Another Setback...

Hi everybody!!! It's my turn again to write the updates so I hope I'm as amusing as Brian is with his writing. We haven't updated in a while since things were going so great and he is in remission now. I'll start with all the good things first...

We had a super wonderful weekend. The weather was perfect in the 70's and 80's all last weekend so we took a blanket, picnic, and some books with us and headed out to a pretty park to enjoy the outdoors. It was exactly what we needed after feeling confined to our apartment and hospital on most days. We were able to relax and nap under the tall shade trees while we watched everyone else jog by. We had such a great time on Saturday that we did the same thing Sunday afternoon. We even took pictures intending on posting them on here, but I don't have the camera cord with me, so that will have to wait until next time.

Brian also had an easy time with the outpatient chemo this time. It was a great change to having to be inpatient for 8 days and he didn't seem to have a difficult time with any side effects either. We even had better news that Brian forgot to post last time, no more lumbar punctures!! Since he is in remission and all the punctures have come back negative, they decided he didn't need any more. Of course he was thrilled about that and jumped off the table to hug the doctor and I even made batches of cookies for the drs and the Diagnostic Imaging team that have been so nice and accommodating through all the procedures. Things couldn't have been going better, or so we assumed...

Now we have been back in the hospital since Monday. With Brian's wonderful luck, he ended up getting shingles. Think of it as the chicken pox nightmare part II. And not only did he end up getting shingles (which most people get on their stomach or back), he ended up with it across his face and head. It really isn't a pretty picture. I really didn't think that shingles was common, but apparently it happens occasionally in cancer patients because their immune systems are already compromised. He started having small red spots on his forehead last weekend and by the time we came in for our normal appointment on Monday it was getting a lot worse. We just thought it was a small rash or something, but all of a sudden the drs started getting really concerned and sent him to the dermatologist, ophthalmologist, and ultimately the ER. Now we are quarantined in the hospital until he starts getting better. Anyone that comes into his room has to suit up like a space alien with robes, masks, gloves, etc, in the hall before they can even open the door. From looking at it you would think he has the black plague or something. But they do have to take precautions to try to prevent spreading it to others and prevent Brian from getting a further infection. He is in a lot of pain, and he describes it as feeling like his face has been burned and blistered and he can't touch it. His right eye is even swollen shut because of the blisters on his eyelid. To me it looks like it is starting to getting better, but he still has a fever and is in pain. He is doing a really good job of not touching his face to try to prevent it from scarring too bad, and he even has a morphine pump on his IV so he can administer his own meds. We'll probably be in the hospital through at least the weekend and have been told it could be as long as 2 weeks and the pain could last for several months. Brian was supposed to start his last round of chemo on the 15th, but with the bout with shingles I don't know how long it will have to be delayed.

That's all for the update for now...please continue to keep Brian in your prayers while he fights this new setback.