Update from Houston

Sunday afternoon I got a text from my mom that after my dad's chemo, he wasn't feeling well and was running fever (pretty normal for him after his treatments).  After a few hours, his fever went up to 102. At this point, they decided it was time to go to the ER.  Anything over 100 is not good for him.  This was the highest it has been since he started all of this.

Unfortunately it was too late at this point for me to jump in the car and head to Houston Sunday night by the time this all started, but Monday morning I was on the road by 9:30!

So glad to be here now.

Starbucks downstairs.  Bonus.

It's been a complete roller coaster ride.

Monday when I got to the hospital he looked just the same as he did last time I saw him a few weeks back.  He was my same 'ole crazy dad, entertaining us all!  That evening my mom and I went and stayed at the apartment and left him in good hands at the hospital.

Tuesday morning, the report was that he slept through the night w/o any upset stomach and still no fever! YAY!  As the day progressed, we could tell his energy was disappearing and next thing we knew, he was crawling back under the covers with a fever.  101.  Shit! (excuse the french).  Radiation had been scheduled for 3:30 and here we are at 2:30 with fever.  Next thing we knew, Dr. Wolff just appeared (as he always tends to do just at the right time).  The man is amazing.  He's so smart, and so intelligent, but he can disappear and reappear faster than anyone I've ever known!  I'm pretty sure he has some sort of magical power or something.  He is still confused by what is causing all this w/ my dad.  He took a look and then left saying, "I'm going to have to think on this for a while, I'll be back."  And just like, POOF, he was gone!  By 3:30 they were here to take him for radiation with Wolff's OK.  Off we went....down the elevator, around corners, and down lots of hallways to the radiation room.  They were all so glad to see my dad.  They were joking with him saying "Mr. Traylor, why have you been playing hooky!" You can tell they get  my dad.  They were happy to see him back, and he was happy to be back!  We have hated that all this time in the hospital might delay his treatments and we don't want that.  So far only one day behind, which is good.  The day went on and his fever stayed down.  Mom and I stayed until 8:30ish, allowing us to meet his night staff, and then we took off back to the apartment for some sleep.  We were all wiped!

Now we are on Wednesday.  Mom and I got ready to head to the hospital by 8 so we would be sure to be here when the doc came by.  Before we were out the door, dad texted her asking if we were on our way yet with 4 "?"s at the end of it!  That triggered us into instant craze mode and we literally RAN out the door!  We got here as fast as we could!  I dropped her off before I headed into the parking garage and parked.  We found out his white blood cell count had dropped pretty low.  This is not good, but not uncommon.  Just something we haven't seen with him yet.  So now, we have to wear gloves and masks in the room at all times so that we don't pass any germs to him.  It makes for some good laughs seeing my mom and I in this crazy get-up!

Nurse 1 & Nurse 2

It's now 11am and still no sign of the doctor yet.  I know she will be by, but this waiting stuff is NO FUN!  Dad's mood and spirits are good today.  His energy seems better than yesterday.  He entertained us for a while, had some breakfast, tried to kick us out b/c we were bugging him, and now he's napping.

Radiation is supposed to happy by 12:30 today and I'm sure it will.  I'm sure we will see Wolff again today, and I'm sure there will be more roller coaster stories to tell.

I am not happy we are in the hospital, but if there were ever a place for us to be, we are in the perfect place.  Hopefully everything will settle down and we will be out of here soon and back to the apartment that for now, they call home.