Monday 2/28/11 3:40 PM

Finally have a chance to get on-line today.  Busy morning at the office (Monday's are like that) and then back to the hospital in time for the doctor visits.  Dr. Menco (oncologist) came by and reviewed the weekend challenges.  Things have settled down today since they've added several symptom-relief meds.  He feels that the problems Ed had over the weekend are mostly due to the lymphoma being in the walls of the intestines and it's aggressive nature has just ramped up the symptoms Ed has been experiencing all along with this situation, and a small part of it is also related to the chemo.  He explained that the first few doses of chemo are the roughest because there are so many cancer cells to kill and the body has to process all that waste material, so the organs and body are working extra hard to do that, in addition to reacting to the chemicals themselves.  He really feels that once the lymphoma is under control, the intestines will hopefully stop reacting so violently as well.  He said he definitely wants Ed to be here in the hospital for several more days - and Ed finally agrees that he doesn't want to go home like this.  Again, the issue of not having home meds to substitute for some of the things they are giving him to keep him comfortable is a consideration.  Dr. Menco wants him off of some of them before we go home because the management of his symptoms is more difficult outside the hospital environment.  Ed agrees, even though he'd really like to go home.

He has been sleeping most of the day, which is a good thing.  He really hasn't slept much at all since arriving 2 weeks ago and it was really beginning to take a toll.  Sleep is good for him right now and they will continue to give him enough pain meds and ativan to allow him to sleep for a couple of more days.  We need to get him rested for the next chemo round which will be 2 weeks from tomorrow.  It really has been good to see him resting comfortably today.  I'm sure each of you can imagine how hard it is to see someone you love struggling so much and feeling so helpless. 

He's been too sleepy to enjoy the comments today, but I read them and will share them with him when he's more awake.  Just a quick note... if you are not registered as a follower, can you please put your full name on your comments - we know lots of Mikes and Toms etc. and Ed asks me who the comments are from and it makes it easier if you have it in the text so I don't have to try and find the follower link.  Thanks.  Also, if you text me or Ed, put your name at the end too because sometimes the message just comes up with a phone number and he doesn't know who the text is from.  Thanks.  I'll try and keep updating his phone when new numbers come in if I can put a name with it. 

No news on the wedding date yet - many of you are asking.  We have an attorney service trying to pick up the application docs at the courthouse tomorrow in Ventura and we're working on jumping through the silly hoops Ventura County has in place.  Stay tuned...... Ed says he doesn't think our backyard is big enough ........ he feels very loved and is actually looking forward to making it really special.  He's never stopped amazing me.........

He must be psychic....just as I typed that, his eyes opened, he looked at the clock (it's 4:00 PM  now)and he said "Don't forget to wake me at 5 PM for Bill O'Reilly".  Honestly, it's an unbelievable love affair.....I wonder if Bill would come to the wedding.....if anyone out there has any pull at FOX, now is your chance to call in a favor.......I'm sure there's more than a case of Coors Light in it for anyone who could pull that off for Ed.  I just might have to work on at least getting an on-air mention or something.......putting that at the top of the "to-do" list.  Apparently, there's a "no-spin zone" in my future too....

I don't anticipate any more news for today....just want him to continue to doze peacefully and let his body rest and rejuvenate.  He deserves it and needs it.  If anything changes, I'll post an update right away.  Otherwise, I'll definitely be back tomorrow.

Liz