Duckie started treatment

Duckie started his month-long immunotherapy treatments on Monday for his melanoma.  He said Monday evening that it went OK and he was feeling OK but was going to nap before his anti-nausea meds wore off.  Tuesday and Wednesday were worse than Monday.  Headaches so bad he couldn't work, couldn't sleep, whenever he'd start to feel better the minute he got up he'd feel bad again.  The Dr. just increased his pain meds today and said that the headaches should be better next week.  Praying so!

Apparently even though this immunotherapy is not chemo it will have many of the same side effects as chemo does.  Nausea, hair loss, tiredness, etc.  I saw him last weekend - our cousin got married so Walleye and I stopped by his house that morning to spend some time with him without our millions of relatives around - and he was pretty positive, upbeat and ready to get on to this stage in the game.  He said they will for sure do two weeks, then evaluate and decide if he needs another two weeks before starting him on the year of thrice weekly shots.  He also said that there are a few over-the-road truckers who are on the shots and they are still trucking so he is hopeful that mean the side effects aren't that horrendous. 

He texted me a picture of his new do - he cut it so losing it due to treatment wouldn't be as bad.  It's so strange as I haven't seen him with short hair in I can't even remember when. I wonder if the treatment will affect his beard?  I can't imagine seeing him with short hair and NO beard!

My MIL seems to be improving some.  Last we were out to see her, her voice was stronger and she could talk longer without getting tired.  I don't believe she is on oxygen at all anymore.  Her color was looking good.  Her personality seems to have changed though, and not in a good way.  She is extremely whiny (which is so unlike her) and she harps on my FIL way worse than ever and she seems "out of it" more often.  I am holding out hope that this just is her getting acclimated to her meds but it's been numerous weeks so I am not so sure.  But all in all she seems to be doing much better.

My Mom is back on prednisone, which is a bummer, especially since it means she is back to insulin shots 3 times a day. She told my sister the prednisone will most likely be long term.  I feel so bad for her because she bloats up so much from the prednisone - she barely looks like herself.  But if it means she will have a better quality of life, able to do more and get back to "her" normal then it's worth it. She has been going to PT twice a week for the past 4 weeks and has 4 more to go.  I think two weeks ago she was able to get herself and her oxygen in the car and driver herself to town no problem.  She seems to like the PT and is doing rather well at it, so that's good! 

We had a flash a good news over the 4th of July weekend - which lasted about as long as a fireworks show....rumor had it my BIL broke up with his free-loading GF and she and her brood moved out.  But unfortunately my MIL was wrong and they just had a fight and she never did move out.  I was seriously super bummed when I heard it wasn't true.  I mean REALLY bummed.  The only bright spot is those kids will continue to have some stability, religion and positive influence on their lives as long as they liver with my BIL.  I have been praying a lot for God to help me learn how to accept her and get past my almost hatred for her (yes hatred might be a tiny bit too strong of a word but I had to admit it, hatred is mighty close to what I feel towards her, along with resentment, jealousy, and disgust.  See I need to be praying about this - that is not a very Christian to feel that way!!!).