Out of the Hospital... Yay!

Ryan - one year ago - at Stonehenge!

The thing about chemotherapy is that it’s actually a form of poison.  While it works hard to fight Ryan’s Hodgkins Lymphoma, it also attacks the healthy parts of his body.  That includes his white blood cells.  His count usually goes way down for about 5 days during the third week of each chemo cycle.  When this happens, he can’t fight infections.

Ryan went to school for an hour last Monday morning, when I got a call from the nurse that he was in a lot of pain.  I immediately picked him up.  At home, he started showing signs of fever, became lethargic and pale, then hot to the touch, and the pain in his stomach, muscles, bones, and joints was at an all time high.  This happened in a matter of three hours.

Luckily, Ryan’s medical team is always available, and they are incredibly responsive.  They told us to get to the hospital.  By 3:30 Monday afternoon, Ryan was hooked up to a continuous drip of antibiotics and pain killers.  They tested for every type of infection, including the flu, and everything came back negative.  By midnight, Ryan was feeling so much better!  His temperature returned to normal, morphine kept the pain at bay, and his spirits had improved, as well.

As a precaution, Ryan stayed at Institut Curie for 3 nights.  He finally came home on Thursday afternoon, and felt much more like his old self.  He was healthy enough to receive his chemo treatment on Wednesday, which was very good, and he doesn’t have another IV drip scheduled for a week, on Monday, April 25.

Ryan received a few visitors while he was in the hospital, but mostly he relaxed and recovered in his room, where we watched a lot of movies, and he completed some homework too.  We managed to laugh a lot, mostly at the expense of the other patients and hospital staff, but hopefully they didn’t realize we “profiled” them for 4 days.  French people in a chemo ward = that’s a serious petri dish of human psychology observations!

For the past few days, Ryan and I have been chilling at home.  He was so glad to be back in his own apartment, sleeping in his own bed, doing and enjoying all the things that are familiar to him.  We went for a few short walks to enjoy the sunshine, and we read books on a park bench.  The fresh air and the long days have been glorious.  Today, the sun was out ALL DAY, and we met "Buddy" for a walk in the Bois de Boulogne.  That was truly a highlight!

Come on, who doesn't love baguettes??

We expect this week coming up to be a good one.  Based on the pattern over the past few months, we hope Ryan may even make it to school for a couple of days.  His next cycle of chemo consists of less IV drips and some gentler medications, and while we realize chemo is cumulative, we hope that some of these painful side effects will be relieved a bit.

The important thing is, Ryan is doing a lot better!  Thanks to all of you who kept him in your thoughts and prayers last week.

The leaves have popped on the square trees in the Jardin du Luxembourg! (near Institut Curie)

Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris

Hodgkins, Here’s Your Eviction Notice

Last Tuesday morning, Ryan’s doctor reported to us the results of his PET scan and CT scan, and it was great news!  He has seen a reduction of active lymphoma by 66%.  Signs of disease in his spleen and his pelvis have disappeared, and while there is still active lymphoma in his chest, they have a plan to treat that.

Equally as important, we had the most outstanding guests here in Paris with us last week - Ryan’s brother Blaise stayed for 8 days, and my brother Dan (Uncle Dan) and his wife Kait (Aunt Kait) overlapped their visit with Blaise’s during the Easter weekend.  We had the BEST TIME.  I’d love to describe all the fun things we did, but in the interest of space, let’s summarize by saying that Blaise and I ascended the Eiffel Tower TWICE, making it my 8th time and Blaise’s 6th.  That’s a little ridiculous, we realize.  But come on, it’s The Eiffel.  Anyway, pictures say it all, so here you go.

Blaise, Bunnies, and The Eiffel - Can you take a better Selfie than that??

Braille's Grave, in Braille

Brothers in Paris

Ryan, Dan, and Blaise in Montmartre, Paris 18eme

Kait and Dan at Miznon in the Marais

Belgium Colors on The Eiffel Tower

Marie Curie's Grave at The Pantheon, Paris

Ryan, Me, and Blaise at Notre Dame, Good Friday, Paris 2016

Miznon Paris, because it's darn delicious Jewish food. and it's Easter.

Blaise and The Eiffel

Blaise and Ryan on the Rue Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter, Paris

Ryan, Dan and Me at the Louvre, Paris 2016

Today, Ryan started his second week of his 3rd cycle of chemo.  His CT and PET scans are already scheduled for May, after his 4th chemo cycle concludes, and those results will tell us where we are and what’s to come.  We expect we’ll officially hand cancer its eviction notice at that point:  "Au revoir, Hodgkins, you have 2 more months to find new accommodations and vacate the premises."

As always, thanks to our friends (and that includes people we barely know at all), who have been so generous with their time, for stepping up to do SO MANY HELPFUL THINGS.  Your support is truly appreciated, and it does make a difference!

Special Delivery Kudos for this week go to The Bestie (who has a name, by the way, and it’s Gina) and her family, who sent Rocky souvenirs from 9th Street, including the one and only magnet that I would EVER put on my refrigerator.  Also Special Delivery Kudos this week to The Bestie’s friend Cathy, a breast cancer survivor who lovingly knitted a black beanie cap for Ryan exactly like the one Rocky wore in his movies.  Thank you so much, both of you, and everyone, for your love and support!

And PS - Woooooooo Hoooooooooo Villanova!!!!!! :)