yucky

keith has started feeling very yucky for the past few days. Mouth sores, throat raw, not eating. Milkshakes and applesauce is about it for food. They told us this would happen, so it is all "normal" so to speak.
Going to visit today, haven't been since Tuesday. Had to work wed, thurs, fri, then had to go to funeral home friday night and funeral today for a co-workers husband who lost his battle with cancer wednesday. I hate cancer. It sucks.

He will most likely get a transfusion of blood/platelets or both in the next few days.

Thanks for all the continued prayers and support. We really miss keith not being here, but hopefully another week and he can come home.
We will have 2 more weeks of "confinement" when he gets home. He can't be left alone for more than a few minutes during that time and he can't drive for 2 weeks either.
Ben and Bella are doing fine. Ben misses keith like crazy and bella just walks around calling Da-Dee, but we will get thru it!

Mickey Mouse??

So today we discovered keith is allergic to zofran (one of the nausea meds). His voiced changed like he had been sucking on helium or immitating mickey mouse. Apparently his tongue was swelling and he could barely speak. A little benadryl fixed that.
He seems to be doing well, just a little stir crazy and bored. His blood pressure was fairly high today. 148/100, so they adjusted some meds, but it didn't change much. We did get out of his room today and walk around a bit. Found some hard candy, which he said was motivation to walk around again. butterscotch, I believe.
thats it for now pretty boring which is what the goal is!
thanks for all the thoughts and prayers!

Sunday

Hey everyone! just updating you on keith. Visited with him a bit today. He is starting to feel icky and tired, which is what they said would happen. He said his throat hurt today, which is a result of the chemo they gave him thursday. It kills all fast growing cells, which unfortunately, isn't just cancer cells, Mucous membranes, GI tract, hair, skin and nails are all affected. He gave me a bit of a scare while I was there saying his throat felt like it was constricting and his voice changed. If you know keith well, you know he is quite the prankster. I thought he was joking, but soon found out he wasn't. Luckily my best buddy was with me and she just happens to be a nurse at UNC women's center. She went and got his nurse because she saw the panicked look on my face. She told him it was normal and not to worry about his throat "closing"! Whew. They may put him on a pain pump and maybe get him a suction machine so that his throat won't be so irritated. His white blood cells have gone from 7.3 to 2.5, which are his cells that fight infection.
His hemadicrit (spelling?) has fallen to 28.8. It was 36.5. If it falls below 25 and if platelets get low enough, he will get a blood transfusion. All of this is totally normal and actually will make him feel better.
We go to the most awesome church. Joe set up a "no hair for keith" type of ceremony today at church at 4pm. He was only expecting a few guys. ELEVEN showed up! including a 14 year old teenager. How awesome was he?! Thank you Ethan. you ROCK. Glenn and Beverly, you guys rock too! Crossroads Church, YOU ROCK!! Video to be on facebook by tomorrow hopefully. I don't know all the people that were involved today, but thank you from the bottom of our hearts. we are not worthy of such love, grace and friendships that you have given us. We are forever grateful and humbled by all of you.
Watch the video, I hear the dude at the end is crazy.
Keith hasn't been eating well today. Breakfast was good, but not so good coming up.
didn't eat much lunch and wouldn't eat dinner. (mystery meatloaf) Delia got him some peanut butter crackers and a couple of drinks to help with nausea. You will have to contact him with the landline in his room or email or facebook. I took him his new cellphone and it doesn't work. Can't call out or in. Planning on taking it to verizon tomorrow.
Love to all of you out there fighting your own battles. Never give up no matter what.
Keep checking in on us, we need it!