Kathie went in today to have her basal skin cancer spot removed. Her appointment was very early and seemed to have went well until the doctor's office called after she got home to tell her they hadn't gotten it all and she needed to come back in. Carole, her sister, took her back and waited with her. Kathie hoped to get back in while the anesthetic was working, but of course that did not happen, so when she went in, they had to administer it via a shot again. She had to have the five stitches they put in taken out and they cut out a little more. The second procedure was much more painful and Kathie did not leave very happy. The doctor's office is supposed to call back later today to confirm whether they had actually removed it all this time. The rest of the day is probably going to be fairly low key with some napping. Needless to say, no one is very happy about how today went.
Posted by Lauren
Friday, June 29, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Skin irritation
Kathie seems to be doing well from her surgery yesterday. She did make a quick run into the doctor today because she noticed some skin that didn't look quite right around the tape covering her new port... Turned out that the tape itself was giving her a little rash. The doctor said it probably would have blistered within the next few days - so good thing she went in.
She sounded fairly full of energy today, though she still seems to have some feelings of nausea off and on.
Posted by Lauren
She sounded fairly full of energy today, though she still seems to have some feelings of nausea off and on.
Posted by Lauren
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Another surgery completed
Kathie went in to have her port put in this morning. The surgery was scheduled for 10:00 AM, but she didn't actually get in to the OR until about 1:15 PM. She was under a local anesthetic (not general anesthesia), and was awake the whole time. She was out of surgery by about 1:50 PM, and immediately asked for some food as she had been without any since midnight the night before.
She seems to have done well with the surgery, and is feeling fine.
She will have one more surgery on Friday of this week to remove some basal cell skin cancer from her face (as if the colon cancer wasn't enough of an issue). Then, we are hoping, that is it for the surgeries for awhile. The port takes about 7-10 days to "heal" in her system. So, that means chemo is still on track for Tuesday, July 10th.
posted by Ed
She seems to have done well with the surgery, and is feeling fine.
She will have one more surgery on Friday of this week to remove some basal cell skin cancer from her face (as if the colon cancer wasn't enough of an issue). Then, we are hoping, that is it for the surgeries for awhile. The port takes about 7-10 days to "heal" in her system. So, that means chemo is still on track for Tuesday, July 10th.
posted by Ed
Monday, June 25, 2007
The next surgery
Looks like the blog updates might come a little quicker than once a week. I guess that was wishful thinking on the blogger's part :-)
The latest development is that Kathie is already scheduled to get her "port" put in surgically tomorrow morning. The surgery is scheduled for 10:00 AM. She has asked for a prayer that everything goes well during this surgery. The port is being placed in to the jugular vein, a preference that the Lafayette oncologist has, which does seem to be backed up by some studies we have found. Anyway, this doesn't seems to be a place to be "messed with" lightly, so again, any and all prayers welcome.
The latest development is that Kathie is already scheduled to get her "port" put in surgically tomorrow morning. The surgery is scheduled for 10:00 AM. She has asked for a prayer that everything goes well during this surgery. The port is being placed in to the jugular vein, a preference that the Lafayette oncologist has, which does seem to be backed up by some studies we have found. Anyway, this doesn't seems to be a place to be "messed with" lightly, so again, any and all prayers welcome.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
A small correction
Just a slight correction to the former post.
Kathie did not have fluid "in the lungs", she had fluid between the lining of the lungs and the lungs (therefore outside the lungs and pressing on them). She is home now, and doing well.
Kathie did not have fluid "in the lungs", she had fluid between the lining of the lungs and the lungs (therefore outside the lungs and pressing on them). She is home now, and doing well.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Surprise visit
Well, the goal was only to update once a week... but then Kathie waits until she gets back to Lafayette to get a fever and a little chest pressure. She went to the hospital in Lafayette last night - she had fluid in her lungs (little side effect of the cancer in the liver).
Today the doctor came in to remove the fluid - 1 liter of it! The liquid did not show up on the last CT, so it has had to accumulate rather quickly. She did get released this afternoon... but she and Bob will be talking to Dr. DiMartino about preventative measures for the future concerning the liquid in the lungs. She's doing "okay." Her sister came in this evening, so Bob has some extra hands for help.
Keep the prayers coming... everyday is a little battle to be fought and we all need the strength to do it. Btw, if anyone out there is having a hard time coping, there is tons of support info from M.D. Anderson... type: M.D. Anderson Network to find out about some. As far as I can tell, you don't even have to be a family member... I could be wrong, but it's worth a look.
Posted by Lauren
Today the doctor came in to remove the fluid - 1 liter of it! The liquid did not show up on the last CT, so it has had to accumulate rather quickly. She did get released this afternoon... but she and Bob will be talking to Dr. DiMartino about preventative measures for the future concerning the liquid in the lungs. She's doing "okay." Her sister came in this evening, so Bob has some extra hands for help.
Keep the prayers coming... everyday is a little battle to be fought and we all need the strength to do it. Btw, if anyone out there is having a hard time coping, there is tons of support info from M.D. Anderson... type: M.D. Anderson Network to find out about some. As far as I can tell, you don't even have to be a family member... I could be wrong, but it's worth a look.
Posted by Lauren
Friday, June 22, 2007
Finalized decisions... kind of
Just so everyone is aware... this will probably start to be updated only about once a week, as we are entering the treatment phase. Bob and Kathie are finally escaping Houston and returning to Lafayette... which as Eddie mentioned, will remain home until they feel comfortable enough with treatment to make a shift to NC. The house in Lafayette is being taken off the market for now as well.
Last night was a mini family conference - as Lynette and Christen couldn't join. Bob has received contact with the oncologist at Wake Forest and he was extremely helpful. They are glad to have an extra sounding board, since Dr. Eng does not exactly have the warmest bedside manner (but definitely knows her stuff).
Kathie had her staples taken out yesterday (well, she's part bionic woman - as the ones inside will remain forever... they are Titanium, cool, huh?). She stunned both the person who took her staples out, and the system itself when she asked for topical anesthetic - they've never done it before - but Kathie changed all of that. Eddie's comment yesterday, "Wait, the woman who delivered 4 children naturally wouldn't even try having one staple taken out without anesthetic?" They did not exactly make a concerted effort to make everything look pretty - we'll see how the fat redistributes. I don't think Kathie is too depressed about not putting on her two piece;)
Friends and family have been ridiculously wonderful while Bob and Kathie (and Lynette, Eddie, Lauren and Lynette's daughters) have been in Houston. A big thank-you again to Eileen (Eddie's friend) and also to Irene and John Yoars, who have put Bob and Kathie up for the last week. Irene has also helped with appointment trips and has prepared gourmet meals everyday for her guests. She has also been a great shopping partner for Kathie (which we all like - because it means Kathie is walking around!).
Bob knew John through a Forum Group (Engineering leaders group) that they both belong to. The group as a whole has also been really supportive and helpful throughout this process. It is amazing how wonderful the people surrounding us are... we feel so very blest to know each and every one of you!!!
On a lighter note, the immediate family is trying to plan a little trip for maybe as early as this fall. I think we could all use a breather.
Kathie will start treatment shortly. One of her sisters will be helping in Lafayette next week and then Bob and Kathie are going to enjoy a little alone time/asking nearby neighbors for assistance, if needed. Lauren will head back to Lafayette for the week of the 9th to help out during Kathie's first chemo treatment.
Kathie thoroughly has appreciated all of the phone calls, but if you decide to call, please keep it brief. She is still very fatigued and she is getting worn out quickly and ends up using most of her energy chatting instead of doing some very necessary walking exercises.
The next update probably will not be until next week.
Posted by Lauren
Last night was a mini family conference - as Lynette and Christen couldn't join. Bob has received contact with the oncologist at Wake Forest and he was extremely helpful. They are glad to have an extra sounding board, since Dr. Eng does not exactly have the warmest bedside manner (but definitely knows her stuff).
Kathie had her staples taken out yesterday (well, she's part bionic woman - as the ones inside will remain forever... they are Titanium, cool, huh?). She stunned both the person who took her staples out, and the system itself when she asked for topical anesthetic - they've never done it before - but Kathie changed all of that. Eddie's comment yesterday, "Wait, the woman who delivered 4 children naturally wouldn't even try having one staple taken out without anesthetic?" They did not exactly make a concerted effort to make everything look pretty - we'll see how the fat redistributes. I don't think Kathie is too depressed about not putting on her two piece;)
Friends and family have been ridiculously wonderful while Bob and Kathie (and Lynette, Eddie, Lauren and Lynette's daughters) have been in Houston. A big thank-you again to Eileen (Eddie's friend) and also to Irene and John Yoars, who have put Bob and Kathie up for the last week. Irene has also helped with appointment trips and has prepared gourmet meals everyday for her guests. She has also been a great shopping partner for Kathie (which we all like - because it means Kathie is walking around!).
Bob knew John through a Forum Group (Engineering leaders group) that they both belong to. The group as a whole has also been really supportive and helpful throughout this process. It is amazing how wonderful the people surrounding us are... we feel so very blest to know each and every one of you!!!
On a lighter note, the immediate family is trying to plan a little trip for maybe as early as this fall. I think we could all use a breather.
Kathie will start treatment shortly. One of her sisters will be helping in Lafayette next week and then Bob and Kathie are going to enjoy a little alone time/asking nearby neighbors for assistance, if needed. Lauren will head back to Lafayette for the week of the 9th to help out during Kathie's first chemo treatment.
Kathie thoroughly has appreciated all of the phone calls, but if you decide to call, please keep it brief. She is still very fatigued and she is getting worn out quickly and ends up using most of her energy chatting instead of doing some very necessary walking exercises.
The next update probably will not be until next week.
Posted by Lauren
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Another important step
OK, it is Eddie again. Lauren is off in the middle of the woods in Connecticut, and claims there is no internet service out there. So, you will have to wait for the "writer in the family" to return later. For now, let's get the details to you...
Kathie and Bob have done a lot of thinking about where they will receive the most effective treatment. As mentioned earlier, the Dr. is not the only consideration. Chemo will be delivered every 2 weeks for 2 days. Kathie will be able to wear a "pump" that will allow her to be mobile for most of this time, however. But, she will still need to be at the doctor's office on that first day to be hooked up to the pump (and have a bunch of blood tests), and then also on the 2nd day to return the pump. So, having friends close by is going to be a huge help. This, coupled with the fact that they have really like the Lafayette oncologist - DiMartino (sp?) have helped them decide to stay in Lafayette for awhile. They will still be able to consult with the oncologist and surgeon at MD Anderson as well.
They are going to continue to live in their current house for now. It looks like they may keep it on the market to see what happens with it, however. They are definitely selling their Lake Freeman trailer on the lake. Anyone want it? Also, they are going to keep their house that is currently being built on High Rock lake in NC. So, for a little while, they are going to be real estate moguls :-)
The treatment choice has stayed as FOLFIRI with Avastin. There is a roughed out schedule for when this will start. It will all be done in Lafayette (with possible exception of CT scan - see below).
- The port will be inserted next week.
- The week of July 2nd will be a training week (i.e. what to look for during chemo, how to use the port/pump, etc).
- That same week (July 2nd) will be another baseline CT scan. The oncologists want recent CT scans to compare against later. The first comparison will be after 2 months of chemo have been given. This will tell them if the cancer is still growing, if it has stopped growing, or (the one we are all praying for) if it is shrinking.
The location of the CT scan is still up in the air. It appears that university medical centers have better technology in this area. However, we are getting some data that suggests a minimal "slice count" of 16 or 32 should be an adequate device to track the effectiveness of the chemo. CT machines apparently come in 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 "slice" versions. The more the slices, the better the machine (i.e. the more pictures you take per certain area). Anyway, we are investigating what type of machine Lafayette has.
- July 9th, there will be a baseline blood test
- July 10th, 11th will be the start of chemo. She will also get a dose of Neulasta to try to keep her white counts up.
- Avastin should start about 4 weeks later (with 3rd Chemo dose). We are waiting on Avastin b/c it can have some negative side affects on Kathie's recovery from the colon surgery. All doctors have recommended we wait on this aspect of the treatment. 8 weeks from surgery seems to be a conservative consensus.
The only other appointments this week are on Thursday at MD Anderson. Kathie will get her stitches removed (and hopefully, get the OK to fly home on Friday). She will also get her pathology report that day. (We intended to get it before, but after some paperwork and timing screw-ups, we were not able to get it). She will also meet with a nutritionist that day.
As a side note, if you have a herbal/dietary treatment that you have some information on, please go ahead and send it to your favorite family member. Please include some info or a study on why it should be looked at. We don't want to get overwhelmed with "my grandma always told me to eat mushrooms to cure cancer." :-)
A funny side story is that while Lauren was on a bike ride the other day, she actually met a person that works at the company that makes Avastin. We are now going to get some insider info on that the drug. Small world...
Bob and Kathie will finish out the week and Irene's house in northern Houston. She has set aside the time to do nothing but help them this week, and it is truly appreciated. I am constantly amazed at the love and support people have shown. Thanks so much!
Kathie and Bob have done a lot of thinking about where they will receive the most effective treatment. As mentioned earlier, the Dr. is not the only consideration. Chemo will be delivered every 2 weeks for 2 days. Kathie will be able to wear a "pump" that will allow her to be mobile for most of this time, however. But, she will still need to be at the doctor's office on that first day to be hooked up to the pump (and have a bunch of blood tests), and then also on the 2nd day to return the pump. So, having friends close by is going to be a huge help. This, coupled with the fact that they have really like the Lafayette oncologist - DiMartino (sp?) have helped them decide to stay in Lafayette for awhile. They will still be able to consult with the oncologist and surgeon at MD Anderson as well.
They are going to continue to live in their current house for now. It looks like they may keep it on the market to see what happens with it, however. They are definitely selling their Lake Freeman trailer on the lake. Anyone want it? Also, they are going to keep their house that is currently being built on High Rock lake in NC. So, for a little while, they are going to be real estate moguls :-)
The treatment choice has stayed as FOLFIRI with Avastin. There is a roughed out schedule for when this will start. It will all be done in Lafayette (with possible exception of CT scan - see below).
- The port will be inserted next week.
- The week of July 2nd will be a training week (i.e. what to look for during chemo, how to use the port/pump, etc).
- That same week (July 2nd) will be another baseline CT scan. The oncologists want recent CT scans to compare against later. The first comparison will be after 2 months of chemo have been given. This will tell them if the cancer is still growing, if it has stopped growing, or (the one we are all praying for) if it is shrinking.
The location of the CT scan is still up in the air. It appears that university medical centers have better technology in this area. However, we are getting some data that suggests a minimal "slice count" of 16 or 32 should be an adequate device to track the effectiveness of the chemo. CT machines apparently come in 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 "slice" versions. The more the slices, the better the machine (i.e. the more pictures you take per certain area). Anyway, we are investigating what type of machine Lafayette has.
- July 9th, there will be a baseline blood test
- July 10th, 11th will be the start of chemo. She will also get a dose of Neulasta to try to keep her white counts up.
- Avastin should start about 4 weeks later (with 3rd Chemo dose). We are waiting on Avastin b/c it can have some negative side affects on Kathie's recovery from the colon surgery. All doctors have recommended we wait on this aspect of the treatment. 8 weeks from surgery seems to be a conservative consensus.
The only other appointments this week are on Thursday at MD Anderson. Kathie will get her stitches removed (and hopefully, get the OK to fly home on Friday). She will also get her pathology report that day. (We intended to get it before, but after some paperwork and timing screw-ups, we were not able to get it). She will also meet with a nutritionist that day.
As a side note, if you have a herbal/dietary treatment that you have some information on, please go ahead and send it to your favorite family member. Please include some info or a study on why it should be looked at. We don't want to get overwhelmed with "my grandma always told me to eat mushrooms to cure cancer." :-)
A funny side story is that while Lauren was on a bike ride the other day, she actually met a person that works at the company that makes Avastin. We are now going to get some insider info on that the drug. Small world...
Bob and Kathie will finish out the week and Irene's house in northern Houston. She has set aside the time to do nothing but help them this week, and it is truly appreciated. I am constantly amazed at the love and support people have shown. Thanks so much!
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Bob arrives
Hello again, from Houston. It is my (Eddie's) last night here. I am hoping that means Lauren is going to pick up the blog again (hint, hint, wink, wink). Bob has already said that he is not up to the pressure involved in updating everyone online :-)
Speaking of Bob, he arrived this evening. We had a great evening with Eileen and Mike, the hosts that we have been staying at for almost a week now. Wow, what a blessing it is to have so many wonderful people around giving so much of their time and energy!
Cathy left last night, and once again, had absolutely terrible flights out. We seem to have horrible luck at the airports. I am hoping we are saving up all that luck for outcome of the cancer b/c it has to be going somewhere. Cathy actually ended up spending the night in the Chicago Midway airport last night. So, be aware, if you come to visit, be prepared for some difficult travel through the airlines.
Today was a pretty decent day for Kathie. We woke up, and had some breakfast (awesome baked french toast done by Eileen), and then went to Church. Kathie is trying to spread out her pain pills, and having some success. She is down to a few Norco's a day (rather than every 4 hours like before), and maybe a couple Tylenol's in between. The pain still comes every once in awhile, but seems to be manageable at this point. Temp is stable - 98.6, and bowl movements seem to be coming daily now with some consistency returning. (Hey, some of you asked for more details. Be careful what you ask for!)
Dinner was pot Roast and mashed potatoes, which Kathie was able to eat 2 small helpings of. She even had a sip of wine. (Before all of you freak out, we actually asked the doctor, and believe it or not, she is allowed wine and a full menu; I freaked out when they said that, too). We are going to meet with a nutritionist, however, and try to get a full "cancer fighting" diet recommendation.
No decision has been made yet for where to do the chemo. With Bob and Kathie now in the same place again, that should probably help move that along. We ask for prayers to help them decide what is best for them, and the path that will give Kathie the best chance of beating the cancer. That doesn't just include doctors (although that is important, too). Her support system is a large part of it. As Lauren keeps reminding her, though, the support system travels :-)
Tomorrow, I fly out, and am hoping for a little less airline chaos! Bob has the reigns from now until next Friday, when Kathie hopefully gets to go back home for a bit. Her staples from the surgery come out on Thursday at 8:15 AM. Hopefully, that all goes well.
The blog updates might come a bit slower with none of the kids down in Houston. Hopefully, we can keep y'all updated, though. I have gotten many emails and phone calls mentioning how this helps to keep everyone informed. I am very glad to hear that it is working, and a big thanks to Aaron (Lynette's husband) for setting it up!
Speaking of Bob, he arrived this evening. We had a great evening with Eileen and Mike, the hosts that we have been staying at for almost a week now. Wow, what a blessing it is to have so many wonderful people around giving so much of their time and energy!
Cathy left last night, and once again, had absolutely terrible flights out. We seem to have horrible luck at the airports. I am hoping we are saving up all that luck for outcome of the cancer b/c it has to be going somewhere. Cathy actually ended up spending the night in the Chicago Midway airport last night. So, be aware, if you come to visit, be prepared for some difficult travel through the airlines.
Today was a pretty decent day for Kathie. We woke up, and had some breakfast (awesome baked french toast done by Eileen), and then went to Church. Kathie is trying to spread out her pain pills, and having some success. She is down to a few Norco's a day (rather than every 4 hours like before), and maybe a couple Tylenol's in between. The pain still comes every once in awhile, but seems to be manageable at this point. Temp is stable - 98.6, and bowl movements seem to be coming daily now with some consistency returning. (Hey, some of you asked for more details. Be careful what you ask for!)
Dinner was pot Roast and mashed potatoes, which Kathie was able to eat 2 small helpings of. She even had a sip of wine. (Before all of you freak out, we actually asked the doctor, and believe it or not, she is allowed wine and a full menu; I freaked out when they said that, too). We are going to meet with a nutritionist, however, and try to get a full "cancer fighting" diet recommendation.
No decision has been made yet for where to do the chemo. With Bob and Kathie now in the same place again, that should probably help move that along. We ask for prayers to help them decide what is best for them, and the path that will give Kathie the best chance of beating the cancer. That doesn't just include doctors (although that is important, too). Her support system is a large part of it. As Lauren keeps reminding her, though, the support system travels :-)
Tomorrow, I fly out, and am hoping for a little less airline chaos! Bob has the reigns from now until next Friday, when Kathie hopefully gets to go back home for a bit. Her staples from the surgery come out on Thursday at 8:15 AM. Hopefully, that all goes well.
The blog updates might come a bit slower with none of the kids down in Houston. Hopefully, we can keep y'all updated, though. I have gotten many emails and phone calls mentioning how this helps to keep everyone informed. I am very glad to hear that it is working, and a big thanks to Aaron (Lynette's husband) for setting it up!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
bouquet of blessings
Dearest Family and friends... and friends of friends and family of friends,
Words fail me to adequately express how grateful I am for all your encouragement. The fact that I'm feeling great despite my condition has to be due to your positive persistence in thought and prayer. I wish I could call all of you daily and personally extend my appreciation for every inspirational word and thoughtful gesture that has been sent our way. However, just passing gas takes 'everything out of me'... ya know! My private duty nursing staff (Bob, Ed, Lauren, Lynette, Cathy and Kaitlyn and Sophie) have done a superb job in making me get active. They've definitely kept the hospital staff jumping. We managed to get the vase count down to 6 and the flowers in those are still vibrant. They really brightened up the room. Thank you all so very much for the well wishes. Love and kisses!
Kathie
Words fail me to adequately express how grateful I am for all your encouragement. The fact that I'm feeling great despite my condition has to be due to your positive persistence in thought and prayer. I wish I could call all of you daily and personally extend my appreciation for every inspirational word and thoughtful gesture that has been sent our way. However, just passing gas takes 'everything out of me'... ya know! My private duty nursing staff (Bob, Ed, Lauren, Lynette, Cathy and Kaitlyn and Sophie) have done a superb job in making me get active. They've definitely kept the hospital staff jumping. We managed to get the vase count down to 6 and the flowers in those are still vibrant. They really brightened up the room. Thank you all so very much for the well wishes. Love and kisses!
Kathie
Friday, June 15, 2007
A tired day
It was a busy, but unproductive day today. The more we talked about all the information we have, the more questions we realized we still had. We are pretty sure we know the main treatment - Folfiri with Avastin. But, we are looking at some more options as well, including that same treatment plus hepatic infusion. But, MD Anderson does not do that treatment, so we need to find someone to ask about it. (We have only been reading about many alternatives such as this. The standard treatment today seems to be Folfox or Folfiri plus Avastin). Our understanding is that Sloan Kettering in NY is the place that is doing this hepatic treatment currently. Anyone know an oncologist at Sloan Kettering?
Also, we are getting some conflicting information on where to put the chemo port. Some oncologists are saying "sub clavical", and some are saying "jugular". We are looking at some studies currently that might compare different placements.
Kathie and Bob are still struggling with the decision about where to be for treatment. Dr. Eng at MD Anderson will only be a "consultant", and the main oncologist will be the one at their treatment location. So, the big question is, "where to go?" Lafayette seems like a good choice because Kathie has so many friends close by. IU (and most university medical centers) are a little further away, but have more medical technology (i.e. finer resolution ct scans). Plus, there is still a house being built in NC. They are going to need to decide if they will end up there in the short or long term. If they eventually end up there, maybe the treatment should start in Winston Salem at Wake Forrest Medical Center since that is where they would go if they move to their NC house. It is a very difficult decision for them. Please pray for them during this process.
The key is that they need to decide soon b/c chemo should start about 4 weeks after surgery. A week has already gone by. Next week is still a recovery week in Houston. That leaves 2 weeks to find an oncologist, have a chemo "port" put in, and have a surgery for the basal cancer that was found near her nose. A pretty busy schedule for anyone...
Today was a mixed bag for Kathie. She was extremely tired at the beginning of the day, and through almost dinner time. At that point, however, she woke up and was hungry again. Her energy definitely returned. She went for a walk outside, and by the end of the night, she and Cathy handily beat Eddie and Eileen in a game of Euchre. The other point of celebration for her today was her second bowel movement. High fives all around!
Tomorrow, Brian and Liz Hanley are coming to visit. They live in Austin, so it is a pretty quick (i.e. 3 hour) drive. We are looking forward to seeing them.
Also, we are getting some conflicting information on where to put the chemo port. Some oncologists are saying "sub clavical", and some are saying "jugular". We are looking at some studies currently that might compare different placements.
Kathie and Bob are still struggling with the decision about where to be for treatment. Dr. Eng at MD Anderson will only be a "consultant", and the main oncologist will be the one at their treatment location. So, the big question is, "where to go?" Lafayette seems like a good choice because Kathie has so many friends close by. IU (and most university medical centers) are a little further away, but have more medical technology (i.e. finer resolution ct scans). Plus, there is still a house being built in NC. They are going to need to decide if they will end up there in the short or long term. If they eventually end up there, maybe the treatment should start in Winston Salem at Wake Forrest Medical Center since that is where they would go if they move to their NC house. It is a very difficult decision for them. Please pray for them during this process.
The key is that they need to decide soon b/c chemo should start about 4 weeks after surgery. A week has already gone by. Next week is still a recovery week in Houston. That leaves 2 weeks to find an oncologist, have a chemo "port" put in, and have a surgery for the basal cancer that was found near her nose. A pretty busy schedule for anyone...
Today was a mixed bag for Kathie. She was extremely tired at the beginning of the day, and through almost dinner time. At that point, however, she woke up and was hungry again. Her energy definitely returned. She went for a walk outside, and by the end of the night, she and Cathy handily beat Eddie and Eileen in a game of Euchre. The other point of celebration for her today was her second bowel movement. High fives all around!
Tomorrow, Brian and Liz Hanley are coming to visit. They live in Austin, so it is a pretty quick (i.e. 3 hour) drive. We are looking forward to seeing them.
The Promised Tour
Welcome to M.D. Anderson... sorry I didn't get these up earlier (um, for instance, while Kathie was actually there!) Anyway, at least you can see the cancer treatment Mecca. These are at the entrance of the hospital - or the Aquarium entrance. The first floor entrance has a ton of fish tanks with gorgeous tropical fish. The twins loved it!
The "Tree Sculpture" is in the Mays Clinic (not the main bldg). You can catch a shuttle indoors from the main clinic over to Mays - otherwise it's at least 1/4 mile walk. Kathie had her internal medicine appointment in the Mays Clinic and also a little lab work. Lauren spent 2 hours with the twins in the child visitation center - they (the twins) were not going to let her leave them with the somewhat friendly caretaker. 
To the right is one of the gardens outside of M.D. Anderson - needless to say, Lauren was fascinated with the landscape surrounding the buildings. There are a lot of studies concerning healing gardens and different illnesses.
The place is absolutely huge. I would have to say, Bob and Lauren enjoyed playing with the little computer. It can print out directions to get from one place within the hospital to another! They had plenty of time to play on it when Kathie was getting her CT scan. You can also check on your doctor's appointments on this - and then get directions to those if you'd like:)
To the right is one of the views from the walking bridge from Rotary House over to the main clinic. Below are some of the beautiful flowers mom got. She said they are all still doing well - and with our family's record with any plants (cut or planted) - that's pretty amazing;)
Hope this gives you a bit of a sense of the place - I have about 20 more photos, but it would take forever to load them all:)
Posted by Lauren
Decisions, decisions
Not much to report on today. Unfortunately, we didn't get the pathology report in time. The medical center is a stickler for having the right paperwork signed by the patient to get any info. Well, unfortunately, by the time we had that to the medical center, that department was closed. So, we will hopefully get the pathology report tomorrow.
The DuCharme family also continued our luck with the airlines today. After getting lost on a car rental return for Lynette, we were running late getting her to the airport. With only 30 minutes to spare, Lynette took the girls through security only to find out that her plane was delayed by 1.5 hours. The weather then delayed the flight again for another few hours. Another great travel day...
The decision on where to go for chemo is still a big one at this point. Many options are being weighed by Bob and Kathie. At this point, there is also still some info that needs to be collected. For example, we have some differing oncology opinions on where (which vein) the chemo "port" should be placed. This is basically a place where the chemo can be pumped in to the bloodstream, and is surgically implanted. It is used rather than trying to put needles in to a patient every 2 weeks (frequency of chemo dose).
Not too much else to report. Kathie had a good day today, and we had a few "high 5's" during the day when she would pass gas. She is starting to feel a bit constipated, however, and she has taken a little prune juice in order to hopefully have the plumbing loosen up a bit tomorrow.
I would imagine the blogging might be a bit slow over the next few days as she is just resting for the most part. I will post when we get the pathology report, and if there are any updates on medical advise or a decision on where to go get chemo.
The DuCharme family also continued our luck with the airlines today. After getting lost on a car rental return for Lynette, we were running late getting her to the airport. With only 30 minutes to spare, Lynette took the girls through security only to find out that her plane was delayed by 1.5 hours. The weather then delayed the flight again for another few hours. Another great travel day...
The decision on where to go for chemo is still a big one at this point. Many options are being weighed by Bob and Kathie. At this point, there is also still some info that needs to be collected. For example, we have some differing oncology opinions on where (which vein) the chemo "port" should be placed. This is basically a place where the chemo can be pumped in to the bloodstream, and is surgically implanted. It is used rather than trying to put needles in to a patient every 2 weeks (frequency of chemo dose).
Not too much else to report. Kathie had a good day today, and we had a few "high 5's" during the day when she would pass gas. She is starting to feel a bit constipated, however, and she has taken a little prune juice in order to hopefully have the plumbing loosen up a bit tomorrow.
I would imagine the blogging might be a bit slow over the next few days as she is just resting for the most part. I will post when we get the pathology report, and if there are any updates on medical advise or a decision on where to go get chemo.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Thursday morning
Good morning. Just a quick posting as we have another busy day ahead....
Kathie had another good night of sleep. She went down at about 9:30 pm. I woke her at 11:30 pm for a pain pill, and she then crashed out until about 9 AM. She woke up hungry. After some oatmeal and OJ, she had another pain pill. She had some more gas this morning, but didn't eat much yesterday, so we aren't sure we will see too much other action today :-)
The short term plan is to stay at Eileen's until Sunday. Then, we will be transferring Kathie to another friend of theirs down here in Houston - Irene. Thanks in advance to Irene who has offered so much help! (As a general side note, thanks to all who have offered and provided so much help! We couldn't do all this without your support).
Today, Kathie is doing lunch with Eddie, Lynette, Cathy, and the twins. Then, maybe a dip in Eileen's pool (not for Kathie - she will just get to spend some time outside with the girls). This afternoon, we need to get Lynette and the girls to the airport, and we pick up the pathology report (from the removed tumor and lymph nodes) from the hospital.
Tonight, Cathy moves in with Kathie and Eddie to stay at Eileen's. Last night, she stayed at the hotel with Lynette and the girls just so the girls didn't have to suffer through another move...
Kathie had another good night of sleep. She went down at about 9:30 pm. I woke her at 11:30 pm for a pain pill, and she then crashed out until about 9 AM. She woke up hungry. After some oatmeal and OJ, she had another pain pill. She had some more gas this morning, but didn't eat much yesterday, so we aren't sure we will see too much other action today :-)
The short term plan is to stay at Eileen's until Sunday. Then, we will be transferring Kathie to another friend of theirs down here in Houston - Irene. Thanks in advance to Irene who has offered so much help! (As a general side note, thanks to all who have offered and provided so much help! We couldn't do all this without your support).
Today, Kathie is doing lunch with Eddie, Lynette, Cathy, and the twins. Then, maybe a dip in Eileen's pool (not for Kathie - she will just get to spend some time outside with the girls). This afternoon, we need to get Lynette and the girls to the airport, and we pick up the pathology report (from the removed tumor and lymph nodes) from the hospital.
Tonight, Cathy moves in with Kathie and Eddie to stay at Eileen's. Last night, she stayed at the hotel with Lynette and the girls just so the girls didn't have to suffer through another move...
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Oncologist meeting
OK, I bet many of you have been saying, "What the heck is with this Eddie guy? Lauren did much better." I am sorry that the blog has taken the back burner for a little while. It was a bit crazy for a little while as we had a pretty full day.
I flew in last night. My flight got delayed from a 9:40 PM arrival to a 12:15 AM arrival. I then had to get a car, and drive to the medical center. All told, I got in about 1:00 AM and finally got to see my post operative mom. She looked and sounded good. She was feeling well, and all vitals were OK. We chatted for a bit, and then finally cashed out at about 2:00 AM.
We woke up a few times that night as it was the first time since surgery that the catheter was out. So, she woke up to go to the bathroom. Great sign.
In the morning, the vitals were again good. And, we got the glorious sound we had all been waiting for - gas! :-) She also had her first bowel movement this morning. Looks like all plumbing is working properly!
Because she felt well, and things were working as intended, she was cleared to check out of the hospital. We decided to stay in the room until after the oncology appointment, which was schedule to be at 1:00 pm.
At that point (about 10:30 AM), Cathy stayed with Kathie, and I drove Lynette and the twins to a long time friend of mine - Eileen. Eileen had offered to watch the girls so that Lynette could attend the oncology appt. What a blessing! Thanks, Eileen! Well, she got more than she bargained for as the appt and exit from the hospital went anything but quickly. 8-9 hours later, we finally got back to pick up the kids.
At 1:00 pm, we checked in for the oncology appt. We didn't actually see a nurse until about 2:30. We didn't see Dr. Cathy Eng (oncologist) until 3:00 pm. She came in ready to address the main issue at hand - how to handle the liver and systemic involvement of the cancer.
Essentially, there were 2 treatment paths that Dr. Eng believed gave her the best chance of longer term survival. The "common names" are FOLFOX and FOLFIRI. Either one of these mixed with Avastin were the recommended paths. The choice came down to side effects and which ones sounded better to Kathie. At this point, she has chosen to lose her hair, rather than some numbness in her extremities and sensitivity to cold.
The next step is to decide where to get this treatment. Dr. Eng knew some colleagues that she would recommend at IU, Chicago, UNC, Duke, or Wake Forrest. Kathie and Bob now need to trade off those choices with a more "convenient" choice of staying in Lafayette for treatment.
After the oncology appt, we packed up the florist shop Kathie had in her room, got some pain medication and nausea medication from the Pharmacy (took another hour or so), and finally headed out of the hospital. M D Anderson is an amazing place. Surgeons performing miracles every day, classes being held all the time on wellness programs, and teams of Doctors consulting on their patient care. But, they are definitely not immune to the things we all experience in the medical system. Some nurses are much better than others. And, many times, things take much longer than expected.
In general, Kathie had a decent day. She did end up with some slight pain in her abdomen, and she was a bit nauseous on a few occasions. So, we decided to get some anti-nausea patches, and some Tylenol with hydrocodone "to go".
We finally left the hospital, grabbed some Subway for dinner, and made it to Eileen's at about 7:30 pm. The kids had done great all day, thanks to Eileen. A big public thanks for the time Eileen watched the kids. Without the help, someone would have missed the oncology appt.
Again, sorry to all for the delay in posting. I am still getting my bearings down here.
I flew in last night. My flight got delayed from a 9:40 PM arrival to a 12:15 AM arrival. I then had to get a car, and drive to the medical center. All told, I got in about 1:00 AM and finally got to see my post operative mom. She looked and sounded good. She was feeling well, and all vitals were OK. We chatted for a bit, and then finally cashed out at about 2:00 AM.
We woke up a few times that night as it was the first time since surgery that the catheter was out. So, she woke up to go to the bathroom. Great sign.
In the morning, the vitals were again good. And, we got the glorious sound we had all been waiting for - gas! :-) She also had her first bowel movement this morning. Looks like all plumbing is working properly!
Because she felt well, and things were working as intended, she was cleared to check out of the hospital. We decided to stay in the room until after the oncology appointment, which was schedule to be at 1:00 pm.
At that point (about 10:30 AM), Cathy stayed with Kathie, and I drove Lynette and the twins to a long time friend of mine - Eileen. Eileen had offered to watch the girls so that Lynette could attend the oncology appt. What a blessing! Thanks, Eileen! Well, she got more than she bargained for as the appt and exit from the hospital went anything but quickly. 8-9 hours later, we finally got back to pick up the kids.
At 1:00 pm, we checked in for the oncology appt. We didn't actually see a nurse until about 2:30. We didn't see Dr. Cathy Eng (oncologist) until 3:00 pm. She came in ready to address the main issue at hand - how to handle the liver and systemic involvement of the cancer.
Essentially, there were 2 treatment paths that Dr. Eng believed gave her the best chance of longer term survival. The "common names" are FOLFOX and FOLFIRI. Either one of these mixed with Avastin were the recommended paths. The choice came down to side effects and which ones sounded better to Kathie. At this point, she has chosen to lose her hair, rather than some numbness in her extremities and sensitivity to cold.
The next step is to decide where to get this treatment. Dr. Eng knew some colleagues that she would recommend at IU, Chicago, UNC, Duke, or Wake Forrest. Kathie and Bob now need to trade off those choices with a more "convenient" choice of staying in Lafayette for treatment.
After the oncology appt, we packed up the florist shop Kathie had in her room, got some pain medication and nausea medication from the Pharmacy (took another hour or so), and finally headed out of the hospital. M D Anderson is an amazing place. Surgeons performing miracles every day, classes being held all the time on wellness programs, and teams of Doctors consulting on their patient care. But, they are definitely not immune to the things we all experience in the medical system. Some nurses are much better than others. And, many times, things take much longer than expected.
In general, Kathie had a decent day. She did end up with some slight pain in her abdomen, and she was a bit nauseous on a few occasions. So, we decided to get some anti-nausea patches, and some Tylenol with hydrocodone "to go".
We finally left the hospital, grabbed some Subway for dinner, and made it to Eileen's at about 7:30 pm. The kids had done great all day, thanks to Eileen. A big public thanks for the time Eileen watched the kids. Without the help, someone would have missed the oncology appt.
Again, sorry to all for the delay in posting. I am still getting my bearings down here.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Monday
Sorry for no update yesterday, it was a little crazy as Bob and Lauren flew out (Bob to Mexico, Lauren back to CT).
Lauren spent Sunday night in Kathie's room. Her oxygen something or another kept goign off as soon as Kathie fell asleep - so lauren wasn't going to sleep either - instead, she found herself starring at the machine, hovering when it dropped to 85 (84 sets off the alarm). Lauren got good enough that it only beeped once or twice before she hit the silence button. Clearly, that was not going to work all night - s we asked for oxygen for the night. Success! Her number went up to a steady 96 and we got FIVE hours of 'solid' sleep before the nurses treated Kathie to a vitals check and blood draw. That's right - FIVE hours of undisturbed sleep in a hospital - a miracle, but yet again, not something that would give Mother Teresa recognition.
Bob came in around 7:15 and left shortly after to get in the medical file line to get the pathology report and copies of everything else they have on file for Kathie so far. Kathie and Lauren tried to return to sleep mode - but it was hopeless, as other beeping machine (the one that holds her epideral) decided to go off. We called someone in immediately to stop the damn thing. (There's a loose button - they had it held in place with tape is coming off. We "slept" until about 8 and gave up. Bob did breakfast with Kathie - full liquids (as opposed to clear ones of Sunday)! Cathy, Lynette and the twins joined them soon after. Bob came back to the Rotary House to pack up and Lauren returned to Kathie's room, just in time for a walk. The twins were happy to escort Grandma. Kathie had a nice little entourage for her laps!
Lynette and Cathy had to go check into the next hotel though, so then it was just Lauren and Kathie again. It was quite a morning, as Kathie got not one bouquet, but 3 more! Lauren's boyfriend's family sent some, as did some of Bob and Kathie's friends from Michigan and Bob's sister's family (Janet). Kathie's room could be mistaken for the front garden. The nurse commented, "Boy, you are loved" - and don't we all know it! (P.S. flower arrangements are going to have to hit the floor soon - so consider a donation to the American Cancer Society in Kathie's name if you would like to give her something - but please let us know so we can say THANKS!)
Kathie got a little spa treatment from Lauren - a little neck and shoulder rub, and a glamorous hair styling (okay, maybe not glamorous, since the available tools consisted of water and a brush on hair that hasn't been able to be washed in 3 days:) )
So here's the stuff you want to know:
- Fever was down to 97.9 ("normal" for Kathie)
- She walked her laps and did her breathing exercises
- Lauren took a DELAYED flight back to Connecticut and starts work on Wednesday (Her flight
got in around 3:30 AM)
- Bob left for Mexico for a short business trip
- Eddie comes into Houston tonight and in theory, takes charge of the blog
Hopefully, this can get updated a bit later today so you can get more info about yesterday. She's looking good - that's the most important thing for now.
Posted by Lauren
Lauren spent Sunday night in Kathie's room. Her oxygen something or another kept goign off as soon as Kathie fell asleep - so lauren wasn't going to sleep either - instead, she found herself starring at the machine, hovering when it dropped to 85 (84 sets off the alarm). Lauren got good enough that it only beeped once or twice before she hit the silence button. Clearly, that was not going to work all night - s we asked for oxygen for the night. Success! Her number went up to a steady 96 and we got FIVE hours of 'solid' sleep before the nurses treated Kathie to a vitals check and blood draw. That's right - FIVE hours of undisturbed sleep in a hospital - a miracle, but yet again, not something that would give Mother Teresa recognition.
Bob came in around 7:15 and left shortly after to get in the medical file line to get the pathology report and copies of everything else they have on file for Kathie so far. Kathie and Lauren tried to return to sleep mode - but it was hopeless, as other beeping machine (the one that holds her epideral) decided to go off. We called someone in immediately to stop the damn thing. (There's a loose button - they had it held in place with tape is coming off. We "slept" until about 8 and gave up. Bob did breakfast with Kathie - full liquids (as opposed to clear ones of Sunday)! Cathy, Lynette and the twins joined them soon after. Bob came back to the Rotary House to pack up and Lauren returned to Kathie's room, just in time for a walk. The twins were happy to escort Grandma. Kathie had a nice little entourage for her laps!
Lynette and Cathy had to go check into the next hotel though, so then it was just Lauren and Kathie again. It was quite a morning, as Kathie got not one bouquet, but 3 more! Lauren's boyfriend's family sent some, as did some of Bob and Kathie's friends from Michigan and Bob's sister's family (Janet). Kathie's room could be mistaken for the front garden. The nurse commented, "Boy, you are loved" - and don't we all know it! (P.S. flower arrangements are going to have to hit the floor soon - so consider a donation to the American Cancer Society in Kathie's name if you would like to give her something - but please let us know so we can say THANKS!)
Kathie got a little spa treatment from Lauren - a little neck and shoulder rub, and a glamorous hair styling (okay, maybe not glamorous, since the available tools consisted of water and a brush on hair that hasn't been able to be washed in 3 days:) )
So here's the stuff you want to know:
- Fever was down to 97.9 ("normal" for Kathie)
- She walked her laps and did her breathing exercises
- Lauren took a DELAYED flight back to Connecticut and starts work on Wednesday (Her flight
got in around 3:30 AM)
- Bob left for Mexico for a short business trip
- Eddie comes into Houston tonight and in theory, takes charge of the blog
Hopefully, this can get updated a bit later today so you can get more info about yesterday. She's looking good - that's the most important thing for now.
Posted by Lauren
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Victory laps:)
Grrr. She's ready to go. Kathie thought this picture was cute - so here it is. haha. Anyway, this was her getting up for her second walk of the day. She made it FOUR laps with Bob, Cathy and Lauren. Yay! She's also been a bit better about her breathing exercises - and her fever has gone down. They changed her little finger monitor that was causing false beeps.
Kathie had very little pain today and even got to start liquids! She looked at the liquids menu "like a fat kid looks at a hamburger" (Lauren's quote for Kathie and how's she's looked at any food over the last 2 weeks). The nurse reminded her to take it slow - as she requested a popsicle, a Boost-type drink, an IBC Root Beer and an Italian Ice. As Lauren started to note the list to order (oh yes, she gets to special order everything - that's how you order here. No crappy cream of wheat... unless of course, that's what you want;) ) and pointed out all Kathie had picked so far was sugar. With a little urging, Kathie also ordered some vegetable broth. Lauren put in the order before Kathie walked - and then she took her grand laps. The order system is: order, and they promise it will be there in less than 45 minutes. Kathie stayed sitting in a chair for a bit when she got back and "ate" her first "meal" sitting up. Lauren went back to the room to check on Lynette and the girls and to see if the girls were ready to see Grandma - not so much, they were near meltdown point for the evening. Maybe tomorrow.
After "dinner", Kathie went for another walk - down a different hallway... ooooh, ahhhhh:) So, she managed her three walks today and with a lot of proding, did a large portion of her breathing exercises.
Bob and Cathy left around 9 and Lauren read to Kathie out of a book Lynette brought (it was a gift from the DuCharme's family practioner in KC!). Lauren is hogging the guest bed in the room tonight since she's headed back to Connecticut on Monday. So, posting is soon shifting over to Eddie, most likely.
I'm sure there will be more to say in the morning after Lauren and Kathie get 2 hour wake up calls from various nurses. Tomorrow, Lauren also plans on posting a little picture tour of MD Anderson so everyone can feel like they were/are here with Kathie:)
Posted by Lauren
Small victories
Bob, Lynette, Lauren and Kaitlyn and Sophie went to Mass in the chapel at the hospital today. Not exactly the most impressive priest, but it was convenient. The really nice thing was that there were refreshments (tea, coffee and some rocking banana bread) brought by the amazing volunteers in this hospital. It offered a chance for people to talk to others who were in the same boat. So far we have met some really support patients and families of those patients. That's the best part of the Rotary House - you know everyone there is in the same boat and understands. Lauren struck up a nice conversation with a man over tea this morning (shocking, I know) about his family's cancer situation.
Kathie still has a bit of a fever, but it has gone down since last night. She's also still having a hard time getting a deep breath, but she did do her breathing exercises and walked a lap and a half around the floor today! (Don't get too excited, it's a small floor). Either way though - some walking is TONS better than none.
Lynette begged the nurses to give her one hour to sleep since she had been harassed all night. One of her alarms keeps beeping because of her lack of deep breaths.
Bob is picking up Kathie's childhood friend, Cathy, right now. Cathy is a nurse in Ohio - so we're hoping she can prod Kathie into doing all of her exercises consistently. Cathy will also probably sit in on the appointment with the oncologist to make sure the right questions get asked while Bob is gone. (aka, she can translate all the medical jargon!) Eddie will be coming in tomorrow to help with Kathie's recovery and also to sit in on the oncologist appointment on Wednesday - those engineers take organized notes! ;)
Tonight, if Kathie is feeling up to it, she'll get her first visit from the twins since surgery. Kaitlyn and Sophie seem to understand that Grandma is in the hospital to get better.
Kathie still has a bit of a fever, but it has gone down since last night. She's also still having a hard time getting a deep breath, but she did do her breathing exercises and walked a lap and a half around the floor today! (Don't get too excited, it's a small floor). Either way though - some walking is TONS better than none.
Lynette begged the nurses to give her one hour to sleep since she had been harassed all night. One of her alarms keeps beeping because of her lack of deep breaths.
Bob is picking up Kathie's childhood friend, Cathy, right now. Cathy is a nurse in Ohio - so we're hoping she can prod Kathie into doing all of her exercises consistently. Cathy will also probably sit in on the appointment with the oncologist to make sure the right questions get asked while Bob is gone. (aka, she can translate all the medical jargon!) Eddie will be coming in tomorrow to help with Kathie's recovery and also to sit in on the oncologist appointment on Wednesday - those engineers take organized notes! ;)
Tonight, if Kathie is feeling up to it, she'll get her first visit from the twins since surgery. Kaitlyn and Sophie seem to understand that Grandma is in the hospital to get better.
The rest of Night 2
Well, it seems they came in to check on Kathie even more the second night, so she didn't get much sleep at all. It's a wonder anyone ever gets better in a hospital. Lynette also didn't get much sleep since she was with Kathie last night.
Kathie's fever got up around 102 last night, but was back down to 101 this morning. The nurses told us yesterday that 101 is about the time they start giving medicine to lower the temp, so they were doing that this morning. Don't ask me why they didn't start last night. Kathie was also a little itchy last night, so they gave her a shot for that.
The nurse also told Kathie (repeatedly) that she needed to do her breathing exercises and basically that she's getting up and walking today whether she wants to or not;) You all know how Kathie does not being in charge - it's going to be an interesting week! Walking around and doing her breathing exercises are supposed to help expand her lungs and keep her from getting pnemonia.
Since she didn't sleep much last night, we're again asking that you let Kathie initiate phone calls if she feels up to it. We have read her the notes on the blog and the e-mails you've all sent. Your thoughts and prayers have meant so much to all of us!
Kathie's fever got up around 102 last night, but was back down to 101 this morning. The nurses told us yesterday that 101 is about the time they start giving medicine to lower the temp, so they were doing that this morning. Don't ask me why they didn't start last night. Kathie was also a little itchy last night, so they gave her a shot for that.
The nurse also told Kathie (repeatedly) that she needed to do her breathing exercises and basically that she's getting up and walking today whether she wants to or not;) You all know how Kathie does not being in charge - it's going to be an interesting week! Walking around and doing her breathing exercises are supposed to help expand her lungs and keep her from getting pnemonia.
Since she didn't sleep much last night, we're again asking that you let Kathie initiate phone calls if she feels up to it. We have read her the notes on the blog and the e-mails you've all sent. Your thoughts and prayers have meant so much to all of us!
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Night 2
Lynette is crashing in the hospital suite with Kathie tonight. Lauren claimed tomorrow evening since she's heading back to Connecticut on Monday. Hopefully, tomorrow is a good day for Kathie and she's feeling a bit better. She needs to start walking around a bit if she wants to get out of the hospital in 5 days instead of more.
Keep the prayers coming, Kathie's drugs are getting a bit lighter so she's in a bit more pain from the surgery. She has an epidural (spelling?), so she hasn't been too bad.
News is going to be a bit slow during the recovery... and it might be short because I'm doing it between breaks of babysitting the twins or visiting with Kathie!
Love to all!
Posted by Lauren
Keep the prayers coming, Kathie's drugs are getting a bit lighter so she's in a bit more pain from the surgery. She has an epidural (spelling?), so she hasn't been too bad.
News is going to be a bit slow during the recovery... and it might be short because I'm doing it between breaks of babysitting the twins or visiting with Kathie!
Love to all!
Posted by Lauren
Off and On
Kathie napped most of the morning. She has been doing her little breathing exercises though, as well. Lynette, Bob and Lauren have been rotating shifts for visits. She was doing well during the whole first part of the day, but around 6 had a little fever and the nurse helped her get into the chair to help bring that down a bit. Kathie sat in the chair for about an hour and watched Legally Blonde with Lauren.
Right now she still has a bit of fever and she feels like her abdoman is a bit distended. She's also having a hard time getting a good deep breath, so we have a couple nurses in here trying to make her more comfortable.
Bob's engineering group, as well as some of his co-workers sent some BEAUTIFUL flowers - so the room is nice and bright. Kathie also has a picture of her grandbabies, giving her that extra push of encouragement.
Posted by Lauren
Right now she still has a bit of fever and she feels like her abdoman is a bit distended. She's also having a hard time getting a good deep breath, so we have a couple nurses in here trying to make her more comfortable.
Bob's engineering group, as well as some of his co-workers sent some BEAUTIFUL flowers - so the room is nice and bright. Kathie also has a picture of her grandbabies, giving her that extra push of encouragement.
Posted by Lauren
Recovery and contact
Kathie spent quite awhile in the recovery room. 1) She was a little nauseous and 2) they were short on rooms and struggling to find one for her. Bob and Lauren finally got into a room with her around midnight. Lauren stayed overnight with Kathie on a luxury pull out chair. In all honesty, it was better than she was expecting. They even supplied a pillow and sheets!
Kathie has a first class room with waitstaff that checks on her every need every 2 hours (whether she wants them to or not) ;) Seriously though, she has a private room - all the rooms at M.D. Anderson are from our understanding. She has an attached bathroom with a shower and there's a little closet in the room for her stuff. Kathie did get visits every 2 hours from various nurses and then around 8:30 this morning from Dr. Rodriguez. Overall, she's doing really well. Once she got back to the room, she had no nausea and slept well.
We finally have info if you want to send anything. We think this will get it to her:
Kathleen DuCharme
1515 Holcombe Blvd
Floor 11 Room P.1106
Houston, TX 77030
Please let Kathie initiate phone calls if she's up to it - she didn't get to sleep a whole lot last night, so she'll be napping off and on today.
Love to all!
posted by Lauren
Kathie has a first class room with waitstaff that checks on her every need every 2 hours (whether she wants them to or not) ;) Seriously though, she has a private room - all the rooms at M.D. Anderson are from our understanding. She has an attached bathroom with a shower and there's a little closet in the room for her stuff. Kathie did get visits every 2 hours from various nurses and then around 8:30 this morning from Dr. Rodriguez. Overall, she's doing really well. Once she got back to the room, she had no nausea and slept well.
We finally have info if you want to send anything. We think this will get it to her:
Kathleen DuCharme
1515 Holcombe Blvd
Floor 11 Room P.1106
Houston, TX 77030
Please let Kathie initiate phone calls if she's up to it - she didn't get to sleep a whole lot last night, so she'll be napping off and on today.
Love to all!
posted by Lauren
Friday, June 8, 2007
Successful surgery
Kathie is out of surgery and in the recovery room. We expect to head back there in about 40 minutes (or at least Bob will be allowed to). Surgery took an hour and 10 minutes and Dr. Rodriguez said it went well. He also said the small bowel (small intestine) was a little dialated - meaning there was a little pressure building behind the tumor... aka - good freaking thing we decided to do surgery now rather than waiting for chemo!
Dr. Rodriguez removed the tumor and the lymph nodes right around it. He said she didn't bleed much at all, so no blood transfusions or anything like that.
Ovaries looked normal so he left those alone. He said he could feel at least 14 of the tumors in her liver - but again, didn't do anything with the liver because it wouldn't have helped.
He said rooms are a little tight here, so maybe hold off on flowers until tomorrow when we get in a real room - we'll let you know as soon as we know. She may just be in a recovery room overnight. Lauren plans on sticking with her, since she is the versatile for sleeping (in other words, she's still a college student and has low standards;) )
Love to all of you - thanks for the prayers. Thank God everything went smoothly. Now, there's just the next mountain to get over with chemo.
Dr. Rodriguez removed the tumor and the lymph nodes right around it. He said she didn't bleed much at all, so no blood transfusions or anything like that.
Ovaries looked normal so he left those alone. He said he could feel at least 14 of the tumors in her liver - but again, didn't do anything with the liver because it wouldn't have helped.
He said rooms are a little tight here, so maybe hold off on flowers until tomorrow when we get in a real room - we'll let you know as soon as we know. She may just be in a recovery room overnight. Lauren plans on sticking with her, since she is the versatile for sleeping (in other words, she's still a college student and has low standards;) )
Love to all of you - thanks for the prayers. Thank God everything went smoothly. Now, there's just the next mountain to get over with chemo.
Don't get too excited
Well, we thought they took her in for surgery at 5 our time - but it must have been more prep... they made their first incision at 6:15 our time (so 7:15 Eastern time)
Posted by Lauren
Posted by Lauren
She's In
Quick update - they literally just took her in for surgery. We expect her out in 2-3 hours. We'll let you know how it's going!
Posted by Lauren
Posted by Lauren
Updates
We managed to get checked out of our 5 star Best Western;) Kathie and Lauren took the shuttle over to the hospital and were met by Lynette, Bob and Sophie and Kaitlyn. Since we were 2 hours early for Kathie's check-in, we all went to the mini park outside the Rotary House (the Marriot hotel connected to and owned by the Hospital where we will be staying for a few days so we can take shifts being with Kathie) and took some family pictures. Here's Kathie with her youngest grandbabies:) (Kaitlyn is in green, Sophie is in the white and black).
At 11:00 Bob and Kathie headed over to the hospital and Lynette and Lauren stayed outside to play with the girls. Lauren headed over around 11:30 and Lynette and the girls got some lunch. Then Lauren and Lynette swapped with the girls so Lynette could sit with Kathie for a bit too.
Around 3, they finally took Kathie up into the prep area and only Bob could go so Lynette and Lauren are waiting around the hotel with Kaitlyn and Sophie until Bob calls. We'll let you know when she actually goes in for surgery - we expect it to be shortly.
Many of you asked about prayers. Kathie asked that the Mother Teresa prayer was said again:
Mother Teresa, you served God as a source of comfort and consolation to the terminally ill meeting the spiritual and physical needs of the sick and needy. In times of hopelessness, where poverty and dying would give way to dispair, you gave hope in the promise of the Resurrection. The helpless were helped whenever, wherever and however needed in the Lord's name; He who is the giver and taker of life. May we follow your example and become instruments accepting the call to do His Will and following the command to love our neighbor as ourselves.God has called you to inherit a place among the saints. May the church one day soon recognize you as Saint Mother Teresa, the patron of the terminally ill and care givers. Please intercede on behalf of Kathleen, who is ill and in need of a miracle, that God will cure her of cancer, keep her family and friends in His tender care, and manifest His plan that she may know and fulfill the purpose for which she was created. When her task is complete, give the courage to continue to live in faith and love until called to Yourself.
Amen.
We'll update soon.
Posted by Lauren
Kathie's Note
I'll give an update, but I needed to get this posted for Kathie first:
Dear Family and Friends,
Your words of encouragement and support inspire me -- too bad no one offered to stand in and do the GI prep in my place. My being able to down it without dying to me was a minor miracle -- but nothing to get Mother Teresa on record. We did get to share great news with friends from Lafayette who were also here this week; her cancer is regressing. Two miracles are the prerequisite -- it would be a blessing if she were to be one of them!
Thanks for keeping Bob and the children in your prayers. They need them as much or more than me.
We still don't have a time for the grand opening! My blogger will get you news as soon as it becomes available.
Thanks again for the prayers said, sent and on thier way. You are all in my heart.
Love,
Kathie
Posted by Lauren
Dear Family and Friends,
Your words of encouragement and support inspire me -- too bad no one offered to stand in and do the GI prep in my place. My being able to down it without dying to me was a minor miracle -- but nothing to get Mother Teresa on record. We did get to share great news with friends from Lafayette who were also here this week; her cancer is regressing. Two miracles are the prerequisite -- it would be a blessing if she were to be one of them!
Thanks for keeping Bob and the children in your prayers. They need them as much or more than me.
We still don't have a time for the grand opening! My blogger will get you news as soon as it becomes available.
Thanks again for the prayers said, sent and on thier way. You are all in my heart.
Love,
Kathie
Posted by Lauren
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Pre-Op
Kathie passed her pre-surgery tests with flying colors.
Kathie had an appointment at 9:45 this morning. She took an entourage with her: Bob, Lauren, Lynette and Lynette’s daughters, Sophie and Kaitlyn. Bob and Kathie went into the pre-surgery meeting by themselves while Lauren introduced Lynette and the girls to M.D. Anderson. The girls wanted to see the Tree Sculpture in the Mays building, so Lynette, Lauren, Sophie and Kaitlyn took a shuttle over there – it’s a ¼ mile walkway! The four of them met back up with Bob and Kathie a little before lunch.
Lynette and Lauren tried to go to a caregivers seminar, but it backfired a little when it turned into an impromptu round table discussion when the speaker didn’t show up. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the other caregivers who showed up were women facing even worse circumstances. Lynette and Lauren’s hearts went out to them, but were also reminded once more that things weren’t nearly as bad as some other people were facing.
The first appointment was just so Kathie would know the risks of surgery and Bob and Kathie also got information about post-op. Tonight, Kathie gets the joy of “cleaning out” her system.
The second appointment was to meet with the anesthesiologist and talk about more risks, but also set a baseline by using former experiences Kathie has had with anesthesia. Bob thought we’d find out surgery time then, but we didn’t get it quite hammered out until just recently.
Kathie will check in at noon for surgery. We will all get to be with her until Kathie goes into surgery (so we’ll let you know that exact time), and then they will update us every 2 hours on how surgery is going. They expect it to take around 2-3 hours. She will have around 2 hours in recovery and will then go to the room. Dr. Rodriguez has 4 surgeries tomorrow, of which Kathie is 4th, so it may be late until we hear/know anything and can post it.
Kathie can receive flowers (this will not necessarily hold true once she is receiving chemo) or donations can be made to the American Cancer Society in her name in lieu of that if you’d like (we’ll post info soon about info where exactly to send flowers, cards, well-wishes, whatevers as soon as we have that info ourselves). There’s also the option of just leaving a comment on the blog. Prayers are also more than welcome!!! The total recovery is expected to be 7 days +/- 2 days.
Nothing else really exciting going on here. It’s been a long week. Please no calls tomorrow – we will update the blog as often as we can.
Kathie had an appointment at 9:45 this morning. She took an entourage with her: Bob, Lauren, Lynette and Lynette’s daughters, Sophie and Kaitlyn. Bob and Kathie went into the pre-surgery meeting by themselves while Lauren introduced Lynette and the girls to M.D. Anderson. The girls wanted to see the Tree Sculpture in the Mays building, so Lynette, Lauren, Sophie and Kaitlyn took a shuttle over there – it’s a ¼ mile walkway! The four of them met back up with Bob and Kathie a little before lunch.
Lynette and Lauren tried to go to a caregivers seminar, but it backfired a little when it turned into an impromptu round table discussion when the speaker didn’t show up. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the other caregivers who showed up were women facing even worse circumstances. Lynette and Lauren’s hearts went out to them, but were also reminded once more that things weren’t nearly as bad as some other people were facing.
The first appointment was just so Kathie would know the risks of surgery and Bob and Kathie also got information about post-op. Tonight, Kathie gets the joy of “cleaning out” her system.
The second appointment was to meet with the anesthesiologist and talk about more risks, but also set a baseline by using former experiences Kathie has had with anesthesia. Bob thought we’d find out surgery time then, but we didn’t get it quite hammered out until just recently.
Kathie will check in at noon for surgery. We will all get to be with her until Kathie goes into surgery (so we’ll let you know that exact time), and then they will update us every 2 hours on how surgery is going. They expect it to take around 2-3 hours. She will have around 2 hours in recovery and will then go to the room. Dr. Rodriguez has 4 surgeries tomorrow, of which Kathie is 4th, so it may be late until we hear/know anything and can post it.
Kathie can receive flowers (this will not necessarily hold true once she is receiving chemo) or donations can be made to the American Cancer Society in her name in lieu of that if you’d like (we’ll post info soon about info where exactly to send flowers, cards, well-wishes, whatevers as soon as we have that info ourselves). There’s also the option of just leaving a comment on the blog. Prayers are also more than welcome!!! The total recovery is expected to be 7 days +/- 2 days.
Nothing else really exciting going on here. It’s been a long week. Please no calls tomorrow – we will update the blog as often as we can.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Where's Christen?
So, someone mentioned that they hadn't seen Christen listed as involved with any of this so we thought that should maybe be clarified! Chris, as you all know, is in Hawaii and the time difference makes phone calls difficult at times because she is at work when we do these conference calls. She has been involved in some of the family conference calls and informed later when she can't be due to work. The last conference call we had with her involved us being put on hold and getting the opportunity to enjoy some nice Hawaiian music:)
Christen has actually played a rather enormous role in getting Kathie into M.D. Anderson - as it was her boyfriend's uncle that got us into the back door. Carlos, the uncle, is a semi-retired radiologist oncologist who not only had connections, but apparently wrote the book when it came to radiology oncology - as our Dr. Rodriquez (surgeon for the colon) said he studied from a textbook by Carlos when he was in med school!
Chris may be coming home to Lafayette sometime after Kathie returns to help possibly after Kathie starts receiving chemo, although Kathie is trying to find a way to go to Hawaii instead - any excuse for a vacation.
Further updates, Lynette is coming in tonight with the girls. We all know how "Grandma" loves her twins!!!! As we told Dr. Rodriquez... the support system travels;) A HUGE thank you to Lynette's friends that have assisted by loaning some frequent fliers!!! Traveling in a band of three is no easy task on short notice! We are reminded everyday how many wonderful people still exist in this world, as you have all shown great love and support in so many ways! God bless - and add prayers that Kathie has a safe surgery and quick recovery so we can start kicking this cancer's a** - again, pun slightly intended;)
Posted by Lauren
Christen has actually played a rather enormous role in getting Kathie into M.D. Anderson - as it was her boyfriend's uncle that got us into the back door. Carlos, the uncle, is a semi-retired radiologist oncologist who not only had connections, but apparently wrote the book when it came to radiology oncology - as our Dr. Rodriquez (surgeon for the colon) said he studied from a textbook by Carlos when he was in med school!
Chris may be coming home to Lafayette sometime after Kathie returns to help possibly after Kathie starts receiving chemo, although Kathie is trying to find a way to go to Hawaii instead - any excuse for a vacation.
Further updates, Lynette is coming in tonight with the girls. We all know how "Grandma" loves her twins!!!! As we told Dr. Rodriquez... the support system travels;) A HUGE thank you to Lynette's friends that have assisted by loaning some frequent fliers!!! Traveling in a band of three is no easy task on short notice! We are reminded everyday how many wonderful people still exist in this world, as you have all shown great love and support in so many ways! God bless - and add prayers that Kathie has a safe surgery and quick recovery so we can start kicking this cancer's a** - again, pun slightly intended;)
Posted by Lauren
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Decisons Made
After the doctor appointments today, Bob, Kathie and Lauren waited around to re-meet with Colleen, the nurse practitioner, to discuss getting an oncology appointment and seeing where they were with everything. Of course, the three of us had just bought lunch when they came out to talk to us. Lauren stayed with the food, and Bob and Kathie went in. Dr. Rodriquez ended up coming in and they continued to discuss options since Dr. Abdalla completely ruled out liver surgery. Bob ran out and grabbed Lauren to come in during the continuation of the conversation with Dr. Rodriquez during round 2.
Kathie has been symptomatic more this week than last, burping about every 15 minutes. This fact, coupled with the fact that Dr. Rodriquez can feel her tumor, just by pushing on her tummy and that she got pretty sick last night led him to keep his opinion that she should have surgery before starting chemo. He added that it just depended on how much risk she was willing to take. Bob and Kathie scheduled the surgery for this coming Friday, with the understanding that they would come back and discuss it with the family and could cancel it.
Upon returning to the hotel, Bob put in a call to Dr. DiMartino to see how she felt about doing the tumor removal surgery prior to starting chemo. After hearing about the symptoms Kathie has been having – she agreed with Dr. Rodriquez. The pros and cons were discussed for literally hours between Bob, Kathie and Lauren and then for another hour with Lynette and Eddie. We have all come to the conclusion that the short term immediate risk of a blockage was the most important issue to deal with first.
Just so everyone can be on somewhat the same page: Major cons of starting chemo first – 1) Can’t start with the sidekick drug, Avastin, because if emergency surgery would occur, it would prevent healing, 2) Blood count/White blood count would be down from chemo – again, a problem if emergency surgery became an issue, 3) Colon tumors are slow responders to chemo, so it may not eliminate the possibility of blockage, 4) It’s an overall risk: we’d be risking blockage, rupture and would not be going full force against the cancer (with the Avastin). Of course there were/are pros too, and some cons of waiting on chemo… but these other issues outweighed them in the end… and we’re going with gut feelings – pun 100% intended:)
So that puts us here: Wednesday, Kathie has an appointment with internal medicine to make sure she’s a-go for surgery. Bob and Kathie are meeting their friends for lunch while Lauren checks out a couple of things at M.D. Anderson – including attending the family/patient orientation.
Lynette is coming into Houston either Wednesday or Thursday to be here for the surgery. Eddie will be coming during the recovery time next week so that he can be ready to talk the oncologist in case Bob is on a business trip.
Thursday will be a prep day for the surgery and Friday will be surgery. Lauren is looking at heading back to Connecticut either Monday or Tuesday… and then posting may fall to one of the remaining siblings who will be more in touch.
Posted by Lauren
Kathie has been symptomatic more this week than last, burping about every 15 minutes. This fact, coupled with the fact that Dr. Rodriquez can feel her tumor, just by pushing on her tummy and that she got pretty sick last night led him to keep his opinion that she should have surgery before starting chemo. He added that it just depended on how much risk she was willing to take. Bob and Kathie scheduled the surgery for this coming Friday, with the understanding that they would come back and discuss it with the family and could cancel it.
Upon returning to the hotel, Bob put in a call to Dr. DiMartino to see how she felt about doing the tumor removal surgery prior to starting chemo. After hearing about the symptoms Kathie has been having – she agreed with Dr. Rodriquez. The pros and cons were discussed for literally hours between Bob, Kathie and Lauren and then for another hour with Lynette and Eddie. We have all come to the conclusion that the short term immediate risk of a blockage was the most important issue to deal with first.
Just so everyone can be on somewhat the same page: Major cons of starting chemo first – 1) Can’t start with the sidekick drug, Avastin, because if emergency surgery would occur, it would prevent healing, 2) Blood count/White blood count would be down from chemo – again, a problem if emergency surgery became an issue, 3) Colon tumors are slow responders to chemo, so it may not eliminate the possibility of blockage, 4) It’s an overall risk: we’d be risking blockage, rupture and would not be going full force against the cancer (with the Avastin). Of course there were/are pros too, and some cons of waiting on chemo… but these other issues outweighed them in the end… and we’re going with gut feelings – pun 100% intended:)
So that puts us here: Wednesday, Kathie has an appointment with internal medicine to make sure she’s a-go for surgery. Bob and Kathie are meeting their friends for lunch while Lauren checks out a couple of things at M.D. Anderson – including attending the family/patient orientation.
Lynette is coming into Houston either Wednesday or Thursday to be here for the surgery. Eddie will be coming during the recovery time next week so that he can be ready to talk the oncologist in case Bob is on a business trip.
Thursday will be a prep day for the surgery and Friday will be surgery. Lauren is looking at heading back to Connecticut either Monday or Tuesday… and then posting may fall to one of the remaining siblings who will be more in touch.
Posted by Lauren
Last night was exciting, but not quite the way we wanted. Kathie went in for her CT, but wasn’t feeling great going in – there were a lot of gas bubbles, possibly due to the large quantity of barium and Sprite consumed prior to the scan. Right after her scan she got sick and we took her out of the hospital via wheelchair because she was still nauseous and dizzy. We made it back to the hotel and Kathie made it a few minutes and managed to change before getting sick again. She felt better after that and made it the rest of the night just fine. It was just a reminder not to mix drinks (cranberry and then Sprite)… Lauren euphemized it as Cosmos and Piña Coladas: )
Bob and Lauren shared some banana bread at 10 PM for dinner – fearing that heating up leftovers might set Kathie off again and all three of us watched the end of the Producers for a distraction.
We did not quite achieve a miracle last night – but Lauren told Kathie that this way Mother Teresa has something really big to do - much more impressive:) Although, Kathie is wondering if the miracle was making it out of the hospital last night without having emergency surgery or having a stroke from having her blood pressure spike to 137/100. Kathie also wondered if the time difference threw Mother Teresa off, not to mention the short notice;)
Of course, there were yet again discrepancies in suggestions for how to deal with the issue. This morning we met with Dr. Rodriguez-Bigas, the surgical oncologist that focuses on colon surgery. He suggested surgery first to get rid of the chance of blockage, but repeated the previous chemo suggestions we got back home. After a meeting with Dr. Rodriquez, we had a meeting with Dr. Abdalla, the surgical oncologist that focuses on liver surgery, and things looked a little less positive than we had hoped. First, he counted and pointed out the spots that showed up on the new CT scan – over 20 lesions geographically scattered on the liver– meaning absolutely no possible surgery or cure in the liver, ever (depending on what science comes up with in the upcoming years), but that still did not mean the worst. The spleen still looks okay, but there are a couple questionable spots on the lung. On a lighter note, he sounded positive if Kathie is aggressive about treatment. He advised chemo before surgery… hmm, now we’re back to square one deciding which route to go, though he did say Dr. Rodriquez may make the decision for us.
The next step is getting an appointment with an oncologist – strings are being pulled as I type. Kathie and Bob are discussing surgery options, deciding if it’s best to stick with M.D. Anderson for it, or if it’s best to be closer to the support system… regardless of that though, the first decision will be which treatment to go with first.
Later today there is a new patient/family orientation to M.D. Anderson that Bob, Kathie, and Lauren plan on attending.
Side note, that Kathie insists on being typed in – we got a “free lunch” yesterday with our attendance at the seminar and have realized you could probably manage a “free lunch” everyday if you attended the different seminars. (Forget how many thousands of dollars are going to them for treatment;) )
Thanks for the prayers to Mother Teresa... a new process will be directed soon. Keep general prayers coming our way!!!
Posted by Lauren
Bob and Lauren shared some banana bread at 10 PM for dinner – fearing that heating up leftovers might set Kathie off again and all three of us watched the end of the Producers for a distraction.
We did not quite achieve a miracle last night – but Lauren told Kathie that this way Mother Teresa has something really big to do - much more impressive:) Although, Kathie is wondering if the miracle was making it out of the hospital last night without having emergency surgery or having a stroke from having her blood pressure spike to 137/100. Kathie also wondered if the time difference threw Mother Teresa off, not to mention the short notice;)
Of course, there were yet again discrepancies in suggestions for how to deal with the issue. This morning we met with Dr. Rodriguez-Bigas, the surgical oncologist that focuses on colon surgery. He suggested surgery first to get rid of the chance of blockage, but repeated the previous chemo suggestions we got back home. After a meeting with Dr. Rodriquez, we had a meeting with Dr. Abdalla, the surgical oncologist that focuses on liver surgery, and things looked a little less positive than we had hoped. First, he counted and pointed out the spots that showed up on the new CT scan – over 20 lesions geographically scattered on the liver– meaning absolutely no possible surgery or cure in the liver, ever (depending on what science comes up with in the upcoming years), but that still did not mean the worst. The spleen still looks okay, but there are a couple questionable spots on the lung. On a lighter note, he sounded positive if Kathie is aggressive about treatment. He advised chemo before surgery… hmm, now we’re back to square one deciding which route to go, though he did say Dr. Rodriquez may make the decision for us.
The next step is getting an appointment with an oncologist – strings are being pulled as I type. Kathie and Bob are discussing surgery options, deciding if it’s best to stick with M.D. Anderson for it, or if it’s best to be closer to the support system… regardless of that though, the first decision will be which treatment to go with first.
Later today there is a new patient/family orientation to M.D. Anderson that Bob, Kathie, and Lauren plan on attending.
Side note, that Kathie insists on being typed in – we got a “free lunch” yesterday with our attendance at the seminar and have realized you could probably manage a “free lunch” everyday if you attended the different seminars. (Forget how many thousands of dollars are going to them for treatment;) )
Thanks for the prayers to Mother Teresa... a new process will be directed soon. Keep general prayers coming our way!!!
Posted by Lauren
Monday, June 4, 2007
You get what you pay for
I would say we're extremely impressed with M.D. Anderson. Everything went pretty smoothly so far today - and we just have the CT scan left at 7 PM - so whoops on the prayer time. If you could pray it at 7PM Central time, 8 PM Eastern... that would be great (if you don't know what I'm talking about, see the previous entry please!!!!)
Bob, Kathie and Lauren met some wonderful nurses and staff this morning to fill out paperwork and to start the tests. This morning, we also met with the nurse practicioner for Kathie's main doctor here - tomorrow is the first appointment with the actual doctor himself.
With the little breaks and then the major one we had today, we've had the opportunity to explore what M.D. Anderson has to offer - and it's nothing short of amazing. For instance, at noon, we attended a 1 hour seminar on how to deal with the side effects of treatment. Not only could Bob and Kathie network with some other cancer patients and caregivers, but they also walked out with a lot of great information to have for the future! M.D. Anderson also has a resource library where Bob, Kathie and Lauren picked up info books on Colon cancer and some nutrition guides. Before we leave, we may set up an appointmet with a nutritionist (a free service) to get some better guidelines and suggestions for her low fiber diet until the tumor in the colon is dealt with. There are tons of other free support services for cancer patients and their caregivers (regardless of whether or not they are actually treated at M.D. Anderson!). The Place of...Wellness (the Wellness Center here) offers a variety of programs in categories: education, expressive arts, support groups, meditation and prayer, movement (yoga, tai chi, pilates, etc), relaxation and stress management and offer services like acupuncture and massages. If we end up staying her until Thursday, Bob, Kathie and Lauren already have Wednesday "brief relaxation massages" set up for themselves:)
Tomorrow, Bob, Kathie and Lauren will try to attend the New Patient Orientation - another little helpful seminar. Throughout the hospital there are other little nice services - like the food cart that actually had something Kathie could eat on it, and the hospitality center which had delightful volunteers to help serve up hot beverages, juice and cookies for patients and their families.
So yes, Bob, Kathie and Lauren were very impressed with patient care and thanking God that we managed to get in!
DON'T FORGET THE MOTHER TERESA PRAYER TONIGHT!!! God bless all of you, our support system!
Posted by Lauren
Bob, Kathie and Lauren met some wonderful nurses and staff this morning to fill out paperwork and to start the tests. This morning, we also met with the nurse practicioner for Kathie's main doctor here - tomorrow is the first appointment with the actual doctor himself.
With the little breaks and then the major one we had today, we've had the opportunity to explore what M.D. Anderson has to offer - and it's nothing short of amazing. For instance, at noon, we attended a 1 hour seminar on how to deal with the side effects of treatment. Not only could Bob and Kathie network with some other cancer patients and caregivers, but they also walked out with a lot of great information to have for the future! M.D. Anderson also has a resource library where Bob, Kathie and Lauren picked up info books on Colon cancer and some nutrition guides. Before we leave, we may set up an appointmet with a nutritionist (a free service) to get some better guidelines and suggestions for her low fiber diet until the tumor in the colon is dealt with. There are tons of other free support services for cancer patients and their caregivers (regardless of whether or not they are actually treated at M.D. Anderson!). The Place of...Wellness (the Wellness Center here) offers a variety of programs in categories: education, expressive arts, support groups, meditation and prayer, movement (yoga, tai chi, pilates, etc), relaxation and stress management and offer services like acupuncture and massages. If we end up staying her until Thursday, Bob, Kathie and Lauren already have Wednesday "brief relaxation massages" set up for themselves:)
Tomorrow, Bob, Kathie and Lauren will try to attend the New Patient Orientation - another little helpful seminar. Throughout the hospital there are other little nice services - like the food cart that actually had something Kathie could eat on it, and the hospitality center which had delightful volunteers to help serve up hot beverages, juice and cookies for patients and their families.
So yes, Bob, Kathie and Lauren were very impressed with patient care and thanking God that we managed to get in!
DON'T FORGET THE MOTHER TERESA PRAYER TONIGHT!!! God bless all of you, our support system!
Posted by Lauren
Sunday, June 3, 2007
A little prayer
We landed in Houston today with no serious gliches and found our way from the hotel to the hospital so we don't have to mess around with that in the morning. The outside was beautiful - only Bob and Kathie went in to find where exactly they needed to go in the morning. Bob, Kathie and Lauren found a nice little shopping area with a bunch of places to eat and after dinner, returned to take a dip in the pool here.
On a more serious note... Kathie spent some time thinking and writing on the plane and here's the scoop...
Kathie wants to "assist" Mother Teresa in getting canonized (smancy Catholic term for becoming a saint). Here is the note and prayer she wrote today:
In the Catholic Church there needs to be two confirmed miracles to advance one who led a holy life, like Mother Teresa, to sainthood. There is no question that should my cancer disappear on the next CT scan, it could only be explained as miraculous. Then too, even without cannonizatoin, she is acknowledged as a saint in our own time.
I would be humbled... and oh yeah, extremly happy if God would allow me to be a tool in elevating her to to officially be recognized as a saint. Although to all my non-Catholic friends this hinges on idolatry - humor me. At 5 PM (Houston time = Central time, so 6PM Eastern time) on Monday, June 4th -- say the prayer to Mother Teresa that she might personally deliver it to Jesus. I'll explain later why we Catholics take the round-about way. If God doesn't use me, I pray He has others lined up so that she gets the credit - but He gets the praise! Love to all.
Here's the Prayer:
Mother Teresa, you served God as a source of comfort and consolation to the terminally ill meeting the spiritual and physical needs of the sick and needy. In times of hopelessness, where poverty and dying would give way to dispair, you gave hope in the promise of the Resurrection. The helpless were helped whenever, wherever and however needed in the Lord's name; He who is the giver and taker of life. May we follow your example and become instruments accepting the call to do His Will and following the command to love our neighbor as ourselves.
God has called you to inherit a place among the saints. May the church one day soon recognize you as Saint Mother Teresa, the patron of the terminally ill and care givers. Please intercede on behalf of Kathleen, who is ill and in need of a miracle, that God will cure her of cancer, keep her family and friends in His tender care, and manifest His plan that she may know and fulfill the purpose for which she was created. When her task is complete, give the courage to continue to live in faith and love until called to Yourself. Amen.
On a more serious note... Kathie spent some time thinking and writing on the plane and here's the scoop...
Kathie wants to "assist" Mother Teresa in getting canonized (smancy Catholic term for becoming a saint). Here is the note and prayer she wrote today:
In the Catholic Church there needs to be two confirmed miracles to advance one who led a holy life, like Mother Teresa, to sainthood. There is no question that should my cancer disappear on the next CT scan, it could only be explained as miraculous. Then too, even without cannonizatoin, she is acknowledged as a saint in our own time.
I would be humbled... and oh yeah, extremly happy if God would allow me to be a tool in elevating her to to officially be recognized as a saint. Although to all my non-Catholic friends this hinges on idolatry - humor me. At 5 PM (Houston time = Central time, so 6PM Eastern time) on Monday, June 4th -- say the prayer to Mother Teresa that she might personally deliver it to Jesus. I'll explain later why we Catholics take the round-about way. If God doesn't use me, I pray He has others lined up so that she gets the credit - but He gets the praise! Love to all.
Here's the Prayer:
Mother Teresa, you served God as a source of comfort and consolation to the terminally ill meeting the spiritual and physical needs of the sick and needy. In times of hopelessness, where poverty and dying would give way to dispair, you gave hope in the promise of the Resurrection. The helpless were helped whenever, wherever and however needed in the Lord's name; He who is the giver and taker of life. May we follow your example and become instruments accepting the call to do His Will and following the command to love our neighbor as ourselves.
God has called you to inherit a place among the saints. May the church one day soon recognize you as Saint Mother Teresa, the patron of the terminally ill and care givers. Please intercede on behalf of Kathleen, who is ill and in need of a miracle, that God will cure her of cancer, keep her family and friends in His tender care, and manifest His plan that she may know and fulfill the purpose for which she was created. When her task is complete, give the courage to continue to live in faith and love until called to Yourself. Amen.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Off to M.D. Anderson
Today was just another one of those "normal" days. Kathie worked on some corrections for the NC house, Bob did yard work and defrosted the garage refrigerator for the millionth time and Lauren dusted, mopped and swept in prep to have house showings while the three of them are in Houston.
Hopefully, we'll be able to keep people in the loop while we're in Houston (we're leaving around 10 AM tomorrow)... but there may not be a lot to say until we get all of the test results back, or more importantly, until we chat with the doctors.
Kathie has a full day of tests on Monday - and Bob and Lauren will probably be eating in secret because some of the tests require no food in the stomach. There won't be too much to say on Monday... but if Lauren has access to the internet, she'll try to post something. Anyone know any good jokes? Just kidding.
Many of the tests will be repeats of tests she's already had done. On the schedule: blood/specimen tests, Chest PA and LAT (I have no idea what that means), EKG, and another CAT scan. There won't be much new information to report... unless a miracle gets thrown our way - which we'd all be happy to accept!
Tuesday is the consulation day. That may be a better day to stay glued to your computer... again, if we can swing some internet access.
On a side note, one of our neighbors brought us dinner Friday evening - a creative mix of things Kathie was allowed. It was absolutely delicious!! We are so grateful for the support system we have in all of you and our friends around Lafayette!
Keep the prayers flowing, M.D. Anderson's the last stop before making some real decisions about treatment.
Posted by Lauren
Hopefully, we'll be able to keep people in the loop while we're in Houston (we're leaving around 10 AM tomorrow)... but there may not be a lot to say until we get all of the test results back, or more importantly, until we chat with the doctors.
Kathie has a full day of tests on Monday - and Bob and Lauren will probably be eating in secret because some of the tests require no food in the stomach. There won't be too much to say on Monday... but if Lauren has access to the internet, she'll try to post something. Anyone know any good jokes? Just kidding.
Many of the tests will be repeats of tests she's already had done. On the schedule: blood/specimen tests, Chest PA and LAT (I have no idea what that means), EKG, and another CAT scan. There won't be much new information to report... unless a miracle gets thrown our way - which we'd all be happy to accept!
Tuesday is the consulation day. That may be a better day to stay glued to your computer... again, if we can swing some internet access.
On a side note, one of our neighbors brought us dinner Friday evening - a creative mix of things Kathie was allowed. It was absolutely delicious!! We are so grateful for the support system we have in all of you and our friends around Lafayette!
Keep the prayers flowing, M.D. Anderson's the last stop before making some real decisions about treatment.
Posted by Lauren
Friday, June 1, 2007
PET scan
Hopefully no one has been sitting on pins and needles today. It’s been a slow news day;) Last night was “normal” for the first time in awhile. Lauren and Kathie went on a “no-cancer” date – they had an hour of shopping time where none of the standard business was discussed – a nice breather for both. Lauren gave Kathie crap about her taste in dresses, and Kathie fed Lauren unwanted opinions – all and all, a wonderful time:)
This morning, Kathie went for her PET scan. Lauren took her, as Bob tried to catch up a bit at work. Lauren expected to sit and read for 45 minutes, but then Kathie and she were informed that the appointment was in fact going to take about 3 hours. Kathie was THRILLED to come home and eat a turkey burger (supposedly within safe food lines).
We were supposed to go back for a 1:30 appointment to review the results. Bob met Lauren and Kathie there, but we all sat for about 30 minutes before they told us to try back later.
We finally returned at 4:15 to go over the results. “Gill” took us through the results. Cancer was again confirmed in the colon (not terribly shocking) and unfortunately, the PET showed metabolic activity in the liver, just as the CT had – indicating a confirmation of cancer there as well. The spleen still showed up inconclusive – so we’re hoping that’s a positive sign. He told us it could be a false negative, but we’re holding onto hope for now!
M.D. Anderson e-mailed us with a schedule for Monday and Tuesday. Looks like it is going to be a tiring day on Monday – lots and lots of tests.
Posted by Lauren
This morning, Kathie went for her PET scan. Lauren took her, as Bob tried to catch up a bit at work. Lauren expected to sit and read for 45 minutes, but then Kathie and she were informed that the appointment was in fact going to take about 3 hours. Kathie was THRILLED to come home and eat a turkey burger (supposedly within safe food lines).
We were supposed to go back for a 1:30 appointment to review the results. Bob met Lauren and Kathie there, but we all sat for about 30 minutes before they told us to try back later.
We finally returned at 4:15 to go over the results. “Gill” took us through the results. Cancer was again confirmed in the colon (not terribly shocking) and unfortunately, the PET showed metabolic activity in the liver, just as the CT had – indicating a confirmation of cancer there as well. The spleen still showed up inconclusive – so we’re hoping that’s a positive sign. He told us it could be a false negative, but we’re holding onto hope for now!
M.D. Anderson e-mailed us with a schedule for Monday and Tuesday. Looks like it is going to be a tiring day on Monday – lots and lots of tests.
Posted by Lauren
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