Some Good, Some Bad

My mom's younger brother Tom played baseball for the University of Wyoming in college.  I got to go with her and my grandparents on a month long road trip with the team when I was five.  They let me be their bat boy.  This pic was taken March 16, 1979 at UCSD.  Wyoming won.  The posts below are from March 1981 and a much different time.

As spring of 1981 arrived progress was being made in two areas.  The radiation and chemotherapy was attacking and having a positive impact against the cancer (as you will read in my mom's journal entries from this post) and my side effects from the radiation and chemotherapy were getting worse.  During the radiation and chemo combo, I felt the weakest most tired of the two year battle.  The nausea was getting severe and became very frequent.  It was common for me to throw up 10-20 times per day.  As I began to vomit gastric juices, I added a steady diet of cherry kool-aid.  I was going to puke a couple times per hour and kool-aid is a lot better coming back up than acid.

This was taken on the trip at the Fresno St. Tourney.  I wore the Asst. Manager sweatshirt as much as possible, but a sweatshirt in SoCal?! Yeah it began to go to my head and I quickly wanted a promotion from bat boy to team management.

3/23 - Phenergan 0820, 1530, macrodantin x 2, WBC 1.9, Neutrophils 74, HCT 32.4, HgB 10.8, RBC 4.18, Proctofoam, B&O 1/2 @ 2000.  C/O stomach pain -very miserable, drank 1,600 cc milk; output 900.  Radiation to pelvis, rectal exam no tumor felt in prostate per Dr. Kelker.  

3/24- Better day, ate better - whole grapefruit 1/2 B&O supp., proctofoam, macrodantin

3/25 - more AM vomiting, C/O stomach ache.  tired, poor appetite, macrodantin, B&O 1/2 1830, proctofoam.  Large emesis PM.  Fussy day at home, went to rectory to see Fr. Kevin and given crucifix to wear.  

3/26 - no school, slept until 0830. urine through penis, phenergan 0845, 1/2 B&O 0200, no macrodantin, proctofoam, very poor appetite.

3/27 - good day at school, 1/2 B&O @ 2150, proctofoam, no macrodantin.

3/28 - vitamin, nap 3.5 hrs., headache, B&O 1/2 & 1/2 phenergan, proctofoam, 1/2 B&O 2245

3/29 - vitamin, played some baseball, appetite better today, B&O 1/2 @ 1400 and 2015, proctofoam, no macrodantin.

3/30 - WT 50 1/4 lb.  B&O 0845,  Dr. Kelker checked reflexes, had Eddie walk on his heels.  Todd took Eddie to clinic.  Large emesis at radiation clinic.  ate breakfast, good lunch, painful urination.  WBC 1.6, neutrophils 68%, HgB 9.5.  Another large emesis @ 2000, proctofoam, B&O @ 1745, 1/2 phenergan 2030.  

3/31 - phenergan 0800 & 1410, B&O @ 1800.  C/O bottom hurting and itching (skin is burning) increased pain when supp. inserted. 180 rads to pelvis per day.  140 rads to lungs finished up.  1/2 day of school.  nap 1230 - 1400, more sediment in urine.  
-This next entry is the real beginning of my mom heading down the war path on my behalf...

Called Dr. Martin regarding poor communication between Deigert and Kelker in regards to Eddie's lab work.  Deigert has never checked Eddie's blood work nor asked about it.  Dr. Martin said we can't get crippled children services funds.  

Even though the language in the journal is tame, she's pissed, and it only got worse for the docs who didn't stay on top of their game...