Thursday, December 22, 2011
Big Changes!
Mom is officially moving to Idaho next week to come live with us! We appreciate all your continual love and support, you're all beyond incredible. Angels walk amongst us everywhere we go. ;)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Well Crud....
We found out yesterday that mom's tumor is a persistent little turd, and has decided to show up again. It goes without saying that this is not what we wanted or anticipated.
We are now onto plan B.
Plan A was the chemo/radiation and Avastin. We think the chemo stopped working, but Mom hasn't....so we are off the study and onto new things.
Plan B is a combination of gamma knife and a different chemo and hopefully more Avastin soon (it's now FDA approved). We do not know the schedule, nor do we know when or where this new regimen will begin. All we know is that the doctors were sad to give us the news, but just as excited to try out the gamma knife.
The gamma knife is precise, we've heard that it eradicates tumors for years. Mom couldn't have it the first time because her tumor was too large and needed surgically removed. The second time her regrowth was barely visible and so it also didn't qualify, now her tumor regrowth is just right (really it's just wrong). Mom and I were talking today and compared it to Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Her tumor is now mama bear size and the gamma knife can obliterate it. Yes, obliterate. Somehow that word is more awesome than it should be right now.
So don't be sad. We're sad enough for everyone, trust us. Somehow though, we are still hopeful, the initial shock wore off quickly this time. No more time for tears (okay maybe a few). So she's tightening her laces, and putting on her armor and is ready for battle, again.
There is so much to tell and yet with how much we have been on the phone and talking to our little family, I don't have it in me to rehash. I know we have ALL been there. Thank you for reading and keeping us in your prayers, we still get email and cards and phone calls and FB messages reminding us that you still pray for her. Thank you thank you thank you.
Heavenly Father knows the plan and we are discovering it, step by step, little by little. Our faith and trust in Him has increased yet again. Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer and He knows better than anyone the pain and suffering we are all going through, that mom's going through, that we, her children are going through.
My parents would have been married 32 years this month, we celebrate it as we always do, and it's just a lovely reminder that families will and can be together forever. Do not doubt that promise, it will change your life.
I will have an update sooner this time.
xoxo Lindsay
We are now onto plan B.
Plan A was the chemo/radiation and Avastin. We think the chemo stopped working, but Mom hasn't....so we are off the study and onto new things.
Plan B is a combination of gamma knife and a different chemo and hopefully more Avastin soon (it's now FDA approved). We do not know the schedule, nor do we know when or where this new regimen will begin. All we know is that the doctors were sad to give us the news, but just as excited to try out the gamma knife.
The gamma knife is precise, we've heard that it eradicates tumors for years. Mom couldn't have it the first time because her tumor was too large and needed surgically removed. The second time her regrowth was barely visible and so it also didn't qualify, now her tumor regrowth is just right (really it's just wrong). Mom and I were talking today and compared it to Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Her tumor is now mama bear size and the gamma knife can obliterate it. Yes, obliterate. Somehow that word is more awesome than it should be right now.
So don't be sad. We're sad enough for everyone, trust us. Somehow though, we are still hopeful, the initial shock wore off quickly this time. No more time for tears (okay maybe a few). So she's tightening her laces, and putting on her armor and is ready for battle, again.
There is so much to tell and yet with how much we have been on the phone and talking to our little family, I don't have it in me to rehash. I know we have ALL been there. Thank you for reading and keeping us in your prayers, we still get email and cards and phone calls and FB messages reminding us that you still pray for her. Thank you thank you thank you.
Heavenly Father knows the plan and we are discovering it, step by step, little by little. Our faith and trust in Him has increased yet again. Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer and He knows better than anyone the pain and suffering we are all going through, that mom's going through, that we, her children are going through.
My parents would have been married 32 years this month, we celebrate it as we always do, and it's just a lovely reminder that families will and can be together forever. Do not doubt that promise, it will change your life.
I will have an update sooner this time.
xoxo Lindsay
My family (and Grandma!) Circa 1995.
Oh yeah, that's a good looking bunch. Hahaha.
Oh yeah, that's a good looking bunch. Hahaha.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
July and some August
I have been avoiding this post for a while now.......don't worry! It's good. Amazing actually. The stuff of miracles. I just couldn't figure out what to say and after receiving some news this past weekend I now know why.
We have some wonderful news and some sad news. It seems as if GBM stage 4 cancer is popping up allover the country. We have met quite a few people who are fighting it, one in particular is someone we consider part of the family, (family, though not technically related, can be made up of people you choose for yourselves). We have known the McLaws family pretty much our whole lives, ever since Camille rode up on her purple bicycle to say 'hi'. We have been through a lot with them...good times, and bad. We love them. I hardly have a memory of Spokane without them in it. As we have gotten to know them, we have also had the pleasure of meeting their huge and wonderful extended family who was fighting our same fight. Angela's sister-in-law Lisa was diagnosed with GBM Stage 4 about four months before our mom was. I remember hearing the news and being so saddened by it, she was so young! You never think things like this will happen to your family, and then it does.
This past weekend, Lisa's fight came to an end. She fought and so did her family. She and my mom had been keeping track of each other's progress. It was good to get updates, to know that other people knew what we were going through. But the updates gradually tapered off and we were told it was to protect us, to keep us going strong. Thank you for that. Lisa's battle was much harder than we would ever know. The chemo regimen was too hard on her body. I don't know the specifics. I want the Forsey family to know that your courage and faith with Lisa's fight helped ours and still does. We love you, think about you constantly and and know that Heavenly Father is in charge. We know what it is like to lose a parent, and with the utter devestation comes an overwhelming understanding of the Plan of Salvation that you can only learn through an experience like this. As we always say in our family about losing our dad, you never move on, you only move forward. Prayers and love are being sent your way.
Mom and I received the news on Saturday. It was awful. We too are fighting this fight. We immediately put ourselves in their situation and it was just awful.
Mom is fighting hard on her own, her faith her attitude and her desire to kick cancer's butt is amazing, but so was Lisa's. It's hard to write this, and out of respect for Lisa's family I will be short. Mom's Avastin is working. Her last MRI showed that the tumor is shrinking, that it's hardly visible. The tumor is being starved of it's blood supply and mom is responding incredibly to the treatment. Her white blood cells are perfect, her health is stable. Her chemo treatments aren't going as well and her body is kinda rejecting the 'poison' that is chemo. She breaks out in MAJOR hives allover her body after treatment, but her doctors are working with the research team to get that under control. The doctors are learning so much through mom's expirience and we hope they can help others with that knowledge.
The lady who schedules mom's avastin drips has this stuffed bear on her desk and it says 'Cancer Sucks'. So true little bear, so true.
There is joy to be found in the world, even during trials and tribulations. Life truly is beautiful.
Thank you for your prayers, They keep us going. Heavenly Father hears every single one of them.
Lindsay
We have some wonderful news and some sad news. It seems as if GBM stage 4 cancer is popping up allover the country. We have met quite a few people who are fighting it, one in particular is someone we consider part of the family, (family, though not technically related, can be made up of people you choose for yourselves). We have known the McLaws family pretty much our whole lives, ever since Camille rode up on her purple bicycle to say 'hi'. We have been through a lot with them...good times, and bad. We love them. I hardly have a memory of Spokane without them in it. As we have gotten to know them, we have also had the pleasure of meeting their huge and wonderful extended family who was fighting our same fight. Angela's sister-in-law Lisa was diagnosed with GBM Stage 4 about four months before our mom was. I remember hearing the news and being so saddened by it, she was so young! You never think things like this will happen to your family, and then it does.
This past weekend, Lisa's fight came to an end. She fought and so did her family. She and my mom had been keeping track of each other's progress. It was good to get updates, to know that other people knew what we were going through. But the updates gradually tapered off and we were told it was to protect us, to keep us going strong. Thank you for that. Lisa's battle was much harder than we would ever know. The chemo regimen was too hard on her body. I don't know the specifics. I want the Forsey family to know that your courage and faith with Lisa's fight helped ours and still does. We love you, think about you constantly and and know that Heavenly Father is in charge. We know what it is like to lose a parent, and with the utter devestation comes an overwhelming understanding of the Plan of Salvation that you can only learn through an experience like this. As we always say in our family about losing our dad, you never move on, you only move forward. Prayers and love are being sent your way.
Mom and I received the news on Saturday. It was awful. We too are fighting this fight. We immediately put ourselves in their situation and it was just awful.
Mom is fighting hard on her own, her faith her attitude and her desire to kick cancer's butt is amazing, but so was Lisa's. It's hard to write this, and out of respect for Lisa's family I will be short. Mom's Avastin is working. Her last MRI showed that the tumor is shrinking, that it's hardly visible. The tumor is being starved of it's blood supply and mom is responding incredibly to the treatment. Her white blood cells are perfect, her health is stable. Her chemo treatments aren't going as well and her body is kinda rejecting the 'poison' that is chemo. She breaks out in MAJOR hives allover her body after treatment, but her doctors are working with the research team to get that under control. The doctors are learning so much through mom's expirience and we hope they can help others with that knowledge.
The lady who schedules mom's avastin drips has this stuffed bear on her desk and it says 'Cancer Sucks'. So true little bear, so true.
There is joy to be found in the world, even during trials and tribulations. Life truly is beautiful.
Thank you for your prayers, They keep us going. Heavenly Father hears every single one of them.
Lindsay
Thursday, June 23, 2011
May/June
Mom's first grandson! Samuel France Nielson. Wahoo!
Three generations!
Giving him his first bath, a grandmothers tradition.
Oh yeah.
52. Take that tumor!!!!Mom came to visit in May a few weeks before we had Sam as France was going out of town. That picture I posted of her and the suitcase was at my house in California. I was so thankful she made it! The day she flew down was really hard on her and she couldn't find some meds she needed and was surprised at how hard it was to travel, but she TRAVELED (and we became acquainted with the Walgreen's in Vacaville, thanks cancer center for all the RX's you sent our way!!!). It was her first 'trip' since that stinky tumor showed up! We had some beautiful weather and seeing as I was over 9 months pregnant we didn't do much but sleep (and take a pretty drive through Napa!). She was such a trooper. The trip fell exactly in between Chemo and Avastin treatments and I am so thankful to her doctors and our neighbors Ken & Tami Winston and Angela McLaws for getting her packed, to the airport and back again and giving her the encouragement that she could go! Sadly, the last few days she was here she got really sick and had to post pone getting home, when she finally made it back to Spokane it took her a good while to recover before she started her next round of medications.
The great thing is, mom can go to church and some parties once in a while, but then she spends the next few days 'recovering' from them. BUT she loves getting out and seeing all her friends and feeling human again!
SO then little Sam came, her first grandson, third grandbaby. She had a round of Avastin scheduled to take during the week after Sammy was born and we all decided that getting her Avastin and seeing Sammy grow up was more important than getting to California immediately and seeing Sammy as a brand newborn and that's it, it was our way of making the situation okay. :) So she waited to come till she had a break in between treatments.
With Kelsey, lot's of prayers and more than a little help from the same neighbors, mom descended again to CA and got to hold her first grandson. I don't know who fell in love first, Sam or mom. :) They had a good week together, napping and smiling at eachother on the couch. We are so thankful for everyone's help in making that happen! THANK YOU!
While here, SHE TURNED 52! Wahoo (or 29 again, either way.) She says she wasn't sure if she'd make it to 52, psh, whatever. We all knew she would, and I think she's got 52 more in her. Oh yes.
She's been back in Spokane now for a few weeks and has had some good days and some rather bad days. PLEASE keep her in your prayers, they are STILL WORKING. Brett is with her today getting fluids at the cancer center as she throws up a lot (TMI, I know) but this tends to happen after chemo. She won't be traveling again for awhile and we know it was totally a blessing that she got to come in the first place. So yes, she looks great, amazing even, and has days where she feels pretty great and for that we are truly thankful.
There are also many rough days that no one (besides those living with/around her) sees. Cancer sucks, I don't mean to paint a rosy picture of it, we just really try to focus on the positive ya know! As I have said before, we are all fighting battles every day. We don't always win every fight, but we sure can try, right? Faith gets us through and thankfully our life on earth will be but a moment when we get to the other side and see the big picture (I just don't want mom to see it QUITE yet). The Lord has His timing for everything.
PS When mom was in the ICU the doctors asked her if there was anyone she wanted to see in particular as the ICU is not a great place to have visitors, and mom replied "I just don't wanna see Keith!". It made us all laugh and know that she was gonna be a fighter. We all miss dad, but it's true, we can wait a while to see him again, and that's because we know we will. :)
Thanks everyone. We love you.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Cute!
Okay! The first picture! Look how cute she is! Her hat has hair attached to it so it's not an itchy and scratchy wig! Most people have no idea that she lost a ton of hair and think her straight hair is normal. Hilarious! Mom has the curliest hair and it's growing back in just as curly.You go girl.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Hmm...April was a mixed bag!
A Blessing In Disguise?
Well, to quote my mom who had to write Elder Bird on his mission about some news we got..."Please don't freak out," and I ask you to do the same :).
That being said, let's get down to business, I know my monthly blog is three days over due, sorry!!!! We had to write this one when we were nice and ready. So without further ado, Mom's MRI from 2.5 weeks ago did NOT come back clear, that's right, that dang little tumor is trying to grow back. The doctors knew it would happen and rather than saying 'if' it grows back it's a matter of 'when.'
SO after some pretty upsetting phone calls back and forth, Mom and I realized that we were too exhausted to tell people just yet and that when questions came we wanted to be armed with correct and positive answers. So the next step was to pray out guts out and hang on for dear life. Here is a breakdown of what happened that crazzzy day.
1. Mom's MRI reading appt is at 9:30 am.
2. I wait for a text during the appt from Angela McLaws letting me know all is peachy.
3. I don't get the text, I start calling too many times. Angela tells me she'll call me back as soon as she can.
4. Mom calls back a while later and tells me the really uncool news, that the lining of where the tumor was is thicker indicating a grow back.
5. Total peace an calm come over us (WHAt!?!?! HOW!?!?!) Oh, yeah. Realizing that we are still on Heavenly Father's time table.
6. Okay what's next Mom?
7. Well they are going to 'unblind' my study to see if I really am on the experimental drug Avastin, this is supposed to take 2-3 days.
-So at this point we are just praying that mom HAS NOT been on the drug for the last 6 months, because if she was, then it hasn't been working.-
8. 2:40pm same day I get a phone call with Mom screaming into the phone that she has been on the PLACEBO for 6 months!!! Mom and I have been sitting at the doctors office getting sugar water drips since last fall!!!! (Her doctors didn't have the patience to wait 2-3 days and found out as fast as they could, about 3 hours). Never have we been so grateful to sugar water. :)
9. THIS IS THE BEST NEWS we could have gotten. Avastin has just recently been FDA approved to give patients with GBM's straight up....so two Thursdays ago mom got her first official Avastin Drip and her second one is this Thursday.
What does this all mean you ask? Well in the words of her doctors, Mom has been fighting the tumor off for 6 months pretty much on her own, which never happens, it usually only takes a few weeks to start coming back. Way to go MOM! Also, these doctors know that Avastin WORKS. It works!!!!! This is the miracle we have been looking for and we know now that mom is on it FOR SURE. It's just amazing. We know that miracles happen and when we ask God to move mountains, we have to pick up a shovel and help, and this Avastin will be our shovel (along with prayers and fasting and everything else we can think of). :)
So now we wait and pray SOME MORE! Lots and lots! All the time! And we THANK YOU forever for your prayers, we still feel them constantly and your words of encouragement boost her spirits like you wouldn't believe.
We think France said it best when he said "Well, what we thought was going to be a half marathon has now turned into a full marathon." She has a LONG ways to go, but she has also come so far. Thank you again, we love you all.
So yes, this bump in the road, this set-back, is a blessing in disguise, she is on a treatment that works. Here we go!
Well, to quote my mom who had to write Elder Bird on his mission about some news we got..."Please don't freak out," and I ask you to do the same :).
That being said, let's get down to business, I know my monthly blog is three days over due, sorry!!!! We had to write this one when we were nice and ready. So without further ado, Mom's MRI from 2.5 weeks ago did NOT come back clear, that's right, that dang little tumor is trying to grow back. The doctors knew it would happen and rather than saying 'if' it grows back it's a matter of 'when.'
SO after some pretty upsetting phone calls back and forth, Mom and I realized that we were too exhausted to tell people just yet and that when questions came we wanted to be armed with correct and positive answers. So the next step was to pray out guts out and hang on for dear life. Here is a breakdown of what happened that crazzzy day.
1. Mom's MRI reading appt is at 9:30 am.
2. I wait for a text during the appt from Angela McLaws letting me know all is peachy.
3. I don't get the text, I start calling too many times. Angela tells me she'll call me back as soon as she can.
4. Mom calls back a while later and tells me the really uncool news, that the lining of where the tumor was is thicker indicating a grow back.
5. Total peace an calm come over us (WHAt!?!?! HOW!?!?!) Oh, yeah. Realizing that we are still on Heavenly Father's time table.
6. Okay what's next Mom?
7. Well they are going to 'unblind' my study to see if I really am on the experimental drug Avastin, this is supposed to take 2-3 days.
-So at this point we are just praying that mom HAS NOT been on the drug for the last 6 months, because if she was, then it hasn't been working.-
8. 2:40pm same day I get a phone call with Mom screaming into the phone that she has been on the PLACEBO for 6 months!!! Mom and I have been sitting at the doctors office getting sugar water drips since last fall!!!! (Her doctors didn't have the patience to wait 2-3 days and found out as fast as they could, about 3 hours). Never have we been so grateful to sugar water. :)
9. THIS IS THE BEST NEWS we could have gotten. Avastin has just recently been FDA approved to give patients with GBM's straight up....so two Thursdays ago mom got her first official Avastin Drip and her second one is this Thursday.
What does this all mean you ask? Well in the words of her doctors, Mom has been fighting the tumor off for 6 months pretty much on her own, which never happens, it usually only takes a few weeks to start coming back. Way to go MOM! Also, these doctors know that Avastin WORKS. It works!!!!! This is the miracle we have been looking for and we know now that mom is on it FOR SURE. It's just amazing. We know that miracles happen and when we ask God to move mountains, we have to pick up a shovel and help, and this Avastin will be our shovel (along with prayers and fasting and everything else we can think of). :)
So now we wait and pray SOME MORE! Lots and lots! All the time! And we THANK YOU forever for your prayers, we still feel them constantly and your words of encouragement boost her spirits like you wouldn't believe.
We think France said it best when he said "Well, what we thought was going to be a half marathon has now turned into a full marathon." She has a LONG ways to go, but she has also come so far. Thank you again, we love you all.
So yes, this bump in the road, this set-back, is a blessing in disguise, she is on a treatment that works. Here we go!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Merry Month of March
This last month has just FLOWN by and we are thrilled! The days and months preceding March were slow and painful and every small victory was something to celebrate! Food and pain management became our top priority...our day in and day out consisted of keeping mom healthy enough to get to doctors appointments and back home. This is no longer the case. Mom is on her way back. :)
She is spending over an hour in the pool at physical therapy and getting stronger everyday. Her white blood cell count, though low with chemo, jumps back up pretty quickly and she has been given permission to fly to California when our baby is due! It's still over 7 weeks away, which should give her enough time to build up some more endurance. Mom still sleeps quite a bit, especially if I wear her out, which is just about everyday. :)
It has been exactly sixth months since her surgery, and it has been, quite honestly, the hardest sixth months in memory, but we have been extremely blessed. We never wish to relive January of 2011 ever again (it was the hardest month), yikes, and we are so glad to be on the other side. She still has a long way to go, but the days are better (and getting warmer!) and we are excited for this new chapter.
This weekend will be my last weekend here in Spokane before I head home to be with France and get ready for the baby. Mom and I are excited to relax and watch General Conference, it has always brought us such peace. It has been 6 years since dad passed away and it happened to be the weekend before the spring General Conference of 2005. The timing was not coincidental, we were reminded of how blessed we are that we have been sealed as a family and will be reunited after this life; in short, that we get to be a family forever. I firmly believe that. Easter soon followed and the reminder of Christ's resurrection had never been so poignant.
For the blessings of peace in my life I am truly thankful. We know that not only is our Heavenly Father looking out for us, but so is my mom's sweetheart, our dad. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us, and though times get downright tough and seemingly unbearable, we are never alone.
I just want to thank all our friends and family again for all your help, we couldn't have made it this far without you, and I know she will be in amazing hands when I go. As I tell both France and my mom, I am EXCITED OUT OF MY MIND TO GO HOME and be a full-time WIFE again and a new mother :) But I will always be grateful for the time I have spent with my own mother, she is an amazing example of faith and endurance and the girl is tough as nails.
Thank you for all your support and your prayers, I will still keep up the blog and will post pictures soon, mom is looking amazing!
She is spending over an hour in the pool at physical therapy and getting stronger everyday. Her white blood cell count, though low with chemo, jumps back up pretty quickly and she has been given permission to fly to California when our baby is due! It's still over 7 weeks away, which should give her enough time to build up some more endurance. Mom still sleeps quite a bit, especially if I wear her out, which is just about everyday. :)
It has been exactly sixth months since her surgery, and it has been, quite honestly, the hardest sixth months in memory, but we have been extremely blessed. We never wish to relive January of 2011 ever again (it was the hardest month), yikes, and we are so glad to be on the other side. She still has a long way to go, but the days are better (and getting warmer!) and we are excited for this new chapter.
This weekend will be my last weekend here in Spokane before I head home to be with France and get ready for the baby. Mom and I are excited to relax and watch General Conference, it has always brought us such peace. It has been 6 years since dad passed away and it happened to be the weekend before the spring General Conference of 2005. The timing was not coincidental, we were reminded of how blessed we are that we have been sealed as a family and will be reunited after this life; in short, that we get to be a family forever. I firmly believe that. Easter soon followed and the reminder of Christ's resurrection had never been so poignant.
For the blessings of peace in my life I am truly thankful. We know that not only is our Heavenly Father looking out for us, but so is my mom's sweetheart, our dad. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us, and though times get downright tough and seemingly unbearable, we are never alone.
I just want to thank all our friends and family again for all your help, we couldn't have made it this far without you, and I know she will be in amazing hands when I go. As I tell both France and my mom, I am EXCITED OUT OF MY MIND TO GO HOME and be a full-time WIFE again and a new mother :) But I will always be grateful for the time I have spent with my own mother, she is an amazing example of faith and endurance and the girl is tough as nails.
Thank you for all your support and your prayers, I will still keep up the blog and will post pictures soon, mom is looking amazing!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
February!!!!
Hello all!
Mom is eating. Her inspired nurse Mary had the genius idea to get mom some seasickness patches to help with the nausea! They work like a charm! She was able to start keeping food down. Mom currently has more energy then she has since last fall! She is slowing expanding her stomach, which has shrunk from the lack of food and the energy she is getting from eating is helping her at physical therapy. Mom goes to PT three times a week and does an aquatic program. She is so cute in the pool. The temperature is 94° and she walks back and forth and does leg exercises. We were wondering if it would help and goodness, we see a difference after just three weeks! She can now stay in the pool for up to 45 minutes, she started out at 20. Her physical therapist started her in the pool because her current physical ability was classified as 'overall deconditioned.' Yep, we knew that! She loves the pool too and could hang out in it all day.
She still has lots of nausea and stomach pain and we had another scope at the hospital yesterday to see if there has been any progress in healing and she still has gastritis in her esophagus and stomach lining. Her doctors think that the chemo is causing all the ruckus. Mom has just finished her second round of maintenance chemo, where she takes a high dosage of Temodar (chemo) for five days and then gets a three week break. During those three weeks her stomach can recuperate some before it gets torn up again with the Temodar. So we won't see her tummy return to normal for a while. BUT we are so grateful she is eating! She did get to have a few bites of pizza the other night, and though it tasted good, it made her nice and sick. So we are sticking to the basic bland foods for awhile longer. :)
France was able to come up for the weekend (three day weekends are amazing!) and hang out with us. He's so amazing and mom and I just love him (me especially!).
FAQ's: We have been getting a lot of the same questions asked to us in emails, texts and phone calls and I will attempt to answer them here,
1. When will she be done with chemo?
Mom's maintenance chemo is determined by her oncologist. We don't know how long she will be on it. We just follow orders. :)
2. Can I come visit?
Mom's white blood cell count has been compromised by the chemo and therefore her immune system is very weak and we have been cautioned about having visitors. Plus, it tires her out very quickly as most people want to know 'exactly how she is doing' and rehashing her cancer battle isn't an easy conversation to have. :)
3. (For lack of a better phrase) Are you ignoring me?
Ok, we are HORRIBLE at getting back to people. Yes we do screen phone calls, we turn phones off and send you away when you come to the door sometimes. Mom sleeps a lot. Sorry. We couldn't appreciate your support more, and we have needed it every step of the way...and still do! It's simply the fact that moms health is the priority.
4. Is there anything I can do to help?
Yes. Pray! Also, Kelsey is a little bored with us (as I am sure you can imagine) and he loves spending time with anyone! If anybody wants to have him over for dinner or family night or anything it makes his day! He loves it and mom loves hearing about all the fun he is having! He is a good kid and his Aspergers can be difficult to understand at times, but he means well and is very polite. :)
5. How are YOU doing Lindsay?
I get asked this one a lot. It's true. Being a caretaker is one of the most difficult things to go through. Watching someone that you love go from perfectly happy and spunky to having a life threatening disease and watch them suffer is horrible. I am being blunt here. I am here every step of the way with her, yet I can't make it better, I can't fix her. I can only help get her to the people who can and make sure she is taking any one of the 10 medications she is on properly and I can be her cheerleader. That being said, I tell her all the time that this is the place I want to be, at her side and fighting with her. France and I are on the same page and I couldn't do this without him. Also, as many of you know, I am 6 months pregnant, which makes things a bit more interesting and emotional. :). I will be having our little boy down in California and that does make my time here limited as I need to be going to the doctor in CA for at least 6 weeks before he comes. This has given us the motivation she needs to get better so she can be there when he is born. We sure are trying. So, all in all, I am doing great.
Ok, if I have offended anyone, I am so sorry! The last thing we want you to think is we are devoid of gratitude. We are not. We talk daily about the miracles of prayer and fasting and how thankful we are to have the most amazing friends and family in the world. We still love all your cards and emails and notes of encouragement!!!! Seriously! They brighten her day in ways that you wouldn't believe! We love you all SOOO much! And mom can't wait to have you all over to party someday. :) Again, we are just so grateful. You'll never know what you mean to us.
All our love,
Lindsay (& Sheri)
Mom is eating. Her inspired nurse Mary had the genius idea to get mom some seasickness patches to help with the nausea! They work like a charm! She was able to start keeping food down. Mom currently has more energy then she has since last fall! She is slowing expanding her stomach, which has shrunk from the lack of food and the energy she is getting from eating is helping her at physical therapy. Mom goes to PT three times a week and does an aquatic program. She is so cute in the pool. The temperature is 94° and she walks back and forth and does leg exercises. We were wondering if it would help and goodness, we see a difference after just three weeks! She can now stay in the pool for up to 45 minutes, she started out at 20. Her physical therapist started her in the pool because her current physical ability was classified as 'overall deconditioned.' Yep, we knew that! She loves the pool too and could hang out in it all day.
She still has lots of nausea and stomach pain and we had another scope at the hospital yesterday to see if there has been any progress in healing and she still has gastritis in her esophagus and stomach lining. Her doctors think that the chemo is causing all the ruckus. Mom has just finished her second round of maintenance chemo, where she takes a high dosage of Temodar (chemo) for five days and then gets a three week break. During those three weeks her stomach can recuperate some before it gets torn up again with the Temodar. So we won't see her tummy return to normal for a while. BUT we are so grateful she is eating! She did get to have a few bites of pizza the other night, and though it tasted good, it made her nice and sick. So we are sticking to the basic bland foods for awhile longer. :)
France was able to come up for the weekend (three day weekends are amazing!) and hang out with us. He's so amazing and mom and I just love him (me especially!).
FAQ's: We have been getting a lot of the same questions asked to us in emails, texts and phone calls and I will attempt to answer them here,
1. When will she be done with chemo?
Mom's maintenance chemo is determined by her oncologist. We don't know how long she will be on it. We just follow orders. :)
2. Can I come visit?
Mom's white blood cell count has been compromised by the chemo and therefore her immune system is very weak and we have been cautioned about having visitors. Plus, it tires her out very quickly as most people want to know 'exactly how she is doing' and rehashing her cancer battle isn't an easy conversation to have. :)
3. (For lack of a better phrase) Are you ignoring me?
Ok, we are HORRIBLE at getting back to people. Yes we do screen phone calls, we turn phones off and send you away when you come to the door sometimes. Mom sleeps a lot. Sorry. We couldn't appreciate your support more, and we have needed it every step of the way...and still do! It's simply the fact that moms health is the priority.
4. Is there anything I can do to help?
Yes. Pray! Also, Kelsey is a little bored with us (as I am sure you can imagine) and he loves spending time with anyone! If anybody wants to have him over for dinner or family night or anything it makes his day! He loves it and mom loves hearing about all the fun he is having! He is a good kid and his Aspergers can be difficult to understand at times, but he means well and is very polite. :)
5. How are YOU doing Lindsay?
I get asked this one a lot. It's true. Being a caretaker is one of the most difficult things to go through. Watching someone that you love go from perfectly happy and spunky to having a life threatening disease and watch them suffer is horrible. I am being blunt here. I am here every step of the way with her, yet I can't make it better, I can't fix her. I can only help get her to the people who can and make sure she is taking any one of the 10 medications she is on properly and I can be her cheerleader. That being said, I tell her all the time that this is the place I want to be, at her side and fighting with her. France and I are on the same page and I couldn't do this without him. Also, as many of you know, I am 6 months pregnant, which makes things a bit more interesting and emotional. :). I will be having our little boy down in California and that does make my time here limited as I need to be going to the doctor in CA for at least 6 weeks before he comes. This has given us the motivation she needs to get better so she can be there when he is born. We sure are trying. So, all in all, I am doing great.
Ok, if I have offended anyone, I am so sorry! The last thing we want you to think is we are devoid of gratitude. We are not. We talk daily about the miracles of prayer and fasting and how thankful we are to have the most amazing friends and family in the world. We still love all your cards and emails and notes of encouragement!!!! Seriously! They brighten her day in ways that you wouldn't believe! We love you all SOOO much! And mom can't wait to have you all over to party someday. :) Again, we are just so grateful. You'll never know what you mean to us.
All our love,
Lindsay (& Sheri)
Friday, January 28, 2011
January Update
Well, this is the longest we've gone without a post and it's time for an update!
Since our last post we have had bad days and okay days. We love okay days. But in reality, everyday is a great day because it's another day we get to have. We are sooo thankful for any progress and for your constant prayers. Seriously. We wouldn't be here without you and all your faith!
Since the beginning of January, Mom has recovered from gall bladder surgery and continued on a course to heal her digestive system. Her nausea and headaches haven't subsided much, but she has been able to keep down some chicken noodle soup once in a while. Mom has been existing on clinical grade nutrition shakes that she drinks 4-6 times a day (thank you Trotters!). She really would like to just eat a pizza, that will be a great day :).
She healed up quickly enough from the surgery to start her maintenance round of chemotherapy last Thursday. She takes it for 5 days and then gets 3 weeks off. This will go on for a number of months. She was also able to start up on the study again YAY! So as far as cancer treatment goes, she is back on track. In order to start the trial drug she needed to get another MRI and it came back totally clean! YAY!
I write this post today from the Cancer center in the Chemotherapy Suite, mom has been in getting fluids for dehydration. She's doing fine. We are just hanging out talking about life. :) It takes about 2.5 hours to get a full 'hydration' treatment.
I just want to thank all of you who have taken care of mom the last two weeks. I was able to go home and see France in CA and be a wife! To those of you who spent the night, took her to appointments, fed Kelsey and just kept mom company, thank you. You'll never know what it means to our family to have your help.
Again, thank you for your prayers. I cannot describe adequately in the English language (or any language!) what it means to our family. We love you and thank you so much.
Since our last post we have had bad days and okay days. We love okay days. But in reality, everyday is a great day because it's another day we get to have. We are sooo thankful for any progress and for your constant prayers. Seriously. We wouldn't be here without you and all your faith!
Since the beginning of January, Mom has recovered from gall bladder surgery and continued on a course to heal her digestive system. Her nausea and headaches haven't subsided much, but she has been able to keep down some chicken noodle soup once in a while. Mom has been existing on clinical grade nutrition shakes that she drinks 4-6 times a day (thank you Trotters!). She really would like to just eat a pizza, that will be a great day :).
She healed up quickly enough from the surgery to start her maintenance round of chemotherapy last Thursday. She takes it for 5 days and then gets 3 weeks off. This will go on for a number of months. She was also able to start up on the study again YAY! So as far as cancer treatment goes, she is back on track. In order to start the trial drug she needed to get another MRI and it came back totally clean! YAY!
I write this post today from the Cancer center in the Chemotherapy Suite, mom has been in getting fluids for dehydration. She's doing fine. We are just hanging out talking about life. :) It takes about 2.5 hours to get a full 'hydration' treatment.
I just want to thank all of you who have taken care of mom the last two weeks. I was able to go home and see France in CA and be a wife! To those of you who spent the night, took her to appointments, fed Kelsey and just kept mom company, thank you. You'll never know what it means to our family to have your help.
Again, thank you for your prayers. I cannot describe adequately in the English language (or any language!) what it means to our family. We love you and thank you so much.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
News
After the last post, much has happened. The euphoria we have felt from the tumor being gone has not been replaced, it has though, been dimmed a bit. In the next 48 hours we completed two more Gastronomical tests (totaling 5) and went into another surgery, this time to remove her "icky" gallbladder. The surgery went well and we were in and out in one day, and France was there to help (he is such a lovely trooper). We thought this would help, and it did to some extent, she had color in her face again and her stomach shrunk just a bit, but the symptoms and the burning in her stomach have remained.
Mom has not eaten properly in almost 6 weeks. She is existing on clinical grade nutrition shakes. 1 scoop, 6x's a day. If we are lucky she makes it to six. Once in a while she'll have a few bites of toast or maybe an 1/8 of a can of chicken noodle soup, but that's it. Eating is very painful and the progress we thought we would be making by now has been pushed back. She still is in bed, still in much pain.
I don't mean to be a downer, but sometimes life is much harder than other times and though we are having tough times, we count our blessings daily. She is alive. Her tumor is no longer present. Her family is doing well and we have our faith and our testimonies. So we may be a little cloudy here at the bird house and it seems when it rains it pours, but there's always a rainbow to look forward too. Please rainbow! Come quick!!!!!
If we could ask, yet again, for prayers and fasting, we would be eternally grateful. We have 5 different doctors working on the case, 7 bajillion prescriptions and homeopathic treatments we are working through and we are recognizing that we need one more thing, another miracle. We are discouraged, but hopeful, frustrated, but optimistic, but most importantly, we are continually grateful to our Father in Heaven for giving us the opportunity to pray and to ask for help.
Thank you for the love. -The Birds
After the last post, much has happened. The euphoria we have felt from the tumor being gone has not been replaced, it has though, been dimmed a bit. In the next 48 hours we completed two more Gastronomical tests (totaling 5) and went into another surgery, this time to remove her "icky" gallbladder. The surgery went well and we were in and out in one day, and France was there to help (he is such a lovely trooper). We thought this would help, and it did to some extent, she had color in her face again and her stomach shrunk just a bit, but the symptoms and the burning in her stomach have remained.
Mom has not eaten properly in almost 6 weeks. She is existing on clinical grade nutrition shakes. 1 scoop, 6x's a day. If we are lucky she makes it to six. Once in a while she'll have a few bites of toast or maybe an 1/8 of a can of chicken noodle soup, but that's it. Eating is very painful and the progress we thought we would be making by now has been pushed back. She still is in bed, still in much pain.
I don't mean to be a downer, but sometimes life is much harder than other times and though we are having tough times, we count our blessings daily. She is alive. Her tumor is no longer present. Her family is doing well and we have our faith and our testimonies. So we may be a little cloudy here at the bird house and it seems when it rains it pours, but there's always a rainbow to look forward too. Please rainbow! Come quick!!!!!
If we could ask, yet again, for prayers and fasting, we would be eternally grateful. We have 5 different doctors working on the case, 7 bajillion prescriptions and homeopathic treatments we are working through and we are recognizing that we need one more thing, another miracle. We are discouraged, but hopeful, frustrated, but optimistic, but most importantly, we are continually grateful to our Father in Heaven for giving us the opportunity to pray and to ask for help.
Thank you for the love. -The Birds
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)