Sunday, May 13, 2012

A New Kind of Summer

Our graduation ceremony was yesterday.  I have to return the monkey suit (graduation regalia) on Tuesday and check in at the office for anything critical in my box, but other than that I'm off work until the fall.  Normally this would be a time of great rejoicing and I'd be full of writing plans. But on Monday Lana gets a port put into her chest so she can get her chemotherapy infused, and then the therapy itself starts on Thursday.  She'll be getting 5 to 6 hours of treatment, and then will repeat that treatment every 21 days through the rest of the summer.

They told her she will lose her hair; they expect her to get weak and nauseated.  They gave her 3 prescriptions for anti-nausea medicine.  They told her that her immune system will be weak so she needs to avoid being around folks with any sickness.  She's taking a leave of absence from work.  She won't be able to feed the birds because of the dust dangers.  She has to worry about infections through her fingernails so she won't be able to handle raw foods or do a number of other things she normally does.  Despite this information, neither of us really know what to expect.  That means I don't really know what my plans are either.

For now, I've gotten a new video game, called Skyrim.  It's a fantasy game and so far I'm enjoying it a lot.  Not easy to worry when you're in the middle of exploring some ancient burial site and being attacked by skeletons and dragons from all sides.  And that's a good thing.

36 comments:

Chris said...

Damn, Charles. I'll be pulling for you and Lana all summer, you can count on that.

Lisa said...

I' pray God will ease this for you and Lana.

Travis Cody said...

Best advice I can give...take the meds according to the prescription. The nausea can sneak up, so don't wait until it hits to take the medication.

Be positive and stay strong. It's a tough road, but you can get through it.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Follow the doctor's recommendations and don't lose hope. I'll be praying for both of you.
And enjoy some Skyrim. Best way to lose yourself for a few hours.

Deka Black said...

My best wishes to Lana!

And about Skyrim, enjoy it. but above all, what i said earlier.

ivan said...

Here, I thought my mental conundrms were such a big thing, and then I hear about Lana'awful illness.
I was hoping all the while that there would be some treatment short of chemotherapy, but apparenty not.
I feel for you both, and for once will go to a church.

James Reasoner said...

You'll both be in our thoughts and prayers this summer. Hope it all goes well without too much unpleasantness.

Sarah Hina said...

All my best to you and Lana, Charles. My heart is full of hope for both of you.

BernardL said...

I will add my prayers because I have no words, my friend.

G. B. Miller said...

Give my best to Lana and the both of you will be in my prayers.

Golden Eagle said...

You will both be in my thoughts!

Cloudia said...

Step at a time.
Many of us care, and will be praying
for you both.
Find your moments where they are;
do NOT feel guilty when you find time of forgetting and recreation for yourself, for Lana needs her Charles, not a zombie.

Fondly, Warm Aloha
Comfort Spiral

> < } } (°>

Paul R. McNamee said...

Our best to you both!

eric1313 said...

Love those Elder Scrolls games. Have fun in the land of the northern barbarians!

nephite blood spartan heart said...

All the best to you both.

Prashant C. Trikannad said...

Charles, my prayers are with Lana and you. You are both very brave and I'm sure your combined strength will see you through this. All the best to you.

Issa's Untidy Hut said...

My thoughts are with you both, Charles.

Unknown said...

I'll repeat not to lose hope and add that Lana should be as confident about her complete recovery as she can possibly be. Sending prayers Charles, for you both.

laughingwolf said...

continually sending all positive vibes i can for lana's full recovery, i'm sure she will... stay strong, charles

Charles Gramlich said...

Chris, we appreciate it, man.

Oceangirl, thank you

Travis Cody, we both hate taking medications but I know you are right.

Alex, Skyrim has definitely been a welcome distraction.

Deka, thanks!

Ivan, I appreciate the good thoughts, man.

James, we certainly appreciate it.

Sarah,we welcome the good thoughts.

Bernard, appreciate it, man.

G.B., will do, and thanks.

Cloudia, I'm trying to maintain.

Paul, thankee.

Eric1313, yeah it's pretty cool.

David J., thanks.

Prashant, we appreciate the well wishes.

Don, thanks much.

Jane, we are certainly still hopeful, of course.

laughingwolf, thanks, dude.

Anonymous said...

Charles, these things are rough, but hopefully there's a light at the end of the tunnel. All that rough treatment is supposed to give a positive result! Prayers and fingers crossed. Well, the prayers aren't crossed, just the fingers...

X. Dell said...

I'm really pulling for Lana to get through this. That is a lot to undergo.

Here's to hoping that the rejoicing is just delayed a little bit.

Ty said...

Charles, good luck to both of you. I went through something similar a few years ago with my mom. It took a while, sometimes feeling like forever, but eventually she pulled through and in the last six months has been declared cancer free. It can happen.

Wishes, prayers and thoughts to you and Lana.

the walking man said...

Charles what the doctor told you is all generally speaking what happens. The nausea doesn't always happen, the hair doesn't always fall out, dust hazards can be managed with over the mouth and nose HEPA filters, fingers do not have to touch ray food with the invention of sanitary surgical gloves.

All I am saying is that giving up everything you love even for 90 days is more of a drain than the god damn treatment. My moms went through 13 different chemos so we pretty much saw all of what the rat poison can do and what it doesn't. Some affected her not at all and some did what the doctors said. Lana is Lana her genetics are her own, don't look for the bad until it happens and YES use the anti nausea drugs before the nausea comes that was one lesson my mom learned early on.

Best Possible Outcome.

Erik Donald France said...

Charles, prayers and all good energies for you and Lana . . . and distractions . . . will also be pulling for you both . .

Oscar Case said...

Well, one thing, Charles, at least you don't have to take a leave of absence to care for her. As a cancer survivor, I say maintain a very positive attitude about everything and all the best to you both.

Richard Prosch said...

I'll be sending my best thoughts and good vibes for you guys as long as you need 'em. Hang in there my friends.

jodi said...

Charles-You will need a distraction to keep from going crazy with worry. The nausea can be horrible. Have you considered Medical Marijuana? It works wonders in settling the stomach and can keep Lana from losing too much weight. Our thoughts will be fighting the fight with you. xo

SzélsőFa said...

aww, Charles I am so sorry to hear that. you both have my best wishes and positive thoughts from accross the ocean.

Charles Gramlich said...

Richard R., I'm keeping lots of things crossed these days.

X-Dell, amen to that.

Ty, that's good news. I'm glad to hear it, for your mom's sake and for Lana's.

Hilda dada, thanks.

Mark, yes, we will get some of the masks and gloves for her to use if neccessary. I don't mind feeding the birds certainly, and she can still watch me.

Erik, we appreciate it.

Oscar, that's true, and a benefit to my job.

Richard, thanks, man.

Jodi, I'll have to talk to Lana about the medical marijuana. She certainly can't smoke it but I know it comes in pill forms these days.

Szelsofa, thanks. We really appreciate all the good wishes we can get.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I'll be thinking about you both.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I'll be thinking about you both.

Charles Gramlich said...

Patti, thankee!

Heff said...

Take care of her and give her my best, man.

Merisi said...

Charles,
I was here the other day, but at a loss of words.
My thoughts and best wishes are with Lana and you,
Merisi

Lana Gramlich said...

I'm sorry, hon. <:(