Update on Erags...day 1 at MD Anderson in Houston

[DocRags]

We drove the Mini to Houston via Lafayette (where we had some wonderful Cajun food and hospitality). Our lunch at The Shed in Ocean Springs was interesting for two reasons: 1) Ed got to see an old Navy shipmate that he had last seen in the 1980's and 2)we were sitting under a tin roof while a lightning storm was going on within 100 feet of us. There was hardly any delay between the thunder and the lightning. Our appointments today didn't start till noon and it was after 5 when we came out. We did get free valet parking since it was our first day! We are seeing the specialist that has a special interest in the type of lymphoma that Ed has, so that was good...bad part of that is he is going on vacation for a week, starting this Friday, so we won't hear about Ed's test results and recommended plan of action until our followup appointment on Aug. 13th. He offered to discuss the plan over the phone but we decided it would probably be a better idea to hear things in person. (I don't know if we'll rethink that idea before we are scheduled to come back). We met with the nurse practitioner and then the doctor. Ed has been scheduled for a slew of tests, including bilateral bone marrow biopsies . I thought ONE was bad enough...now he needs to have TWO more! My poor baby. I figured they wouldn't do more until after he'd been on a couple cycles of chemo. He's having the usual animal scans done, too...you know, the PET scan and the CAT scan. He'll probably need transfusions pretty soon...about 9 tubes of blood were drawn. Let's see...also coming up is a cardiac echo (checking to see if he HAS a heart, I guess). That's about it...we won't know what the plan of action is until the 13th of August when we come back. More waiting...tick, tock, tick, tock... Thanks for your prayers and support...if anyone can donate blood wherever they live, that would be good. Cancer patients always need more blood products. We'll update things as we can. We would both MUCH rather be at Spyders in the Redwoods this week, but you gotta take whatever life throws at you...we are there in spirit, anyway.

[acinpcola]

Blessings to you both.

AC

[Ron2andia]

My prayers are with you.

[NancysToy]

May God give you both the strength you need to see this through.

[Daisyjoe]

I PRAY THAT GOD GIVES BOTH OF YOU THE STRENGTH TO FACE THE ROAD AHEAD. MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU .

[Sunshyn]

Thank you for the update. Your "Baby" has a lot of testing to complete. My thoughts and prayers are with you both. I will be happy to give blood. Can you tell me and other folks, who might not know, here how to go about it so Ed will benefit? I have been a blood donor for years. I want so much to help. I most certainly will do this. Since I live so close, please know that I be available. "...Angels be with you..." both.

Sandy

[retread]

Prayers for both of you.

john

[d.o.spyder-rts]

Thanks for the update. Prayers headed your way from Panama City. Wish you both the best of luck. Dale

[ARtraveler]

Our prayers and thoughts go with you.

[Spydee8]

Our thoughts and prayers are with you both!!

Mike and Dee

[GloryRyders]

We will continue with the prayers . Thanks for the update, keep them comming!

[CyncySpyder]

And we're keep'n you both in our prayers

[Wanderer]

We went through lymphoma with my wife 21 years ago. She had Burkitt's in her mid-30's. Treatment was not pleasant but after beating it into submission(remission) and an autologous transplant we have had 21+years cancer free. She was one of the first to try a peripheral stem cell transplant at UVA.....it did not work... But her marrow was harvested as a backup which worked.

Keeping a positive and happy outlook was sooooo important to my wife...we watched comedies on tv, rented movies, and since she is a biologist ....... Questioned everything being done.(caught a few mistakes). She was actively involved in her treatment... Gave her focus.

As caregiver you need to be mindful of yourself......take time for yourself....as a Dr. I'm sure you understand this but actually doing it takes a concious effort. Having been there myself watching her for 68 days in the flow unit for the transplant I know you will need time for yourself. Katie had to throw me out to get me to go home to check on pets, take care of banking, etc., and just take a break from the hospital.

We wish you both the best.


Greg and Katie

[wyliec]

Prayers to you both.

[DocRags]

I will be happy to give blood. Can you tell me and other folks, who might not know, here how to go about it so Ed will benefit?

You can probably donate in his (Edward Ragsdale) name at your local blood bank. Even if you aren't the right blood type, I think it gets credited towards his future needs. It's been awhile since I donated directly for a friend that was having surgery, so I don't remember all the specifics. I'm O neg, so I'm the universal donor. Ed won't need any blood right away, but hematologic toxicity is the most common problem with his anticipated chemo regimen.

Blood donations are always a good way to help out cancer patients, wherever you live. I saw something that said up to 650 units of blood components are needed daily at MD Anderson alone...asking folks to help meet the need for blood products seemed to be a good thing to do when I was posting an update on things. Thanks.

[DocRags]

More tests for Ed today...waiting for them to finish the CT scan so we can head home. His son has told me there are several Triple D spots (Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) within a few miles of here...we'll have to check that out for dinner/lunch. We'll have an early day tomorrow, with stuff scheduled around 7:30 on, culminating with the bone marrow biopsies, then we are hoping to get on the road to Lafayette. That will put us back home sometime Thursday afternoon, unless the schedule changes yet again. It's amazing how big this place is. We got to meet the parents of a fellow SpyderLover, who are in town for treatment here, too. (Hi, Ray and Cheryl!)

We changed hotels today since our reservations were only for 2 days and an extra day of testing was added to our schedule. At least this hotel has a shuttle so we won't have parking charges here. We'll be back here on the 13th to find out what treatment recommendations will be...at least that gives us about ten days to get in some Spyder riding! Hope everyone is having good Spyder riding weather, wherever you are.

[RAYYOU]

Glad to hear you got to meet my parents. We will keep in our prayers. Maybe next time y'all are down here we can get together.

Sincerely
Ray & Cheryl

[bruiser]

Prayers from here too. You wouldn't happen to have any relatives in Ponta Vedra Beach would you??

[DocRags]

Prayers from here too. You wouldn't happen to have any relatives in Ponta Vedra Beach would you??

No, we don't. I have brothers in Winter Park and Cocoa Beach, FL and a sister in Charlotte, NC. Mom is in The Villages and Ed's dad is in Marshfield, MO (near Springfield).

[DocRags]

While Ed was getting his tests done today he received a voicemail from the oncologist moving his Aug 13th appt up to tomorrow at 3:30...we're thinking it's not good news for him to have done so since it means something is going on that he didn't want to wait 10 days on, but it is good news in that we will finally have a plan of action. I'm ready to start zapping those cancer cells with something! We have had our stay in Houston extended by two days now...had to go shopping to pick up a few things to wear (or locate a laundromat)...retail therapy seemed to be the ticket, especially since his day of testing finished up a few hours early. We weren't sure what would happen when we showed up for his bone marrow biopsy early, but they worked him in...and he didn't think it was as bad as he remembered the first one being. (My theory was the PA was a lot easier on the eyes than the doc at home! ) I honestly can't think of many tests they haven't managed to do during our stay here. We hope to get on the road tomorrow after his appointment. Hopefully we'll get some riding in at home before the chemo zaps his energy. Thanks, again, for your prayers.

[Squadcarman]

I will include you in my prayers.

[arntufun]

We are thinking of you up north, Give Ed our best and you will be missed next week at SITA. You are being a trooper as well Doc, don't think that goes unnoticed.

[bruiser]

No, we don't. I have brothers in Winter Park and Cocoa Beach, FL and a sister in Charlotte, NC. Mom is in The Villages and Ed's dad is in Marshfield, MO (near Springfield).

One of the guys in my company lives there, has the same last name. Just thought I'd ask.

[bruiser]

Know that prayers are sent up for you both. We can only pray for the best and leave it in the hands of the great Healer.

[rhansen309]

Our prayers are with you guys!!