Lyrica not working for PN

Doug is tapering off the Lyrica - it has not helped with the neuropathy in his feet. We gave it a try, but we think it would have had some effect by now, so we consulted with the oncologist and he said to be sure to taper off it, not stop suddenly. Lyrica is not on the formulary for Doug's Plan D pharmacy, so our co-pay was several hundred dollars. Oh well, it was worth a try.

Doug is still having trouble sleeping at night. He says his feet ache so much, not just numbness. During the day he is able to tolerate the aching. He has been taking Vicodin at night the last two weeks to relieve the pain. At first he said it was helping, now not so much. Lorezapam used to keep him sleeping; now he is up to 2 mg and often wakes and takes more, but nothing really works well. The medical marijuana hasn't been a success either. He does nap a lot during the day, so he is getting sleep. I'm thankful for that.
I have noticed the last few days that Doug is starting to shuffle his feet when walking. He wasn't aware of that. Since I pointed that out to him, he is making an effort to pick up his feet.

We are having neighbors over for lunch tomorrow. We have wonderful friends and neighbors who are helpful. They show up to shovel our driveway when it snows, among other things. So we are looking forward to enjoying their company for lunch.

As this cancer fight wages slowly on, it would be easy to become discouraged. But when we stop to count our blessings, we realize how very much we are blessed. Our church is awesome, a place where people are the hands and feet of Jesus. Church is not a building, it is US.
Our faith upholds us; we know this world is NOT all there is. Because we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are assured of a place in heaven. In the midst of trouble, we can have His perfect Peace.

Love to all.

"Life is a gift, albeit unassembled. It comes in pieces, and sometimes it falls to pieces. Part A doesn't always fit with part B. The struggle is too great for the strength. Inevitably, something seems to be missing. The pieces of life don't fit. When they don't, take your problem to Jesus."    Max Lucado

Feeling Better

Doug is feeling better the last few days. He has his appetite back and is gaining some weight. He still tires easily but has more energy than the last few weeks. We have gone out to lunch and to church together, and have visited with friends, which is reason to celebrate. He still has the PN, especially in the right foot. He is now taking Lyrica to combat the PN. Too soon to know how effective it will be. At least the PN is milder than some have it. No shooting pains, but numbness in feet. Sleep is still a problem, but he is napping less during the day, so we hope for better sleep soon.

The myeloma panel that was done on January 30 shows rising light chains, probably due to being off velcade, but the light chains are still in the normal range, so that's great.

Today we went to Salida for Doug's eye exam, to get things in order so he can have cataract surgery. The ophthalmologist says Doug's glaucoma is worse, so he wants Doug to see a glaucoma specialist before the surgery. The plan is to insert some kind of shunt at the same time as the cataract surgery. Both the ophthalmologist and the glaucoma specialist travel from Pueblo once a month. We are very glad we don't have to travel to Denver for that!

We seem to spend a lot of time going to doctor appointments. So do lots of people as we all age and many have various ailments and diseases. We are thankful for good medical care and the ability to get where we need to go.

Love to all.

"May the Lord bring you into an ever deeper understanding of the love of God and the endurance that comes from Christ." 2 Thessalonians 3:5