Radiation complete

I finished my two weeks of radiation today. Thanks to the surgery and my surgeon moving a piece of small bowel away from the tumor, we were able to be more aggressive in treating the tumor. It would have been really dangerous to have treated it this way with the small intestine in the way. So I am very thankful that the Lord used the emergency surgery to bring about a better outcome.

It can take a while for the full effect of the radiation to kick in, so I will see the doctor again in four weeks. For now, I'm going to spend time focusing on resting and recovering from the surgery. My nausea is improving slightly. Thanks for all your prayers and for some good advice from my aunt Beth.

I also saw the surgeon yesterday. He removed one of the drains and the staples from my incision. I go back in a week to see if the other drain will be ready to be removed.

Have a good weekend!

Long Road

Sorry for the long gap between updates. Radiation has been leaving me extremely fatigued. My pain has been improving somewhat, so otherwise it has been going well. I have two more days of radiation then we'll reassess in four weeks.

The other roadblock is some nausea that I have been experiencing. I took some medicine to attack the likely cause. It worked, too well! Now I have actually had worse nausea the last two days. It makes it really hard to eat and keep my strength up. Please pray that this will start to lessen and I can get back to normal.

I see the surgeon tomorrow. I'll try to post about that in the afternoon.

Home again!

It took two weeks, surgery and three days of radiation, but I am finally home. We arrived at my apartment around 5 pm, and I've been relaxing in my recliner and trying to get everything organized after being gone for two weeks. Actually, Mom had done most of that organizing for me. 

It's great to be home. Thanks for your prayers and supports. It's been a long couple of weeks, but I'm happy to enter a new stage in my recovery, including day 4 of radiation tomorrow. I'm thankful to The Lord that he has brought me through this and I know that he he will give me strength for the challenges ahead.

First Treatment

My first radiation treatment went well today. I lay still for about twenty minutes while the machine moved around me and music played. They said it will go faster from now on. I have 9 more treatments scheduled over the next two weeks. The doctor is hopeful that she can target the tumor in this more aggressive way and spare me side effects and longer timeline of a wider treatment of the whole pelvis. This is only possible, because of the surgery and my doctor's moving a piece of bowel that was in the way.

They also seem to be arriving at a conclusion about my fevers. The most conservative of my doctors suggested that I would be discharged Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest. Good news as well!

Fever update and start of radiation

Still in the hospital with a fever and high white blood cell count. Pretty tired and frustrated by that, but things may be improving slightly, as my white blood cell count dropped today for the first time in a while.

Starting two weeks of radiation treatment momentarily. Hopefully, it will quickly reduce the size of the tumor and relieve my pain. I would like to be able to take fewer pain meds, because they leave me fatigued and nauseated.

A week ago today Steve was in surgery.  It's been a busy week!  We are thankful for the healing he has experienced this week.  Gifted, caring people have watched him closely, managed the pain, quieted the machines when, for one reason or another, alarms were set off!  And Stephen has met each day with patience and courage, grateful for the help and prayers and encouragement of family and friends.

Yesterday he went  to the Cancer Center and had scans that the radiation oncologist will use to  determine the specific steps in the treatment  plan which could begin as early as Monday, 5/6.  

Steve has progressed from a clear liquid diet (chicken broth), to full liquid (cream of wheat and puréed chicken soup) to a full, unrestricted diet. This is an important part of the healing process, because it means his system is starting to function normally again.

Steve was hoping to come home today but doctors are not satisfied with his blood work and a slight fever he developed overnight. They want to continue to monitor him to make sure it isn't anything serious. They are still hopeful, though, that he might get home sometime this weekend! 

Thank you for your love and friendship and encouragement.  It means a great deal to him...to all of us.

Bev

All who sail the sea of faith
Find out before too long
How quickly blue skies can grow dark
And gentle winds grow strong
Suddenly fear is like white water
Pounding on the soul
Still we sail on knowing
That our Lord is in control

Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child

He has a reason for each trial
That we pass through in life
And though we're shaken
We cannot be pulled apart from Christ
No matter how the driving rain beats down
On those who hold to faith
A heart of trust will always
Be a quiet peaceful place

Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child

Scott Krippayne