Monday, June 27, 2011

A Long Awaited Update

I called C & S a few weeks ago, then again last week. Each time I left a message. After not hearing back from them I sent an email on Saturday. I was so happy to hear S's voice when she returned the called last night. I think she is amazing. Regardless of their situation, she is positive and in good spirits. I'm not sure I would have the same attitude. A few weeks after surgery, C noticed some swelling in his neck. He then had a PET scan and they did a needle biopsy. The results came pack positive. They waited for the oncologist to make the decision of whether or not it would be in C's best interested to continue on with Chemo and Radiation or if the cancer had spread far too much for treatments to be effective. Cut to this week... C has been in radiation. He has had one dose of Chemo and will have another this week. The chemo side effects are horrendous. Nausea. vomiting. C has a PEG tube inserting directly into his stomach. He receives a shake-type meal through the tube. From the sounds of it, the past two days have been better than the several before. We are going to go visit them soon.

M is doing well. My older sister (the nurse) and I visited her right after she got home and a few more times since then. She is doing very well. She has been up and around, is weaning off of pain meds, and trying to be more adventurous in her eating. Another week or so and she will find out if she needs radiation. Dr. D. consults with a tumor board to help him decide if further treatment is necessary. The team of surgeons, doctors and oncologists meet and review cases. M's case is up for review during their next meeting.

Please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers.


Monday, June 6, 2011

Updates all around

I have not heard from C and S. I don't want to be a bother, so I'll wait a while longer before I give them a call. Either they are gearing up for radiation and chemo or they are making a new plan. Both paths in the journey require some ability to focus, so I want to give them some space.

M is doing very well. She was moved from the ICU yesterday afternoon. Her current focus is to try and get up and move, walk, sit up and be awake more each day. It sounds like things are progressing smoothly. I hope to go visit her at some point. For now, it sounds like she is not wanting visitors.

On the home front......
Patrick will have a PET scan in a few weeks. We have been given no reason to be concerned, but it seems there is a little bit of nervousness before each scan (at least on my part).

Thoughts and prayers for all are appreciated.





Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Pray with me...

I spoke with S tonight. Things are not going as well as we'd like. After surgery C had a fever which meant his body was fighting an infection. The fever has passed which is good, but now he's fighting another battle. Two lymph nodes came back positive from the post-surgery biopsy which meant C will have both Chemotherapy and radiation. C and S have been meeting with oncologists and dentists to prepare him for these therapies. In the meantime, C noticed another spot which was also biopsied. It too came back positive with another two nodes affected. A CT scan today confirmed the findings. C will have a PET scan tomorrow. The PET scan will be a deciding factor for C. If the cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body, treatments will be foregone as they would be unsuccessful. Please pray the cancer has not metastasized. Please keep C and S and their two children in your thoughts as tomorrow comes.

Patrick and I met with another soldier on Sunday. We tried our best to explain the ins and outs of what our journey was like in hopes to help prepare M for her upcoming surgery. My heart is a little sad knowing what she is about to endure. I've been thinking a lot about her and pray everything goes smoothly tomorrow. Please pray too.