Mexico, Retirement, Travel

It’s not going according to plan

The Braathen Center in Weston, Florida, home of Cleveland Clinic’s Maroone Cancer Center. Leslie’s infusions take place on the third floor.

I promised to keep everybody informed as Leslie and I begin this journey of chemotherapy. I just thought I would be writing something different.

At this point we expected Leslie would have breezed through the first two infusions of chemotherapy. However, the side effects from the first infusion hit like a speeding train. We anticipated nausea and vomiting, but it was minor. We anticipated exhaustion and loss of feeling in the fingertips, and those came as expected. We anticipated hair loss, and that is continuing.

What we didn’t expect was diarrhea so bad it caused extreme dehydration. Just a few days after the infusion, Leslie was taken to the Cleveland Clinic Emergency Department with dehydration and extremely low blood pressure. Doctors admitted her to the hospital where she stayed six days and came home weak and unable to walk more than a few steps — about what you would expect after being in a hospital bed for almost a week.

Back in our temporary quarters, she seemed to be improving. But after just two days at home, she checked her temperature one night and had a fever of 101.6F. We followed the post-infusion protocols which stipulated going to the ED for a temperature that high, thinking they would give her antibiotics and send her home. Unfortunately, the doctors couldn’t find a source of infection so she was admitted once again and stayed three more days, getting a platelet transfer to help her get through the second infusion.

The third day in the hospital was because Leslie tested positive for COVID-19. Of course, so did I. Neither of us had any of the traditional symptoms, except a bad cough. And this is when we were moving into more long-term quarters.

Because of the side effects from the first infusion, we were afraid of being too far from the hospital. So we opted against going to a friend’s condo in western Florida because it’s a 90-minute drive from the Cleveland Clinic campus in Weston. Instead, we got an AirBnB just 30 minutes from the hospital in a quiet neighborhood north of Fort Lauderdale.

Our temporary home in Fort Lauderdale’s Imperial Point neighborhood.

The second infusion was scheduled for July 27. Based on what happened after the first, her oncologist has revised the plan. Starting today (August 3), she will get one-third of a normal dose once a week for three weeks. Only one hour in the chair as opposed to three. So the schedule now is three weeks of treatment on Thursdays followed by one week off to let her body recover. Then three more weeks for Dose #3 and so on. Her doctor believes that will help prevent a recurrence of the side effects. The downside is we will most likely be here in Florida through Christmas.

Despite all that, Leslie is feeling positive and is focused on finishing the course of treatment to prevent cancer from coming back. She believes God has her in the palm of His hand. She’s getting stronger every day and is delighted to have a nice pool in the back yard of our temporary home to do some water exercises. She’s also getting regular visits from home health nurses and a physical therapist.

We’re looking forward to getting back home to México as soon as possible.

Leslie is doing physical therapy exercises in our pool.

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Published by Ex-pats in Mexico

16 thoughts on “It’s not going according to plan”

  2. Mike/Leslie: You both continue in our prayers. And, after 10 orthopedic surgeries below the waist, I know the value of a kind, compassionate caregiver. Most recent was Memorial Day weekend when I fell and broke my left femur, right where it joins the artificial hip. Major surgery but the recovery is going well enough that we will be leaving Aug. 20 for Vietnam and Cambodia. Hang in there! — Jerry

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      1. Yes, it’s the second trip. The visa application has the question: “Have you been to Vietnam before?” Uh, yes. Don’t know if I said it previously, but we have Brenna’s birth certificate and have hired a guide who has tracked down one of the women who signed it, so we’re going to her village — she has no interest in going.

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  4. Sorry to hear about these complications. Know that I am thinking about you both and praying for healing and comfort for Leslie. Hugs to both of you. Elaine

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    1. So sad to hear Leslie is having such a horrible time with this. I pray the dr is right and the lesser dose won’t be as bad. She is always in my thoughts and prayers.
      Stay strong dear friend! The prayer warriors got you!

      Hugs…
      Zdenka

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  6. Leslie and Mike, I’m sorry to hear about all that’s going on. I continue to pray for both of you that this will all be history in a few weeks and you will be back in your home in Mexico. Keep the faith!

    Blessings, Kay Davidson

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  7. Oh… I’m so, so sorry to hear all of this. It sounds like there’s a plan. Hopefully, this will turn out to be a very good plan for your health, Leslie. Take care, both of you! Ruth

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  8. Hi Mike & Leslie,

    Wow…..our Prayers are certainly with you. I missed this email because I had total shoulder replacement surgery at the Mayo Clinic in AZ. We are blessed to be so close to this marvelous facility.They are amazing. I am doing PT now and they can’t believe how I am progressing. The sad part is the other shoulder may need replacing too. I think I should get the 2 for 1 plan.

    Cancer is not what we signed up for. I know how hard it is for both of you, especially Leslie. David has gone through 2 cancers. One was brain (and he is totally 100% ok now, no side effects-he’s still smart as a whip) and the other was Kidney. A ruptured gallbladder was not in the plan either. We thank the Lord for every day and how he was with us every step of the way.

    We are contemplating some Lake Chapala trips once we finish with a couple cruises or we may be there in the next couple months. We have a sweet lady we rent from and we just love her. We will miss trying to connect but maybe later on in 2024 sometime we will see you both again.

    I hope you keep us in the loop. In the meantime we will keep you in our Prayers. God is Good.

    Take care & keep the Faith……

    Michelle & David

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