Day Three begins

Well we are half way there. Only two more days of dragging the big machine around. Ben would admire Grandpas machine and would be glad that the Dr.s big machine would make grandpa better. John is doing well. His spirits are up and he is not anxious. He thanks everyone for their prayers and credits the peace he feels to that. I have been sleeping well and I thank the Lord for that. That is a small miracle in its self! We have a God who answers prayers and He sure is answering yours.

The adverse effects of the Chemo usually don't kick in until about day five to day ten. There are a whole range of possible symptoms: Aching, weakness, nausea, hair loss,swelling, dizziness, low immunity. I can't think of them all but you could pray for any of these and others if the Lord directs you! So far the only effect that is there is the swelling due to the amount of I.V. solution going into him. They have had to start the lysex (water pills) so he has to do the bathroom parade and plans his excursions accordingly. The lysex causes him to feel bloated and full. We thought that symptom was from the flu he had before. He had just got his appetite back then they dosed him with the lysex and almost instantly he was back to bloat! He doesn't eat very much when he feels this way.

They have not done the MRI yet as the machine was down for a couple of days and they are now playing catch up. They are planning to do radiation treatments. This is to prevent nerve damage on his spine as he has a spot where the myeloma is acting up. He has been getting some tingling in his hand the last week. They want to prevent the same thing happing to his arm as happened to his leg.

They have brought an exercise bike into his room. They want him to be as physically active as possible and encourage him to take walks as well. He can go outside and down to the atrium etc. for now. When his blood counts drop they will come then and give us all the new rules they have for his protection.