, pivot, and do a little chair dance. This push-pull action activates the muscles in his leg and is a safe exercise to do while alone or without someone to spot him.
When speech is extra difficult to come by, where do you look for the cause? Is it the increase of dosage in one medication, or the tapering of another? What is causing that sensation of pressure in Chester's head? Is the aching in his leg from the steroid taper or from the exertion of physical therapy? And why is all of his skin itching, all except the one place that has a bit of a rash?
Such are the questions we grapple with every day. Chester senses into what he is feeling, reports as best as he can what he is experiencing. I read all of the different medication literature inserts, trying to sort out the side effects of the half dozen drugs he is taking, ask the doctors questions, and do research online. We observe daily, log vital signs, and track changes in several logs. And still, often we are left puzzled. Swimming in the unknowing. Allowing the mystery of it all.
For the past several days, Chester has had long stretches of wonderfully fluent speech, but today was extra difficult for him to get words out. Mostly, he has been confident and at ease with transfers to and from his wheelchair. Tonight he was cautious. After a shave and a shower, he decided to "call it a day" and is now resting in bed.
Chester's oncologist cleared him for his next round of chemotherapy yesterday after looking at his blood levels and making sure all else was ok. She is increasing the dose from 300 mg/day to 400 mg/day. We are hoping he will continue to tolerate it well and that fatigue will be the only side effect. He will begin the next course on Monday, Feb. 6th and will take 400 mg. of Temodar for five days.
The rehabilitation team is continuing to challenge Chester with new exercises and refinements of his movement. I am learning as much as I can so I can continue assisting him with rehab. This picture is from yesterday's Physical Therapy session. Chester is practicing a new exercise, where he raises his strong left leg in the leg rest and then uses his right leg to scoot around, pivot, and do a little chair dance. This push-pull action activates the muscles in his leg and is a safe exercise to do while alone or without someone to spot him.
posted by Chrys Curtis-Fawley at 8:52 PM
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