Ron Graham Update
We spent the afternoon attempting to move the Airstream into the backyard through the wonderful new double, swinging gates that Morgan built. The opening is 16 ft. wide but the turn off the alley is too sharp. The trailer is back on the cement pad behind the garage. Oh well, we can always store it. Ron was a big help, sitting in the backyard and yelling instructions. He is feeling better today, less nausea, hiccups are gone.
Oh, one more thing - we didn't go to the brain tumour support group yesterday because...it's next week. D'oh. -- Jodine
Ron's newspaper has put up a
home page where his columns will be archived.
Ron's nausea has abated somewhat. Ron currently takes a lot of pills. He's off the steroid, which reduces brain swelling (decadron) but he still takes dilantin to prevent siezures. So far he hasn't had any major siezures but he sometimes has what is known as a focal siezure - he smells phantom smells. He also takes his usual heart and diabetes drugs (although his blood sugar levels have been well under control - probably because he lost 60 lbs!), and a number of supplements - Salmon Oil (Omega 3), Ester C, Vitamin E (doc recommended 1600 mg!) Selenium, Folic Acid, Bromelain, Milk Thistle, Green Tea Extract, CLA, and more.
Last night Ron went for a short ride on an adult trike - like a bike but with two wheels at the back for stability. (And a large basket - Jenny enjoyed taking Angus for a ride up and down the sidewalk). Ron says it was hard because he was expecting it to ride just like a bike, but the balance is totally different - he couldn't get used to the fact that he didn't have to use his body to keep it upright. I'll figure out how to post digital pictures to this blog and then I'll put some up. The weather is beautiful right now, sunny and not too hot, and we have the perfect neighbourhood for walks for for biking.
Ron had a restless night, tossing, turning, feeling nauseous. His last decadron pills were on the weekend and he had hiccups on Saturday, a few on Sunday, increased nausea on Sunday and Monday. I wonder if it's from the end of the decadron as his body learns to make its own steroid again? His doc doesn't seem concerned, though. Ron needs to be off the decadron because it is a powerful immune system supressor, and the vaccine therapy won't be effective if his immune system isn't working right. It also contributes to his muscle wasting.
Today the Cross is hosting a brain tumour support group, and we are going.
Oops, Ron's regular Monday column has already overwritten the first of his healthcare series. A
temporary link to the healthcare column is in place and the Sun's working on setting up a proper web page to archive Ron's columns.
Ron, Jodine and Tom had a healthy breakfast this morning at Santo's, the Italian-family-run cafe up on 118 Avenue and 65 Street. Rons' next MRI (his post-surgery diagnostic MRI) is scheduled for June 30th. - Jodine
Ron's still recovering from his 2nd resection (end of May) and shunt surgery (June 4). He's just finished a five-day stint with temozolomide, a chemo agent taken by mouth. He's on a 28-day schedule - five days of the drug, then 23 days off. Ron has just finished writing the first four of a series of columns on Edmonton's health care system. Here's a link to the first in the series:
Family is important to patients.
