T plus 5

Today (Sunday) is T plus 5. Jan continues to complain of severe abdominal pains which the doctors have concluded are related to her hiatal hernia and gastro reflex disorder, both of which are aggravated by the chemotherapy which she has received. All chemotherapy aggravates the lining of the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, and intestines. The pain is being managed fairly well with Oxycodone, and her nausea is being treated with I.V. Compasine. When the medication for the abdominal pains and nausea are working, Jan feels fairly good. In all, she is given more than twenty-five pills a day for a variety of reasons; most have them I have already discussed in earlier postings. In addition to the pills, she continues to be hooked up to her portable pump which administers the drug Tacrolimus twenty-four hours a day. She has received two doses of another drug called Methotrexate, which is also given to combat GVHD (Graft versus Host Disease). This drug can cause a lot of problems, but it can also be very beneficial. She will have two more doses administered this week. Our philosophy continues to be……..”one day at a time”.