John Russell, Blessed Family Man
Updated June 5, 2008: Drainage Tube Removed
On November 29, 2007, John Russell walked into UCLA for a scheduled pleurectomy with decortication surgery performed by Dr. Robert Cameron, director of the mesothelioma program at the University of California at Los Angeles. With his wife and three children by his side, John made it through his stay at UCLA for nine days with four drainage tubes protruding from his chest. Always positive, John was walking the hospital halls within the first few days, ready to get out. He helped the recuperation process by using the spirometer to improve his lung function and nurses used small rubber “beaters” to break up phlegm in the chest which helped tremendously.
On average, patients spend anywhere from 7 – 14 days recuperating in the hospital. Though he is in great physical shape, John’s low potassium levels and low blood pressure stretched his stay to 9 days. His spirits were up when he was released, and John felt pretty good, much to the amazement of his children who expected him to be in worse shape following the surgery.
Released with one tube still in his side, John was just grateful to get out of the hospital and back to his normal routine. Though the plan was to keep the tube in place for no more than a month, the healing and draining process has been incredibly slow. Five months dragged along with no significant improvement. On May 8, 2008, Dr. Cameron intends to replace the tube with a different drainage system to speed the healing process.
But the tube is not the only unfortunate hurdle John has faced. In early December 2007, he developed pneumonia with a raging temperature and no appetite. Despite a three week regimen on antibiotics, the pneumonia kept him down for more than two months.
A cycling enthusiast for some decades, John is itching to get back onto the bike. As soon as the bicycle trainer is repaired, he’ll be using that until he’s allowed on the streets. In the meantime, to stay in shape, he walks near his home in La Crescenta, usually a mile every day unless he’s feeling too under the weather. Lately, he’s increased the walk to two miles, the distance down to nearby Montrose and back where the walk is flat and easier to handle. Most days he’s also able to muster push-ups.
Radiation
Following surgery, John began his next phase of treatment, 25 cycles of radiation with Dr. Michael Selch at UCLA. Beginning in early February 2008, John started the daily radiation regimen, which lasts about 20 minutes. To ease the burden of the hour-long drive between home and UCLA, a fellow church member named Harry took it upon himself to arrange a car pool. Each day a different member of his congregation drove John to his radiation appointment, waited for him during the treatment, and then returned home. What a blessing for the Russells to have not only his family surround him with love but to also have his church lift him at this time. John says the variety made the long trip much more enjoyable and he looked forward to getting to know his congregation and new friends in a meaningful way.
Weeks 1 – 2: During the first two weeks of radiation, John felt slightly ill and was prescribed Compazine, which controls severe nausea and vomiting.
Week 3: The nausea was finally tamed with Prilosec and Pepcid AC.
Weeks 4-5: John began experiencing trouble swallowing, a common side effect associated with radiation. He also developed redness on his back around the surgical incision which he soothed with Aloe Vera.
With radiation behind him, John hopes for the best. CT scans taken in April 2008 look clear and show no tumor development. His major complaints include a productive cough which seems to be worse in the mornings but subsides after exercising. The cough might have been exacerbated during radiation due in part to the tube which is still slowly draining phlegm and fluids from his chest. Dr. Cameron hopes the cough will dry up once the new drainage system is put into place in early May.
Words of Advice
John would caution “new patients when working with geniuses [specialists]. You have to get straight-away with the specialist. Don’t expect the same bedside manner you might enjoy with your family doctor. Specialists don’t have the same amount of time.” Though John may wait several days or weeks to hear back from Dr. Cameron, he is always forgiving and understanding.
Personal
It is a pleasure to know John who speaks openly and candidly about his experience undergoing treatment for mesothelioma and about life itself. John and his wife Esther live in La Crescenta, California where they are both active in their church and their community. John longs to bike again with friends and Esther plays mahjong every week. They are blessed by a loving family and their spirit shines through in all they do.
f you are a mesothelioma patient and would like to speak with John Russell, please contact Jessica Like for arrangements.
John had his drainage tube removed in May 2008, and is feeling much better. Every morning a nurse from the Citywide Home Care Agency comes to his house to change his gauze, check his vitals, and ensures he's doing alright. He expects the discharge (which is a bit bloody & runny) to stop soon. Luckily, his health insurance is covering the home health care. In the evenings, his wife Esther quickly shifts gears to become the nurse and gently changes the gauze.