Abrupt Early End to Our Delaware Water Gap Visit

Sunday September 4, 2016
Dingman’s Campground                                                                 Most Recent Posts:
Delaware Water Gap                                                      A Very Difficult Trail to Get to the AT
Dingman’s Ferry, Pennsylvania                   Fossils on the Trail, Mice in the Kitchen, Unique Graveyard in the Woods

 

 

After our difficult hike yesterday (if you didn’t read about it, it’s above in blue) David was very tired.  We didn’t think much of it because it was a very strenuous hike and a long day. 

A couple of weeks ago, his weekly blood tests had shown for the second month in a row that his current treatment wasn’t working well.  So after discussions with his doctors, it was decided that he would try a new treatment beginning this past Wednesday.

As all cancer treatments do, this one had a lengthy list of side effects.  Luckily for David, he has had few effects with his previous treatments, other than some peripheral neuropathy and trouble sleeping.  He was fine Thursday after the first dose on Wednesday, he took the second dose Friday, and was fine Saturday.  We didn’t associate his tiredness after the Sunday hike with any side effect.  I was tired too though not as severely as he was.  But that’s sort of to be expected.

 

On Sunday he had mild diarrhea.  On Monday it was worse.  On Tuesday it was no better and his temperature reached 100.5.  At that point, I knew it was time to take him to the hospital.  We drove across the historic bridge to Bon Secours Hospital in Port Jervis New York where he spent 3 nights until they could get him rehydrated and his fever down. 

 

We got him released as soon as we could since hospitals are very dangerous places for someone with a compromised immune system.  While a much better hospital than our hospital from hell visit in Harrisburg 3 years ago,  this one had no hematologist and knew pretty much nothing about Multiple Myeloma.  I think we may not return to Pennsylvania again since he has ended up in the hospital twice here.

Because of the hospital stay we were not able to paddle on the Delaware River or ride our bikes on the McDade Trail which runs nearly all the way through the gap, as well as do several other hikes all of which were planned for this week when he was sick for 6 days.

I was also really looking forward to our next stop after Delaware Water Gap which was to be a two week stay on an ocean front site at Assateague National Seashore but it was not to be.  I cancelled it, to someone’s joy I am sure, and we made a fast trip back to Virginia and his hematologist there. 

Obviously the treatment was stopped when the symptoms first showed themselves and nothing else could be started until he fully recovered. from its effects.  He did recover.  More on that in a future post from Virginia.

I have one more post from the Delaware Water Gap before the Virginia posts.  It’s of a another hike that turned also out to be a lot of trouble to get to but worth it and not strenuous.  The falls were lovely and more full than others we’ve seen.  I am glad to end our stay here with soothing waterfalls given these past days.

I took the hike in the morning of the day David was released which was the day before we left the Gap for our fast drive back to Virginia.   That post will be up next, followed by an update on David.