Knowles K'news' » janeknowles

Sam is Home!

janeknowles — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:02:28 +0000

Sam came home this afternoon. His stay was a little longer than we expected due to more extensive surgery. Instead of a wedge being taken out, the whole upper left lobe was removed. The primary cancer was too close to scar tissue from the radiation and residual scar tissue from smoking in order to have a margin of safety. This was a good thing because the pathology report found another cancer shadowed by the primary one and several other tumors when the lobe was dissected. One of the lymph nodes was also malignant. And to think, his initial chest x-ray was clear! We are very blessed, indeed. His spirits have been high all through everything, and his energy level has been high considering what he went through. The nurses that walked with him asked me if he always walked that fast! But after he got home, he slowed down some.

A great big thank-you for your kindness and thoughtfulness–the cheery cards, phone calls, offers of help and especially for all the prayers.

Update on Sam, His Hair!

janeknowles — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:58:23 +0000

Sam is doing just great. He should be coming home Sunday or Monday. His hair is starting to grow out now and Jim Brown took a picture with his cell phone.

Update on Sam, the Surgery

janeknowles — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:56:35 +0000

More good news! Sam’s surgery went well. He came out of Recovery alert and able to talk to us. We were standing by the doors when they moved him to CCU. We all got to talk to him and pat his hand or arm and he smiled and talked a little to us. When we were able to visit him in his room, he was more alert and joking with the nurses. Later that night, after 8:30, he was even more alert and acting as if he were visiting instead of being the patient. He was eating sherbert, and complaining that they didn’t have any vanilla ice cream (he was joking of course)! We are on the way to visit him right now and will send out more info later. Thanks much for all your prayers and good wishes. Prayers do work!

Latest Update on Sam

janeknowles — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:23:00 +0000

Good news! Sam’s latest PET scan showed that the three cancers outside the lung were gone. After giving us the results, Dr. Just recommended the remaining spot in the lung be removed by surgery. While we were there he called Dr. Reichmann, the surgeon, and set up an appointment for Sam. Dr. Reichmann scheduled surgery for August 22 at 2:00 at Palomar Hospital. Sam will be in ICU for 1-3 days and in the hospital for about 1 week. Dr. Reichmann was very encouraging that the surgery would be successful with no problems.

We will keep you updated as things happen. Your prayers and good thoughts are comforting to us.

Keep them coming our way.

Update on Sam, Week 10

janeknowles — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:27:34 +0000

At Sam’s appointment with Dr. Volpp on July 18 he was told that radiation is finished and that he (Dr. Volpp) would not order a PET or CTscan until 8-12 weeks after radiation was completed in order for all the radiation to be out of his body, but that Dr. Just could order one earlier if he wanted. Sam is scheduled for another appointment in 3 months.

He didn’t seem to have any problems with the heavier chemo until the weekend when he started to feel very fatigued and “just didn’t feel right” in his sternum and still some problems swallowing. When he went in on Monday the 21st for his blood work he talked to the nurse about how this treatment had really bothered him. His consultation was postponed until Thursday and at that time the PN talked to the doctor who decided that chemo would be stopped for now and he ordered a PET scan which will be done on Tuesday the 29th. Dawn, the PN, talked to him for quite awhile and boosted his morale some when she told him that on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best, that he was a 9+ in handling the chemo treatments.

Sam’s sister and her husband were here from the 17th until the 22nd. We ate out every day and Sam seemed to do okay eating. While they were here, Sam got his sister to shave his head. He looks pretty good!

My visit to the doctor was also on Thursday 1:45 (Sam’s was 2:30), but the doctor was running an hour late. Sam explained about his appointment and the receptionist kept us in line when we had to leave for his appointment at 2:10. So we took care of two doctor visits in one afternoon! My good news is that I no longer need my walking boot, but I still use the walker for security. We got signed up for physical therapy which is right across the hall. I went in on Friday for a consultation and scheduling which will be 3 times a week for 2 weeks and then another 2 weeks with twice a week. Each day it is easier and easier to walk and to stand with full weight on both feet and I can even walk without holding on to anything for short distances. I got a shock when I looked at my x-rays. I knew I had a plate and pins on the outside ankle and pins on the inside, but I had no idea it would look like it does! The plate is about 3-4 inches long with 7 pins (screws) and two pins on the inside (the pins look long). The doctor assured me that I wouldn’t set off alarms at the airport. We’ll see.

Thank you for being the good neighbors and friends that you are. We are truly blessed to have all of you in our lives.