Tuesday, December 30
Greetings,
Hope everybody had a Merry Christmas. The day before Christmas we went to the Oncologist for intravenous fluids for Michele. They checked her blood white cell count, which was still very low, but she was feeling okay. We had a nice Christmas day. I managed to surprise Michele with two gifts that she was not expecting, even though I am hardly ever out of her sight. For lunch we had a turkey breast, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie for dessert.
Michele was feeling pretty good by Sunday, so we decided to make our Oncology visit for Monday into an outing. So yesterday we had lunch at Pizza Cottage in Zanesville, then spent some time in Hobby Lobby. Michele's energy reserve isn't very deep, so I pushed her around in a wheel chair, but it was still great to get out. We also spent some time in the mall before heading over to the Oncology suite. They drew some blood, then gave her saline. When the blood results came back, her white cell count was up to 3,600! This is a great encouragement, as it proves her body is doing what it is supposed to do to rebuild. With this good report, they cleared her for the Intrathecal procedure scheduled for tomorrow morning.(Intrathecal is where they inject Methotrexate into her spinal fluid.)
At this point she is scheduled for one more Intrathecal procedure on January 7th. Beyond that, we must wait to see what the Oncologist's plan is for determining if all the cancer is gone. We are anticipating a happy, cancer-free new year, and appreciate your prayers to that end. I am looking forward to getting back to work, although I don't really know when that will be.
Have a very Happy New Year!
With Love,
Tim and Michele
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Monday, December 22, 6PM
Hello,
We just returned from the doctors office in Zanesville. Michele's appointment was at 1:30 this afternoon. She was so weak and dizzy that I was afraid we weren't going to get her in the van, but we did make it. When they took her vitals, her blood pressure was 100/68 and her heart was beating pretty fast to keep it at that. The doctor drew blood and started saline to bring her blood pressure up. When her blood results came back, her white blood cells were again very low, so they cancelled the Intrathecal procedure scheduled for Wednesday and scheduled her to come in for intravenous fluids instead. They also started her on an oral antibiotic to hedge her against infection.
If she can build back up out of this slump, it should be the turning point for recovering her strength, since there are no more major chemotherapy cycles scheduled. The most important thing at the moment is to keep her from contracting any infection. For those of you who have wanted to visit, this is the reason for the moratorium on visitors. Thanks for understanding. Please continue to pray for the white cell and platelet counts to rebound. For perspective, normal white cell count is 4,300 to 10,800 cells per cu/ML. Michele's were 400 today. When she was hospitalized three weeks ago, they had fallen to 200. If she can rest, and avoid infection, she should be fine.
We can't begin to thank you all for the many ways in which you have ministered to us with gifts and sentiments of encouragement! Bless you all, and have a very Merry Christmas!
With Love,
Tim and Michele
Hello,
We just returned from the doctors office in Zanesville. Michele's appointment was at 1:30 this afternoon. She was so weak and dizzy that I was afraid we weren't going to get her in the van, but we did make it. When they took her vitals, her blood pressure was 100/68 and her heart was beating pretty fast to keep it at that. The doctor drew blood and started saline to bring her blood pressure up. When her blood results came back, her white blood cells were again very low, so they cancelled the Intrathecal procedure scheduled for Wednesday and scheduled her to come in for intravenous fluids instead. They also started her on an oral antibiotic to hedge her against infection.
If she can build back up out of this slump, it should be the turning point for recovering her strength, since there are no more major chemotherapy cycles scheduled. The most important thing at the moment is to keep her from contracting any infection. For those of you who have wanted to visit, this is the reason for the moratorium on visitors. Thanks for understanding. Please continue to pray for the white cell and platelet counts to rebound. For perspective, normal white cell count is 4,300 to 10,800 cells per cu/ML. Michele's were 400 today. When she was hospitalized three weeks ago, they had fallen to 200. If she can rest, and avoid infection, she should be fine.
We can't begin to thank you all for the many ways in which you have ministered to us with gifts and sentiments of encouragement! Bless you all, and have a very Merry Christmas!
With Love,
Tim and Michele
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Tuesday, December 16th
Greetings,
Michele had her last major infusion of chemotherapy today, her 6th RCHOP.
Fittingly, the nurse who gave her the first infusion, administered her last
today. That nurse, Holly, has been a real treasure and blessing for us. All the
nurses have been great, but Holly is special. Michele got hugs before she left,
and shed a few tears, just because the folks in Oncology get to be like extended
family during trials like this. We will see them again, tomorrow to be exact,
when we return for Michele's Nulasta shot.
Even though the infusions are over, treatment is not. Thursday, the 18th,
she must be in Radiology at 7:30AM for an injection of Methotrexate in her
spine. She has another one scheduled for December 24th, and again on December
31st. It looks like we'll be spending Christmas Eve and New Years Eve days with
our hospital 'family'. Just so we don't forget how to get there, we have an
appointment with her Oncologist to follow up on Monday the 22nd. One additional
item of praise is the current price of gasoline. The price at most stations in
Zanesville today was $2.22 per gallon. I filled the van for $36! Haven't done
that in a long time.
Please pray that:
Michele's immune system rebounds quickly
For the feeling and strength to return to her left arm and hand
That the blood clots in her lungs and left leg would dissolve harmlessly
Once again, we thank you whole heartedly for praying for us and
encouraging us with your concern. We hope each of you have a Blessed Christmas.
Thanks be to God for His precious gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord and
Savior!
Because of Him,
Tim and Michele
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Thursday, December 11th
Hi,
Michele saw the Oncologist today and had another blood draw to check her platelets and white cells. The doctor has postponed the intrathekel treatment scheduled for Monday (that's the shot of Methotrexate in her spinal fluid), but has given the green light for her 6th and last RCHOP treatment on Tuesday! This is good news for a couple of reasons; first it means her blood counts have come back to a safe level, and second it marks the end of the heavy chemo treatments.
Another bit of good news is that Michele will be starting on oral blood thinners beginning Saturday, so I will no longer need to give her a shot each morning. That is a multiplied blessing also, because the oral drug is less than half the cost of the injectable drug.
The sun shone today for a while. It was the first time in a long time, so all in all it was a pretty good day. I hope yours was too.
With love,
Tim and Michele
Hi,
Michele saw the Oncologist today and had another blood draw to check her platelets and white cells. The doctor has postponed the intrathekel treatment scheduled for Monday (that's the shot of Methotrexate in her spinal fluid), but has given the green light for her 6th and last RCHOP treatment on Tuesday! This is good news for a couple of reasons; first it means her blood counts have come back to a safe level, and second it marks the end of the heavy chemo treatments.
Another bit of good news is that Michele will be starting on oral blood thinners beginning Saturday, so I will no longer need to give her a shot each morning. That is a multiplied blessing also, because the oral drug is less than half the cost of the injectable drug.
The sun shone today for a while. It was the first time in a long time, so all in all it was a pretty good day. I hope yours was too.
With love,
Tim and Michele
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Sunday, December 7th
Hello,
Michele came home from the hospital today! She is feeling much better, although still tired. Her blood counts are much improved over the beginning of the week, but there will be no treatments this week. We may need to see the Oncologist at some point in the week, but it is mostly a week for her to recuperate. We came home with a 'starter kit' of Arixtra, the anticoagulant that she will need to have injected each day for the next several months.
One of the other developments this past week occurred on Friday. I had gone home to tend to the cats, collect the mail, take a shower, do some laundry, etc, etc. Just as I was getting ready to leave the house and go back to the hospital for the night, I was in the kitchen taking some vitamins, when I heard something in the basement that seemed out of place. I stood by the cellar steps and listened. All I could hear was the gentle rumble of the clothes dryer. Then I heard it again; the slap of a water drop falling onto concrete. I headed down the steps and began to hear the hiss of a water leak. Sure enough, water was running out of a section of insulation on a hot water pipe. I tore off the insulation and there was a spray of water shooting out of a pin hole in the old steel pipe. I isolated the pipe, drained it, and shut down the water heater. I took a quick look around to be sure there were no other surprises, then left for the hospital.
Now I want you to know that I put this event in the 'Blessing' column! I had been in the basement several times earlier in the day and that pipe was not leaking. If it had waited 5 minutes more before starting to leak, I would have returned to a flooded basement on Saturday. I firmly believe this was a gift from God, and am very, very thankful. As it is, it only took me about 2 hours to replace the old section of pipe with new copper, so it was a minor glitch instead of a major catastrophe.
Another blessing I should mention occurred at the hospital Thursday night. I had been sleeping on the floor in Michele's room each night, much to the consternation of the nursing staff. They offered recliners and sofa accommodations in other rooms, but that kind of defeated the purpose of why I was there. Besides, the hospital recliners feel like a rock recliner out of the Flinstone cartoons. The floor wasn't that bad. What I didn't know was that three of the rooms on the 7th floor used to be double occupancy, but now had a pull-out couch instead of a second patient bed. When one of the rooms went vacant, the Charge Nurse assigned it to us. They made housekeeping come up and clean the room at 10:00 PM, and I spent the last 3 nights in a fair amount of comfort.
The hospital staff at Good Samaritan Hospital has been just terrific to us each time Michele has been there. The last nurse she had today told her that she had seen Michele on the floor throughout the week and was hoping she would get to have her as a patient! Other nurses who had Michele previously would stop in just to say "Hello". Many came in to give her a hug when they knew they were going to be off for a few days and might not see her when they got back. We honestly feel like we have made friends there. Thank God for people who have a heart to serve.
Of course, a constant source of blessing is you folks who read these updates and pray for us. Jesus said that we shouldn't worry because our Father knows what we need before we ask for it, but the scriptures still exhort us to "Pray without ceasing". To be honest, I don't get it, but I don't have to. This is how God wants it to work, and it does! So, "Thank you" for praying, and please don't stop!
With grateful hearts,
Tim and Michele
Hello,
Michele came home from the hospital today! She is feeling much better, although still tired. Her blood counts are much improved over the beginning of the week, but there will be no treatments this week. We may need to see the Oncologist at some point in the week, but it is mostly a week for her to recuperate. We came home with a 'starter kit' of Arixtra, the anticoagulant that she will need to have injected each day for the next several months.
One of the other developments this past week occurred on Friday. I had gone home to tend to the cats, collect the mail, take a shower, do some laundry, etc, etc. Just as I was getting ready to leave the house and go back to the hospital for the night, I was in the kitchen taking some vitamins, when I heard something in the basement that seemed out of place. I stood by the cellar steps and listened. All I could hear was the gentle rumble of the clothes dryer. Then I heard it again; the slap of a water drop falling onto concrete. I headed down the steps and began to hear the hiss of a water leak. Sure enough, water was running out of a section of insulation on a hot water pipe. I tore off the insulation and there was a spray of water shooting out of a pin hole in the old steel pipe. I isolated the pipe, drained it, and shut down the water heater. I took a quick look around to be sure there were no other surprises, then left for the hospital.
Now I want you to know that I put this event in the 'Blessing' column! I had been in the basement several times earlier in the day and that pipe was not leaking. If it had waited 5 minutes more before starting to leak, I would have returned to a flooded basement on Saturday. I firmly believe this was a gift from God, and am very, very thankful. As it is, it only took me about 2 hours to replace the old section of pipe with new copper, so it was a minor glitch instead of a major catastrophe.
Another blessing I should mention occurred at the hospital Thursday night. I had been sleeping on the floor in Michele's room each night, much to the consternation of the nursing staff. They offered recliners and sofa accommodations in other rooms, but that kind of defeated the purpose of why I was there. Besides, the hospital recliners feel like a rock recliner out of the Flinstone cartoons. The floor wasn't that bad. What I didn't know was that three of the rooms on the 7th floor used to be double occupancy, but now had a pull-out couch instead of a second patient bed. When one of the rooms went vacant, the Charge Nurse assigned it to us. They made housekeeping come up and clean the room at 10:00 PM, and I spent the last 3 nights in a fair amount of comfort.
The hospital staff at Good Samaritan Hospital has been just terrific to us each time Michele has been there. The last nurse she had today told her that she had seen Michele on the floor throughout the week and was hoping she would get to have her as a patient! Other nurses who had Michele previously would stop in just to say "Hello". Many came in to give her a hug when they knew they were going to be off for a few days and might not see her when they got back. We honestly feel like we have made friends there. Thank God for people who have a heart to serve.
Of course, a constant source of blessing is you folks who read these updates and pray for us. Jesus said that we shouldn't worry because our Father knows what we need before we ask for it, but the scriptures still exhort us to "Pray without ceasing". To be honest, I don't get it, but I don't have to. This is how God wants it to work, and it does! So, "Thank you" for praying, and please don't stop!
With grateful hearts,
Tim and Michele
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Thursday, December 4th
Good Morning.
Michele is still in the hospital. They have been giving her at least two different antibiotics to get the infection under control, and they seem to be working. She has not had a fever since they began the second antibiotic yesterday, although she did have the sweats, followed by chills last night. The Oncologist told us that her white blood cell count is coming back up, which is a good thing. The red blood cells and platelets tend to lag behind, but at least it has turned around. In our conversation with her doctor yesterday, he indicated that Michele will not need to endure another Methotrexate treatment, which was originally scheduled for next Monday. We are grateful that he knows when enough is enough. We still expect one more RCHOP and at least two Interthekel treatments (where a small dose of Methotrexate is injected into her spinal fluid).
She is allowed to walk around a little bit, so that is a relief from the monotony of being restricted to bed. Michele has not eaten a whole lot this week, so she is trying to increase her intake to regain some strength. I think if her vitals remain stable today they may consider letting her go home soon, but I'm not making any predictions.
I'm fairly certain we will need to give her anticoagulant injections at home for the blood clots. I had to do that when she had knee surgery, so I know what to expect, although I'm not looking forward to it. (I'm sure she isn't either!)
That's all I can think of for now, so I'll close and get going on some household chores before heading back to the hospital.
As always, thanks for your continuing prayer support.
With love,
Tim and Michele
Good Morning.
Michele is still in the hospital. They have been giving her at least two different antibiotics to get the infection under control, and they seem to be working. She has not had a fever since they began the second antibiotic yesterday, although she did have the sweats, followed by chills last night. The Oncologist told us that her white blood cell count is coming back up, which is a good thing. The red blood cells and platelets tend to lag behind, but at least it has turned around. In our conversation with her doctor yesterday, he indicated that Michele will not need to endure another Methotrexate treatment, which was originally scheduled for next Monday. We are grateful that he knows when enough is enough. We still expect one more RCHOP and at least two Interthekel treatments (where a small dose of Methotrexate is injected into her spinal fluid).
She is allowed to walk around a little bit, so that is a relief from the monotony of being restricted to bed. Michele has not eaten a whole lot this week, so she is trying to increase her intake to regain some strength. I think if her vitals remain stable today they may consider letting her go home soon, but I'm not making any predictions.
I'm fairly certain we will need to give her anticoagulant injections at home for the blood clots. I had to do that when she had knee surgery, so I know what to expect, although I'm not looking forward to it. (I'm sure she isn't either!)
That's all I can think of for now, so I'll close and get going on some household chores before heading back to the hospital.
As always, thanks for your continuing prayer support.
With love,
Tim and Michele
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Tuesday, December 2, 1PM
Hello,
I have been up since Monday morning, so bear with me as I attempt to relate the events of the past 48 hours.
Sunday was a balmy day here, with temperatures in the mid-60's, but in the evening Michele couldn't get warm. We lit the gas fireplace in the living room and must have had it over 80 degrees in there, but even with three blankets, she felt cold to the touch. At 10PM she got ready for bed and took her new drug, Gabapentin. Around 12 o'clock she was still awake, so she took a sleeping pill. At 4:30AM she was having discomfort in her left arm, so she took a Zanex to calm the nerves. She got up around 8:30 and felt a little unstable, but we got her downstairs and fed her some tea and Cream of Wheat. About 9:30AM her Oncology Pharmacist called to see how Michele was doing on the Gabapentin. Michele reported that it had been working nicely, but the past night it didn't seem to work very well. The Pharmacist authorized her to take a second pill per day, so Michele ate some applesauce and took another Gabapentin, along with her normal supplements.
A half hour later I accompanied her to the bathroom because she felt a little unstable. I got her situated and reached for something in the linen closet when suddenly Michele went limp and fell backward off the commode, hitting her head on some chrome and glass shelves, and ending up pinned between the commode and the bathtub. My mouth began crying out to God, while I tried with all my might to lift Michele up, but she was wedged. I begged her to wake up, and momentarily she did. Between the two of us we got her sitting upright, just as she passed out again and looked like she was choking. I held her up with one hand and pushed her forehead back with the other to get her airway open. After a few moments, she regained consciousness and we worked to get her off the floor and out of the tiny bathroom.
She made it to the couch in the living room and laid down for a few minutes. I called the Oncologist's office and they speculated on what may have caused the fainting. I was to watch her closely and call if she got worse. After maybe 15 minutes, Michele said she needed to get to the toilet urgently. I walked her back to the bathroom and once again got her situated, only this time I placed myself between her and the tub. She had diarrhea, then said she felt like she had to throw up. I dumped the contents of the trash can on the floor and put the can in her lap just in time for her to fill it. Then she passed out again. This time it looked like she was choking on vomit, so I got her head back again and she regained consciousness. We stayed there for a while, until she felt like she could stand and get cleaned up. We got through that, thankfully, and started her back to the living room. She said she felt woozy, so I locked my arms under hers just as she passed out again. With God's help, I dragged her to the couch and got her on it. When she came to, she begged me to let her lay down, but I wouldn't because I was afraid she would choke if she threw up again, which she promptly did.
She finally regained enough strength to support herself long enough for me to get a telephone in my hand. I called the Oncologist's office, then 911. They took her to the Emergency Room at Good Samaritan Hospital in Zanesville and began the diagnostic process. It turns out there are more issues than just medication, and therein lies the blessing. The ER doctors take her history into account, but run diagnostic tests based on the symptoms exhibited, not the history.
She is running a temperature, and her blood platelets are low, as are the white blood cells. That is a 'normal' complication of the chemotherapy; being susceptible to infections. What was unexpected was the discovery of two small clots in her lungs, and a blood clot in her left leg. She will be in the hospital until her blood work returns to a more normal level, and the signs of infection abate. The clots will be handled by anticoagulants administered over several months.
Once again, God knew there were dangerous things going on in Michele's body that needed to be discovered, and He saw to it that they were. I must admit that His methods have a habit of shaking my world. This episode was very traumatic for me, leaving me with images I won't forget, and a renewed compassion for my wife of 36 years. Thank God, her head did not hit hard enough to break the skin, or even raise much of a lump! That strikes me as a genuine miracle, since I fully expected to see much worse.
So pray, pray, pray for: Renewing of her blood's vital components, effectiveness of the antibiotics being administered, dissolving of the blood clots, and encouragement as she endures an unplanned hospital stay.
Thank you so much! I'll let you know how things progress.
For us both,
Tim
Hello,
I have been up since Monday morning, so bear with me as I attempt to relate the events of the past 48 hours.
Sunday was a balmy day here, with temperatures in the mid-60's, but in the evening Michele couldn't get warm. We lit the gas fireplace in the living room and must have had it over 80 degrees in there, but even with three blankets, she felt cold to the touch. At 10PM she got ready for bed and took her new drug, Gabapentin. Around 12 o'clock she was still awake, so she took a sleeping pill. At 4:30AM she was having discomfort in her left arm, so she took a Zanex to calm the nerves. She got up around 8:30 and felt a little unstable, but we got her downstairs and fed her some tea and Cream of Wheat. About 9:30AM her Oncology Pharmacist called to see how Michele was doing on the Gabapentin. Michele reported that it had been working nicely, but the past night it didn't seem to work very well. The Pharmacist authorized her to take a second pill per day, so Michele ate some applesauce and took another Gabapentin, along with her normal supplements.
A half hour later I accompanied her to the bathroom because she felt a little unstable. I got her situated and reached for something in the linen closet when suddenly Michele went limp and fell backward off the commode, hitting her head on some chrome and glass shelves, and ending up pinned between the commode and the bathtub. My mouth began crying out to God, while I tried with all my might to lift Michele up, but she was wedged. I begged her to wake up, and momentarily she did. Between the two of us we got her sitting upright, just as she passed out again and looked like she was choking. I held her up with one hand and pushed her forehead back with the other to get her airway open. After a few moments, she regained consciousness and we worked to get her off the floor and out of the tiny bathroom.
She made it to the couch in the living room and laid down for a few minutes. I called the Oncologist's office and they speculated on what may have caused the fainting. I was to watch her closely and call if she got worse. After maybe 15 minutes, Michele said she needed to get to the toilet urgently. I walked her back to the bathroom and once again got her situated, only this time I placed myself between her and the tub. She had diarrhea, then said she felt like she had to throw up. I dumped the contents of the trash can on the floor and put the can in her lap just in time for her to fill it. Then she passed out again. This time it looked like she was choking on vomit, so I got her head back again and she regained consciousness. We stayed there for a while, until she felt like she could stand and get cleaned up. We got through that, thankfully, and started her back to the living room. She said she felt woozy, so I locked my arms under hers just as she passed out again. With God's help, I dragged her to the couch and got her on it. When she came to, she begged me to let her lay down, but I wouldn't because I was afraid she would choke if she threw up again, which she promptly did.
She finally regained enough strength to support herself long enough for me to get a telephone in my hand. I called the Oncologist's office, then 911. They took her to the Emergency Room at Good Samaritan Hospital in Zanesville and began the diagnostic process. It turns out there are more issues than just medication, and therein lies the blessing. The ER doctors take her history into account, but run diagnostic tests based on the symptoms exhibited, not the history.
She is running a temperature, and her blood platelets are low, as are the white blood cells. That is a 'normal' complication of the chemotherapy; being susceptible to infections. What was unexpected was the discovery of two small clots in her lungs, and a blood clot in her left leg. She will be in the hospital until her blood work returns to a more normal level, and the signs of infection abate. The clots will be handled by anticoagulants administered over several months.
Once again, God knew there were dangerous things going on in Michele's body that needed to be discovered, and He saw to it that they were. I must admit that His methods have a habit of shaking my world. This episode was very traumatic for me, leaving me with images I won't forget, and a renewed compassion for my wife of 36 years. Thank God, her head did not hit hard enough to break the skin, or even raise much of a lump! That strikes me as a genuine miracle, since I fully expected to see much worse.
So pray, pray, pray for: Renewing of her blood's vital components, effectiveness of the antibiotics being administered, dissolving of the blood clots, and encouragement as she endures an unplanned hospital stay.
Thank you so much! I'll let you know how things progress.
For us both,
Tim
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Wednesday, November 26
Greetings,
Monday, Michele had Methotrexate injected into her spine. The procedure went well, and the doctor performing the deed allowed her to leave after a mere 20 minute rest period. Some, if not most doctors require 2 hours of lying still, so we were pleasantly surprised. Another surprise, not so pleasant, was the discovery that she must have two more of these injections in her spine.
Tuesday she had her 5th RCHOP treatment. The drugs infused during the RCHOP protocol not only kill the Lymphoma, but they also boost her metabolism, so she ended the day feeling better than when she went in. We asked the doctor if he had anything for nerve pain, since Michele has been suffering a lot of stabbing pain in her left hand and arm since the last full-body Methotrexate treatment. He sent us home with a drug commonly used in the treatment of seizures. She took one before bed and it really helped! She slept better than she has in a long time and her hand and arm have been relatively pain free all day. We are hoping it's not a fluke, but will be repeatable. The doctor is fairly confident that the problem with Michele's ankle is a side effect of the chemo, and will hopefully disappear when treatments are complete.
Today we went back for her Nulasta shot, but unlike previous trips, she had enough energy to dress up for the occasion and eat at Bob Evans afterwards. We even stopped at Jo-Ann fabric and shopped a tiny bit. So this has been a good week, and much better than I had expected.
We got the schedule for her remaining treatments. She will be admitted to the hospital on December 8th for her final full-body Methotrexate treatment, typically a four day event. On December 15th she will receive the second shot of Methotrexate in her spine, then on the 16th she will receive her final RCHOP treatment. That leaves one more Methotrexate shot into the spine, which is scheduled for December 26th. We were hoping to have all the treatments wrapped up by Christmas, but missing it by one day isn't too bad.
Beyond that, the schedule is uncertain. At some point the Oncologist will order a battery of tests to determine if they got it all, but that probably won't happen until the end of January. We'll keep you posted.
Have a great Thanksgiving, and thank YOU for praying!
Gratefully with Love,
Tim and Michele
Greetings,
Monday, Michele had Methotrexate injected into her spine. The procedure went well, and the doctor performing the deed allowed her to leave after a mere 20 minute rest period. Some, if not most doctors require 2 hours of lying still, so we were pleasantly surprised. Another surprise, not so pleasant, was the discovery that she must have two more of these injections in her spine.
Tuesday she had her 5th RCHOP treatment. The drugs infused during the RCHOP protocol not only kill the Lymphoma, but they also boost her metabolism, so she ended the day feeling better than when she went in. We asked the doctor if he had anything for nerve pain, since Michele has been suffering a lot of stabbing pain in her left hand and arm since the last full-body Methotrexate treatment. He sent us home with a drug commonly used in the treatment of seizures. She took one before bed and it really helped! She slept better than she has in a long time and her hand and arm have been relatively pain free all day. We are hoping it's not a fluke, but will be repeatable. The doctor is fairly confident that the problem with Michele's ankle is a side effect of the chemo, and will hopefully disappear when treatments are complete.
Today we went back for her Nulasta shot, but unlike previous trips, she had enough energy to dress up for the occasion and eat at Bob Evans afterwards. We even stopped at Jo-Ann fabric and shopped a tiny bit. So this has been a good week, and much better than I had expected.
We got the schedule for her remaining treatments. She will be admitted to the hospital on December 8th for her final full-body Methotrexate treatment, typically a four day event. On December 15th she will receive the second shot of Methotrexate in her spine, then on the 16th she will receive her final RCHOP treatment. That leaves one more Methotrexate shot into the spine, which is scheduled for December 26th. We were hoping to have all the treatments wrapped up by Christmas, but missing it by one day isn't too bad.
Beyond that, the schedule is uncertain. At some point the Oncologist will order a battery of tests to determine if they got it all, but that probably won't happen until the end of January. We'll keep you posted.
Have a great Thanksgiving, and thank YOU for praying!
Gratefully with Love,
Tim and Michele
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Tuesday, November 18th, 9:30 AM
Good Morning,
The Oncologist's office called a few minutes ago. The results of the
MRI's Michele had yesterday showed nothing wrong! Thank you for praying. This
is good news, but still leaves the ankle problem unanswered. For now, we are on
schedule for Michele's treatment Monday the 24th. Please continue to pray
for:
- Restoration of motor control in her right ankle
- Peace for the upcoming procedure
- Return of strength in her left arm
- Strength for the RCHOP treatment on Tuesday the 25th
We will not be feasting on turkey this Thanksgiving, but we do
have lots to be thankful for. We hope you have a blessed and enjoyable
Thanksgiving!
With Love,
Tim and Michele
Monday, November 17, 2014
Monday, November 17, 7:15 PM
Hello,
Some time ago I speculated that, with regard to blog postings, no news would constitute good news. That turns out to be not entirely true. Sometimes no news posted simply means there are things going on that are unresolved. Other times it can mean there are personal struggles going on that we really don't want floating in the public realm. The past week has contained ample supplies of both those conditions.
Right after I posted last week's update, Michele began exhibiting symptoms of a mild virus. She had a runny nose, some dizziness, and a bout with diarrhea. We went from the constipation battle to the use of Immodium. The quest being to find the happy balance, without swinging the pendulum too far in either direction. Fortunately, it didn't last too long, and she seems to be recovered from that.
Last Wednesday night I was just about to doze off to sleep when Michele called me into her bedroom. Her right foot had gone numb and she could not bend her ankle upward, toward her. We moved her leg around and massaged things, but nothing really helped. We speculated that perhaps she had been sitting and lying too long. so she tried to move around more on Thursday, but it didn't help. Friday we called the Oncologist and reported the development. They responded with ordering an MRI of her brain, so we drove to Zanesville and had the procedure done. We waited for radiology to read it before leaving, and were relieved to hear that the scan showed nothing new in her brain. We got home a little before 9 PM. The Oncologist put her on a low dose steroid to see if that would help.
This morning, Monday, the Oncologist office called to see how she was doing. We had to report that the ankle was not really any better, and her left arm was still mostly useless since the last Methotrexate treatment. The Oncologist ordered an MRI of her entire spine: 3 views without contrasting dye, and 3 views with. So, back to Zanesville we went. Michele endure another 2-1/2 hours in the MRI machine. This time we didn't stick around for the radiology department to read them, we just came home, arriving a little after 5 PM.
So what does all this mean? I wish we knew. It seems unlikely that the cancer has spread, since the results of the PET scan were good, but everyone seems puzzled by the new symptoms. This is where you come in. Please ask the Lord to sort this all out for His glory. Obviously, we would love to have Michele wake up tomorrow completely healed of all her physical problems, but that is not our expectation. Wherever God is taking this, in His sovereignty, we just need enough grace to keep moving through the minutia of it all. I believe He will honor that request.
We will let you know what happens. Thanks for being there. It is a comfort!
Tim and Michele
Hello,
Some time ago I speculated that, with regard to blog postings, no news would constitute good news. That turns out to be not entirely true. Sometimes no news posted simply means there are things going on that are unresolved. Other times it can mean there are personal struggles going on that we really don't want floating in the public realm. The past week has contained ample supplies of both those conditions.
Right after I posted last week's update, Michele began exhibiting symptoms of a mild virus. She had a runny nose, some dizziness, and a bout with diarrhea. We went from the constipation battle to the use of Immodium. The quest being to find the happy balance, without swinging the pendulum too far in either direction. Fortunately, it didn't last too long, and she seems to be recovered from that.
Last Wednesday night I was just about to doze off to sleep when Michele called me into her bedroom. Her right foot had gone numb and she could not bend her ankle upward, toward her. We moved her leg around and massaged things, but nothing really helped. We speculated that perhaps she had been sitting and lying too long. so she tried to move around more on Thursday, but it didn't help. Friday we called the Oncologist and reported the development. They responded with ordering an MRI of her brain, so we drove to Zanesville and had the procedure done. We waited for radiology to read it before leaving, and were relieved to hear that the scan showed nothing new in her brain. We got home a little before 9 PM. The Oncologist put her on a low dose steroid to see if that would help.
This morning, Monday, the Oncologist office called to see how she was doing. We had to report that the ankle was not really any better, and her left arm was still mostly useless since the last Methotrexate treatment. The Oncologist ordered an MRI of her entire spine: 3 views without contrasting dye, and 3 views with. So, back to Zanesville we went. Michele endure another 2-1/2 hours in the MRI machine. This time we didn't stick around for the radiology department to read them, we just came home, arriving a little after 5 PM.
So what does all this mean? I wish we knew. It seems unlikely that the cancer has spread, since the results of the PET scan were good, but everyone seems puzzled by the new symptoms. This is where you come in. Please ask the Lord to sort this all out for His glory. Obviously, we would love to have Michele wake up tomorrow completely healed of all her physical problems, but that is not our expectation. Wherever God is taking this, in His sovereignty, we just need enough grace to keep moving through the minutia of it all. I believe He will honor that request.
We will let you know what happens. Thanks for being there. It is a comfort!
Tim and Michele
Monday, November 10, 2014
Monday, November 10
Hello,
Last week was busy but good. Michele felt good through the week, but her energy began to fade over the weekend. To be fair, the Prednisone that she takes for 5 days after an RCHOP treatment artificially boosts all her "systems", so that was probably the biggest factor for her feeling good. Over the weekend she had a hard time feeling warm, even though we have the house temperature turned up and she is dressed warmly. Today, she felt light headed, so we took her temperature and sure enough, she is running a slight fever. The oncologist has been consulted and feels that she has some viral infection that will run it's course. We gave her Tylenol around 3 o'clock and she broke into a sweat around 5 PM, so I think she is over the hump. She still feels light headed when she stands up, but I'm hoping that is gone tomorrow.
The last treatment really took a toll on the progress of her left arm. This is somewhat expected, but still discouraging for her. Just to refresh: The issue with the arm is that it never really had a chance to heal from the surgery before she started getting chemo. At the time, I asked the surgeon how chemo would effect her recovery, and he basically said that we needed to pick our battles, and the most important thing was to get rid of the cancer first. So progress with the arm is like a yo-yo. We just need to keep reminding ourselves that the arm will come back when the cancer is gone. Needless to say, pray for patience.
Thanks for traveling this road with us.
Tim and Michele
Hello,
Last week was busy but good. Michele felt good through the week, but her energy began to fade over the weekend. To be fair, the Prednisone that she takes for 5 days after an RCHOP treatment artificially boosts all her "systems", so that was probably the biggest factor for her feeling good. Over the weekend she had a hard time feeling warm, even though we have the house temperature turned up and she is dressed warmly. Today, she felt light headed, so we took her temperature and sure enough, she is running a slight fever. The oncologist has been consulted and feels that she has some viral infection that will run it's course. We gave her Tylenol around 3 o'clock and she broke into a sweat around 5 PM, so I think she is over the hump. She still feels light headed when she stands up, but I'm hoping that is gone tomorrow.
The last treatment really took a toll on the progress of her left arm. This is somewhat expected, but still discouraging for her. Just to refresh: The issue with the arm is that it never really had a chance to heal from the surgery before she started getting chemo. At the time, I asked the surgeon how chemo would effect her recovery, and he basically said that we needed to pick our battles, and the most important thing was to get rid of the cancer first. So progress with the arm is like a yo-yo. We just need to keep reminding ourselves that the arm will come back when the cancer is gone. Needless to say, pray for patience.
Thanks for traveling this road with us.
Tim and Michele
Friday, October 31, 2014
Friday, October 31st
Hello again.
This morning we drove back to Zanesville for Michele's PET scan. Just to review; a PET scan is where she receives an infusion of radioactive sugar water, then, an hour later they take a scan of her body and the cells that are the quickest to metabolize the sugar show up illuminated. Lymphoma cells are hungry little devils, so they suck up most of the sugar and show up brightly.
We had some soup at Tim Hortons on the way home, then parked in the living room to rest up. A few minutes ago the Oncology office called to tell us the results of the PET scan. The tumor above her heart did not show up at all! The Lymphoma on her spine is greatly reduced. All in all, this was a great report. It means the treatments are doing what they are supposed to do, and slowly but surely the Lymphoma is being eradicated.
It's nice to go into the weekend with some good news under our belts. It's also reason to buck up for the treatments that lay ahead, starting Monday. So keep praying and together we'll see this through to the end, because you are an integral part of our journey. Don't forget it. And thanks!
Tim and Michele
Hello again.
This morning we drove back to Zanesville for Michele's PET scan. Just to review; a PET scan is where she receives an infusion of radioactive sugar water, then, an hour later they take a scan of her body and the cells that are the quickest to metabolize the sugar show up illuminated. Lymphoma cells are hungry little devils, so they suck up most of the sugar and show up brightly.
We had some soup at Tim Hortons on the way home, then parked in the living room to rest up. A few minutes ago the Oncology office called to tell us the results of the PET scan. The tumor above her heart did not show up at all! The Lymphoma on her spine is greatly reduced. All in all, this was a great report. It means the treatments are doing what they are supposed to do, and slowly but surely the Lymphoma is being eradicated.
It's nice to go into the weekend with some good news under our belts. It's also reason to buck up for the treatments that lay ahead, starting Monday. So keep praying and together we'll see this through to the end, because you are an integral part of our journey. Don't forget it. And thanks!
Tim and Michele
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Greetings,
Praise the Lord, Michele is indeed home! The blood work on the relative Methotrexate level came back incredibly low this morning, so she was released around noon. The hospital pharmacist was very surprised, and almost sent us home without any Lucovorin, but decided there was no harm by taking four doses at home, so that's what we came home with. They actually cancelled the prescription they had phoned into the pharmacy before seeing the blood test results.
Tomorrow she will get another PET scan, as previously discussed, then back on Monday for RCHOP #4. The only change from the proposed plan I wrote about yesterday, is that the Methotrexate injection into her spinal fluid will occur on November 24th. Here's a new medical term for you: The procedure is called "Intra Thecal" Methotrexate. Here's another tidbit to help understand why she can spend four days in bed and come home exhausted: she documented her urine elimination to make sure she was being cleansed of the poison, and she went to the bathroom 28 times in 36 hours, and passed almost 5 liters of fluid. Incidently, she was tethered to an IV machine, which had to be unplugged and dragged into the bathroom with her each time. Sounds like the basis for some new reality show, if you ask me.
The down side, at the moment, is the effect that the hospital stay and treatment had on her left arm. It is very stiff, and had become swollen from the IV fluids. Please pray that she quickly regains freedom of movement and removal of pain in that arm. You could also ask the Lord to provide a technician at the imaging facility who would have the expertise to allow the use of her port for the infusion of the chemical for the PET scan. I was told that they don't typically use infusion ports because they require flushing, and they are not staffed for that. I asked if they couldn't try to accommodate Michele to spare her from further poking in her right arm, and they said they would try. We'll see. God has answered a host of specific requests already, so I'm hopeful.
We are, as always, grateful for your concern and prayer support. Many blessings upon you!
Tim and Michele
Greetings,
Praise the Lord, Michele is indeed home! The blood work on the relative Methotrexate level came back incredibly low this morning, so she was released around noon. The hospital pharmacist was very surprised, and almost sent us home without any Lucovorin, but decided there was no harm by taking four doses at home, so that's what we came home with. They actually cancelled the prescription they had phoned into the pharmacy before seeing the blood test results.
Tomorrow she will get another PET scan, as previously discussed, then back on Monday for RCHOP #4. The only change from the proposed plan I wrote about yesterday, is that the Methotrexate injection into her spinal fluid will occur on November 24th. Here's a new medical term for you: The procedure is called "Intra Thecal" Methotrexate. Here's another tidbit to help understand why she can spend four days in bed and come home exhausted: she documented her urine elimination to make sure she was being cleansed of the poison, and she went to the bathroom 28 times in 36 hours, and passed almost 5 liters of fluid. Incidently, she was tethered to an IV machine, which had to be unplugged and dragged into the bathroom with her each time. Sounds like the basis for some new reality show, if you ask me.
The down side, at the moment, is the effect that the hospital stay and treatment had on her left arm. It is very stiff, and had become swollen from the IV fluids. Please pray that she quickly regains freedom of movement and removal of pain in that arm. You could also ask the Lord to provide a technician at the imaging facility who would have the expertise to allow the use of her port for the infusion of the chemical for the PET scan. I was told that they don't typically use infusion ports because they require flushing, and they are not staffed for that. I asked if they couldn't try to accommodate Michele to spare her from further poking in her right arm, and they said they would try. We'll see. God has answered a host of specific requests already, so I'm hopeful.
We are, as always, grateful for your concern and prayer support. Many blessings upon you!
Tim and Michele
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 9 PM
Hi Again,
Yesterday the Oncologist spent some time with us laying out a "road map"
for future treatment options for Michele, based on the results of her spinal
tap. Today the results came back from pathology. The amount of Lymphoma cells in
Michele's spinal fluid is greatly reduced, but not eliminated. Progress, but not
the end. This is not discouraging news. It means the treatment is going in the
right direction, but will be adjusted accordingly.
If Michele comes home tomorrow, she will go back for another PET scan on
Friday. That will show what progress has been made on the tumor on her lymph
nodes above her heart. The Oncologist is inclined to think the tumor is gone,
but we want to know for sure, and the PET scan will do that. There are multiple
contingencies in play here, so try not to get confused. If she comes home
tomorrow, gets the PET scan Friday, then she will have another RCHOP treatment
on Monday, November 3rd. If all of that occurs, a week later, November 10th, she
will have a procedure where chemotherapy chemicals are injected directly into
her spinal fluid to deliver a knockout punch to the remaining cancer there.
Whew! Good thing she is from tough German stock!
Michele is still doing very well, even though she has had some trying
moments. Most of the annoyance in the hospital stems from the fact that there is
nothing to do but observe the failures of the staff. It effects me as well while
I am there. The patient and family is there because of high priority
circumstances in their (our) lives, so there is an expectation that alarms will
be responded to immediately, medications will be given on time, meal orders will
actually arrive, etc. But the staff works there, spending most
of their lives waiting on sick people. They have a pretty good handle on which
one of their patients is close to death, and which ones can wait ten minutes.
Reminding ourselves of that when we are the ones waiting is often difficult.
Please notice that I include myself in that assessment, because I'm the annoying
family member who goes to the front desk to see what the holdup is.
Bottom line is that the hospital staff is as attentive as they can be,
but Michele is ready to come home. Please pray to that end, if the Lord should
see fit. We will continue to report events as they unfold, just like Huntley and
Brinkley. If you don't know who that is, you're too young :-)
With love,
Tim and Michele
Monday, October 27, 2014
Monday, October 27, 7:45 PM
Hello,
Let me start at the back half of the day. Most of you know why:-)
I came home from the hospital 13 hours after leaving this morning and was stunned to find someone had been in the house! There was a "Happy Birthday" banner strung up in the kitchen, a slew of birthday cards spread out on the counter, and a birthday cake in the oven. As if that wasn't enough, the mailbox was filled with more birthday cards. All together, I can confidently say that I have received more birthday cards today than all previous adult birthdays put together! Many, many thanks to all of the coconspirators! A big "Thank You" to my beloved wife for planning ahead for this day, even when she knew she would be in the hospital being pumped full of noxious chemicals when I got home to see it.
More "Thank You's" are due for the prayers that were evident by today's events. Michele was very tense about today, right up to the point where she discovered her favorite chemo nurse, Holly, would be the one starting her day for her. Holly is the perfect combination of gentle sweetness and technical proficiency. Best of all, she was Michele's first chemo nurse, so we feel like we know her personally. Michele began to relax immediately.
When it came time for the Lumbar puncture, another male nurse, Rob, took over. Rob is a big teddy bear of a guy with an infectious smile and confident demeanor. He wheeled Michele into the capable hands of Doctor "D". Doctor "D." has a last name that I haven't mastered, but she is of German extraction. Michele reported that she did such a great job, that no anesthetic was needed beyond the local variety, and Michele never felt a thing.
The final satisfying surprise came when Michele was taken to the 7th floor and placed in the care of Rebekah, the same Christian sister that tended to her during her previous Methotrexate treatment. Michele was still receiving the Methotrexate when I left her at 7 PM, but all things considered, it couldn't have gone much better.
Please continue to pray for a good report from the pathologists, regarding the spinal fluid. If it is free of Lymphoma cells, she will not need another Lumbar puncture. Also pray for minimal side effects from the treatments. When this one is behind her, she will be past the halfway mark.
With much love, gratitude, and blessings,
Tim and Michele
Hello,
Let me start at the back half of the day. Most of you know why:-)
I came home from the hospital 13 hours after leaving this morning and was stunned to find someone had been in the house! There was a "Happy Birthday" banner strung up in the kitchen, a slew of birthday cards spread out on the counter, and a birthday cake in the oven. As if that wasn't enough, the mailbox was filled with more birthday cards. All together, I can confidently say that I have received more birthday cards today than all previous adult birthdays put together! Many, many thanks to all of the coconspirators! A big "Thank You" to my beloved wife for planning ahead for this day, even when she knew she would be in the hospital being pumped full of noxious chemicals when I got home to see it.
More "Thank You's" are due for the prayers that were evident by today's events. Michele was very tense about today, right up to the point where she discovered her favorite chemo nurse, Holly, would be the one starting her day for her. Holly is the perfect combination of gentle sweetness and technical proficiency. Best of all, she was Michele's first chemo nurse, so we feel like we know her personally. Michele began to relax immediately.
When it came time for the Lumbar puncture, another male nurse, Rob, took over. Rob is a big teddy bear of a guy with an infectious smile and confident demeanor. He wheeled Michele into the capable hands of Doctor "D". Doctor "D." has a last name that I haven't mastered, but she is of German extraction. Michele reported that she did such a great job, that no anesthetic was needed beyond the local variety, and Michele never felt a thing.
The final satisfying surprise came when Michele was taken to the 7th floor and placed in the care of Rebekah, the same Christian sister that tended to her during her previous Methotrexate treatment. Michele was still receiving the Methotrexate when I left her at 7 PM, but all things considered, it couldn't have gone much better.
Please continue to pray for a good report from the pathologists, regarding the spinal fluid. If it is free of Lymphoma cells, she will not need another Lumbar puncture. Also pray for minimal side effects from the treatments. When this one is behind her, she will be past the halfway mark.
With much love, gratitude, and blessings,
Tim and Michele
Friday, October 24, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Hello again.
Thank you for praying about Michele's Occupational Therapy evaluation. The evaluator was very encouraged by Michele's progress, and believes that one more month of therapy will maximize the effectiveness of the treatments. I should have explained a little about what kind of therapy Michele has been receiving. Treatment is geared toward restoring nerve connectivity and rebuilding muscle in her left arm and hand. She has gone from barely moving her fingers, to being able to pick small objects out of clay. Also, sensation is slowly returning to her arm and hand. Often the sensation is a painful one, but that means the nerves are connecting, so it's tolerated as a good sign.
Next Monday, October 27th, will be Michele's second Methotrexate treatment. The Oncologist is also ordering a Lumbar Puncture to check her spinal fluid for Lymphoma cells. The cells were present in her last sample, please pray that they are gone, or greatly reduced in this sample.
Another point of prayer is the need for peace of mind for Michele. Now that she knows what to expect, the anticipation is causing heightened anxiety. As you can imagine, even when things go super smooth technically, the process is nightmarish emotionally and physically. It would really help her to have the experienced nurses that she has come to trust, but we don't know that she will. That does not mean there are incompetent nurses on staff, just that familiar staff will be soothing for her state of mind.
I will post updates next week as I am able, but Monday will be a long day and I may not have time to post until Tuesday evening. So keep praying! We know in our hearts that God will oversee all these events, but sometimes the head has a hard time reconciling our desires, versus His purposes.
Gratefully,
Tim and Michele
Hello again.
Thank you for praying about Michele's Occupational Therapy evaluation. The evaluator was very encouraged by Michele's progress, and believes that one more month of therapy will maximize the effectiveness of the treatments. I should have explained a little about what kind of therapy Michele has been receiving. Treatment is geared toward restoring nerve connectivity and rebuilding muscle in her left arm and hand. She has gone from barely moving her fingers, to being able to pick small objects out of clay. Also, sensation is slowly returning to her arm and hand. Often the sensation is a painful one, but that means the nerves are connecting, so it's tolerated as a good sign.
Next Monday, October 27th, will be Michele's second Methotrexate treatment. The Oncologist is also ordering a Lumbar Puncture to check her spinal fluid for Lymphoma cells. The cells were present in her last sample, please pray that they are gone, or greatly reduced in this sample.
Another point of prayer is the need for peace of mind for Michele. Now that she knows what to expect, the anticipation is causing heightened anxiety. As you can imagine, even when things go super smooth technically, the process is nightmarish emotionally and physically. It would really help her to have the experienced nurses that she has come to trust, but we don't know that she will. That does not mean there are incompetent nurses on staff, just that familiar staff will be soothing for her state of mind.
I will post updates next week as I am able, but Monday will be a long day and I may not have time to post until Tuesday evening. So keep praying! We know in our hearts that God will oversee all these events, but sometimes the head has a hard time reconciling our desires, versus His purposes.
Gratefully,
Tim and Michele
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Hello,
On Monday Michele had her third RCHOP treatment. Once again, everything went very well. Thanks for praying! Michele had a hamburger for lunch during the treatment, a small serving of ice cream on the way home, and ate grilled chicken with a sweet potato and salad for supper. Yesterday we went back for her Nulasta shot and she had enough energy for a stop at the mall to buy a new pair of shoes.
This morning she was very excited by renewed neural activity in her left hand and arm. She was having sharp pains in her hand before bedtime and was worried that she might not be able to sleep, but she did sleep pretty well, and had this new increase in feeling when she awoke. Our opinion is that the chemo is doing what it's supposed to, and shrinkage of the tumors means more return of function. We'll know more after the results come in from her Lumbar puncture on the 27th.
Some of you may know that we are members of Samaritan Ministries, a Christian healthcare association, through which we are paying the medical bills. When you have a medical need to be paid, Samaritan Ministries assigns a portion to other members, who write a check directly to you. Likewise, each month we send a check to someone who needs help paying their medical bill. Well, this month S.M. assigned our need to 345 members, so our mailbox has been pretty full lately! I've been making deposits at the bank almost daily. I'd like to know what the tellers think :-) If you'd like to know more about Samaritan Ministries, visit their website at: www.samaritanministries.org
Tomorrow a person from the home therapy company is coming to evaluate Michele's progress and make a recommendation as to whether or not we should continue therapy. We would appreciate your prayers on our behalf regarding this decision. Since we are self-pay clients, there is no insurance company to mandate how many treatments she is 'allowed', but we don't want to abuse the system, since the visits aren't exactly cheap. Obviously, we don't want to stop them prematurely, either.
Many thanks for your love, concern, gifts, and prayers.
Tim and Michele
Hello,
On Monday Michele had her third RCHOP treatment. Once again, everything went very well. Thanks for praying! Michele had a hamburger for lunch during the treatment, a small serving of ice cream on the way home, and ate grilled chicken with a sweet potato and salad for supper. Yesterday we went back for her Nulasta shot and she had enough energy for a stop at the mall to buy a new pair of shoes.
This morning she was very excited by renewed neural activity in her left hand and arm. She was having sharp pains in her hand before bedtime and was worried that she might not be able to sleep, but she did sleep pretty well, and had this new increase in feeling when she awoke. Our opinion is that the chemo is doing what it's supposed to, and shrinkage of the tumors means more return of function. We'll know more after the results come in from her Lumbar puncture on the 27th.
Some of you may know that we are members of Samaritan Ministries, a Christian healthcare association, through which we are paying the medical bills. When you have a medical need to be paid, Samaritan Ministries assigns a portion to other members, who write a check directly to you. Likewise, each month we send a check to someone who needs help paying their medical bill. Well, this month S.M. assigned our need to 345 members, so our mailbox has been pretty full lately! I've been making deposits at the bank almost daily. I'd like to know what the tellers think :-) If you'd like to know more about Samaritan Ministries, visit their website at: www.samaritanministries.org
Tomorrow a person from the home therapy company is coming to evaluate Michele's progress and make a recommendation as to whether or not we should continue therapy. We would appreciate your prayers on our behalf regarding this decision. Since we are self-pay clients, there is no insurance company to mandate how many treatments she is 'allowed', but we don't want to abuse the system, since the visits aren't exactly cheap. Obviously, we don't want to stop them prematurely, either.
Many thanks for your love, concern, gifts, and prayers.
Tim and Michele
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Hello,
Thanks to all who prayed for Michele after our last update/prayer request. Her arm did improve, and her spirits were bouyed as well.
We had a good visit with the neurosurgeon this past Wednesday. He is pleased with Michele's progress, so much so that he will not need to see her for six months. That's a milestone behind us in this journey. Now that we are confident in the progress of the nerve and muscle regeneration in her arm, we can focus on the eradication of the cancer.
Monday, October 13th, Michele will receive her third RCHOP treatment. She is in good spirits, but aware that resumption of treatments means return of fatigue. Small price to pay, in the big scheme of things, but still unwelcome. When she is admitted for her second Methotrexate treatment on October 27th, they will do another lumbar puncture to see if the treatments are moving in the right direction. An absence of Lymphoma cells in her spinal fluid would be good news indeed, so please pray toward that end.
Have a blessed Sunday. We'll report in a few days to let you know how the treatment went.
Gratefully yours,
Tim and Michele
Hello,
Thanks to all who prayed for Michele after our last update/prayer request. Her arm did improve, and her spirits were bouyed as well.
We had a good visit with the neurosurgeon this past Wednesday. He is pleased with Michele's progress, so much so that he will not need to see her for six months. That's a milestone behind us in this journey. Now that we are confident in the progress of the nerve and muscle regeneration in her arm, we can focus on the eradication of the cancer.
Monday, October 13th, Michele will receive her third RCHOP treatment. She is in good spirits, but aware that resumption of treatments means return of fatigue. Small price to pay, in the big scheme of things, but still unwelcome. When she is admitted for her second Methotrexate treatment on October 27th, they will do another lumbar puncture to see if the treatments are moving in the right direction. An absence of Lymphoma cells in her spinal fluid would be good news indeed, so please pray toward that end.
Have a blessed Sunday. We'll report in a few days to let you know how the treatment went.
Gratefully yours,
Tim and Michele
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Thursday, October 2nd,
Hello,
As you know, Michele's condition started with problems with her left arm and hand. The surgery that she had in July was to remove tumors that were squeezing the nerves to her arm and hand. Since the surgery she has been in therapy to regain the use of her left arm. Some degree of motor skill and sensation has returned, but her upper arm sensation has not returned as hoped. She also has pain in her elbow and inside forearm, and her hand goes cold from poor circulation.
We are scheduled to see the neurosurgeon next Wednesday (Oct 8th), but that seems a far way off considering her discomfort. Please pray for God's intervention in restoring sensation to the upper arm, better circulation in the arm, and removal of the pain.
Thank you for interceding with the Great Physician!
Tim
Hello,
As you know, Michele's condition started with problems with her left arm and hand. The surgery that she had in July was to remove tumors that were squeezing the nerves to her arm and hand. Since the surgery she has been in therapy to regain the use of her left arm. Some degree of motor skill and sensation has returned, but her upper arm sensation has not returned as hoped. She also has pain in her elbow and inside forearm, and her hand goes cold from poor circulation.
We are scheduled to see the neurosurgeon next Wednesday (Oct 8th), but that seems a far way off considering her discomfort. Please pray for God's intervention in restoring sensation to the upper arm, better circulation in the arm, and removal of the pain.
Thank you for interceding with the Great Physician!
Tim
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Saturday, September 27
Hello,
This past week started with Michele feeling exhausted. We had both planned
for me to spend the majority of the week back in the hangar, but she felt so
weak that she didn't trust herself to be alone very much. Thursday we had an
appointment with the Oncologist in the afternoon. Thankfully, she had a good
night's sleep Wednesday night and conserved her energy prior to the appointment,
so she felt pretty good for that.
The Oncologist has revised her schedule for chemo treatments to move her
treatment days to Mondays instead of Thursdays. The reason for the move is so
her hospital admissions won't fall over a weekend. Being admitted during the
week will ensure that all the relevant doctors are on duty to better manage her
treatments. The good news in all this is that he moved the next treatment date
ahead, rather than closer, so Michele will have a longer recovery period before
her next treatment. As of now, her next RCHOP treatment is scheduled for October
13th, with a Methotrexate treatment scheduled for two weeks after that.
Yesterday she had a noticeable increase of energy and today we're actually
talking about traveling out for a non-medical jaunt. It won't be a grand
adventure, but any diversion away from the house will be good.
Another great thing that happened yesterday was a visit from one of
Michele's friends from the Coshocton Christian School. The school had done a
fundraiser for Michele and the kids generated a touching amount of sentiment and
gift cards. We cried tears of joy. Michele really loves the kids and staff at
CCS, and I know a big motivation for her recovery is to get back to them as soon
as possible. Thank you seems so inadequate.
While we're on the subject, the Women of MMS deserve a big
Thank You for a lovely gift basket they put together,
which was so big it had to be sent in two baskets! Everyone has been so kind to
us, we feel very undeserving. God is good, and He has definitely used His people
in a tangible way to bless us. May His blessings be multiplied in return upon
you all.
With much love,
Tim and Michele
Friday, September 19, 2014
Friday, September 19, 4PM
Greetings,
Since this is national 'Talk Like a Pirate Day' Michele wore a hoop earing
with her head scarf to round out the look. I'm not kidding about the "Talk Like
a Pirate Day'; check it out. I remember the first time I heard about it was a
couple years ago when Ryan Joy was visiting the mission from Brazil. When one of
the guys announced that it was 'Talk Like a Pirate Day', Ryan spoke up in a
whiney voice and said,"Help me. My airplane's broke and I don't know why!" I
asked what that had to do with talking like a pirate and he said, "Oh, I thought
you said 'Talk Like a Pilot' Day." Ryan's all mechanic, and
part comedian.
Michele's chemo treatment went very well yesterday; fatigued, but otherwise
no other side effects. This morning she woke up feeling rested and her left hand
had a noticeable improvement in dexterity and feeling. All good things to thank
God for. We headed back to the doctor's office for her follow-up Nulasta
injection and she is back on the couch resting. The only scheduled trip for next
week is a consult with the Oncologist on Thursday, so the tires on the van will
have a chance to cool off :-)
Hopefully, I will get some time at the hangar next week or two, then it
will be back for another chemo treatment in the Oncology suite the 9th of
October. I don't know if we will have anything to post between now and then, but
consider that no news is good news. As always, thank you for the prayer support
and cards. You encourage us daily!
Blessings,
Tim and Michele
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Wednesday, September 17
Greetings,
Well, this was our "Day off". Monday and Tuesday Michele was back in the doctor's office having blood drawn and the appropriate fluids pumped in. It turns out her potasium level is low, requiring introvenous infusion and pills at home. The pills are huge and have to be cut in half to be swallowed, but at least they can be taken any time convenient during the day. Although her blood still contains residual methotrexate, they felt that the level was low enough to let her stay home today.
Tomorrow she will settle into the recliner in the oncology suite for her second RCHOP treatment. When they called to remind us of the appointment they quoted a 360 minute treatment time, which is a little disappointing. We were thinking it would be closer to four hours, not six. I guess we'll find out.
There's always room to count your blessings. Yesterday we shared the treatment suite with a 68 year old man and his wife, and an elderly lady who was alone. The man looked fine, but was declining removal of his bladder in favor of chemo and radiation treatment. I heard the doctor say he was between stages 3 and 4, so opting out of the surgery was a gutsy move. Nevertheless, they seemed in good spirits.
The elderly lady was fighting some kind of infection, and was receiving a blood transfusion. She had no family with her and was too frail to adequately push her call button when she needed the nurse. I felt like hugging her, but knew I shouldn't because of the risk of infection for Michele. In the end, my service to her consisted of going to get the nurse when I realized they weren't coming. You do what you can.
So the prayer request for tomorrow is that the pre-treatment bloodwork will reflect figures that allow Michele to receive her treatment, and thus stay on schedule. Bless you for your prayers and concern. It truly means a lot.
Tim and Michele
Greetings,
Well, this was our "Day off". Monday and Tuesday Michele was back in the doctor's office having blood drawn and the appropriate fluids pumped in. It turns out her potasium level is low, requiring introvenous infusion and pills at home. The pills are huge and have to be cut in half to be swallowed, but at least they can be taken any time convenient during the day. Although her blood still contains residual methotrexate, they felt that the level was low enough to let her stay home today.
Tomorrow she will settle into the recliner in the oncology suite for her second RCHOP treatment. When they called to remind us of the appointment they quoted a 360 minute treatment time, which is a little disappointing. We were thinking it would be closer to four hours, not six. I guess we'll find out.
There's always room to count your blessings. Yesterday we shared the treatment suite with a 68 year old man and his wife, and an elderly lady who was alone. The man looked fine, but was declining removal of his bladder in favor of chemo and radiation treatment. I heard the doctor say he was between stages 3 and 4, so opting out of the surgery was a gutsy move. Nevertheless, they seemed in good spirits.
The elderly lady was fighting some kind of infection, and was receiving a blood transfusion. She had no family with her and was too frail to adequately push her call button when she needed the nurse. I felt like hugging her, but knew I shouldn't because of the risk of infection for Michele. In the end, my service to her consisted of going to get the nurse when I realized they weren't coming. You do what you can.
So the prayer request for tomorrow is that the pre-treatment bloodwork will reflect figures that allow Michele to receive her treatment, and thus stay on schedule. Bless you for your prayers and concern. It truly means a lot.
Tim and Michele
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Sunday Afternoon, Sept. 14
Hello Again,
This morning it looked like Michele would be stuck in the hospital for another night. Then her doctor came in and said that the methotrexate levels where low enough that she could go home with the oral form of Leucovorin. So she is home, and resting! She will need to drink lots of water, and take a dose at 9PM, then again at 3AM. Between the pills and the inevitable potty breaks because of the water consumption, She probably won't feel very rested in the morning.
Nevertheless, we must make the trek back to the hospital each morning to have blood drawn and analyzed until the methotrexate level is less than .05 micromol/mg. Don't ask me to explain the ratio, I looked it up and gave up trying to grasp it. The point is, they don't want the meth. to crystalize in her kidneys, which would cause renal failure.
If things are in acceptable ranges by Thursday, she is scheduled to have another round of chemo in the oncologist's office (Like her first treatment two weeks ago). So there's a strong possibility we will be making the trip every day this week. Many thanks to our friends who have gifted us with a gas card (Twice!) You know who you are, and we love you!
So keep praying for Michele, and add a request for safe travel (and for God to curtail my tendency toward road rage).
Blessings,
Tim and Michele
Hello Again,
This morning it looked like Michele would be stuck in the hospital for another night. Then her doctor came in and said that the methotrexate levels where low enough that she could go home with the oral form of Leucovorin. So she is home, and resting! She will need to drink lots of water, and take a dose at 9PM, then again at 3AM. Between the pills and the inevitable potty breaks because of the water consumption, She probably won't feel very rested in the morning.
Nevertheless, we must make the trek back to the hospital each morning to have blood drawn and analyzed until the methotrexate level is less than .05 micromol/mg. Don't ask me to explain the ratio, I looked it up and gave up trying to grasp it. The point is, they don't want the meth. to crystalize in her kidneys, which would cause renal failure.
If things are in acceptable ranges by Thursday, she is scheduled to have another round of chemo in the oncologist's office (Like her first treatment two weeks ago). So there's a strong possibility we will be making the trip every day this week. Many thanks to our friends who have gifted us with a gas card (Twice!) You know who you are, and we love you!
So keep praying for Michele, and add a request for safe travel (and for God to curtail my tendency toward road rage).
Blessings,
Tim and Michele
Friday, September 12, 2014
Friday, September 12, 9:30PM
Hello,
I returned home from the hospital about an hour ago. Michele received the dose of methotrexate yesterday with no ill effects, with the exception of some fatigue. That is praise worthy! There was a 24 hour wait before introducing the "rescue drug" (Leukevorin?) She began receiving that introvenously at 3PM, and will receive 4 doses, spaced six hours apart, then they will change over to pill form.If all goes well, she should be able to return home on Sunday.
Up until this evening she has had no nausea, but she had to take meds for nausea this evening. When I left her the meds seemed to be doing their job and the nausea had subsided. There is a lot of hair on her pillow, so the hair loss phase seems to be coming on. It is expected, but still dreaded, because external evidence makes the whole thing more real.
As always, thank you for your continued prayers! We have much to be thankful for and look forward to witnessing how God will use all this for His Glory. It's great to be used by God in His service, whatever that call to service may be, it's a privilege to be included!
With Love and gratitude,
Tim and Michele
Hello,
I returned home from the hospital about an hour ago. Michele received the dose of methotrexate yesterday with no ill effects, with the exception of some fatigue. That is praise worthy! There was a 24 hour wait before introducing the "rescue drug" (Leukevorin?) She began receiving that introvenously at 3PM, and will receive 4 doses, spaced six hours apart, then they will change over to pill form.If all goes well, she should be able to return home on Sunday.
Up until this evening she has had no nausea, but she had to take meds for nausea this evening. When I left her the meds seemed to be doing their job and the nausea had subsided. There is a lot of hair on her pillow, so the hair loss phase seems to be coming on. It is expected, but still dreaded, because external evidence makes the whole thing more real.
As always, thank you for your continued prayers! We have much to be thankful for and look forward to witnessing how God will use all this for His Glory. It's great to be used by God in His service, whatever that call to service may be, it's a privilege to be included!
With Love and gratitude,
Tim and Michele
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Hello,
Tomorrow, September 11, we need to be at the hospital at 7:30AM to begin Michele's first mega-chemo treatment. This will be the first of three, where she will be admitted for 3-4 days. As you would expect, she has some anxiety for this one, since it is going to be different from the last treatment in both magnitude and intensity. We know that the staff will do all that they know how to minimize the discomfort. Please pray that Michele will have God's peace, and that it will be evident to all her caregivers, to the glory of God.
Michele has been working at occupational therapy to rebuild the strength and mobility of her left arm and hand. Please pray that this hospital stay will not be a setback to the progress of that therapy. Every gain is hard won, so any setback is a bitter pill to swallow.
Thank you to the many folks who have sent cards, gifts, flowers, etc. You have really blest us!
With Love,
Tim and Michele
Tomorrow, September 11, we need to be at the hospital at 7:30AM to begin Michele's first mega-chemo treatment. This will be the first of three, where she will be admitted for 3-4 days. As you would expect, she has some anxiety for this one, since it is going to be different from the last treatment in both magnitude and intensity. We know that the staff will do all that they know how to minimize the discomfort. Please pray that Michele will have God's peace, and that it will be evident to all her caregivers, to the glory of God.
Michele has been working at occupational therapy to rebuild the strength and mobility of her left arm and hand. Please pray that this hospital stay will not be a setback to the progress of that therapy. Every gain is hard won, so any setback is a bitter pill to swallow.
Thank you to the many folks who have sent cards, gifts, flowers, etc. You have really blest us!
With Love,
Tim and Michele
Friday, August 29, 2014
Hello,
Thursday,August 28, 5:00PM: We just got back from the hospital, where Michele had her first chemo treatment. We were there at 7:30 this morning when they opened, so it was a long day, but a very good day. Michele ate both breakfast and lunch while she received the treatments, and had no ill effects, except for sleepiness. We must go back tomorrow for a shot that is intended to boost her immune system. The treatment is not one drug, but several, intended to work together to accomplish an assault on the cancer on multiple fronts. They call it RCHOP, which is an acronym for the medicines, whose names I will not try to convey.
On September 11th, she will be admitted to the hospital for a closely monitored treatment of Methatrexate (? spelling). After the methatrexate is administered they will need to give her an antidote that will repair the healthy cells, but not the cancer cells. The drug is very toxic, so they must watch her very closely until it is leached out of her system. That is why she needs to be hospitalized for 3 or 4 days. All together, she will receive three of those treatments intermingled with the 6 office treatments like she received today.
Yesterday we met with her surgeon and he released her from having to wear the neck brace. He also encouraged us by putting a name on the injury she suffered on the 18th when a technician erred by putting an automatic blood pressure cuff on her bad arm. Crushing her arm with the cuff caused 'Double Compression Syndrom', where a previously damaged nerve is crushed in a different location and the reaction is magnified. I say we were encouraged because he said the effects will pass, and she will resume the progressive healing she had been experiencing before the incident. He also told us that Michele's type of cancer is so rare, that if a person researched it, they would only find 6 or 7 cases like hers in the whole world. He asked if she would mind if he did a paper on her, so it could be published and benefit the medical community at large. She consented, of course.What a way to become famous!
Thank you all for holding us up in prayer. We really feel the Lord's comfort and blessing! Hang in there and keep us before the throne for the long haul.
With love and gratitude,
Tim and Michele
Thursday,August 28, 5:00PM: We just got back from the hospital, where Michele had her first chemo treatment. We were there at 7:30 this morning when they opened, so it was a long day, but a very good day. Michele ate both breakfast and lunch while she received the treatments, and had no ill effects, except for sleepiness. We must go back tomorrow for a shot that is intended to boost her immune system. The treatment is not one drug, but several, intended to work together to accomplish an assault on the cancer on multiple fronts. They call it RCHOP, which is an acronym for the medicines, whose names I will not try to convey.
On September 11th, she will be admitted to the hospital for a closely monitored treatment of Methatrexate (? spelling). After the methatrexate is administered they will need to give her an antidote that will repair the healthy cells, but not the cancer cells. The drug is very toxic, so they must watch her very closely until it is leached out of her system. That is why she needs to be hospitalized for 3 or 4 days. All together, she will receive three of those treatments intermingled with the 6 office treatments like she received today.
Yesterday we met with her surgeon and he released her from having to wear the neck brace. He also encouraged us by putting a name on the injury she suffered on the 18th when a technician erred by putting an automatic blood pressure cuff on her bad arm. Crushing her arm with the cuff caused 'Double Compression Syndrom', where a previously damaged nerve is crushed in a different location and the reaction is magnified. I say we were encouraged because he said the effects will pass, and she will resume the progressive healing she had been experiencing before the incident. He also told us that Michele's type of cancer is so rare, that if a person researched it, they would only find 6 or 7 cases like hers in the whole world. He asked if she would mind if he did a paper on her, so it could be published and benefit the medical community at large. She consented, of course.What a way to become famous!
Thank you all for holding us up in prayer. We really feel the Lord's comfort and blessing! Hang in there and keep us before the throne for the long haul.
With love and gratitude,
Tim and Michele
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
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