Monday, February 22, 2010

Holes

It has been a great week catching up on laundry and recovering after the marathon.  I am just about ready to start running again.  I truly miss my daily workouts and can't wait.  Still having a little tenderness in my knees and heals at the end of the day but other than that I feel great! 

Gary is doing better.  We have noticed several changes though.  He had a tough time recovering from our trip.  He was extremely moody this week.  On Friday, I had to call the hospital because the skin under his arms is showing active change.   That means his skin is damaged from us lifting him up under his arms.  I think I mentioned it in previous posts.  The vasiculitis capillary damage?  Well its funny (well not really funny like ha ha)  this is happening because while in Austin I was showing Mason's Dad Gary's armpit (I am always seeking opportunity to compare and seek advice especially from the Smedley's).  He said that is what Mason's skin did right before an ulceration would begin.  I knew this.  I wasn't too concerned at the time because his armpits have been like this for awhile.   Slowly changing and becoming more and more bruised with a sort of spider vein looking pattern.  Under his right armpit however, it has progressed.  Progressed to the point where it looks like someone pinched him with a paper hole punch.  The spot is the size of a 1/2 pea.  I spoke with the nurse on Friday. I just wanted  them to know what was going on.  We have an appointment this Thursday.  One of the doctors offered to see him on Friday but I stupidly turned it down.  The kids were and still are recovering from the stomach flu.  Poor Elexis was the last kid to get it (Rob and I are still a little worried we haven't been passed up).  She had it pretty bad.  None stop throwing up.  Poor baby.  She still is eating lightly.  Anyway, I didn't think it was a good idea to make her ride all the way to Seattle.  But if I knew how much the spot on Gary's armpit was going to change over the weekend, I would have gone in.  The spot  already looks like its trying to form a crust or scab or something over it.  It is tender to the touch but so far not terribly painful.  I have been trying to lift him from his bottom or by his pant legs.  We have also been trying to lift him by placing a under his bottom and an arm across his chest.  Just by doing that I noticed his chest looked bruised.  It's all a mad game.  What I am really not trying to think about is the sun exposure he had in Austin.  Of course his armpit didn't get sun, but the sun can kick off disease activity in the body.  Uggghh.  I am beginnning to think we don't have him on the right medicine as well.  We went from Cytoxan (Big heavy duty chemo) to Cell Cept.  So hopefully tomorrow we will get it worked out.  I even entertained packing a overnight bag.  I really doubt it will come to that.  My sister has tomorrow off, so she will come with me which is very good.


THIS IS NOT Gary's arm, but looks similar.  Gary's armpit looks not as deep but very much similar.

2 comments:

  1. Erika,
    What a hero you are to your son. With all that you and Robert do to make sure he is getting all the information and care possible, he has such amazing love as an example. I have been reading a book about trying to help the family and church to work better together to help build stronger families of faith. Just today I was reading about how important it is for this generation to pass down to the next one who Christ is. I cannot think of a better example that than what your are doing for Gary. By trusting that God's orchestration of things is perfect, and passing that on to your kids through your love and determination, I am encouraged by your example.

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