Feeling much better

Yesterday was still a bit rough; Mom just didn't feel well. Today, however, she woke up feeling more energetic and did water aerobics. Of course this meant a nap afterwards. :) She has been able to keep food down much better today and eat a little more at a time as well. Mom and dad were planning on going to Arizona this next week but decided to stay home since their health has been a little undependable. Dad started working Saturday mornings in the Draper temple a couple of weeks ago. He has to be there in the wee hours of the morning. It does exhaust him, but he loves it. Mom hopes to be able to start working in the temple again as well.

No pain for now

Mom is feeling a lot better. She had blood drawn and an EKG. Everything looks good. She did have a little blood in her urine which is indicative of kidney stones. The ultra sound techs were a little backed up today at the hospital so they let mom come home and she'll go back tomorrow for that. She is in no pain and although she is exhausted, she's feeling pretty good. Hopefully the worst is over on this one.

A little glitch

Mom's been doing really well but is still working on getting her eating schedule regulated. Today however she started getting stomach cramps which progressively worsened until she was doubled over in pain. They were able to contact Dr. Ott's office and were instructed to come in right away. He examined her and said it could be a plethora of things but at this point it looks like she is passing a kidney stone.even though she just had a ct scan yesterday, he couldn't see if that's what it was because of the contrast dye they had to use. He sent her to the ER so she can be tested more quickly. Of course, since we've been here, the pain has subsided. She's just resting a bit while we wait for a doctor to come in and see her. At this point it doesn't look too serious. I'll update when we get more information.

No News is Good News

I appologize for the lack of updates on the blog. I have been feeling so much better. I feel as the ungrateful servant who forgot to go back and say thanks!

It feels so good to have our bedroom back again. We really did miss it when we were in the more convenient family room. Our home is almost back to normal again.

I so appreciate all of you who have faithfully followed my progress. It has been inspiring to me to know that you care. I especially appreciated those who have made comments. They have lifted my spirits tremendously. Thanks for all of your faith and prayers...I know the Lord has heard and answered your prayers in my behalf. I feel that my progress has been rapid and miraculous.

I went in for a CAT scan today. It is just to create a base whereby other scans can be judged. The Drs. will keep track of me for 5 years before they can say that I am cured. My expectation is that at the end of the 5 years, I will have a clean bill of health.

Arvel has started working in the Temple on Saturday AMs. I expect that I will be called shortly. I let the Bishop know that I was ready for a calling. I have my visiting teaching list now and it feels like I am a real person again.

Thanks again for your loving support of me. I love you!
Karen

Rearranging the house

The time has come for mom and dad to move back upstairs to their own room. In case you haven't read (or don't remember) the earlier posts, we moved mom and dad's bed onto the main floor and fashioned the family room into a temporary bedroom. This way mom wouldn't have to climb the stairs every day. Now that her strength is back, they decided now is the time to go back into their room upstairs. They got a little over zealous about it if you ask me, we actually caught the two of them carrying part of their mattress up stairs by themselves. We did get some help from some of the men in the ward yesterday. They picked up some dressers mom and dad had purchased, brought them to the house and carried them up the stairs for them. And, they took the exercise equipment from upstairs and put it back into the family room downstairs. So, now mom and dad are back in their own room and seem to love it. They especially love the fact that they can go out at night onto the small deck attached to their room and look over the whole valley.
There has been a little bit of a glitch during the process of moving. The main floor has been turned upside down, moving things here and there, finding things that need to be sorted through, generally just trying to make the family room a family room again. Mom and dad decided to skip their aerobics class this morning because they figured they would get enough exercise going up and down the stairs today. What they didn't take into account was the fact that the aerobic class ends after 50 or 60 minutes. The rearranging of a house can last all day long (and even take several days)! Mom totally over did today and by late afternoon was utterly exhausted. Although she started the day like the energizer bunny at 6:00 am (I told you they were excited), she realized she just couldn't keep going all day and into the night like she used to. She hasn't been able to keep much food down today either. Dad said even his legs are aching from all they did today, we can't even imaging what mom must be feeling like. Sometimes I wonder if I need to stay home from work to babysit these two. They can get into so much trouble when they're not supervised. :) So, it was off to bed early for her. Hopefully she'll use tomorrow to rest up because they have a big family reunion to attend on Saturday. They are really looking forward to spending time with mom's brothers and sisters and their families. Dad is even going to do a magic show!

Scheduling for food

Mom's health continues to improve. Her energy level is high. She's still struggling a bit with her eating. It is difficult, especially when traveling to regulate when, where, what and how much you can eat. She needs to eat often and only small portions at a time. When this can't happen, she wants to eat enough to satisfy her hunger. Consequently, she eats too much and then has to throw up defeating everything. So, small portions only and eating pretty much every hour has got to be the norm for a while. Now that she's home, she'll be able to regulate this better. But, we al know how some days become so hectic, it's hard to eat even 3 times a day, let alone 15. It will come in due time.
Mom and dad both went to the gym yesterday and mom was able to do water aerobics for the first time since her surgery. She has not been able be immersed in water since March because of the feeding tube inserted in her stomach. Now that it's out and the incision has healed, she is able to enjoy the pool again. They also decided, after visiting all the grandkids, they needed to buy a WII. There is a "game" called WII fitness they really enjoy. It is more than just a game, it is an exercise program they can both use. They purchased it last night and Cheri (granddaughter) will help them hook it up today.

Mom and dad are coming home tomorrow from Arizona. I haven't heard a lot from them over the past 10 days, but I figure no news is good news. I'm posting some pictures of them taken last week at their grandkids' graduations. They look great!

Sorry, it's been a while

Mom is doing really well. Last week she and dad flew to Spokane, Washington to attend their granddaughters' graduations. Sara from Central Valley High School and Cheri from Eastern Washington University. They left there on Tuesday to fly to San Diego to attend their grandsons' graduations. Able from High School and Ysaak from Jr. High.
Dad has been sick most of the time, but finally got an antibiotic and seems to be doing better. Mom of course is looking good. They've been able to visit old friends and all are amazed how wonderful she looks. She has noticed that bread is not her friend right now. It just doesn't go down. But, everything else she has tried seems to be going down fine. It is hard to remember to eat slow and small portions when you are visiting with friends at a barbecue but she seems to be handling things fine.
From California, they will be heading to Arizona to visit Greg's family. All seems be be going well for both of them.

100th Post

It kind of seems fitting that in the 100th post on this blog I get to announce that mom got her feeding tube out today!! She was very excited about this. Imagine having something inserted into your abdomen that hangs out about 6 inches. It's held there with stitches which seemed to get caught on the gauze dressings quite often. And then there's the constant tugging and pulling through the day when ever her clothes catch it the wrong way. It was a constant very uncomfortable reminder of all the struggle and pain her life has had over these past few months. And, now it's gone with just a small bandage in it's place.
They say time heals all wounds. As time goes by, this year will become just a distant memory. It has been a struggle, with disappointments and setbacks. But, I think we will remember this past year as one where we saw the inner strength and courage of an individual who was willing to do what it took to fight for her health. Who relied heavily on her faith and the power of the prayers from her friends and family.
Mom still has some obstacles to overcome but her doctor assured her today that in due time, she will become whole again.

And the eat goes on...

Mom is still doing great! She has to be ultra diligent on her eating, however. She can't let an hour pass without eating or drinking something. With her gall bladder out she has noticed some sensitivities to dairy products and red meat. That means avoiding pudding, ice cream and ensure which were easy snacks to eat. All we have to do is be more creative. Once she figured that out she hasn't thrown up or been nauseated as much.
She got her hair cut and colored this week. When she came in to my work to let me see her "new do" one of my co-workers commented, "you'd never know she was sick". Her skin coloring looks good, and she has that twinkle in her eyes that we have all grown to love. She really does look amazing!

More Good News

Mom spoke with Dr. Ott today. He suggested she go without using the feeding tube this week. If she can go all week without losing weight, she can have it removed next Tuesday! This means she will have to be diligent in eating. She can't eat more than a cup of food at a time, and needs to wait an hour or so in between. For instance, yesterday she had a 1 chocolate covered strawberry. She then tried to eat a little bit of ice cream. It was just too much and she threw up the ice cream. She did mention to Dr Ott about having trouble keeping food down when she laughs. He said, "Perhaps from now on you'll just have to eat with really boring people". :)
It will be a challenge to get enough calories through the day and still get enough water. Water fills up her stomach fairly quickly so there's no room for food. We may use the feeding tube for the water at first to help her keep her calorie intake up.
She also had a visit with Dr. Whisenant (the oncologist) yesterday. He said her iron levels are back up to normal and everything looked good. She has a CT scan scheduled for mid July. Since this type of cancer is known to return, they want to keep on top of it. They don't expect to find anything this time but want to use this CT scan as a base line. She will have to have these scans fairly often over the next few years just to make sure everything stays normal.
Dad also got good news. He had an appointment with his cardiologist yesterday. All his tests came back with good results. The Doc said dad has a strong heart and doesn't see any signs of ever having a heart attack. Dad was told he had a heart attack during his bypass surgery several years ago but according to all the tests, he has either healed perfectly or he never really had a heart attack. He's starting dad back on his blood pressure medication just as a precautionary measure. It's not overly high, but it is borderline so he doesn't want to take any chances.
With all this good news, mom and dad are in really good moods. Not that they were in bad moods before, but it seems as if a weight has lifted and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Better and Better

Mom seems to be doing better and better. She has graduated herself to soft foods (Dr Ott was gone over the holiday weekend, so she decided it would be ok). Her biggest challenge is knowing when to stop eating. Her stomach is so small right now and there is virtually no space between it and her throat. That means if she eats just a little too much (more than 3/4 - 1 cup), it will come back up. It is especially a problem if she drinks water before or after she eats. It can also be a problem if she gets a tickle in her throat and needs to cough or if she starts laughing too much. It will definitely be a learning process. Once she has it down, I'm sure it won't be a big issue. Her energy level seems to be increasing as each day passes. Yesterday we traveled to Nephi and visited the cemeteries, went out to lunch and she still had enough energy for a vigorous walk when we got home.
She really wants to be able to get her feeding tube out as soon as possible. We're just not sure if the doc will want to keep it in for a while just as a precaution even after she can eat the amount of food she needs. We'll see.

Progression slow but sure

Today Val fixed fish, squash and rice. What a treat! I was able to eat a little. It tasted wonderful. I really appreciate the ability to eat, even though I am on a soft-food diet. I never appreciated that before, but, it really is a pleasure to have tasty things in my mouth. I still have to be careful not to eat too much at a time. 1/2 to 1 cup of food at a time is about all my stomach will hold at one time, but it is better than not being able to have anything at all. Eventually my stomach will hold more, I hope. I assume that on Tuesday when I call Dr. Ott, he will give me the go-ahead to have a full diet. It seems to have taken a long time, but, as I actually eat, the time is erased and it is as though I have always been able to eat.

I actually went for two weeks without throwing up. That is the first time in a year that I have accomplished that fete. I really am progressing all the time. I feel almost normal, except for having the feeding tube in my abdomen. When that finally comes out, I'm sure that it will be as if it never happened. Our minds are great to erase the caustic feelings...or is it that I am just getting old and the short term memory is the first thing to go?

This Memorial Day Weekend helps me appreciate what so many have done to allow us the freedom we enjoy. We plan to take a little trip to the cemeteries where our loved ones are buried to pay our respect. We have been blessed with so much!

Getting Better Every Day

I have really appreciated Val keeping up the blog so faithfully. I have just taken it so for granted that I ought to be chastised. However, I am feeling so much better that I should take some responsibility for this myself.

I appreciate those of you who faithfully follow my progress. It means a lot to me to know that you are out there and care what is happening. I feel the support that you give in your thoughts, faith and prayers in my behalf.

I continue to get better all of the time. I am feeling almost normal. The feeding tube is the last big hurdle to overcome. I hope that it can be removed in a short amount of time. We have scheduled flights to Spokane, San Diego, and Phoenix, in a couple of weeks to attend the graduation exercises for some of our grandchildren. I would like to be off the feeding tube by then, but that probably won't happen. We will just have to take all the apparatus with us in our luggage.

I am not on solid foods as yet, but my capacity to take fluids is improving. I will not every be able to eat big amounts of food at a time because of the size of my stomach now. I am thankful that I can see progress. I truly appreciate the Lord's blessings as He continues to heal me.

Thanks again for your loving support!

Slowly but Surely

Mom is doing better with her eating. Yesterday she was able to eat/drink 2 cups of liquids. Today she ate/drank 2 1/2. Everything is staying down and she is feeling really well. The weather has made it difficult to go on walks so she has gone to the gym to walk around the track to build her strength.
Today she again attended all three hours of church. She doesn't sleep during the day because she worries she won't be able to sleep at night. Last week she ended up having a couple of days where she slept well throughout the night, but those times are not common. Even though she doesn't take a nap, she just doesn't sleep. She's not on any medication but Prilosec, so there aren't any chemicals keeping her up. Maybe it's from her stay at the hospital, the staff there certainly doesn't let their patients sleep through the night. :) Hopefully her body will figure it out soon and she'll be able to get the rest she needs to heal properly.

True confessions

Mom has enjoyed being able to put something in her mouth again. Although, we think she has gone a little bonkers. First it was the watermelon, because it had "water" in the name she figured it was ok. But, then came the Sun Chips, the Costco samples (which included a small portion of a Philly Steak Sandwich) and some Macadamia nuts to top it off. Now mind you, she only ate small portions, but STILL! Things stayed down pretty well, until she tried to sleep at night. As she laid down, she started to feel it. In the morning, she threw everything up! She then had to tell her doctor what she had done. After she had confessed all, Dr Ott (a bishop), said, "Well, I still think you're a good person. What you've done isn't really a "moral" sin." He then explained how the breads, even though they are soft are really hard to digest. He asked her to stay on an all liquid diet for a while. Before she can add solids, she needs to be able to have at least 6 cups of liquids a day. Right now she can only do 1 1/2 cups. She told Dr. Ott she would do better. After she hung up with him, she realized she had forgotten to tell him about the chest pains she had had the night before. So, she called him back. When he answered the phone, instead of saying hello, he said, "Do you have more to confess?". It's great to have a doctor with a bit of a sense of humor. :) When she told him about her symptoms he said he didn't think it was her heart. It was probably just the food she had eaten.
Mom didn't really want me to post this, but I do for two reasons. One is to show, she really is human. She has been absolutely perfect in following her doctor's orders until now. I'm not sure how she did it. This time, however, she felt much so much better than she had before. So, she did all of this with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, truly thinking she was totally healed and she would prove to everyone it was all fine. Second, to remind us all of what she has had to deal with. She has been having problems eating for close to a year now. Never knowing if the food she ate would stay down or come back up. And, for close to 2 months, she has not been able to put food in her mouth at all other than those few times where she could take a few sips of something here and there. Living in a society where eating is such a social thing... we eat when we get together with friends, when we celebrate, we give food to comfort those in mourning, to help those who are sick. When we want to help, the first think we ask is "what can I get you?" Although mom is not able to participate in any of those social norms, she doesn't let it keep her down. It can feel very lonely to be in a midst of people and not be able to participate yet she allows everyone else to live their lives without guilt. She has been stalwart in her attitude and her compassion to others in making them feel all is well. I admire her strength, courage and her dedication to get through this. Even though I gave her some very dirty looks about her eating activities this week, she is still my hero.

Try, try again

Mom has been feeling pretty well for the past few days. Dr. Ott called today to check on her. He said since she hadn't thrown up in over a week and a half, she could start drinking clear fluids again. She has to take it slow and if she throws up at all, she will have to stop again. Today, she had some juice, some bullion, and somehow snuck in a little bit of watermelon. She figured since it had "water" in the name, she'd be OK. We'll see if it really is OK.
Until last night, she had been sleeping better, but last night she had some issues with her feeding tube that kept her up most of the night. Hopefully she's fixed the problem so she can get some rest tonight.

The healing continues

Mom has continued to feel improvement in her health and energy. With her doctor's permission, she has upped the rate of her tube feed so she can get it all done in just under 14 hours instead of 16. Although the tube feeding still takes more than 1/2 of a 24 hour day, she has decided to make it work around her schedule rather than her working around it; It just takes some planning. She was able to attend the temple Saturday night with our ward by starting earlier in the afternoon, unhooking for a few hours, then hooking back up when she got home.
She attended all 3 hours of church yesterday. Although it would probably behoove her to take a nap sometime during the day, she usually doesn't. She has had a difficult time sleeping at night. She can feel that she's tired, but sleep just hasn't come easily. Before she hooked up for the night last night, she went on a walk to the park. When she started these walks, she would have to stop and catch her breath about 1/2 way. When we arrived at the park, she would sit for 15 - 20 min or so before going back home. Now, she walks at a faster rate and doesn't stop for a break at all. In fact, instead of just walking to and from the park she also takes a lap around it as well, making it closer to a mile and a half instead of just a mile.

Feeling a lot better

Mom woke up this morning feeling much better. The flu symptoms were gone, thankfully. She went on a walk, spent some time outside and she got her quilt blocks sewn together. It should be done before too long (just in time to start another one) Tonight when i came home from work, she was already hooked up to her feeding tube and looked a little tired. But, when she spoke, I could tell she felt a lot better. She had a strength in her voice I hadn't heard in a long time. She seemed to have a little more vigor in her step tonight as well. Hopefully this will become the norm, instead of a rarity, as she continues to heal and get stronger.

The iron infusion

Mom's energy is improving little by little but the docs wanted to boost her iron levels because she's still anemic. She can't take the iron by mouth and taking it thru the feeding tube won't work because it wouldn't get to her stomach. The only option left is to have it done by infusion. One person said it would take a couple of hours, another said it would probably be more like five hours. Mom's appointment today was at 9 am. She just had to sit there in a chair while they intravenously fed her the iron. They also gave her Benadryl in her IV as well. Six and a half hours later she was finally done and totally wiped out physically. They said over the next 48 hours she should probably take some tylenol because she may experience flu like symptoms. The good effects of the iron most likely won't be felt for two to four weeks.

Gaining strength

Mom has been doing well, She has been staying healthy and trying to exercise every day. Dr Ott upped her calorie intake last week (adding an additional can per day to go into her feeding tube). He also said it was OK to up the rate so she can get all 7 cans done in just under 16 hours ( it was 16 hours for 6 cans before). She had an appointment with the nutritionalist today and has an appointment to have some iron infused tomorrow. Hopefully this will improve her energy level. I get the impression, knowing she is not allowed to eat anything for a month has taken away some of the pressure. She can allow her body to heal on it's own without feeling she is failing at the healing process because her food isn't staying down.
Dad had his visit with the cardiologist today. Mom and dad both liked him and he put them at ease as far as dad's health is concerned. Dad's cholesterol is a little high (not horrible), so he will be doing things to help that come down. Dad still has to go back for some other tests as well as a stress test.

Perfect Mother's Day/Birthday

It has been a wonderful day today. I was presented with a book of pictures and letters from each of our children and most of our grandchildren. My heart was full as I read each letter. What a difference it makes to feel the gratitude of others. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

I have resigned myself to being grateful for small things: Dr. Ott mentioned that I could either have surgery this week, and in a month I would be feeling as good as I am feeling now, or I could just stay on the feeding tube for a month without taking food or drink by mouth for a month, and I will probably be healed enough in a month to be able to eat again. I truly have to be grateful for the feeding tube that keeps me alive while I heal. Sometimes I feel like complaining that I have it, but truly it is saving my life.

I appreciate each of you who are praying for me. I know that the Lord is listening and answering your prayers in my behalf. I am getting stronger all the time. I walk at least a mile per day, and I can tell that my strength is increasing. Please know that I love each of you and appreciate your interest in my welfare.

Back to the drawing board

Mom spoke with Dr. Ott this morning about how things were going. ie, throwing up all day yesterday, her new tube placement hurting so bad she needed pain meds, etc. He asked her to come right in. He was especially concerned about the pain she was experiencing. He did a lot of tests and found no infection. This was good news, and the pain has subsided today. It still hurts, but not as bad as it was yesterday and the day before. She also underwent several other tests and x-rays, including a swallow test. He then compared the results and the images to what they looked like before. He said there is significant improvement in everything. But there is cause for concern because she is not able to hold food down. He gave mom 2 choices. Have surgery now which will correct the problem immediately, but also means she would have to put her body through the shock of major surgery again, a week in the hospital and all the recoup time. So, within a month she would be almost where she is right now. Or, no food for a month, be patient and let her body heal naturally. And, within a month she will be about where she is now as far as eating, but hopefully be further along in the healing process. So, either way, it will be a month before she gets to eat any kind of food or drink. Also, with the surgery she puts herself at other risks and complications which may delay the healing process even more. She decided to be patient. This is what her doctor recommended as well. He said, even though she really wants to get better and eat normally again, eating seems to be impeding the healing process. He really feels, if she goes this next month without taking food orally, she will be better off and her body will have time to heal. It is disappointing to hear we have to start at the beginning with her food intake, but it was really nice for her to be able to see on the images how much her body really has healed. We live in a world of immediate gratification. And to think about having to wait a month or two, or even longer for something as simple as being able to eat a Popsicle is just unfathomable. But, as we said before, the Lord has his own time schedule. His objective is not about making things happen right now, He's just going to make it happen right. So, mom seems OK with this news. Spending all day at the doctor's office and hospital, being poked and prodded wore her out again. But, she is in good spirits. All will be well in good time.

Not sure why

Mom's new feeding tube is working like a charm. No more clogs. She has been uncomfortable at the tube site, especially where her new stitches are. The pain makes it hard to relax. This morning, she was again nauseated and vomited quite a lot. We had been blaming the Carafate (medication) for the nausea, but it continues to be a problem even without the medication. She continued to throw up small amounts throughout the day, reverting back to the feeling of being full rather than nauseated. We're just not sure why this keeps happening. We talked about the need to sit upright (at a 90 degree angle) for 45 minutes to an hour after eating. She has forgotten to do this so we'll be trying that tomorrow. She will also be calling Dr. Ott tomorrow for her biweekly phone visit. Hopefully he'll have some answers.
Mom and dad were able to take a long walk to the park, around the track and back home. She started her feeding tube a little earlier today so she'll be done first thing in the morning rather than having to wait until 10 or 11 am to unhook it.
It's hard to remember that all of this is progress. I think mom wants to measure her recovery by how soon she will have her feeding tube out or when she can eat regular food. It is discouraging to be going at such a slow rate, but the Lord doesn't measure progress by our time limits or even by our measuring stick. Slowly but surely she will be whole again. In His plan, things are made perfect in a perfect way, rarely are they in the method or time frame we think they should be. If we can just have faith and remember the Lord knows what He's doing, He can work miracles within us.

A rough day

The day started with a big clog that just wouldn't go away. Mom normally has 6-7 cans of food in her tube per day. She had had less than 4 when the tube clogged. She finally got into Doctor Ott's office this afternoon. He changed the Prilosec from one to put in the feeding tube to one that she will have to swallow. (We think that was one of the problems with the clogging). He had to give her a local anesthetic and then some stitches to secure the new feeding tube.
Besides being weak from the lack of nutrients, she had a hard time holding her food down today. She threw up quite a bit. Her tummy was really hurting tonight where the stitches are. She went to bed a little earlier tonight. Hopefully she'll get some good rest and be feeling better in the morning.

More foods

Mom has done fairly well with her clear liquids although she has been getting a little nauseated after she takes her Carafate (the medicine that"s supposed to neutralize the bile in her stomach). Yesterday morning after she took it she threw up quite a lot. When she spoke with Dr Ott yesterday, he agreed since the vomiting was from nausea and not because her stomach was overly full, he was going to allow her to start having regular liquids. This means puddings, applesauce, etc. Also, she is to stop the Carafate and see how that does. She had a "Swirl" from Costco (frozen yogurt) but at just a little more than she should have (she's only supposed to have 1/2 cup at a time every two hours). She could feel it for a while and threw up just a little, but it did eventually drain. She drank a little bit of Ensure this morning and is feeling a little nauseous again.
We've been continuing to have problems with her feeding tube getting clogged. After the incident on Saturday, it seems to clog a little but not totally. This morning, however, it got totally clogged. We've done 2 "clog zapper" treatments and it's just not going. We've got a call in to Dr. Ott. My guess is they will have her come in and replace the tube. It has been more than a month since it was placed, so who knows what gunky stuff has accumulated in it.
Other than that, she seems to be doing well.
We got a lot of the test results back from Dad's physical. He is doing fairly well. His cholesterol is a little high, so Dr. Potter is starting him on thyroid medication. It is supposed to help with the cholesterol as well as several other symptoms he's been having. Dr Potter also suggested adding some fish oil and Vitamin B tablets to his diet. His blood sugar was good, but the diabetes test results were a little high (not quite to the diabetes level, but high enough to do something about it). Dr Potter said if dad eats better like he's been doing this past week, he should be fine. We talked about the pain in his leg and they did an ultrasound of his leg to make sure he didn't have blood clots. That came out clean. The next step is to go to the cardiologist and have a full work up done there.

Baby steps

The tube feed clog turned out to be a little more of an ordeal than expected. They provide us with a "clog buster" solution which is supposed to fix it. We put it in waited an hour and tried to flush the tube and nothing. So, we put in another one, and I called the home health service while we waited. They told me, if this didn't work, we would have go to the emergency room and have a new tube inserted. When the hour was up, we said a prayer and started the flush again. It just wasn't budging. Finally, with the last 20 ml of water, it broke thru. We were so grateful, especially cause an emergency room visit would have messed up our day of hair appointments and pedicures! :)
Mom has been able to enjoy 1/2 cup of clear liquids every 2 hours or so. Although, yesterday she attempted to drink 6 oz of juice instead of her doctor's recommended 4 oz. She ended up coughing up the excess. Those darn doctors, why do they always have to be right. So, only 4 oz at a time; Her stomach just can't handle more at this point. She's hoping to get the OK to start regular liquids (as opposed to clear liquids) tomorrow after she talks to Dr Ott . This will mean she can have apple sauce, pudding and ice cream.
She attended church yesterday but it totally wore her out. All in all, things are progressing. The progress is slow and sometimes so minute we don't see it right away, but there is progress.
Dad goes in tomorrow for the 2nd half of his physical. Hopefully most of the test results from last week will be back.

Let the eating begin

Mom spoke with Dr. Ott yesterday. He had really hoped to have her go a whole week (not just 4 days) without throwing up before he let her start some foods. That would be Monday. He said he would compromise and gave her the choice of starting on Saturday or Sunday. Now, for a smart doctor, that was a dumb thing to ask, "do you want to start eating on Saturday or Sunday". Mom just laughed at him and chose Saturday!
Of course, if it's not one thing, it's another. Mom woke up early this morning with her feeding tube clogged. We are in the process of "declogging" it. While she's waiting for the "clog buster" to work, she is sipping on some Capri Sun Berry Breeze 100% juice and seems to be enjoying every minute of it. :)
Dad's physical went ok this week. They took lots of blood tests and Doctor Potter gave him a stern talking to about eating properly. From the doctor's office, mom and dad went to the grocery store and dad stocked up on lots of fresh fruits and vegetables so he can have more healthy meals and snacks. So far I've seen him eating grapes and apples as opposed to ice cream and strudels. Of course he forgot to mention his leg. He has another appointment on Tuesday where hopefully the test results will be back. We'll make a list of things to discuss with the doctor.
Dad is off to his spinning class at the gym this morning and mom is getting ready to start her day; we're getting our hair cut and pedicures today so of course it will be a good day.

One day to go!

Mom again went the whole day without throwing up. She will call Dr Ott tomorrow and see if she can get the OK to start taking some clear liquids. I'm sure, like last time, they will start her off slowly; she can only have a small amount at a time. Like 1/2 - 3/4 cup every hour. This way she doesn't overload her stomach.
Also, just a reminder, we would love for anyone who feels they can, to join us in prayer and fasting this Sunday. Especially at this critical time in her healing, she will need the Lord's extra help and blessings. Her stomach will need to start functioning as it was designed to do so she can live the rest of her life normally. We so much appreciate your continued support and prayers in her behalf.

Two days down, two to go

Another full day without throwing up! Mom's energy is still down, but she seems to continually improve. If all goes well today and tomorrow, mom hopes to be able to start on some clear liquids by the weekend. We still haven't heard what they plan to do about mom's low iron count. perhaps we'll hear more today.

A better day

Mom went all of yesterday without throwing up! Her appointment with Dr Whisenant gave us a clue as to why she has been so tired. She is anemic; even more so than when she was on Chemo and Radiation! They are going to do additional tests on the blood draws from yesterday and decide what to do about it. She will probably need iron and B12 but they both have to get into her stomach as opposed to going thru her feeding tube and into her intestines. So, this means she may have to have them injected. He will tell us more later as the other results come in.
Today, dad is going in to start his physical with Dr. Potter. The office made an appointment for mom too because Dr. Potter hasn't seen her since she started all this. He has kept up all along the way and called once in a while to make sure she was doing ok. He is a great doctor who sincerely cares about his patients and wants to make sure they have the best care.
All in all, mom is feeling pretty good and is confident about her day today as well.

Another week begins

Mom has seemed to be a little perkier the past couple of days. She just doesn't seem to be so exhausted. Still, she struggles with throwing up, but it's not quite as much as other days have been. She spoke with Dr. Ott today. He said to be patient. Still, he feels it is in her best interest not to eat or drink anything. If she can go four days without throwing up, he will let her start on some liquids. He really doesn't think he'll have to go in and do another surgery. That will be a last resort. He is in great hopes that mom's body will heal on it's own.
This Sunday is "Fast Sunday". If any of you would like to join us in a fast in mom's behalf, we would so much appreciate it. She just needs her body to heal as it should, especially her stomach, so it can function properly.
Dad is doing well. His left leg has been hurting for some reason; we have him scheduled for a full physical next week, but because of his leg, we're going to try and get him in sooner. He's been kind of avoiding going in because he doesn't want to know if something is wrong amidst all that's been going on with mom. All in all, things are looking good for this week. Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers in their behalf.

Emotional ups and downs

I think the best word to describe mom at this point is exhaustion. After a fairly good day yesterday, she had a rough day today starting with a big vomiting session. This has been a roller coaster ride of emotions. Dr. Ott has told her she will not be able to eat until she goes a week without vomiting. So when every she throws up, it's like she has to start over again. It seems like a never ending battle at this point. She tries her best to keep a smile on her face, but the thought of having surgery again is just too overwhelming. She wants to "will" her body to work, but it just doesn't seem to be listening. She is going to bed early tonight. Hopefully she will get some good healing rest tonight.

Small Improvements

Not a lot has happened over the past day or so, but mom just looks better. She's still achey and low on energy, but we can see a little more of her sparkle back. She didn't throw up as much today. Dad is doing a good job of making sure she gets her meds and her food. This whole ordeal has been rough on him but all in all, he's holding up fairly well.
We expect the weekend to bring on more healing and more energy.

Wait and See

Not much has happened over the past couple of days. Mom continues to throw up but now she's feeling nausea as well. In order for her new medication to be effective, it needs to go into her stomach. This means she has to take it orally instead of through the feeding tube. It's the only thing that is entering her stomach at this point so we figure that is what makes her feel nauseous. Her energy seems depleted as well.
Dr. Ott called today to see how she was doing. He told her just to hang in there for now and see if we get any more improvement. She will talk to him again next week. Mom and dad have been blessed to have wonderful doctors here who go the extra mile in making sure they are taken care of.

Results from the visit with Dr. Ott

The past couple of days have seemed to be going back instead of forward. Mom has been throwing up every day and her energy seems to be depleted more quickly. Doctor Ott said this has never happened to any of his patients. He has not been able to pinpoint the reason for the swelling and her stomach not draining. When they scope it, it looks fine, but the x-rays show some tightness. He said it is not cancer related, it is healing related. Her body is just healing weird. Mom told him how her body reacts differently to things; she can't wear watches because her body throws off the timing mechanism and they won't keep time after a couple of weeks. Dr Ott asked if she was part alien. :)
There aren't a lot of options left, At first he thought he could put a stint in for a couple of months to keep it open. But after consulting with the doctor who did the last scope, they decided it would be more dangerous because if it slipped, it would turn into an emergency surgery to get it out. Finally, he decided the best course of action would be to try another medication to help the bile stay where it should, He will give it three weeks, if there isn't significant improvement she will need to have another surgery to open it up permanently. We are really hoping that won't need to happen. He hopes within the next two days she will see some improvement. If she can go a week without throwing up, she will be able to start "eating" some fluids.
Dr Ott put a tube into her nose and down into her stomach and drained about 500 ML of fluid. It was a horrible process but necessary to help her feel better. The fluid color was good and there wasn't as much as he anticipated. He did acknowledge this recovery process has been pretty horrible, but assured her, she would eventually be a normal person again.

Getting through the weekend

Mom seems to be doing a little better. She is still really tired, but her pain level has dropped. She hasn't had to take any pain medication since yesterday morning. She felt like her stomach was draining better. But, alas, today she threw up again. This time it was a lot rather than just a little in her kleenex when she coughs. Episodes like this totally zap her strength. She called the doctor and he said he'd let her stick it out at home, but she has to call right away if it happens again. She has an appointment with him on Tuesday afternoon. I don't know if they will be doing additional tests at that time, we'll just have to wait and see.

Resting at home

The past few days have been spent resting and recuperating. Mom is still experiencing a lot of discomfort in her back from the procedure done on Wednesday. She's staying as upright as possible to keep her stomach fluids from coming up. She did throw up a little again this morning, so, Doctor Ott nixed the idea of starting her on liquid foods over the weekend. He will look into it again on Monday depending on how the weekend goes. It's hard to keep positive thoughts when her body just doesn't seem to be healing as fast as she thinks it should. She will, over time, become whole again. but it will take time. She took advantage of the nice spring weather and went on three walks and spent some time on the swing outside. Once again we appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers in her behalf.

Home again

Today was not the most pleasant of hospital stays. Dr. Ott agreed to let mom go home but did require her to have a procedure to remove some of the fluid around her lungs. A needle was inserted into her back and into her lungs. They drew out over a liter of fluid from the sack around her lung. This was not only painful during the procedure, but she will have pain for the next few days because of it. It also totally zapped her strength. No word on when she will be able to start eating again. She will be checking in with her doctor every couple of days to monitor her progress. As long as she is throwing up, she will not be able to eat anything by mouth. We are happy to have her home and she is happy to be back in her own bed again.

Another night

No luck in convincing the doc to let her go home tonight. He said maybe tomorrow. Dr Ott is a little perplexed as to why the stomach keeps swelling and thus not draining. He may have to put a needle in and drain it that way. Another option is to send her home with the NG tube (the tube/drain that goes in her nose and down into her stomach). She did throw up a couple more times today so the doc doesn't want to take the chance that she could aspirate. Perhaps we can all focus our prayers to the healing of her stomach so it will drain properly and start to function as it should. Until it does, she will not be allowed to eat or drink anything and they will continue to do those uncomfortable procedures to help her stomach drain. Of course, her feeding tube keeps her nourished, but it would be nice for mom to be able to eat food again.

Wait and see

Mom had a good night last night with few interruptions (other than the phlebotomist from hell). She's had to sit at a 70 - 90 degree angle even when she sleeps. Laying down at a 30 degree incline last night made her cough and throw up again. As far as the x-rays and tests from yesterday, everything looks good. Dr Ott wants her to stay today so they can keep a close eye on her. He may let her go home as soon as tonight depending on how she does. Her job today is to be up and active as if she were home. So, she'll be walking more laps around the 10th floor to help her regain her strength.

A day of testing

Mom survived the day of testing. She started by drinking the barium solution; then over a three or four hour period, several x-rays were taken. They wanted to watch the path the solution took from her mouth all the way down into her bowels. This way they could find any problem areas where things might be getting stuck. As far as we know, everything looked like it was working properly. There is still some swelling in the stomach which keeps some of the fluids from draining all the way. The doctor did another scope and used a small balloon to stretch things out again. We're hoping this will do the trick. This morning, Dr Ott said mom may be able to go home as soon as tomorrow or Wednesday. We'll see what the reports say tomorrow.
She is in good spirits and seems to have her energy back. She is walking laps around the 10th floor and even doing a little dancing along the way. :)

Back on the 10th floor

Mom is back on the 10th floor with with the NG tube in her nose, an IV in her hand and of course the feeding tube in her tummy. The nurses really struggled to find a vein for the IV; both arms are still bruised from her last visit here. They finally got a small vein near her knuckle which is somewhat uncomfortable, needless to say, the NG tube placement was no picnic either. She's pretty exhausted. They will be doing additional tests tomorrow, probably another swallow test and x-rays to see what's going on. The main thing is she is well looked after and they are taking care of these things before they causes any real problems like pneumonia! Hopefully they'll be able to coordinate her overnight treatments so she can get some solid rest tonight.

Back to the Hospital

Mom woke up this morning looking really tired. She said she had been throwing up a little again. I called and left a message for Doctor Ott. When he called back, he said throwing up is not good because she can so easily aspirate. It's most likely happening because her stomach still isn't draining like it should. Since the procedure on Friday, nothing has gone into her stomach (the feeding tube goes directly to her intestines). Only the natural fluids from her stomach are there, but instead of draining and replenishing, they are staying there and coming up when she coughs. Consequently, he is admitting her back to the hospital so they can insert another NG tube. This is the one she hates; it is inserted into her nose, down her throat and into her stomach. It will be used as a drain to pump out the excess fluid until her body can do it on it's own. We're hoping it won't be more than a couple of days. The news was disappointing, but mom is willing to do what every the doctor advises so she can get well again.

A good night

After all the procedures yesterday, mom was worn out and still a bit uncomfortable. She was having a hard time finding a position that she could sleep in and not have her stomach upset. Yesterday mom's pillow wedge arrived. This is a large memory foam pillow that goes on her bed to keep her at a 30 degree angle or it can be flipped so she can sit up. This way we don't have to have a bunch of pillows folded shoved together to try and keep her at an angle. We weren't sure it would be what she needed at first because it didn't seem to make a difference, but she was eventually able to get some solid rest last night. She looks much better this morning. I think this wedge pillow will make a big difference just because it stays in place. She is probably going to spend most of the day resting to make up for the last 2 days.

Small setbacks

Mom has been doing fairly well the past couple of days. She has noticed, however, when she sleeps, she wakes up a little short of breath. She sleeps at a 30 degree angle all the time, but it didn't seem to keep her from wheezing. Last night, she was wheezing and coughing so much, she started throwing up. We finally got her settled and breathing better by having her sleep in an upright position. Of course, this was not comfortable and she didn't get a lot of rest. By morning she was absolutely miserable. We called Dr. Ott and he asked her to come in right away. He did some x-rays and blood tests and discovered she has been aspirating some of her food. Her stomach is not doing everything it should and was full of fluid. Dr. Ott was able to get her in to have her stomach scoped this afternoon. A German Doctor, described as the best in the country if not the world at this procedure happened to be here today and Dr Ott asked him if he would preform the scope on mom. They sucked out the excess fluids and were able to open things up more to help her stomach work better. For the next few days, she has to be on the feeding tube only - 16 hours a day. Monday she will most likely be able to add some fluids back into her diet. Right now she is pretty wiped out. I think she'll be able to get a lot more rest over the next few days.

First day home

Mom is enjoying her freedom from the hospital. She arrived home yesterday but all the rigamarole to get her checked out left her exhausted. At least at home she can get solid rest. No interruptions from medical staff, no noisy machines surrounding her, and she gets a room that can be darkened during the day with shades. I did have to wake her up for lunch, but at least she had a couple of hours of undisturbed sleep. She can only eat a little at a time, but she does eat and it doesn't come back up like it did before. It's still important not to have a lot of interruptions during meals.
The home care nurse came over last night to help set up the feeding tube and give us instructions on how it all works. Of course, we've done it all before, it's pretty much the same as her other feeding tube but this one is much more comfortable for her because it doesn't go thru her nose. The feeding tube runs all night long (12 hours) and then she eats regular food (still liquids only right now) during the day.
She's still experiencing some pain now and then. We know it's just the healing process working, but when you think of all the parts of her body that trying to heal, there's a lot of areas that are in pain. She's a tough woman, so there's not a lot that will keep her down.
She went on a walk this afternoon with dad her granddaughter. Just around the block, but it's a great start.

Getting ready for discharge

The nursing staff was again fairly accommodating in getting her overnight care condensed into just a few visits. Doctor Ott came in early this morning and told us everything looks good. Mom is ready to go home. After breakfast she'll be able to bath and then dress in her regular clothes. Of course, she's more than ready. The feeding tube solutions and supplies will be delivered to the house tonight so she'll be able to get started on her overnight nutrition. She is supposed to wait until Friday to start soft food. So, for now liquids only. All in all, things are looking good. She won't have another doctor visit for about two weeks when she goes in to get some stitches out. Of course we have the contact information of all her care givers just in case we run into any trouble.

Almost ready to go home

The last tube (a drain in her chest) came out tonight. That means there's only one left, the feeding tube in her belly (I would say stomach but technically her stomach is up in her chest now so the belly is a better description). This tube will stay in for a few months to help supplement calories while her body is getting used to her new stomach set up. The doctor has ordered the tube feeding be done only at night now, so she gets at least 12 hours tube free every day. She used this to her advantage today and walked a total of two and a half miles (25 times around the 10th floor)! Her diet consisted of cream of wheat, potato soup, tomato soup, custard, apple juice, grape juice, and puddings today. She has been experiencing some discomfort all over but she has tolerated it well. Some pain is to be expected during this healing process but the body can heal better and faster if it is not stressed with pain. The pain meds at night help her relax and get the rest she needs to help her body heal. She is very excited about going home tomorrow. The doc said it's not totally for sure, but she is ready for her own bed and less interruptions at night!

She's practically tubeless!

The nurse last night did an excellent job of coordinating mom's care. She organized it so everyone came in at the same time to do their stuff and then left her alone to sleep for a couple hours. Mom was able to get some solid sleep! Doctor Ott came in early this morning and said the x-rays from yesterday looked good; he took out the chest tube and the telemetry (a bunch of wires monitoring her heart). . She now has only one small drain left to come out. He is starting her on some regular fluids today (not just clear fluids) and maybe have her try some solid foods tomorrow. She is still on track for going home tomorrow. All in all, it's already been a good day !

First meal in a week!

Mom's been doing well today but still trying to catch up on some sleep. She watched both sessions of conference, walked a mile around the halls so far and got her first taste of "real food". Her first meal consisted of chicken broth, apple juice and some sherbet. She's only allowed to eat 100 ml of food/liquids per hour which means it took 3 hours to eat her lunch. Chrissy and the kids came for a visit. They aren't allowed on the floor so we met them in the 10th floor lobby. She was pretty tuckered out by about 5:30 pm and she's been experiencing some pain again. This time she got some pain medication before it got too bad. She'll be having another chest and stomach x-ray this evening and we'll get the results in the morning.

The NG tube is out!

Mom had a bit of a rough night. I thought they wouldn't be coming in till midnight so she could sleep at least a couple of hours, but someone seemed to come in and do something with her every 1/2 hour until midnight. Just as she would doze off, someone would come in and wake her up again. One of the nurses came in to give her the heparin shot in her belly; apparently it's one that hurts really bad. The nurse asked her where she wanted it and mom said "in your belly". They were both started laughing and she had to wait till moms belly stopped shaking before she could give it to her. The nurse finally said, "ok, just concentrate on the pain" to help mom stop laughing.
Once she was left alone to sleep, her incision (She has an incision in her neck from surgery about four inches long) started to hurt to the point it kept her awake for hours. Finally she asked for some pain medication and she was able to sleep a bit.
Doctor Ott came in this morning and went over some of the tests from yesterday. She had done well enough he was able to take the NG tube out of her nose. She celebrated by eating some ice chips. (She really can't have much else yet) He also took her oxygen out. He said he hopes to take the chest tube and maybe the drain out tomorrow. That will leave only the NG tube in her stomach which will stay for a few months. If all goes really well, he said they may let her go home on Tuesday.

Less tubes and wires

Mom was able to get the port out that was in her corroded artery. It was not a pleasant task, but it was nice to have it out. We have less and less stuff to take with us as she walks the hallways. She was able to walk a mile and a half today (four trips totaling 15 laps around the floor). She still is not able to eat regular food. She did do another swallow test but we haven't gotten the results back from that one yet. I sometimes wonder what the hospital staff is thinking. She's been awake for hours and finally at 10:30 she starts to fall asleep. They have her scheduled to come in @ midnight and give her meds, do a suction and probably a breathing treatment. I must say, the hospital is not the most restful place to recuperate. :) I suppose they do it this way so they won't have to wake her up till 6 am to do it all again.
Her pain level is fairly low at the moment so she's not really needing a lot of pain meds, mostly just stuff to keep the swelling down.
Hopefully she'll be able to get a good night's rest tonight. It always seems to make a big difference in how she does the next day.

Working Hard

Day by day we continue to see improvement. Yesterday morning mom was able to get her catheter out. (family members refer to it as a "Lamp" but that's a story for another time). She also took (and passed) her swallow test. This test is kind of like a video x-ray that's taken as she swallows a barium solution. It enables the doctor to watch where the solution goes to make sure it all ends up in the right place. Once she passed, she was hoping to start on regular food (or at least some jello) but her doctor wants to wait for a day or two. She still has some fluid in the lower part of her stomach which needs to drain out before she can eat. The drain is a tube that's in her nose, down her throat and into her stomach. It's kind of like the feeding tube she had before. Until she's ready to have that out she won't be able to eat regular food or even have ice chips. He said it's better to take things slow because jumping ahead too quickly can mean extra days in the hospital.
Mom also continues to take her walks regularly. She walks around the 10th floor, three laps at a time, at a pretty quick place. Her doctor said walking will help her heal and get stronger. It's a bit of a pain to unhook everything, detangle wires and tubes, get it on the portable cart and make sure nothing is dragging or in her way for a 15 minute walk, and then to do this several times a day, but she does it.
Another thing she has to do every day (10 times every hour) is a breath test/exercise. She has a little apparatus that measures her breath intake. Her goal is to get it over 2000. The first day she could barely get it to 500. The second day she got it to 750. Now she is over 1200. Slowly but surely she is getting stronger.
We know she really wants to go home, but we also know, it takes time for her body to heal. The surgery she just had is very complicated, making her body have to work on healing several areas all at the same time. We want to avoid rushing to get results and just let her body take it's time to heal itself. Our bodies are marvelous things. It's amazing how they can heal given the right circumstances. But, it can be very detrimental to push too hard and not allow the body to do it's job. She is a strong woman and willing to do whatever it takes to make herself whole again, even if that means being patient.
She is looking forward to watching conference today and tomorrow and listening to the words of our prophet and other church leaders. It's always so encouraging to hear the talks and sermons from these inspired men and women. I'm sure it will help lift her spirits and give her the added strength she needs to get through this trial.

Improvement

Mom has been able to sleep much better in her new room. It is much more quiet and peaceful. Her surgeon said she should take charge of her physical therapy, so instead of waiting for the physical therapist to come in and take her on walks, she has been going on walks on her own. She has to call an aide in to help her get everything hooked up but she goes out and around the halls of her floor. So far she's been on three walks today and the last two were 3 laps!. She has been able to go without morphine all day. (She has a little button she can push if she wants some extra pain meds). They also started her on her feeding tube. The surgeon placed a feeding tube in her stomach but they hadn't started to feed her until today. I'm sure she will feel some improvement just because she'll have some food. The doctors will be doing some tests in the next few days to see if she's ready for regular food. She's really working hard so she can come home soon. Every day we can see improvement in her energy, the strength of her voice and in her appearance.

Out of ICU

Mom was able to get up and walk a couple more times today. Around 7 pm they moved her out of ICU to the 10th floor. Still, visitors are limited to two at a time and no one under the age of 14 can be there. She does have a more quiet room with places for us to stay the night to help take care of her. She continues to improve and her voice is getting stronger.

day by day

Mom's blood pressure is a little better this morning. She didn't get a lot of sleep last night because she could hear a video loop from next door running all night. The physical therapist came in and had her sit up. She also took her on a walk twice around the floor. The therapist was surprised at the fast pace mom kept. They told us she would be moving up to the 10th floor by about 4 pm. She'll have a private room and a place for visitors to sleep if they want.

The healing begins

Mom's breathing tube came out first thing this morning. She would only stay awake for a few minutes at a time and was not able to speak because her throat was raw. Throughout the day she improved little by little. By afternoon she was able to sit up in a chair, and even got up and walked around a bit. It was exhausting but she was able to do it. She has lots of tubes and wires so she can't just get up at will and walk around, but eventually she will be able to. By this evening she was able to stay awake for longer periods of time and could speak a bit, just a whisper, but she could tell us what she needed. Her blood pressure is a bit elevated tonight and she is experiencing some pain in her stomach. She let us know it hurts to laugh which, if you know our family, it's really difficult to be together and not be laughing. She'll be spending another night in intensive care but we expect her to be moved to a regular room tomorrow.

Out of surgery

We arrived at the hospital @ 7 am with surgery to begin at 8:30. We were informed that they typically run late. About 9:00 am after several pokes and prods she was ready to be taken up to the operating room. Surgery did not in fact start until about 10 am. The nice thing about this hospital is that we received a call in the waiting room every hour updating us on the progress. Finally, about 5:00 p.m. the surgeon came and escorted us up to the shock/trauma intensive care waiting room. He let us know everything went as well as expected. They removed the esophagus from the stomach up to the neck as well as the upper part of the stomach. He also took out the gall bladder and a tennis ball sized benign cyst near her stomach. He was able to get good parameters and saw no sign of cancer. The cancer has not spread which was really good news. The liver was a bit fried from the radiation, he took a biopsy it and there was no sign of cancer. Right now she has a breathing tube in as well as a feeding tube in her nose and in her stomach, plus several drains, one at her neck and one at her stomach. As she progresses, each of these will be removed. The feeding tube in her stomach will come out last, most likely a couple months down the road. They hope to get the breathing tube out by tomorrow. At this point she will be in intensive care for a day or two. She will hopefully move to a regular room tomorrow or the next day. Of course we appreciate your continued prayers in her behalf.
Val

Surgery Day!!

Night before surgery and all through the house...

This week has been a busy one. Mom knew family was coming so she spent most of the week baking and getting food ready for when everyone would be here. It seems kinda silly that the reason everyone is coming is because she's sick, and she is doing all the work, but she has had lots of energy and loving getting things ready for family to come. Saturday, Brad's family arrived in the early morning and Ed's family arrived in the late night. We went from having a fairly quiet house to a house full of grandkids playing and enjoying each other. Of course mom is in heaven having so much family here. If she had her way she would have all 45 of us staying here all together.
Dad gave her a beautiful blessing tonight which reassured us; all will be well. She needs to be at the hospital at 7 am. I'm not sure what time surgery will be, but it is supposed to be 4-6 hours long. She'll then be in intensive care for a few days then into a regular room for a week or so.
She is more than ready to get this part over with. She has has done a great job at getting her body prepared so she can move into this next phase of her recovery. Thank you again for all your prayers in her behalf.
Val

Surgery coming closer

I would like to thank all of you have been following my blog. I especially appreciate those of you have added your faith and prayers to our own. I have had a miraculous recovery from the chemo and radiation thanks to the answers to your prayers. I am now prepared for the surgery on Monday.
Many have asked if I am scared to have the surgery. I can honestly say that I am not. I know that the Lord has blessed me through this whole ordeal. I know that He will be there as I have this surgery. I have great confidence in the surgeon. I trust his knowledge and skill. All I have to do is sleep while he performs his magic with Heavenly Father's Help. I know that the healing process will take some time, but my body heals well.
I do appreciate all of you who keep me in your prayers, and I ask that you still remember me and Dr Ott especially on Monday. Thanks so much! I love you!!!!
Love Karen

Prayers are working

Mom was feeling much better on Monday so she did her water aerobics and worked in the yard all day with dad getting their garden planted. The problem was, she got a little chilled and by yesterday (Tuesday) she was feeling really sick. We should have known planting the garden wasn't the best idea since it snowed all night Monday and all day Tuesday. She spent most of the day in bed trying to do what she could to get better, i.e. eating lots of oranges and drinking lemon herb tea. This morning she said she feels great and doesn't feel any congestion. So, off to water aerobics she went. Although the oranges and lemon tea can do wonders, it really is nothing less than the prayers of her family and friends that have gotten her through this. Logically, her body should not be able to ward off sickness like it has but, she is being blessed to be able to have her body heal. So far, the surgery is going as planned on Monday morning. Please continue to keep her in your prayers, they truly do work miracles.

One week to go!

Mom has just one more week before surgery. She has been doing all she can to boost her health and strength to be ready. Yesterday, however, she started coming down with a cold. This is a concern because she will need to be really healthy before surgery. She will call her doctor tomorrow and see if there is anything she can do. She is not supposed to take any medications a week prior to surgery including things like advil and tylenol. Hopefully it will pass quickly and she will be able to have the surgery as scheduled.

Living regular life

Mom has been doing so well we hardly remember she's sick these days. She's been actively going to the gym, shopping and getting her projects ready for the hospital. We can tell if she's not taking the time for a nap because she is thoroughly worn out by the end of the day. She still struggles a bit with eating. However, she is able to eat bigger portions these days so we are not as worried about her calorie intake. Less than 2 weeks to go before the surgery and all is going as planned.

Getting Stronger

Mom's scope on Thursday went well. Dr. Ott said he wouldn't have to do another one before surgery. He was able to open things up a little more so mom has been able to eat better; in fact, she has not thrown up since then. She continues to improve in strength and in her ability to eat. She goes to the gym most every day to do senior aerobics or water aerobics. At first, dad was a little worried about her in the pool because she had been so weak; he decided to do the class with her. He had such a hard time keeping up with her he's decided she can do it on her own. :) I'm sure she will continue to heal and gain strength over the next few weeks so she will be ready for surgery.

Test Results lead to more tests

Mom had a full day of appointments today. First visit was to see Dr. Ott, the surgeon. He went over the PET scan from last week. Again he said the tumor looks like it has shrunk and most everything looks good for surgery. He did notice a cyst near her stomach about the size of a tennis ball. According to him, it's probably been there for years. He also looked up the results of her heart test. There were a few things to be concerned about. The heart wall on one side of the heart was thicker than normal which means it didn't expand as much as the other side. Basically, one side had more pressure than the other which was a concern. He said as far as the cancer goes, he could schedule the surgery, but he wanted a cardiologist to OK it first. That would mean more tests. Thankfully, his front office lady was able to get her right in to a cardiologist today.
So, mom filled out the new patient paperwork for the new doctor, then while she was waiting for them to get the tests ready, she went down to see Dr. Whisenant (the oncologist).
Dr. Whisenant was pretty happy with the PET scan results. Mom had fared very well. He said most patients loose about 15 pounds during the chemo and radiation treatments, but she had been able to maintain her weight through it all. He said her best bet to beat this whole thing will be the surgery. He said best case scenario will be that the cancer will be gone so there won't be a chance of it's return.
We then went back to the cardiologist's office where they did a bunch of tests to make sure mom's heart was strong enough for surgery. Basically he said her heart is strong and even above average in some cases. So, it's all a go.
Mom is scheduled for surgery, Monday March 29. She has a couple other scopes/tests to do before then, but as far as the Doctors tell us, she should be ready by then. Dr Ott said the surgery will entail removing her esophagus and part of her stomach and then forming a new esophagus with her stomach. They will also remove her gall bladder and the cyst.
We thank you for your continued prayers in her behalf. They truly do work miracles.
Val

News from the surgeon

Mom spoke with Dr. Ott (the surgeon) this morning. He reviewed the PET scan and said it all looks good. The tumor has shrunk to the point they will be able to do surgery. He likes to wait for 5 or 6 weeks from the time she finished radiation. So we are looking at another 3 or 4 weeks before she goes to the hospital. All in all, things look good and are still progressing. I think waiting is a good thing. This will allow mom to regain her strength and really have her body ready to withstand such an intrusive operation.

Preparing for the next few weeks.

Mom has been spending her time preparing some projects so they will be ready for her to work on while she's in the hospital after her surgery. She figures she'll just be sitting there and it will be boring if she doesn't have anything to do. This isn't the first time she's done this. Twenty years ago she had to spend a week in the hospital while they were regulating some heart medication. She took her sewing machine to the hospital and got most of her Christmas projects done.
I'm not sure she'll really be up to doing any projects after this major surgery but she wants to be prepared just in case. :)
Mom had her PET scan today. Afterward her doctor called and asked her to go in for an electro-cardiogram before her appointment next week. He didn't really mention why, but I'm sure he'll let us know when we go to her appointment on
Tuesday. Mom thinks they may have noticed her leaky heart valve on the scan.
Mom is still struggling to eat. It's hard to remember she can't just eat anything she wants anywhere she is. Eating out in crowded and loud places is really difficult. Also, complicated foods are a struggle. She never imagined eating would be such a struggle and it's disappointing that she's not well enough to eat a normal meal. I'm sure it will come in time.

Each day better than the next

Mom seems to be getting better every day. Her energy level and ability to eat improves every minute. Yesterday she said it was the best she's felt since she's been home. Today she was able to go to water aerobics at the gym plus a plethora of other errands and activities. She's able to eat regular meals and has been able to add foods back into her diet that she hasn't been able to eat in months. Of course, she still has to take time to rest, but she is doing great!.

What a difference a day makes!

I have to say, I was a little worried about taking the feeding tube out so soon, but mom just looks so good today it takes all my fears away. She has been able to eat whole meals plus snacks throughout the day. Her color looks good, her energy level is good. It's like having my mom back! Her temperature still elevates a bit, but doesn't go much over 99 degrees. She was able to go on a fairly long walk today. Usually the walk from the kitchen to her bedroom wears her out, but she walked about a mile today outside. She really wants to be totally ready for surgery.
We would expect days like this to become more the norm over the next few weeks which is exciting. Thank you for your continued prayers, they are really working in her behalf.
val

A True Red-Letter Day!!!!

I am so excited about having my feeding tube out. It is easier to breathe, swallow and it t is much more comfortable than I have felt for the past 8 weeks! Yea!!!!! I feel like a new person.

It's Out!

Mom had her appointment with Dr. Sausse today (the radiation doctor). She went in armed with her food intake from yesterday and requested that he take the feeding tube out. He said since she had maintained her weight and could drink Ensure, he would take it out. So, he ripped the tape off her face and pulled it out quick and not so painlessly; it seemed a little harsh (he told us it's better just to do it quickly). So, it's out and mom is very happy about it.
Now she just has to make sure she eats a minimum of 1500 calories a day. We were told she should be feeling back to normal in a week or so.
She is still struggling with the elevated temperatures. She finds it spikes more after she eats. She remembered she had the same problem when her knees were replaced. Her temp would go up every time she ate. Kinda weird, but at least she's isolated it to a specific incident. It usually doesn't get over 100.8, so the docs aren't too worried about it right now.
In another week she goes in for the PETT scan with the evaluation the following week.
Over the next couple of weeks, it is essential that she keeps her body healthy so she'll be ready for surgery. She's bound and determined to do that so I'm sure she'll have no trouble.

The hair salon e-mailed me the before and after shots from her hair appointment last week, just thought you'd want to see them.
Val

The weekend was fairly uneventful. Friday She ended up going back to the doctor because her temperature was still elevated. They opted to give her some IV fluids. She wasn't totally dehydrated, but they thought getting some extra fluids on board would help. They are having her finish the antibiotics she's on but most likely won't put her on another even if her temp stays elevated. Her docs think the higher temperatures may be from her body fighting the cancer. One even called it "cancer fever". Her energy level remains somewhat low. She remains dependent on the feeding tube but still tries to eat regular food every day. Some days she can eat a whole meal, others, not so much.
She went out with dad yesterday for a frosty from Wendy's and to return all the dishes from our ward family who brought in meals. The meals have been such a blessing. It's only twice a week, but they really seem to ease the burden. Mom isn't used to being the recipient of the charitable acts in the ward. She's always been on the giving end. She feels a little awkward at times being the one in need, but we remind her, she's allowing all those people to receive the same types of blessings she has enjoyed from all those years of service.
Mom was able to attend all of church today. She figures her immune system is as strong as it will ever be through this process so she didn't want to miss the opportunity to go. The home teachers visited this afternoon and mom was able to get another blessing. It is so nice to have the priesthood here in our home as well as willing neighbors and friends to come and help. Thank you for your continued prayers in her behalf. I know she is so appreciative of them and it helps to keep her spirits high and her attitude positive.
Val

Some improvement

Once the antibiotic started working, mom started feeling a bit better; Her eyes looked so much brighter! Wednesday she saw her doctor again. Mom and dad were able to discuss a few of the concerns they had like mom's inability to keep food down and the intense burning she was experiencing when she laid down. After much thought the doctor asked if she was taking her prilosec. (Mom has taken prilosec every day since she started her treatment). Finally, the doc came to the conclusion that since the prilosec was being taken via the feeding tube (which is what the directions state) it was not getting to the stomach (the feeding tube goes directly to the bowels) and working like it should. So, even though mom was taking the medication as it was prescribed, it was not doing anything. She took it orally last night and low and behold, she had no burning at all last night. And, today, she has been able to eat a substantial amount of food. So, hopefully she's found the answer to help her get rid of her feeding tube!
She's still running a low grade fever off and on. Hopefully by tomorrow that will be solved as well, otherwise it will be back to the doctor to see what else we can do. Like always, there are ups and downs, high points and disappointments, but when all is said and done, it's all about the attitude. Mom continues to keep her spirits up and her expectations high.

Feeling kinda icky

The last 2 days have not brought a lot of change. Of course mom had hoped to get her feeding tube out before now, but so far she has not been able to eat enough food to sustain her. Yesterday she celebrated the end of her chemo and radiation treatment by getting her hair done. the stylist really captured her upbeat and happy personality by doing a few minor changes and getting the color back to her "younger self". She looks great. It's amazing what a little pampering can do to lift your spirits.
She does experience some intense burning pain when she lays down to go to sleep. We've been told that is the result of the radiation burning the esophagus.
She woke early this morning with pain again, plus her temperature was slightly elevated. She spent most of the day asleep in the reclining sofa with the feeding tube running. This evening her temp was over 101 degrees so the doctor called in another antibiotic. They are not sure what is bringing the elevated temperatures especially since she just finished a 10 day regimen of a different antibiotic on Sunday. She has an appointment at the cancer center tomorrow so hopefully they can figure it out.
Of course now that she's had all the rest today, she figures she can stay up late and watch the BYU-Hawaii basketball games on TV!
Val

A new week begins

Mom had a fairly busy Saturday. She got up early, took her antibiotic and went the the gym. She walked 1/2 mile, rode the bike and lifted a couple of minutes. Unfortunately it was a little too much. Probably a combination of the antibiotic and exercise, she came home feeling pretty ill. We hooked up her feeding tube and she fell asleep for a couple of hours. At 11:00 she was surprised by a quartet dressed in tuxes who came and sang to her for Valentine's day. After resting couple more hours, she and dad went to Provo and "partied it up" with mom's siblings. She tried her best to eat some of the yummy food; she was especially excited to see pickled beets (one of her favorites) but alas, she just couldn't eat them. She did get a little food down, but not a lot.
After an OK night's sleep she woke up and got ready for stake conference. Thankfully our stake arranged to have the meeting come to our home via the internet so it wasn't too exhausting to attend. :)
After another nap, mom was able to eat (and keep down) a small amount of food. Since it was a nice day, we all went on a walk. It was nice but tiring. Besides, the cool air was a little harsh on her face. We should have had a full face stocking cap for her, but, maybe next time.
She still struggles with nausea. Hopefully that will start to go away this week. She remains in good spirits as always and looks forward to the coming week.
Val

Happy Valentine's day To Mom from Dad

Treatment Ends!

Today was the big day. The last day of Chemo, the last day of radiation and the pic line came out. Mom was really hoping she could get her feeding tube out too, but it's going to have to stay in for a while longer. It has really helped to start the feeding tube in the morning. Today she was able to get a couple cans in before her appointment so she only had 4 to go when she got home. We think the feeding tube is causing some swelling in her throat making it harder to swallow regular food. She's already on an antibiotic so if there is infection, it should be taking care of it. She's also had a little trouble keeping regular food down. So, that feeding tube becomes essential to her health right now.
The feeding tube, however, has become a bit of a drudgery. The smell of the plastic, the smell of the canned formula that goes in, the full feeling with out the satisfaction of a meal is almost more than she can stand. But, over the next few weeks her nutrition is key to being approving her for surgery.
Right now, more than anything, she wants to eat real food. I think if we are to pray for anything we need to pray for her ability to eat enough food to keep her nutrition up to par. This way she can get her wish of getting the feeding tube out!

Two treatments to go!

Mom gets the last of her radiation treatments today and tomorrow. The doctors tell her she has tolerated the chemo and radiation really well. Most people don't look better after they've gone thru all she has. Once again, she has chemo dripping into her blood stream 24 hours a day, radiation 5 days a week and a big chemo treatment every other week. With all of this "poison" being administered, one would think she would look worse than ever at the end of treatment. It would be expected that her hair would thin, her mouth would be full of sores, she would have a grey pallor, sunken eyes, etc. But no, her cheeks are rosy and she has a healthy glow. Of course she's a little more worn out than her normal "energizer bunny" self but that's about it. She finally let us in on her secret.
She said, every day before she goes into treatment she talks to her body. She tells her good cells to "put on the whole armor of God" and fight. This way all the chemo and radiation will go only to the bad cells. Now, I post this at the risk of making my mom sound like a crazy woman. But, since she's getting results, we can call her crazy or we can call her amazing. Either way, what she's doing seems to be working. When her blood results come in, the nurses tell her it's unusual that her white cells seem to be thriving. In fact, her good cells even improve; it's just unheard of. Of course she doesn't tell them why. She just smiles like "wow aren't I lucky".
She still would like to eat regular food more but it is difficult. We've decided to try starting her feeding tube earlier in the day and get part of it done in the morning. That way it's not so depressing looking at the clock at the end of the day, knowing it won't be finished until the wee hours of the morning. We look forward to this week ending. Over then next 2 weeks she should be able to add regular food back into her diet with the goal of getting her feeding tube out in 2 weeks.
She so much appreciates your continued prayers for her. She knows they are truly working in her behalf. She would be lost without the Lord's continuing guidance and peace.

Special Moments

I often have people ask, "How is your mom doing." A question that so many have sincerely asked and it definitely has been appreciated. Almost always my response is, "She is doing GREAT" It's not that I'm covering up what is really happening, but instead it has to do with who mom is. There isn't anything in this world that could keep mom down. Not some silly little cancer, or even chemo and radiation. I've had the opportunity to help out quite a bit along with Val and Dad. I wish I could put in words how special it has been to be by mom's side through this. but it's more of getting to be right next to someone that I look up to and respect more than anyone in this world. She is my hero and hope that I can carry at least a small portion of her in me.

Here are some of the special moments that I have been apart of. There is the daily talk about how many cans she should do in her feeding tube. She is suppose to do 6 per day which means 12 hours of sitting. (2 hours per can). I'm the nutrient nazi so when she tries to say she has eaten a lot (meaning a bite of toast, 2 tsp of soup and a few calorie free cheesy rice snacks) so she only has to do 3 cans, I compromise with 5 cans. There's the moment when we are giving some kind of medication through her feeding tube and we push it too fast and it explodes all over her. (Sorry mom).

Then there is the more serious moments, like when we are just doing our daily routines and mom still says thank you with deep appreciation in her eyes. Or the moment when she was asked tonight if she was scared to go though the surgery and with confidence she said no, because I know that the Lord is in charge and everything is going to be ok. Or the moment that touched me the most, the other day when I was helping her with one of her medications and she wasn't feeling real well. All of a sudden she started crying. I asked if she was in pain ready to take whatever action that was needed..... she said no and pointed to her headphones. Her IPOD was playing "I Know that My Redeemer Lives". What a special moment it was to be with her and feel the meaning of the song.

Mom is doing GREAT!!! She smiles everyday regardless of how she is feeling. She makes me laugh each day even through this all. I'm proud to say SHE IS MY MOM!!!!!

Good news, good news and MORE good news

This weekend was not the most pleasant we've had. Mom was experiencing nausea, pain and running a low grade fever. We had to experiment with different medications to see what would work best with the least amount of side effects. By Sunday she seemed a little better and was able to eat some regular food.
This morning she looked much better, in fact at her Doctor's appointment everyone told her how good she looked. Today is her big treatment day with two types of chemo and radiation.
Now for the news from Dr. Whisenant:
First - He confirmed that this was the last week of chemo and radiation therapy. On Friday she gets to go in and have her PIC line removed. She is very excited about that.
Second - we were told that although her pain and burning especially while eating is normal at this stage of the treatment, it should start to dissipate after her treatment ends. They will monitor her diet and if she can start to eat enough regular food to keep her healthy they will be able to remove her feeding tube in two or three weeks. This was especially good news because she had expected to have it for another few months.
Third - She is scheduled at the beginning of March for another PET Scan and eval with Doctor Whisenant. He said if everything looks as good as he expects they will schedule the surgery middle to end of March.
It truly seems like we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, the surgery will be no picnic, but at least it's a means to a good end.
Val