Yesterday was dad's MRI and neuro-oncology appointment. The quick and dirty analysis is that there is no change....and that's good news. The enhanced area on the MRI still looks the same, now whether that's tumor that's remaining stable and not growing due to the success of the chemo, or if it's something else like scar tissue, is still debatable. But for now, it's best to let sleeping dogs lie. He's tolerating the chemo well, they can afford it, and he seems to be well, then that will continue to be the protocol. The Dr. also agreed that his better balance and alertness lately can be attributed to the change in seizure meds back to Dilatin. (So that turned out to be a pretty good suggestion, Dr. Darcy!) He left the Dr.'s office feeling very strong and confident.
Then....
The Bad:
Dad had a pretty nasty fall this morning....alone....outside....walking the dog. "What the &#$#! was he doing walking the dog alone?" you say? That's another conversation. I'm ashamed to say he's fallen several times now outside alone and been "rescued" by neighbors. He gets a bug in him and feels like he's strong enough to go out alone... and he seems to feel this way when he's home alone, which are only brief moments between mom leaving and the caregiver arriving. This time there was a pretty bad blow to the head and lots of blood involved, and it was witnessed by the neighborhood security guard who called 911. The paramedics felt that there was "possible head trauma" so they made the call to transport him ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN to Baylor Medical Center... instead of our new community hospital 3 miles from their house. When we finally got there, he was still immobilized and a little bloody, but no fractures. Amazing. His left hand is pretty badly swollen and bruised, he's got scrapes and cuts all over his face and hands, and his head and shoulders are painful; he may only have a slight concussion but no further injuries. This feels like a narrow escape.
(Obviously if was a while before we were notified of what happened [mom was in a job interview] so by the time we got there they had already done a CT, without talking to us first and getting his full history [I know, it's kind of physically obvious... head scar and all...]. I imagined the radiologist looking at the CT and thinking, "Oh my god! He's got a gaping hole in is head! Call the neuro team stat!")
The Bloody:
Notice the white garb. The EMS cut ALL of his clothes off of him - coat, socks and all. The only thing left intact was his hat. So they sent him home in this jumpsuit, that looks like a paper Hazmat suit. He's saving it.... because Dad DOESN'T GET RID OF ANYTHING!
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