Fin

Nov 042013
 

He’s done.

He’s outta there.

Rick has left the building.

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Today was the last day of both radiation and chemo treatments!  This is the day we have been waiting for since the beginning of June.  It seems that everything has gone in slow motion since then, almost like some f’d up acid trip (not that I would know what one is like).

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In honor of his graduation from Radiation Therapy, he was awarded this Certificate of Completion signed by all of this nurses and his Doctor.  I almost cried when I saw it.

When we started this journey we didn’t have any idea what to expect.  I have to give a huge shout-out to the people at Marshfield Clinic in Rice Lake for making a terrible situation bearable.  Those people bent over backwards to pull us through these last 7+ weeks.  When you can go through the crap that Rick has and still have a smile on your face… well, that’s saying something.

Last week had no unexpected things happening, probably because Rick followed Doctor’s orders and stayed at home and rested.  He was put on antibiotics on Tuesday because the Doctor wanted to play it safe when he heard that Rick had run low-grade fevers the previous weekend.

But other than that it was pretty quiet, mainly because Rick still can’t talk, but we’re told that over the next 2 weeks that should be changing, as well as his appetite.

He has 2 follow-up appointments over the next month with his Oncologists, but that is it until the 90-day mark when he will go in for another PET scan to see the results of these last couple months.

Today also marks the end of seeing my furry friends.

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This is Nala and she is a one-year-old Golden Retriever.  Rick was taking a nap but I certainly wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to get one last fix of puppy love.

And boy did she have oodles to give!

So it looks like your weekly updates of Rick’s Adventures in Oncology have come to an end, my friends.  Thank you for all the support, encouragement and love you have shown us, we will keep that with us forever.

  8 Responses to “Fin”

Comments (8)
  1. Woot woot!!!! The finish line, yay! So proud of you Dad, you did it! Love you so much! Now get better so you can start talking and eating again 🙂

  2. Hi Colie,

    Yep, talking and eating are tops on my recovery agenda! Hug the kids for me. Love you all!

    Grandpa

  3. Hi Rick & Sandy,
    Good to see what Sandy wrote above. You have been through a heap of treatments. I’ve never seen radiation and chemo being easy for anyone!
    When you can talk again, please let me know. I ‘d like to call you or you can call me at 651-592-3583.

    Jude & I are thinking or you and wishing you the very best!

    Uncle Dan

  4. Way to go Rick and Sandy. Very time consuming but it is done. Wishing you a quick recovery of your health and voice and things getting back to a little bit of normalcy.

    Prayers will continue for all of you.

    Barb and Dennis

  5. Hi Uncle Dan,

    Still on recovery mode here. They said it will be a couple weeks before things start to even begin to get back to normal. I will give you a call asap. But for now I am not holding my breath! 🙂

    Rick

  6. cour·age (kûrj, kr-)
    n.
    The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery.

    Rick and Sandy have demonstrated great courage in their battle with this disease. Way to go, guys! You done good.

  7. Hi Barb and Dennis,

    The healing power of prayer, is something I have been intimately familiar with since battling drugs and alcohol in the late1980’s. Never stop saying prayers for those sick and ill. It carries a healing power documented by the medical community. So once again thank you both so very much. Look foreword to visiting with you when this all gets over.

    Rick

  8. Hi Laurie,

    Perfect word to ponder through all this. I attribute all my courage to my wife. If left up to me I would have given up very early on. I remember my “why me” thinking, my anger,etc. Sandy is the one with the calm head and drive to fight this whole thing. She took the bull by the horns, I just followed, and I think because of her courage I will enjoy a few more years of life with her. For that I am thankful the creator of all things thought enough of me to allow me to share my time with her.

    Rick

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