Through It All.........Our Family's Journey through the Valleys, Mountaintops, and the Peaceful Plateaus of Life.

~ Through It All ~
Our Family's Journey through the Valleys, Mountaintops, and the Peaceful Plateaus of Life

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Family Health Updates

Most of you know that yesterday my mother-in-law had her first appointment with the oncologist since her mastectomy. She is healing nicely, and has only one drainage tube left to come out, and is starting to get her strength back slowly but surely. Now all that was left was to see what follow-up treatment was necessary.

Seems that there was lots of information that Mike and I didn't know. I'm so glad that we went to this consult with her, or we probably still wouldn't really know what's going on. Seems that there were actually 2 tumors in her breast, and not just one. The primary tumor was about 4 cm. and the secondary one was about 1 cm. The size of the tumors, combined with really close margins with the chest wall, meant that she has a 60% chance of recurrence within 5 years.

This was not what we had thought we would hear, as we didn't even know that there had been 2 tumors. The doctor recommended that she have 6 chemo treatments 3 weeks apart, followed by a combination of radiation daily for 6 weeks and IV herceptin every 3 weeks for a year. Herceptin is a new drug that attaches to the her2neu growth promotors on the cancer cells, and keeps the cancer cells from growing and reproducing.

Soooo, we have that all set up, and the doctor just wanted to check her incision and be sure things are healing, so she asked us all to step out into the waiting room. Just a few minutes later, she comes to the door and says, "You need to come back in afterall. Something else has come up that we need to talk about."

Can you believe that she found another lump in my mom-in-law's other breast??? It is 1 cm. and near the midline, very close to where the secondary tumor was. She recommended an immediate biopsy to see if it is another cancer or just a fatty cell cyst or a hemotoma. You should have seen everyone's face drop when she told us this latest news. Now we have to hold off on the treatments until we see what this new lump is all about. My mil is scared to death this will mean another mastectomy right after she got done with the first one....I just can't believe this and am in a bit of shock to say the least.

While there, I asked Dr. Cole about my dad's visit to the cardiologist and wondered if they had talked together yet and decided what was the best thing to do for his situation. She ok'd the Coumadin, and said that getting Dad's heart back in rhythm was the main concern from her point of view, and that there was no immediate rush to deal with the new spots on Dad's "good" lung---that there is time to deal with that.

So it looks like we'll be doing more tests on Dad next week to make sure there are not clots behind his heart valves already. They will do a trans-esophageal something-or-other to view the heart from the back side, and see clearly if there are clots. If none are there, then they will give an electric shock to his heart, and that should put it back in a regular rhythm, and hopefully we won't have to worry about clots, strokes, and weakness from the a-fib pattern again! Then on to deal with the spots on his other lung...

I scared my dh's aunt to death yesterday. I emailed all of dh's brothers and sisters to let them know about the doctor visit, and also her sister. So many had been asking about how my dad was, that I added a part on the end about his cancer and his heart trouble. Apparently Aunt Kathleen didn't read it carefully enough, because she thought I meant dh's dad and not mine. She called up all the other aunts and uncles to tell them my fil had cancer and heart trouble, before finding out that my fil was fit as a fiddle and ornery as ever. Oh, my...

I can't wait to get Dad's heart back in rhythm and have at least one problem out of the way.

Please pray that my mil's new lump will not turn out to be more cancer, and also that there will not be any clots found around my dad's heart valves. Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement!

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Comments

Saturday, April 22, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

OH dear one, you have such a FULL PLATE! (((((HUGS)))) to you!!!!! I'm so excited about the blending of your family and wish I had THE formula for success! I have my darling and lean on him a lot to help the children with his own experiences. I can just say to love them and let them know the truth of the Bible~I just hafta believe it will be enough!!!! I know nothing, and yet I LOVE this subject and am always willing to lend an ear! (((((HUGS))))) sandi

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Saturday, April 22, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by drewsfamilytx

(((((((((hugs)))))))))

I'll be praying for you and the rest of your family! How discouraging it must have been for your mil... Praying for extra encouragement and strength in the months of treatment to come.

Remember to rest, my friend, and turn this whole situation to the Lord. He does care for each and every one of you!

Love ya,
Marsha

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ~Philippians 4:13

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Sunday, April 23, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by mistresninos

(((Kathy)))

I am just so sad to hear this latest news about your mil. I will be praying for her and for you all each day. I truly hope that this is nothing serious and that she can go forward with the chemo.

I'm glad to hear your father is doing better. I will be praying the treatments will help.

I will pray for your strength and endurance. It is so hard to have so many things going on at once. I hope you have many around you to be an encouragement to you during this time.

God bless.

Sara

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Thursday, April 27, 2006 - Prays For Your MIL

Posted by Paula

Lord, You are the great physician. I pray that the new tests will reveal no cancer in this lump, and if at all possible, the lump totally disappear. Pour your peace and blessing on this entire family, especially MIL. Your perfect will be done. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

You seem so strong. God bless you and you continue to be a source of strength for your family during this season of life.

Yours In Christ,

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Thursday, April 27, 2006 - Praying for you & yours!

Posted by Anonymous

I just wanted you to know that I'm lifting you & your family up in prayer. I cannot imagine how difficult this is for your MIL to face, but just remember that God is amazing & His love endures forever.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

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Thursday, April 27, 2006 - Prayers are going up

Posted by Pam in Colorado

You sure are all going through so many trials right now. Know that you are being prayed for. May your MIL's new lump be non-cancerous, may the 2nd lump disappear, may your Dad's heart be clear and his health be restored.

I also pray for peace and rest for you all.

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Thursday, April 27, 2006 - I am so sorry...

Posted by Academy252

for all of this new news!!! I just wanted to let you know that I am praying for your MIL and for all of her family and for you and your husband and family as you go through all of this with her. God is so much bigger than any cancer and I am praying His peace and comfort and provision through all of this. I am praying for her to be tumor free in whatever capacity God sees fit to answer that. I am also praying for the doctors, nurses and medical attendants that will be with her through all of this and that God will bring Christians to minister to her every step of the way. Again, I am so sorry for this... May God strengthen you all for what is to come and bring amazing blessings through it all.

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