Aug 18 9:00 AM PST 

Aug 18 9:00 AM PST

Good morning, everyone.

Good news - we finally sprung the Rickster from the hospital last night. There have been so many activities taking place everyday that keeping track of all of them is more than my feeble little brain can manage!

Rick was awake and alert for most of the day yesterday. Sharon and I took him downstairs for lunch. Rick's brothers - Larry and Curt - joined us. The three brothers were ragaling us with stories about growing up together.

Rick's chemo was scheduled for the outpatient clinic because everyone thought he would be home from the hospital before yesterday. There was some confusion about how the chemo was to take place, but we finally got the treatment done on the ward.

Rick's doctor was in earlier and gave us probably the most complete assessment we've been able to get to date. One of the main problems has been Rick's sodium levels. A byproduct of the cancer attacks the sodium in the body's fluid supply. The impact of that is that the heart requires the sodium to function properly.

The medical team was addressing the sodium levels through several medications. Rick's level was at 115 when Arthur and Julie first helped get Rick to the hospital. The doctor yesterday told us that the medications they were using could only account for level increase to 125. Rick's sodium level was at 131 yesterday, approaching the optimum level of 135. Since the cancer attacks sodium level when it is growing, and the medications could not account for the rise above 125, the doctors believe the additional increase is an indicator that the chemo is working and is destroying the cancer cells.

The chemo treatment took place late in the afternoon, and we were able to get the doctor to write a discharge order. Rick said he was going home with or without the order, so it was a good thing that the doctor was willing to followe Rick's orders. I believe things may have gotten ugly otherwise!

We brought Rick home and got him settled in to his new digs in the livingroom. Some of you may be aware of the way his former Marine pals rag Rick about being in the Army. For some reason, Rick remains loyal to the Army despite these peoples' best efforts to get Rick to recognize a better branch of the military. At any rate, Rick Sherman (married to Nancy Murray from the old Vogelweh days) bought Rick a mink blanket with a huge Marine logo on it. We had the blanket on Rick's hospital bed in the livingroom. Rick wasn't very pleased when he first saw the blanket, but he snuggled right in and seemed to wake up with a much different opinion about the Marines this morning.

We've had Rick on his feet and moving around. His strength and his balance are returning quickly. I expect we can get him to the prescribed physical therapy routine of 5-7 minutes of activity 3-5 times during the day.

Patty is returning to Maryland today, and I am remaining for another week.

Sharon asked me to add their contact information to the blog.

Rick and Sharon Squires
5901 S. J St
Tacoma, WA 94808
(253) 472-5323

All the best!!!


Carl