A long week

Sept 27, 2024 

It has been a week. We were at the hospital 4 days this week and it isn’t even a chemo week. 

Yesterday when Ben woke up he didn’t feel any of the relief we were expecting after the fluid was drained from his lung and his breathing was still very labored. After monitoring him through yesterday we got another appointment this morning with the care team. 

We were able to talk more about pain management and get some new prescriptions for meds (more morphine) that should help over the next few weeks. It does appear that there is more fluid in the lung so he will be scheduled for another thoracentesis early next week. This will help some of the pressure in his abdomen. 

The thing that will help the pressure in his chest and breathing the most will be the targeted radiation of his lung that I mentioned last week. There is one mass that is closing one of the airways to his lungs so he is operating at a much smaller capacity. His oxygen levels are not low enough right now to get oxygen at the house but they are hopeful that the radiation will help the most. The benefits of radiation don't show up for about 2 weeks after the treatment and his first one is scheduled for later next week. 

They also referred us to Palliative Care to help manage some of the pain and discomfort that he is and will continue to experience. 

Next week will be full with all these appointments including a round of chemo. It is heartbreaking to watch a new level of “normal” for Ben. It is the absolute opposite of what is normal for him. Please pray for his pain and discomfort as he endures these procedures and treatments next week.