Hello, friends... long time no update, huh? Betcha thought things were going good, right? Well... technically I guess they are okay, but it hasnt been without its challenges. A lot has been going on these last several weeks and until some final decisions were made, we didnt want to say much publicly. By now, most of those we see and interact with on a regular basis know... so its time to bring everyone up to speed. Rewinding about 6 weeks... Eric started declining. As the weeks went by and he started working more, his decline accelerated and we got worried. As in, super worried. His fatigue was taking over and the pain from his neuropathy had gotten almost unbearable. From a transplant perspective hes doing well and routine checks are showing he is still in remission. By all accounts, hes still winning the cancer battle - but our new battle is to restore the things chemo destroyed and get Eric back to a quality of life that the rest of us enjoy. Many patients get better over time - and we are hopeful that will be the case with Eric, but as of now, the nerve damage he sustained through treatment, has left us with limited options. By firm recommendation of his medical team and with the full (and AMAZING) support of Mars, Eric will be going on Long Term Disability in order to focus on total physical rehab. Our first phase has been getting his pain under control which has been a very slow process. Hes on several new meds + a new vitamin regimen and although we havent found the perfect combination yet, we know we are on the right track. Good news is, within the last week, hes been able to get back out and take his afternoon walks which is more of a victory than you can imagine. In the coming weeks, we have several visits lined up in NYC with Sloan to determine his exact rehab plan - which will entail intense physical therapy, occupational therapy and continued pain management. The numbness that was once centralized to just his hands and feet ended up progressing up his legs and in his hips - making even the most regular tasks (like going up stairs or sitting to eat a meal) a heart breaking challenge. Per doctors orders, his schedule at work has already been cut dramatically and hell just be working from home for a few hours a day for the next few weeks to transition his responsibility to others. We dont know how long his rehab will take... we are hoping by the first of the year well be seeing signs of a new, more energetic Eric. One who has energy, feels good and has felt a little bit of zest return. In the mean time, we are grateful for Mars and how well theyve taken care of us. We are grateful that all these years we have made it a priority to save for a rainy day such as this. Not by any coincidence, the design business I started 4 years ago is thriving and begging for full time attention - so the transition for me to work full time will be a very natural one. I told Eric we beat the cancer twice; now we just have to beat the treatment - and get him to back to a life of stamina, strength and energy. We are both disappointed with our new detour, but know its for the best and feel relief that we have a plan in place to get Eric to a real, long-term recovery. After all, isnt that why he fought in the first place... to live? I dont know how often Ill be updating here - itll be a long and slow process, but Ill definitely post once in a while so he can see all of your faces cheering him on once again! Much love to you all...
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 22:18:37 +0000