Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Update on My Mom

My mom met with the oncologist on Tues. I called her that afternoon and she was obviously down. I asked her to send to me the info that the oncologist went over with her so that I could share it with you. Here it is:

I’ll try and re-cap some things the oncologist said. I have aggressive cancer and I am HER2 positive, so I’ll need aggressive treatment for a year and some medicines will continue indefinitely. After recovering from the tomorrow’s surgery, I’ll have a pet scan and some other tests. They want to check my heart because one of the drugs can be harmful to the heart – but it’s necessary for me to take it because of being HER2 positive. Tomorrow I’ll have another surgery called an ancillary lymph node dissection. They will also put a “port-a-cath" in my chest because I will need so many treatments. That way they won’t have to re-do an I.V. every time.

I will lose my hair two weeks after the first chemo according to the doctor. Also, one of the medicines is bad for the bones so they will have to monitor me for osteoporosis. I’ll have to be very careful about any infection or fever of 100.4 or higher.

It’s so weird to say all of this since I feel pretty well now – just some pain around where they removed the lymph nodes before.

I really appreciate all your prayers.

Love,

Mom



These are a couple verses that give me comfort and remind me and hopefully my family to keep on keepin' on:
2 Corinthians 12:10 "...for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Romans 8:26 "...the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Thanks to my B.I.C. (Brother in Christ) Mike M. for encouraging me with these verses...

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18,"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."


My moms 2nd surgery is tomorrow (thurs) at 1:30.
Thank you all for lifting up my family in your prayers.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You will all be in our prayers!
Kim B

The Smiths said...

We are praying for your family and especially your mom! Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you during this difficult time.
We love you guys!
Chris and Berta

Anonymous said...

ezdMichael,

All things are possible with God and miracles happen when He hears our prayers. Please know I will be praying for your Mom and your family. Your church family is here for you.

Drena

Anonymous said...

hey michael
me and megan gambrill are praying for you guys! hope the thursday surgery went good! -rachael dematio

Anonymous said...

Mike,
We are praying for you and your family. May His strength, be your strength; may you rest in His love for you.
The Linck Family