Going back in next week

Once again, not much to say, but I know that there are those of you who are checking for updates. So, here's an update:

Misty is going back into the hospital for another round of chemotherapy next week. It's been really nice having her at home for all these weeks. I think it's been really good for the kiddos to have her around, and good for Misty, too, to be home. And, of course, Misty enjoys not having the negative effects of chemo.

Misty is really doing quite well these days. Last week, for Thanksgiving weekend, we all (Misty and me, and the kids, and Misty's mother, Terri) took a road trip up to Kansas City, MO to visit Misty's sister, Teralee, and her family. The 9-hour drive up was uneventful and we had a great time hanging out with Teralee and Paul and their two little girls, London and Ashlyn. Misty felt good enough (and crazy enough!) to stand out in the freezing cold--literally, freezing--on Thanksgiving night for FOUR HOURS, with her mom and sister and daughters at the mall, waiting for a free gift card and some early morning Black Friday shopping. We drove home Sunday, and Misty even drove for a bit.

So, now that we've gotten over that holiday, it's time for Misty to get back to the hospital for another 5-day chemo treatment. She'll be out in plenty of time for Christmas, and hopefully she has a mild reaction to the treatment so that it won't completely ruin the holiday for her.

That's about it for now. I'll try to post another update before weeks go by again, and maybe I'll get some pictures up here, too.

As always, we are very grateful for the help you have all provided us. The dinners are thoughtful and always helpful. Thanks again.

No news is good news.

Two weeks since my last post. And truly, no news is good news, and I don't really have any news. I hate to just keep writing more of the same, and, honestly, not much has changed: Misty's still having good days and bad days. A few times she's been able to go all day with only one pain pill. Lately she's had a head cold or something and she's been feeling "ucky" (her word, not mine). But, all in all, she's doing fairly well.

She was supposed to go in for another round of chemo this week, but her sniffles and sore throat would have kept her out. Hopefully she'll be able to go in next week.

And, again, more of the same: thanks, thanks, and more thanks. I know I haven't shown enough appreciation for the kids' teachers and some of the other staff at Southgate Elementary. Thanks for the gift baskets and snacks, and especially for the work done in our backyard. We're especailly grateful for the teachers who are making sure our difficult situation doesn't interfere with the field trips and extra-curricular activities the kids enjoy.

I also ran across this essay I wrote over a year ago for an English composition class I was taking. I reread it and it moved me with new significance. I thought some of you might enjoy it.

And home again...

Misty got out of the hospital on Monday and she's now back home. She's glad to be home, and the kids are happy to have her back. But she's been having a rough few days. Lots of nausea, bowel discomfort, and some pain this time. As always, she's trying to do as much as she can to get up and move around--even when she doesn't feel wonderful. Don't get me wrong, she's not feeling terrible all the time, but she seems to taking a harder hit this time than last time. And, all things considered, she's doing ok.

She's back in again

Misty just got re-admitted. She's in room 720, bed 2.

I'm going to be spending most of the evenings after work in the hospital with her. While it's not exactly wonderful to spend those hours in a hospital room, it sure is nice to have that time with Misty.

Bad blood...

Misty didn't go into chemo as planned. First, she went in on Tuesday, as scheduled, but was turned away because there were no beds available. I guess that's how it works in a county hospital. Then, when she returned on Wednesday, after admitting her and processing the regular blood work, they determined that her neutrophils were low--whatever that means--and that they couldn't proceed at this time with chemotherapy without Misty becoming very ill. So, once again, she was turned away. On one hand, Misty wished that she could just go on with it and get it overwith. But, on the other hand, she was relieved to come home and not go crazy while lying in a hospital bed--and we're glad to keep her here with us, too. Misty has another appointment to start chemotherapy next Wednesday--if her blood is ok.

And she was doing so good all week. Until last night. She woke up a number of times, dry heaving and gagging, and in pain. When morning came, she wasn't much better. But by tonight, she was eating fairly normally again and doing ok.

In other good news, I got word from my job that I'll be working locally (not traveling) all the way into March. Of course, all scheduling information I get about my work is subject to change until after it's already happened, but at this point I'm relieved that I won't have to worry about how things are going while I'm a thousand miles away.

I feel like I'm beginning to sound like a broken record (do the kids these days even know what that means?), but I have so much gratitude for the help we're getting. I honestly can't imagine how people go through this sort of thing without the kind of help we have recieved from our family and friends, from church members and neighbors. I feel I have to express my thanks to all of you and let you know that we appreciate all your efforts toward sustaining us in this rough time.

Round Three

Misty's goes back in for the third round of chemo on Tuesday. At this point we now know what to expect. This only makes it slightly easier. It's still rough on Misty to stay in a hospital bed all day. She's hoping again that she gets a room by herself. It's bad enough when she's being bothered by her own machines beeping, but when there's someone else's, too, it's almost enough to make someone insane. Not to mention privacy...

In the mean time, she's actually been doing pretty well. She's been on some pain meds and nausea meds, which help quite a bit with her cramping and pain which are typical to chemotherapy. She doesn't quite have the energy or stamina she used to, but she is doing more than she has been doing lately. She stayed for all three hours of church today, and last week she even made the ninety-minute drive to her mother's house in Brownsboro.

Can't say it often or loudly enough: THANKS! For everything!

Past due for another update...

Sorry, folks, for making you all wait so long for any news.

Misty has now gone through her second chemotherapy treatment and is back out of the hospital. A few days prior to entering the hospital, Misty started eating and swallowing again. She's been able to go about her day without carrying around a spit-cup in which to dispose of her unswallowable saliva. She can drink water and eat solid food! These are things that she hadn't been able to do for nearly six weeks--and was the reason for checking into a hospital in the first place. She still can't eat much, and her diet is supplemented with stuff that goes into her feeding tube, but this is a very good sign. It means that the tumor has shrunk and is no longer causing as much blockage as it used to.

While Misty was in the hospital, my brother Doug came and stayed with us. Between Misty's mother and my brother the kids were taken care of, and it allowed me to spend the evenings after work with Misty, trying to keep her from going stir-crazy. While he was here, he also put his talents to work making some improvements (some functional, some cosmetic) to our house. As a result of his efforts our house looks and feels a lot more comfortable. I owe more thanks than I can express for his time and efforts here.

Misty also seems to be handling the after-effects of chemo better this time. We think it's because of the vitamins and herbs she pumped into herself before she entered the hospital and since she's been out. She's had some nausea, but not nearly as bad as it was last time. She's much more able to be up and around--and even helpful. She hasn't taken a nap in several days, and rarely needs to lie down to rest (she still gets very tired and needs to sit down for awhile, but not lie down). In fact for several hours today, we were out at the soccer field for team pictures for Paris (which seemed to take forever) and then for a soccer game. But by the end of it, she was pretty wiped out.

Thanks again, to all of you for your prayers. Thanks also for the meals and groceries!! They've been extremely helpful. Again, this takes some of the pressure and stress out of this situation. We also apreciate those of you who have been giving rides to the kids to their various activites. We have infinite thanks for Terri, Misty's mom. She spends countless hours here cleaning, organizing, and taking care of Misty and the kids (and me, too, sometimes). Thanks to you all for your love and support.



Wes' Condition:

Many of you have asked me, "So how are you holding up?" There's never quite the right situation for me to dump about how this is affecting me during a friendly conversation. So, here's the answer to that question:

I can feel all this taking it's toll on me. I know, I'm not the one with a potentially lethal illness, but it's definitely wearing me down. I try to keep myself busy all the time--which is fairly easy during the day while I'm at work. But once I come home, it's hard to let myself relax. And when I don't stay occupied, all the worries and difficulties come flooding back to my mind in a great overwhelming wave. I've been listening to audiobooks to keep my mind distracted when the tasks which busy my hands might otherwise leave my mind to worry. (I just finished Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy which was very good, and I'm now listening to Stephanie Meyer's Twilight.) I can feel the difference when I remember to take my burden to my Father in Heaven--and then suddenly it all becomes bearable again. I know you're all praying for Misty, and I'd like to ask for your prayers for me, too (as some of you already are).

Again, thanks for everything.

I hate to even ask...

I sent this around to a few people at work. Then I thought maybe I ought to post this here, too. Someone asked for a link for online donations, so I created one and posted it here:

Neither Misty nor I have medical insurance, but we're applying for several different funding programs, including Medicaid and Parkland Hospital's own program, as well as others. We're expecting that by the time all of the medical costs are added up, it will equal something between a small house and a large hosue. Her employer, a local chiropractor, has created a bank account for her and will be soliciting donations from his patients.

We have received lots of help from family, friends, and members of our church toward taking care of many of our immediate needs dealing with childcare and meals--especially in these recent weeks when I've been traveling. I have received more offers of help than I know what to do with. I am nearly overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support being offered to us, and am deeply appreciative of it. I know many of you genuinely want to help in some way--in addition to your prayers on our behalf--but I haven't been able to put most of your offers to any use. So... if you feel so inclined, and have the means, any monetary donations would be helpful--at least to help cover some of Misty's medications. If you are unable to contribute monetarily, I understand, and your prayers will be sufficient.

Thanks again, for anything you can do.

Doctor's Appointment

We had an appointment with Misty's oncologist earlier this week--on Thursday. He seemed to think things were ok--neither worse nor better than expected. We were told that the worst nausea is in the first few days after a chemotherapy treatment, and then subsides somewhat after that. That seems to be how it happened for Misty. Those first few days after chemo, she seemed to be getting worse, which had me a little worried. But then she seemed to be getting a whole lot better. In fact, Misty felt good enough on Friday to go out and about for a little while, running errands (with her mother--not all by herself), and then out to a dollar-movie after I got home from work. Yesterday, Saturday, she was still feeling well enough and went to LeAndra's soccer game (LeAndra's team won, and LeAndra even scored one of the goals!).

At the doctor's office, we were also informed that rather than being home for three weeks, and then back in the hospital for five days of chemo, that it's a three-week cycle. Or, in other words, home for sixteen days and then chemotherapy for five days. So, it looks like she's going back early next week.

Again, thanks for all the support. Thanks for the meals this week. The meals you prepare for us gives me a little more time with Misty and the kids, and a little less to stress about. Thanks especially for the prayers.

Misty's Haircut

Misty wanted me to post a picture of her new hairdo.

She actually had it cut a couple weeks ago, while I was in Louisana. When she told me she chopped all her hair off in preparation for chemotherapy, and for easier management while in and out of the hospital, I was a little worried. When I finally saw it a few days later, I was much relieved to see that it was a really cute haircut. This picture was taken a few days after her haircut.

I figured I might also post a "before" picture, too. This bottom picture was taken November '07--eight months before her cancer diagnosis. By this time, she had already lost a good amount of weight by her own efforts--which is why she's smiling and allowing someone to take her picture! The dramatic weight loss since that time is obvious.

Home Again

Misty is home again. She doesn't seem any worse for wear after her first session of chemotherapy. Yes, she's nauseous and weak, but not much more so than she was before chemo. She's happy to be back at home, in her own bed.

That sure seemed like the longest six days ever--for all of us. Misty wasn't as doped up for this trip, so she was antsy to get up and move around. Keep in mind this is the woman who can't sit through a two-hour movie without getting distracted and putting her finger in my ear. I can only imagine how tough it was for her to stay in a hospital bed for nearly a week! And then, when she did get up and walk the halls, she was too weak to get very far--not to mention, the scenery in the hospital halls is pretty bleak. I, at least, have to go to work and keep focused on something else for a few hours every day. Misty, on the other hand, can just lay there, immersed in her situation with scarcely anything to keep her mind on something else. Watching TV and playing cards only work so well as diversions.

All of us are happy and relieved to see her home. The kids especially are happy to see her, and I think when they saw that she was home this morning, they're stress levels automatically dropped. Just knowing she's around is a comfort--even though she's not functioning to the level that she used to.

So, in three weeks, she's supposed to return to the hospital for another five-day chemo session. In the mean time, we're going to enjoy having her home. For those of you who would like to come and visit Misty while she's home, please call first. She is still very tired much of the time, and has her moments when she's feeling fine, and many more moments when she feels lousy. She does like having visitors, but only when she's feeling well enough to actually visit.

Again, thank you all for the prayers and the offers of help and support. Thanks for the services like mowing the lawns and watching and transporting the kids. These are enormous services that have alleviated a lot of the pressure, and made it possible for me and for Misty's mother to spend more time with her at the hospital.

Starting Chemo

Misty starts chemotherapy on Tuesday. yay.

One the one hand, I'm glad she'll be getting treatments with proven results. On the other hand, I know that this starts a very difficult road.

It also means that, with Misty's immune system compromised from her treatments, we'll all have to be extra careful when dealing with her. We're all going to have to get flu shots, and use lots of anti-bacterial hand gel. In fact, they've also informed us that hospital visits during chemo treatments will be limited to immediate family. This is really a bummer because Misty has enjoyed the visits and card games and flowers and conversation from everyone who stopped by to see her. (At least she enjoyed it until the pain meds kicked in and then she would either doze off or start saying silly things.)

On an entirely positive note, we got word that Misty qualifies for one of the Medicaid programs, regardless of my income. This takes a huge amount of stress off of our financial concerns--but not entirely.

Thanks to all who helped with turning our messy office into a downstairs bedroom for Misty, and (almost) finishing our downstairs bathroom remodel. With the shape Misty's in, it wouldn't do her well to keep going up and down the stairs for everything. Again, I can't thank everyone enough for the prayers. Please continue to pray for Misty and our family. We still need all the help we can get.

She's home

Misty left the hospital today and is now at home. Too bad I'm not. :(

ICU

Misty had a real scare last Wednesday. She was supposed to have her laporoscopy (where they make a few incisions into her abdomen and look around using a camera), but something didn't go quite right with the anesthesia. After getting knocked out, her trachea collapsed and she couldn't breathe for about a minute, and some fluid from her stomach came up and went into her lungs.

Wednesday night was a really bad night for Misty. Early Thursday morning I took off from Louisiana, where I have been working, and drove back to the hospital to see her. Thursday was rough, but she slowly, steadily progressed throughout the day. For the past several days Misty has been in the ICU getting her lungs back in usable condition. She has gone from a breathing tube into her lungs (which she removed herself) to a CPAP machine (a machine with a mask that forces air into her mouth and nose), to an oxygen mask, to just a tube running under her nose. It's expected that she'll be out of the ICU today, and back into a regular hospital room.

As for the laporoscopic surgery, it looks like they're going to put that off for a little while and just get started on the chemotherapy. Chemo is expected to start within the next few days.

Misty's Cancer update:

More tests and scans were done yesterday. Don't know anything new, and probably won't until tomorrow. Surgical Oncologist is supposed to check her out tomorrow and determine the need for laporscopic surgery--whether it should be right away, or after some chemo. Monday she's supposed to have the mediport installed, and then treatment can start. At that point, she should be able to check out of the hospital and do the rest of it as outpatient appointments.

Again, I appreciate so much all the outpouring of love and care for Misty and my family. I can feel the hand of the Lord strengthening me as I try to deal with the monumental difficulties ahead. Your prayers are are helping. Thanks again.

She has cancer

Friends and Family,

Thanks all for the concern and prayers for my wife. At this point we don't know much. She was initially diagnosed while on vacation last week in California, and then we decided to bring her back home to Texas for treatment. She's checking back into the hospital today in Dallas. The next steps are exploratory surgery to figure out how big the tumor in her stomach/esophagus is, and if it's spread to other organs in her abdomen. I'll update this from time to time as things progress.

Again, thanks so much for the offers for help and all the prayers.