Hello All!
Been meaning to update all week - but the closer it gets to Christmas, the busier life seems to become, and it's hard to find the time to do all the 'extra' things I need to get done in a day! Thankfully Jared will be done school for the semester in a couple weeks and then he'll be able to help out around the house a bit more.
Anyway...Dad had his MRI on Friday. We haven't heard anything to the contrary, so I am assuming that it went well. I think we're all hoping this week goes by quickly, as we have to wait until this next Friday, Dec. 5th to get the results back. From this we will have a better idea of how Dad's tumor is doing and if it responded at all to his radiation and chemo treatments. We will also get news on a possible second round of treatment, which will most likely involve much heavier doses of chemo than the last time around. But until Friday, we don't know anything for sure.
I can tell you a few things that have been going on around Mom and Dad's house this last week, though. On Monday Mom had a hospital bed delivered for Dad. Because he has been sleeping so much, and because he is such a big guy and it's getting harder and harder for Mom to help him get up out of bed, she went ahead and ordered the hospital bed for him. It has been set up in the family room and so far, it seems to be working well, although I don't think Dad cares for being on the main floor much. But this is a lot better than having him collapse while walking up the stairs!
Mom has also had to install some other safety measures around the house, including rails on the toilet to help Dad get up. One of Mom's sisters and her husband visited earlier in the week and brought along four canes for Dad. They also have a walker and a wheelchair, so there is no shortage of ways to get him up and about when he needs it!
However, with the installation and arrival of all of these things, comes the realization that Dad is becoming increasingly ill. We were told after the first round of treatments that Dad would be almost back to his normal self for a few months, but unfortunately, that has yet to happen. While he has been feeling better the last few days than he has for the last few weeks - he's been awake and more alert than he had been - he is still not bouncing back from the first round of treatments like we thought he would. So, we continue to hope and pray for miracles of healing and of strength for Dad. And no matter what, we continue to believe that God is in control of this situation and that He continues to walk beside us down this bumpy gravel road.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Disappointing News for Dad
Well, Mom and Dad were supposed to make a trip to Edmonton this upcoming weekend, and unfortunately, it has been called off. Dad's last board meeting at King's University College is this weekend, along with an art show that Dad really wanted to see, but he hasn't been feeling very well lately, and so the trip has been called off. He is very disappointed, but the doctor's (and Mom!) feel it is best that he not travel that far right now. He's been sleeping 18-20 hours a day the last few weeks, he's been throwing up, and his sense of balance continues to be off. He's also had a very mininal appetite, so between that, and the getting sick, we are starting to notice him losing some weight. Mom is also looking into getting Dad a cane to help with his balance. She looked at a few stores, but so far, none of them have sold canes that will be tall enough for Dad, so she will have to try a medical supply store.
It's so very hard to watch Dad going through all of this. Some days are better than others, but the bad days are especially tough. To see him struggle to do things that we all take for granted is not an easy thing to watch - things like changing the channel on the tv, or checking our email. Going through this ordeal just reaffirms how fragile life is, and reminds us that we need to cherish every moment we have with our family and friends. It's also a great reminder of how awesome and powerful our God is. That even in our weakness, we can still seek Him and He will be there for us. We sang the song in church on Sunday that I quoted on here a while back, "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman. That song continues to provide us comfort and hope, knowing that God hasn't let us go throughout this whole journey. He continues to guide us and hold us in the palm of His loving Handm, providing the comfort we seek, and the strength to keep on going. I pray that we continue to feel His presence as the days go on and our journey continues.
It's so very hard to watch Dad going through all of this. Some days are better than others, but the bad days are especially tough. To see him struggle to do things that we all take for granted is not an easy thing to watch - things like changing the channel on the tv, or checking our email. Going through this ordeal just reaffirms how fragile life is, and reminds us that we need to cherish every moment we have with our family and friends. It's also a great reminder of how awesome and powerful our God is. That even in our weakness, we can still seek Him and He will be there for us. We sang the song in church on Sunday that I quoted on here a while back, "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman. That song continues to provide us comfort and hope, knowing that God hasn't let us go throughout this whole journey. He continues to guide us and hold us in the palm of His loving Handm, providing the comfort we seek, and the strength to keep on going. I pray that we continue to feel His presence as the days go on and our journey continues.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
We Have a Date for the MRI!
Hello Everyone!
It feels like I haven't updated much on here lately, and I guess that's because there hasn't been a whole lot going on. Each day brings its own set of challenges, but for the most part, life has settled into a sort of routine. Especially for Jared and I, who are no longer living at home, life seems almost normal most days. Work and school continue, and we are constantly busy with the kids. Life at Mom and Dad's has been a little more hectic, though. Brendan is busy with school and volleball. Jesse is busy with work and coaching volleyball. Janis is busy with homework and school. And Mom is very busy with Dad. His energy levels have continued to decline, and it can take hours to get him up and out of bed in the morning. He has also been throwing up lately, which is an unfortunate side effect of his pills. And his cognition is not what it used to be.
We are hoping and praying, however, that we get good news after Dad's MRI. The date has finally been scheduled, and it will take place on November 28th. The follow up appointment where we get the results will take place on December 5th. No matter what we receive for news that day, we know that God is in control of this situation. Even when we don't understand it, or like what it may mean, we have to keep trusting in our Saviour that He knows what He's doing. It's hard some days to remember that, but I'm so very thankful we have Him to rely on through all this.
Thank you once again to everyone for your continued prayers and support. Words cannot express how much we love and appreciate each and every one of you!
Until next time...
Dana
It feels like I haven't updated much on here lately, and I guess that's because there hasn't been a whole lot going on. Each day brings its own set of challenges, but for the most part, life has settled into a sort of routine. Especially for Jared and I, who are no longer living at home, life seems almost normal most days. Work and school continue, and we are constantly busy with the kids. Life at Mom and Dad's has been a little more hectic, though. Brendan is busy with school and volleball. Jesse is busy with work and coaching volleyball. Janis is busy with homework and school. And Mom is very busy with Dad. His energy levels have continued to decline, and it can take hours to get him up and out of bed in the morning. He has also been throwing up lately, which is an unfortunate side effect of his pills. And his cognition is not what it used to be.
We are hoping and praying, however, that we get good news after Dad's MRI. The date has finally been scheduled, and it will take place on November 28th. The follow up appointment where we get the results will take place on December 5th. No matter what we receive for news that day, we know that God is in control of this situation. Even when we don't understand it, or like what it may mean, we have to keep trusting in our Saviour that He knows what He's doing. It's hard some days to remember that, but I'm so very thankful we have Him to rely on through all this.
Thank you once again to everyone for your continued prayers and support. Words cannot express how much we love and appreciate each and every one of you!
Until next time...
Dana
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Yet Another CT Scan....
Spoke with Mom about two hours ago, and they finally got Dad in for a CT scan late this morning. They got the results back and it showed significant swelling on Dad's brain, which explains the odd behaviour and major lack of energy he's had the last week or so. It also explains the dizzy spells he was having last night, and so they have now increased his steroid pills from 2 up to 4 a day. When I talked to Mom, Dad was just finishing up some lunch and then Jesse was going to be picking them up and bringing them home, so they should be there by now. I'm sure they are both resting this afternoon, as they both had a very short night of sleep last night.
Thank you all so much for your prayers! It was too early to tell anything else on the CT scan as far as how the tumor has responded to treatments, so we still have to wait another few weeks for the MRI to find out anything more. Here's hoping that the steroid pills help Dad regain some energy and that we have an uneventful couple of weeks while we wait for the MRI!
Thank you all so much for your prayers! It was too early to tell anything else on the CT scan as far as how the tumor has responded to treatments, so we still have to wait another few weeks for the MRI to find out anything more. Here's hoping that the steroid pills help Dad regain some energy and that we have an uneventful couple of weeks while we wait for the MRI!
Another Trip to the ER
Just wanted to let everyone know that Dad is at the hospital again. He was having some balance issues last night - getting dizzy and even falling down once. He had three episodes at home last night while getting ready for bed, so Mom called the on-call oncologist and they said to bring him in to the ER. He had another episode at the hospital, so they put him in a wheelchair and then they had to wait for a room to open up. Janis was with Mom and Dad and they sat in the ER waiting room until 5 am this morning. Janis came to our place (Jared and Dana's) to get some sleep once Mom and Dad were settled in and Mom and Dad were able to sleep for a few hours in the room. I just talked to Mom a few minutes ago, and the doctor was finally able to come in and see Dad. They are going to start him on an IV and get him some breakfast and then they want to do a CT scan to check on the swelling on his brain.
He had been in for bloodwork on Wednesday to check his levels, as they had upped the steroid pill earlier in the week. He seemed to be doing a bit better since they increased the pill to two a day, but it would appear now that there may still be significant amounts of swelling on his brain. Mom's going to call once they get the results of the CT scan (which will likely be in a few hours), so I'll post more once I get some more info. Until then, please keep on praying!
Sincerely,
Dana
He had been in for bloodwork on Wednesday to check his levels, as they had upped the steroid pill earlier in the week. He seemed to be doing a bit better since they increased the pill to two a day, but it would appear now that there may still be significant amounts of swelling on his brain. Mom's going to call once they get the results of the CT scan (which will likely be in a few hours), so I'll post more once I get some more info. Until then, please keep on praying!
Sincerely,
Dana
Thursday, October 23, 2008
It's All About Balance
Jared and I have used this phrase a lot, lately: "It's all about balance." Balancing school, kids, homework, time with family. The more I think about it, the more I realize that life itself is all about balance. And this is ringing very true for Dad as he goes through this gravel road journey as well. The difficulty right now is in finding the right balance of medication. I just spoke with Mom on the phone a few minutes ago and they are once again going to be increasing Dad's steroid pills back up to two pills a day. He's been a bit confused and having a hard time processing things this past week. And he's also been having headaches again. The symptoms point to swelling on the brain, so once again, the steroids need to be increased. Dad will have blook work on Wednesday next week so that they can check the levels and make sure everything is balanced once again.
The increased swelling also means that there is an increased risk of more seizures. Mom and Dad had been planning a trip to Iowa to visit Mom's family next weekend, but unfortunately because of how Dad has been feeling these last few days, they have revoked approval for the trip. Mom's parents aren't able to travel up here to visit due to their own health concerns, so even though it's best for Dad's health to stay close to home, I know that Mom was really looking forward to seeing her parents. We're not sure what this will mean for our possible family vacation, either. We won't be able to make the decision to go anywhere one way or the other until we have the results back from the MRI. So for now, we continue to wait, and continue to try to find the balance of living our lives and just sitting around waiting for news. It's hard to find that balance sometimes, and we ask for your continued prayers as we try to achieve this.
The increased swelling also means that there is an increased risk of more seizures. Mom and Dad had been planning a trip to Iowa to visit Mom's family next weekend, but unfortunately because of how Dad has been feeling these last few days, they have revoked approval for the trip. Mom's parents aren't able to travel up here to visit due to their own health concerns, so even though it's best for Dad's health to stay close to home, I know that Mom was really looking forward to seeing her parents. We're not sure what this will mean for our possible family vacation, either. We won't be able to make the decision to go anywhere one way or the other until we have the results back from the MRI. So for now, we continue to wait, and continue to try to find the balance of living our lives and just sitting around waiting for news. It's hard to find that balance sometimes, and we ask for your continued prayers as we try to achieve this.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
It's Finally Happened!
Well, it finally started happening this past week. Dad is losing his hair. I think Mom said it started on Thursday, and by Monday, when we celebrated Thanksgiving together at our place, Dad had a very large bald spot on the top of his head, and a smaller one on the right side. Both are from the radiation treatments, and we have been told that Dad will have permanent hair loss in these places. The rest of his hair is still in tact, though, so I think Dad's plan for now is to buy a hat of some sort so that he can keep the ponytail.
And today marks the last day of the radiation and chemo treatments! The next step is another MRI to see how well the tumor has responded to the 'cocktail' of drugs that Dad has been taking these last few weeks. It will be sometime in the next 4-6 weeks. Mom and Dad have heard it could be the week of November 10th, but they don't have a confirmed date yet. So at this point, it is a waiting game. Thankfully Dad is still feeling quite well, other than a decreased energy level. We've been talking about a family vacation together but are still deciding on a location and when will be the best time to go. Unfortunately, flights are very expensive, but travelling long distances with a toddler and a baby is never much fun, so we're still debating which will be the best course of action. But it is something fun that we can do together that we're all very much looking forward to.
And as always, I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support throughout this time. We appreciate it more than words can say, and we ask that you continue to support us in prayer as we await this next MRI and whatever the results may tell us.
And today marks the last day of the radiation and chemo treatments! The next step is another MRI to see how well the tumor has responded to the 'cocktail' of drugs that Dad has been taking these last few weeks. It will be sometime in the next 4-6 weeks. Mom and Dad have heard it could be the week of November 10th, but they don't have a confirmed date yet. So at this point, it is a waiting game. Thankfully Dad is still feeling quite well, other than a decreased energy level. We've been talking about a family vacation together but are still deciding on a location and when will be the best time to go. Unfortunately, flights are very expensive, but travelling long distances with a toddler and a baby is never much fun, so we're still debating which will be the best course of action. But it is something fun that we can do together that we're all very much looking forward to.
And as always, I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support throughout this time. We appreciate it more than words can say, and we ask that you continue to support us in prayer as we await this next MRI and whatever the results may tell us.
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