Tue 12/25/07
After our morning gift exchange at home with our family and a delicious breakfast of Adam's famous pancakes, we remembered six months earlier when I had sat at the table with the kids the day after Susan's first surgery. I had told them their mom didn't remember them and that death had been near. With Susan with us at the table today, we celebrated the contrast between July 5th and Christmas and how far she's come. Then we spent a while giving each other verbal gifts by sharing what we appreciate about each other – these are gifts that I know will last forever.
Thu 12/27/07
We had a neuro-oncology visit at UCLA with a scheduled MRI and consultation with Dr (Leia) Nghiemphu. Since it's a digital scan, we're able to review the images right away with the doctor. Dr Leia was concerned about increased brain swelling this time as compared to Susan's October scan and was ready to recommend a different chemotherapy drug to combat tumor growth. However, when she witnessed how well Susan has progressed in alertness, memory, and strength, she reasoned that this was Susan's first MRI since going off the anti-swelling steroid decadron, and this may be more a normal condition for her. Had Susan's symptoms not improved or worsened, there would be more cause for alarm. To be safe, Dr Leia will have Susan return in one month (instead of the usual two) for a comparative MRI.
She advised us to take a few precautions for our Hawaii trip, but otherwise encouraged us to enjoy the journey and time with family. She raised Susan's dose of temodar chemotherapy to its maximum and agreed to have us wait until we return home instead of starting treatment on the cruise.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
More improvement and beautiful gifts
Mon 12/18/07
Beginning with a grocery store trip on Friday with p-t Tracy, some prep work early this afternoon with o-t Kim, and some more prep work with speech therapist (s-t) Connie, Susan prepared dinner for the first time since her brain tumor diagnosis. She cut and marinated some chicken and made rice; later we heated some refries, made a salad, and had delicious chicken tacos. It was a great boost for Susan and a fine example of her therapists' teamwork. We're thankful.
Susan has had periodic abdominal pain the past few days that's become more persistent and sharp, and had a low-grade fever this evening. I'm watching her closely and may need to have her shunt evaluated. We're praying she improves so we can avoid another ER visit or hospital stay.
We read again in our Streams in the Desert book about Rom 8:28 and God working all things together for good for those who love him. The devotional reading says the very things that would otherwise drag the Christian down to defeat or cause us to give up actually bring us closer to God, and can even make us better off than we were before. Susan and I agree. We're still walking our journey, but we treasure the way God is growing and changing us, preparing us for what He has in the future. In one respect, God's methods make no sense to us – but somehow, we need the trial of tough times to unleash our potential for good character and the transformation we so desperately need.
Sat 12/22/07
Our minor alarm this week with Susan's abdominal pain and mild fever subsided as her symptoms improved. I think she was feeling some effects of greater exertion with all of her new therapies. We are grateful that we avoided another hospital saga and are on track to enjoy the church and family events of Christmas. We're all looking forward with great anticipation to our 7-day family cruise in Hawaii, leaving Sat 12/29 for a tropical New Year.
Susan received prayer and encouragement on Thu from our friend Wendi Carpenter who is here with her family to visit from Michigan. We discovered the Holy Spirit had led Wendi and I separately to pray for Susan to receive the gift of healing that is healing not just for her but a wellspring of healing for others also. Susan now has a sense that she need not wait to minister healing to others until she is healed, but that she may respond to the Lord's leading even now. As the mystery of this season of life continues to unfold, we are open to God using Susan as a witness to His grace and an agent of His power. We don't know what that will look like exactly, but we're open. We want to listen, learn, and obey.
Last night we arrived home to find a large jar of coins and bills on the porch tied with ribbon to a book called "Christmas Jars." Given anonymously, evidently the book's theme is Christmas generosity along the lines of "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Pay it Forward," encouraging us to share with one another. When I returned from this morning's shopping trip to buy groceries for the week and for Christmas dinner, I had spent an unusually high amount at the store: $232.33. By then, Susan, Austin, and Adam had sorted and counted the cash, amounting to $224.76. That means we spent under eight dollars out of pocket for the family's Christmas rib-roast dinner, with my mom, grandmother and siblings included. It's all so unbelievable. Our God is great – we give thanks for a merry Christmas.
Beginning with a grocery store trip on Friday with p-t Tracy, some prep work early this afternoon with o-t Kim, and some more prep work with speech therapist (s-t) Connie, Susan prepared dinner for the first time since her brain tumor diagnosis. She cut and marinated some chicken and made rice; later we heated some refries, made a salad, and had delicious chicken tacos. It was a great boost for Susan and a fine example of her therapists' teamwork. We're thankful.
Susan has had periodic abdominal pain the past few days that's become more persistent and sharp, and had a low-grade fever this evening. I'm watching her closely and may need to have her shunt evaluated. We're praying she improves so we can avoid another ER visit or hospital stay.
We read again in our Streams in the Desert book about Rom 8:28 and God working all things together for good for those who love him. The devotional reading says the very things that would otherwise drag the Christian down to defeat or cause us to give up actually bring us closer to God, and can even make us better off than we were before. Susan and I agree. We're still walking our journey, but we treasure the way God is growing and changing us, preparing us for what He has in the future. In one respect, God's methods make no sense to us – but somehow, we need the trial of tough times to unleash our potential for good character and the transformation we so desperately need.
Sat 12/22/07
Our minor alarm this week with Susan's abdominal pain and mild fever subsided as her symptoms improved. I think she was feeling some effects of greater exertion with all of her new therapies. We are grateful that we avoided another hospital saga and are on track to enjoy the church and family events of Christmas. We're all looking forward with great anticipation to our 7-day family cruise in Hawaii, leaving Sat 12/29 for a tropical New Year.
Susan received prayer and encouragement on Thu from our friend Wendi Carpenter who is here with her family to visit from Michigan. We discovered the Holy Spirit had led Wendi and I separately to pray for Susan to receive the gift of healing that is healing not just for her but a wellspring of healing for others also. Susan now has a sense that she need not wait to minister healing to others until she is healed, but that she may respond to the Lord's leading even now. As the mystery of this season of life continues to unfold, we are open to God using Susan as a witness to His grace and an agent of His power. We don't know what that will look like exactly, but we're open. We want to listen, learn, and obey.
Last night we arrived home to find a large jar of coins and bills on the porch tied with ribbon to a book called "Christmas Jars." Given anonymously, evidently the book's theme is Christmas generosity along the lines of "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Pay it Forward," encouraging us to share with one another. When I returned from this morning's shopping trip to buy groceries for the week and for Christmas dinner, I had spent an unusually high amount at the store: $232.33. By then, Susan, Austin, and Adam had sorted and counted the cash, amounting to $224.76. That means we spent under eight dollars out of pocket for the family's Christmas rib-roast dinner, with my mom, grandmother and siblings included. It's all so unbelievable. Our God is great – we give thanks for a merry Christmas.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Progress, therapy; a friend loses his battle with brain cancer
Sat 12/15/07
One thing that hasn't changed since the onset of Susan's brain tumor treatment is the busy-ness of December, hence the delay since my last update. I'm pleased to report the past two weeks have been marked by terrific progress on all fronts in Susan's condition, in strength, alertness, memory, initiation, stamina, and so on. Having the lumbar shunt implanted made a dramatic impact – I think hydrocephalus had been a factor for a while. With hopes of continued momentum against tumor growth, the future is looking brighter.
We got back on track with Rehab Without Walls and have had a series of evaluation and therapy visits this month. Her therapists are a good fit for Susan as a motivated and well-functioning patient, and are poised help her push through her barriers toward independence. Physical therapist (p-t) Tracy took Susan to shop at Trader Joe's yesterday after she compiled the grocery list. Among the items she bought were ingredients to make Tuesday's dinner with Kim, her occupational therapist (o-t). Also, Susan has taken the challenge to shed her walker in favor of a cane for greater mobility and freedom. These ladies care about seeing their patients improve and are truly impressed with Susan's advances since October. I believe Sue will make great strides on this program.
Susan's vision loss is her most troubling symptom since it prevents her from communicating – seeing people's eyes and facial expressions and reading anything but extra-large print. We pray for a breakthrough.
With deep sadness, we learned our friend Larry Litherland passed away yesterday after being overcome by the brain tumor that was diagnosed earlier this year. Susan and I were joined ironically with Larry and Laura on parallel journeys we did not expect or want. Larry's brain surgery occurred several weeks before we found out about Susan's tumor; and with tumors on the left frontal lobe, they had matching incisions. We would see them at LB Memorial Radiation Oncology when Larry and Susan had radiation therapy together for a while, and we'd compare notes and encourage & pray for each other over the months. The couple we had known earlier as our friend Greg's parents became dear to us as we shared the hardships and uncertainty of life-altering illness. Our hearts break for Laura as she grieves the loss of her high school sweetheart, and we join her in gratitude that Larry is with the Lord and had a peaceful passing. We lift the Litherland family in prayer and sympathy.
One thing that hasn't changed since the onset of Susan's brain tumor treatment is the busy-ness of December, hence the delay since my last update. I'm pleased to report the past two weeks have been marked by terrific progress on all fronts in Susan's condition, in strength, alertness, memory, initiation, stamina, and so on. Having the lumbar shunt implanted made a dramatic impact – I think hydrocephalus had been a factor for a while. With hopes of continued momentum against tumor growth, the future is looking brighter.
We got back on track with Rehab Without Walls and have had a series of evaluation and therapy visits this month. Her therapists are a good fit for Susan as a motivated and well-functioning patient, and are poised help her push through her barriers toward independence. Physical therapist (p-t) Tracy took Susan to shop at Trader Joe's yesterday after she compiled the grocery list. Among the items she bought were ingredients to make Tuesday's dinner with Kim, her occupational therapist (o-t). Also, Susan has taken the challenge to shed her walker in favor of a cane for greater mobility and freedom. These ladies care about seeing their patients improve and are truly impressed with Susan's advances since October. I believe Sue will make great strides on this program.
Susan's vision loss is her most troubling symptom since it prevents her from communicating – seeing people's eyes and facial expressions and reading anything but extra-large print. We pray for a breakthrough.
With deep sadness, we learned our friend Larry Litherland passed away yesterday after being overcome by the brain tumor that was diagnosed earlier this year. Susan and I were joined ironically with Larry and Laura on parallel journeys we did not expect or want. Larry's brain surgery occurred several weeks before we found out about Susan's tumor; and with tumors on the left frontal lobe, they had matching incisions. We would see them at LB Memorial Radiation Oncology when Larry and Susan had radiation therapy together for a while, and we'd compare notes and encourage & pray for each other over the months. The couple we had known earlier as our friend Greg's parents became dear to us as we shared the hardships and uncertainty of life-altering illness. Our hearts break for Laura as she grieves the loss of her high school sweetheart, and we join her in gratitude that Larry is with the Lord and had a peaceful passing. We lift the Litherland family in prayer and sympathy.
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