A Special Day

This week we managed to make it out of the house one day, and we used that day to take a very special trip to the Huntington Library. It was the boy's first trip there, and it was so fun to take them to a place that my parents and grandma had taken me, and that I have such fond memories of. We had a picnic, went through the gardens, listened to music, saw an exhibit on WPA art, one on botanical drawings, and one on the families that owned the land the Huntington sits on prior to the Huntington's purchase of it. We also ran into the European art galleries so that Tommy could see Blue Boy and Pinkie, which was the highlight of his day. Nic's favorite thing was playing in the fountain at the children's garden. It's hard to know what Kenny enjoyed the most, but probably getting to ride in the stroller...usually he gets stuck in the pouch.

Update on Mary: A Break From the C-word

For the next two weeks Mom does not have any medical appointments, tests, or anything else related to fighting cancer, because they are giving her body some time to recover from radiation. Thus, we have decided to take a break from cancer. We aren't talking about it. When someone brings it up, we tease them about breaking the moratorium. Mom is taking it easy, she is taking her medication (obviously), and she caring for her body the way she needs to, but otherwise we are basically pretending that cancer hasn't invaded our lives.

For the last year Mom, Dad, and the rest of us have had our lives consumed by cancer. We're tired, and we need a break. We need some normal. So, if you don't see an update in the next week to ten days, assume that all is well. I will be posting only if something goes wrong and needs extra prayer. In the meantime, please continue to pray that the cancer would not spread during this rest period (a big danger), and that the radiation would succeed in destroying her tumor. Thank you all for your prayers and continuing to stand alongside us. Have a very happy Easter! He is risen!

I Hear It's Snowing In Chicago

I'm sorry.

Update on Mary: Radiation Complete - Now We Wait

Thank you so much for all your prayers- she made it! Mom finished up the last of her radiation treatments today. She did five total (W,F,M,W,F). She is feeling ok, but not fantastic. We will not find out any results for at least two months...which feels like a long time, but we have to give the radiation time to work.

The goal of this intense radiation was to penetrate through the thick outer crust of the tumor, and confuse the DNA of the tumor cells in the hopes that this will lead to their destruction. This will take some time, of course, which is why we have to wait so long for the results. In the meantime, Mom has to wait a few weeks to restart chemo because the chemo she is taking and the radiation don't mix.

Please pray:

That mom's stomach will start to feel better. The radiation has made her very nauseous.

That mom's cancer will be contained- since she has ceased chemo to do radiation any cells circulating in her body are not being stopped.

Please pray that her cancer does not spread during this period.

That the radiation will do it's work and that her tumor will be destroyed.

Thank you all for your prayers! We are so grateful for your continued support.

Update on Mary: Radiation Time!

If all goes according to schedule Mom will begin her first of five radiation treatments on Wednesday. She is getting the type of radiation we had hoped for! She still is battling a tiny fever, but the radiologist is not concerned about it and everything is set for her to start.

Please pray that her body will fight off the last remnants of infection, and that her radiation treatments will be effective. Pray that those little cancer cells will get blasted into oblivion. Pray that her stomach and all her other organs will be protected and undamaged. Also, please pray for mom's endurance through the course of the treatment. She is heading into it not feeling her best because of this lingering infection.

We know that she is going to be very wiped out from the treatments, but are so thankful that they are an option. Thank you all for your prayers. We are so grateful for them and for you!

Update on Mary: One Year and Radiation Information

One year ago I was getting a haircut when my cell phone rang. I thought it might be Jeff calling, so I asked if I could answer it. It turned out to be my parents, and as I sat in the chair, my parents shared that mom had a very large, inoperable tumor on her pancreas. I sat numb through the rest of the haircut and drove home crying. As soon as I got home I hopped on the internet and what I found was not reassuring.

Patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer usually live less than a year, with a tumor as large as mom's average survival is only 10 months with treatment.

Mom's doctor did not give her much hope, except to say there was a small chance that chemotherapy might shrink her tumor and make it operable. Mom decided to go ahead and give chemo a shot. We knew that the odds were long, but we prayed that we might have a little more time with her, and you joined us in lifting her up in prayer. You prayed for the tumor to shrink. You prayed for her immune system to stay strong. You prayed for her body to function well again.

A year later mom is still here. Her tumor is roughly fifty percent of what it was, her body is fairly strong, and she is preparing to start a radiation treatment that was not even an option to her one year ago. There is even a chance that this radiation could destroy the tumor. A small chance, but a chance nonetheless. In the past year, she has fought hard against this tumor, and she has beaten the odds. Praise God!

I'm tired. I have dishes to do and laundry to fold, so I don't have time to enumerate all of the many blessings that this last year has brought or how thankful we are that Mom was there to share in them, but I so wish I did. Highlights include the arrival of two new grandsons, Emily's engagement, the announcement that yet another grandchild is on the way (Kevin and Colleen), another Christmas spent together, and soon, another Easter. God is good. God is always good. He is good when the cancer shrinks and when it spreads, but we are so thankful that right now it is shrinking and that we get to enjoy Mom a little longer.

Today Mom went to the radiologist and they did the CT scan to map her tumor and prepare the radiation plan. We are really hoping that they will decide she can receive SBRT, an intense, focused radiation that could potentially knock out her tumor entirely. They aren't 100% sure that they will be able to do it, and the decision on whether or not they will proceed with SBRT instead of standard radiation will be made in the next 10 to 14 days. We will let you know as soon as we hear. Please pray that the doctors would make a wise decision and craft a good plan for treatment.

Meanwhile, Mom has caught some kind of virus and she has been pretty sick. She is starting a new antibiotic today. Please pray that her body will be able to recover from this so that she will be able to start radiation as soon as the plan is in place.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers. They've carried us through this past year, and we are so thankful that you have joined us in this journey.

Dancing in the Minefields