Update on a Tough Week or Two

Finally tonight I feel like I have enough time and energy to post an update on Kay's situation. She started her second cycle of chemotherapy with Avastin and Taxol about 16 days ago, after doing pretty well with the first cycle, and actually having a really good last 10 days of that cycle.  On the third day after the first infusion of cycle 2 Kay started to have worsening abdominal pain which progressed daily until a on day 5, a week ago Sunday night, she developed fever, her chills worsened and her abdominal pain became so severe we went to the ER.
She was admitted for IV antibiotics for presumed peritonitis, though the cause was uncertain. We suspected a small perforation of her bowel which is a know possible complication of the Avastin therapy. Kay responded very well to the IV antibiotic, and within hours felt a bit better, and within 2 days was dramatically improved.  Her physicians, including the one she is married to, all felt good about her going home on oral antibiotics,  but within a day she began to feel worse, with chills, worsening pain, and after just 3 days she was put back on an IV once daily antibiotic as an outpatient. Beginning the Friday of Labor Day weekend, and each day through Monday, she got the IV antibiotic, but really did not improve, and Tuesday her oncologist readmitted her to Good Sam.  She had a repeat CT scan which this time showed free air outside her bowel, and and what looked like an abscess in her left lower abdomen where her pain has been the worst all along.  Last night Dr. Frood, an interventional radiologist we know from when he put a biliary stent in for Kay 8 years ago, again performed a successful percutaneous drainage procedure with CT guidance to place a drain into the abscess.  About 60 ml of pus was removed, and the drain has worked well since.
Today Kay has had a day the is better in some ways, namely no fever, no chills, and to me she looks better, but worse in that the pain from the drainage procedure has been pretty bad.   Kay hates opioids, but today they have been necessary.
On another note today Cheryl and Patty, two of Kay's great friends, worked in our new condo to unpack, organize, and generally make the place fit for Kay to return to after she leaves the hospital. We are both very grateful for their help, all the support, love and prayers of innumerable friends. Brett and Jean have helped spell me at the hospital, and tonight I felt comfortable enough to head home before dark and relax for a bit before bed.
Pray that this drainage procedure allows her infection to fully heal, that her bowel seals over and no further leakage and infection occur, and that she can resume chemo soon with good suppression of her cancer.