Ray Harrison.org

July 26, 2008

Dear Friends,

My name is Dan Harrison, oldest son of Ray and Arlene. I'm sure I know many of you, although we may not have seen one another or communicated for many years. I am writing this blog entry on behalf of my dad to update you on several recent events.

I would first like to extend my deep gratitude and appreciation for the flood of prayers, telephone calls, cards, emails and other kind expressions of your love and support. This has been a time of deep uncertainty and anxiety for us all, and it has been a true gift from God to witness the beautiful support and outpouring of love that my parents have received.

As many of you may know, Dad had an appointment with his oncology specialist, Dr. Abonour, in Indianapolis on Thursday. The reports were as positive and encouraging as they could be, given the circumstances. Dr. Abonour was pleased with Dad's blood levels and explained that the Myeloma has responded extremely well to the Chemotherapy.

As a result, we have been able to move onto the next chapter of this ordeal, and have begun to confirm plans for the Stem Cell Transplant. As someone who had never before heard of Multiple Myeloma just two short months ago, I have become a bit of an expert during the past few weeks! I will briefly summarize the schedule as we know it to be at this time.

Friday, August 1 - Dad has an appointment in Indy to prepare for the transplant. On that day he will receive an Echocardiogram, lab work, a pulmonary functions test, a chest X-ray and an EKG.
Tuesday, August 5 - we return to Indy for an "orientation" session at University Hospital. At that time we will consider the many logistical details this procedure will render, and hopefully gain a better understanding of the different experiences that lie ahead.
Friday, August 8 - Dad begins to receive injections (in Ft. Wayne) that will stimulate the growth and accelerated distribution of his own naturally occurring stem cells. This phase will last between 1 and 4 days depending on his response to the injections.
Tuesday, August 12 - Dad will begin a procedure (in Indy) lasting between 1 and 3 days. During this time his own stem cells will be "harvested" and set aside for the transplant. This procedure will last between 4 and 5 hours each day; the doctors will let us know the success upon completion of each attempt. We pray that the doctors will collect everything they need during the first session!
Tuesday, August 19 - Dad will check into the hospital in Indy to begin what could be a 3 week experience. On the first day Dad will receive an "aggressive" dose of Chemotherapy which is designed to kill as many of the Myeloma cells as possible.
Wednesday, August 20 - Dad's own stem cells that were previously harvested will be returned into his blood stream.
August 26 - September 9 - Dad will remain under close supervision in the hospital so his treatment and overall health can be carefully monitored. We have been told that during the second week (on or around August 26) he may experience a number of painful and debilitating side effects and/or infections. These complications will be treated as they arise, and we are hopeful that he will return home to Ft. Wayne by September 10 or before.

The past 24 hours have been particularly difficult for Dad. He has been especially fatigued and has battled nausea, diarrhea and dizziness. Last night around 7:30 p.m. my mother and I took him to the ER at Parkview North because we feared he had become dehydrated. We also discovered that Dad had fallen twice: once during the night/early Friday morning and a second time Friday afternoon during a brief interval that Mom and I had left the house to run a few errands. He had not told us because he did not want to worry us!

X-rays at the ER confirmed that he had fractured his 6th and 7th rib (we think during his first fall). After 3 full bags of Saline, his condition stabilized and we were able to return home around 1 a.m.

Today Dad reports to be feeling a little better. He was able to leave his bed and to sit up for brief periods. Most importantly, he has been able to eat very small amounts of food and has been able to tolerate fluids. We pray that his condition strengthens over the next few days as we approach the busy schedule of events that lie ahead.

Thanks again for all of your prayers and support. Both Mom and Dad have expressed a deep appreciation for all of our many friends and loved ones from all over the world.

We'll keep you posted!
Dan Harrison

This is just a short update to fill you in on what has been happening the last few days.  This afternoon I had the 8th and last treatment in this series of treatments.  We are scheduled to go down to the Indiana University Medical Center on Thursday to see the head of the Multiple Myeloma department who is directing my treaments. 

We are really hoping that I have responded well to the treaments and that he will be satisfied with the progress I have made.  We are anxious to move on to the next treatment phase, which would be a stem cell transplant in Indianapolis.  If I have not made sufficient progress, then he will probably want  to put me back on chemo here in Fort Wayne for another 4 or 8 treaments.

I had a pretty good weekend altogether.  We were able to spend some time with friends on Saturday, and on Sunday I was able to atttend church and preach in the evening service.  Today was a different matter.  I had had a good night's rest last night, but then slept for an hour and a half after breakfast.  I had another nap after lunch and then my third nap of the day after supper.  I will be glad when the Velcade gets out of my system and I am back to feeling normal again.

I am still having problems with itching on my chest and back, though it is not quite as severe as it was previously.  If it gets worse after this last treatment, it may indicate that I am allergic to the chemo.

 As I mentioned before, our oldest son, Dan, is flying home on Wednesday, and he will be driving us down to Indianapolis on Thursday morning.  It will be great to have him home for a few days - to benefit from his practical help around the house and just to feel the encourgement of his presence with us.

Please pray that our meeting with the doctor on Thursday will have some encouragment for us.

 Ray

I am happy to report that I am drawing close to the end of my second set of treatments.  I had treatment number seven yestereday morning, and the eighth treatment will be on Monday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.  (You may remember that the treatments have been spaced out in two sets of four, with a ten-day break in tweeen the two sets.)

 For the last two three or four days, Tuesday through Friday, I have not been feeling very well.  I have had several bouts of nausea and have felt very tired.  I found that taking frequent naps helped.  In addition I have develop an irritating itch.  It started about a week ago and, to begin with, was localized round my midriff section.  But now for the last two days it has spread up my torso, both front and back, as far as my neck and shoulders.

 I talked with the doctor about it yesterday, and he didn't seem to reocognize it as a typical reaction to the chemo.  I am hoping that it is a not a reaction to the chemo, but rather a reaction to one of the secondary drugs I am taking.  In fact, the doctor changed the anit-nausea medication for me, in the hope that it might take care of the problem.  I have already started this new medication, and this morning, Saturday, I am feeling some better and more like my usual self.    Actually, I started to feel quite a bit better last evening.  If you were praying for me then, thank you!  It is good to have effective medicine, but it is also good to have the prayers of God's people on your side.

One thing I have discovered about chemotherapy is that it is very much like a roller-coaster, with lots of ups and downs until you fianlly reach the  exit and get off.  Until then, keep on praying for the chemo to be effective, pray too that the itching will be taken care of, and finally pray for clear direction and guidance for the next step in my treatment.

 Ray

First of all, I feel I need to apologive to all our friends out there who have been checking on my blog and have found no new entries for a very long time.  I had a new blog all written on Saturday and was doing some final editing and making a few corrections, when I lost it somewhere in cyberspace.  I didn't have time to redo it, and so I will try to recover the lost ground now.

 My last chemo treatment in the first set of four was on Friday, June 30, and then I had a ten-day break from treatments.  For the first 3 or 4 days after the treatments stopped, I felt nauseated and quite fatigued, but then, as the days passed, I began to feel better.  In fact, by the end of the ten days, I felt better than I have felt since before Christmas.  The pain in my back had diminished sigificantly, and I was even able to laugh at my own jokes.  I consider that as a sign that I was returning to normality - other people might have a quite different opinion on the matter!

By the time I was feeeling really good again, it was time to begin the second set of treatments.  I had the first of these on Friday morning, July 11.  Before the treatment I had blood drawn and then had a meeeting with Sue, the Physician's Assistant for Dr. Adhami, my oncologist.  She was very pleased with my blood levels and the lack of any really severe reactions to the chemo, and proceeded with the treatment.  On Friday afternoon, Arlene and I drove up to Shipshewana, about an hour and a half drive north of Fort Wayne.  We ate at the Blue Gate Restaurant/Theater and attended a concert of Southern Gospel/Blue Grass music afterwards.  It was part of our wedding anniversary, celebrating 43 years of marriage.  We had a great time and I felt well enough to enjoy the entire trip.  We arrived home on Saturday afternoon, and I felt well enough to preach in our service on Sunday evening.

 I had the second treatment in the second set yesterday, Monday July 14.  Since then I have begun to feel the side effects of the chemo - some nausea and general tiredness - but I am still able to keep up with my regular church work of visiting and leading our Midweek Service.

 My next two treatments in this set are scheduled for Friday, July 18, and Monday, July 21.  Our oldest son, Dan, is flying in from Boston on Wednesday, July 23, to spend about a week with us.  He will be with us when we make our trip to the Indiana University Medical Center to see our head oncologst there on Thursday, July 24.

 We are looking forward to having him home for a few days.  He has promised to take care of a few more jobs around the house.

 Thanks again for your continued interest inspite of my delays in posting blogs.  We are very encouraged to hear that you do visit the blog and that you keep us in your prayers.

Ray

I have now made it through my fourth treatment!  I had it at the Cancer Center yesterday, Monday, June 30.  Arlene and I were there at 10:30 a.m. to have preliminary blood work done, and then we met with, Sue, the Physician's Assistant for Dr. Adhami, who is our main onclogist here in Fort Wayne.  Sue told me that my hemoglobon level was up, and that was a very good sign.  She was also pleased that my bouts with nausea had not been too severe, and they were able to control this side effect to the chemo with medication. As far as my treatments are concerned, I wll now have ten days off from them.  I will resume them on Friday, July 11, and have a block of four more treaments at that time.  I already have an appointment scheduled with my oncologist in the Indianapolis Medical Center for Thursday, July 24, at the end of that set of four treatments. 

After our meeting with Sue, we discovered that there was a long wait for chemo, and so the nurses advised us to go home, have some lunch, and return in the afternoon.  We did that, and had the treatment at about 2:30 p.m.  Fortunately, my type of treatment doesn't take very long, compared with some others whose treatments last 4-6 hours, and so they were able to work me in.   I was up quite a few times during the night, going to the bathrooom about every 1-2 hours.  I have discovered that this tends to happen whenever I have a treatment.  I have had quite a bit of back pain again today, and some nausea after breakfast, but I seem to be coming out of it right now.

We have a beautiful, warm sunny day here in Fort Wayne, and so I want to make the most of it.  Arlene and I are a part of the Senior Saints Choir from our church, and we are giving a concert at 1:00 p.m. at a community center for developmentally disabled people.  I  am planning to be there for the concert.

Thank you again for your prayers, words of encouragement, and practical support.  They mean so much to Arlene and me at a time like this!

Ray