Today's medical visits and 1 no treatment

Julie,

I am praying that they find some solutions to these other issues...Cancer is bad enough...

Keep the Faith.
Karen

Patricia, The NP did not think the edema was connected to the Revlimid however I wouldn't rule it out just yet myself. He already had preexisting edema for years. He is on a low dose 5mg every other day. All medical personnel who see him want him checked for congestive heart failure. So far there hasn't been any other signs but that could always change. Julie

This is my first post I have been reading due to my Father in-laws illness.
I just wanted to tell you I hope you get to go to your reunion.
All the best to you and your husband.
Regina

So sorry Julie...not a complication either of you need.. Revlimid can cause peripheral edema ...in about 21% of patients it was reported...maybe a dosage adjustment?
Pat

This may contain more medical information that you don't want to know as Dick's health concerns are a lot more than bladder cancer. 

Dick had a simulation May 23 and radiation oncology said it would take 10 days to put together the plan.  I phoned first thing this morning to obtain the plan.  When she looked at the plan it did not appear complete. I explained that Dick was anxious and so was I.  Finally we were told the Doctor had to review the plan and some other person had to sign off on it so they would phone when that was complete.  Now we are still anxious and more than a little upset that they are taking longer than the 10 days they stipulated. It is now 4 weeks since we learned the results of the CT scan.  These delays add up and who knows how much the cancer is growing in the meantime.  The pain keeps increasing also. 

Dick is also having a terrible time with edema. It has gone beyond his legs and now his hands and arms are swollen and he has trouble getting in and out of the car because it is hard to bend his legs and increased shortness of breath.  I have been phoning Doctors and leaving messages for 3 weeks.  This morning the pulmonologist's office phoned to ask if he could come in at 2.  The answer was no as he had an appointment at the Cancer Center at 1:30. The best I could do was phone when he was finished at the Cancer Center  and get worked in. 

Dick's hemoglobin is holding steady at 8.7. His white count is better than last week and so are the platelets so he will continue on the Revlimid for the bone marrow disorder.  We should know in another 2 months if it is working. We finally finished at the Cancer Center by 3.
We are grateful that the pulmonologist was able to see him.  The communication problem was the nurse on duty was a temp just puts notes in her mail box that she doesn't see.  She was out of town the first time we phoned and she didn't get the note from when I phoned last Monday until this morning.  We now have her email address.  She will be following up on his lungs and heart as the edema could be indicative of congestive heart failure.  So he had more blood drawn, a chest x-ray and will have an echocardiogram Friday.  Also his blood oxygen levels are under 90 and he passed the test for Medicare to be put on Oxygen.  Not what he wanted to hear.

I forgot to say the day got off to a rocky start as his blood glucose level was down to 54.  He was practically comatose when I was trying to get him going. It's a good thing I can recognize the signs as I got him some glucose tabs right away.  After 6 tablets and 15 minutes he perked up and was ready to roll. 

I hope the Revlimid works because if he can have a normal hemoglobin level he won't have to go to the hematologist office every week. He can be more active and do some of the activities he used to do like photography and birding.  And I might be able to make it to my 50th High School Graduation gathering,

Julie :-\