home sweet home...

Those words never sounded any better than they do right now. We have been waiting to hear those words for a long 24 days.
After two broken ankles, two different hospitals, one collapsed lung with pleural effusion, two different surgeries, cancer confirmed in both lungs and her chest wall, a night when the doctor told us she may not make it through the night, AND after being transferred to the palliative care unit, I am thrilled to tell y'all that she is home tonight.
Thank you to everyone who has given so unselfishly of their time and financial support in preparation of her coming home. But most of all, thank you to EVERYONE who has lifted her up in prayer!!! We know that these prayers are what have given her the strength to come home. Thank you seems so little to say to the many of you, who gave so much. May God bless each and everyone of you.
We are going to take things one day at a time.
We love you so.
Here are a few pics from her stay in Birmingham.








































This is her music therapist who came and sang her favorite songs and church hymns to her. Mom and Dad both said her voice was like an angel. It was, by far, the best part of her day.
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UAB day #2...

Physical therapy came by today. She sat up for the first time in over a week! She even got to let her feet touch the floor. She won't be able to put any weight on them for at least 8 more weeks, but just letting them touch the floor was a huge accomplishment.






They also took off her boots and bandages for a little today. The ortho team will come around Monday to make sure things are healing properly.



She has a burn on the top of her left foot. We are pretty sure that this is from tegaderm bandaging after her ankle surgery. She is highly allergic to tegaderm. The wound care team is also going to come around Monday to help with the healing process.


She still has a lot of congestion in her lungs. It's hard for her to talk, and the chest tube is still pretty uncomfortable. Good thing we had a pretty sweet nurse to take care of her today. We love you!



Thank you for your prayers. We are comforted knowing we have so many people praying for her.

UAB and a surgery...

It's been a couple of days since I last posted, and I need to catch y'all up.


Her ankles are doing well. She was able to take her boots off for a couple of hours yesterday. What a relief! Her orthopedic surgeon is pleased with the way the are healing. She still can't put any weight on them, but we know she has come such a long way since this time a week ago. We are so thankful for this progress!


Monday afternoon things got a little crazy and scary. Without going into too many details, she started having some major breathing complications. After working on her, Dr. Wood found out that her left lung had already filled back up with fluid again. Before they operated on her ankles last Wednesday, they drained this fluid off. It was also drained off the week before in Birmingham when she went for treatment. He was concerned that 1)there was so much fluid and 2)it had already come back so fast. Her oxygen levels dropped pretty low and he moved her into ICU to be monitored more closely. He told us that this fluid was a result of her breast cancer.


We knew then that we needed to get her to Birmingham. For the next few days we played the waiting game. All the beds at UAB were full. Finally last night at 12:30 they got the call that Birmingham was ready for her. They had a bed for her and the surgeon had accepted her case. Talk about answered prayers! By this point in the week we were all very anxious and more than ready for her to be there. Our patience had just about ran out. The ambulance picked her up from ICU and got her to Birmingham just in time for her surgery.


Dr. Cerfolio did surgery this morning. He drained all of the fluid that was surrounding her left lung. She had so much fluid built up that it was causing her to have a collapsed lung. Her also cleaned out her lung. Since she had not been using it, it had mucus and saliva that needed to be out, before it would inflate and work properly. He also put talc powder in the area where the fluid was, to prevent it from coming back as easily. It acts like concrete in her chest wall. Sounds a little strange to me, but I'm no surgeon. Whatever makes her feel better.

So now I think we are caught up. She is hurting tonight from the surgery. She still has a chest tube in that will continue to drain the fluid. She will probably have it in for the next two days. She has a horrific cough and she's got the oxygen cranked up.


Tonight I'm so thankful that another surgery is behind us. You would think it would get easier with time, but I think it's the exact opposite. It gets harder and harder. She is such a tough cookie, and I'm thankful for her will and determination. I'm also thankful for a Christian surgeon who was placed right in the middle of her care plan today. Dr. Cerfolio shared his story with us tonight while he was in the room with us. His wife is upstairs fighting leukemia with similar symptoms to mother. He was so compassionate and had us all in tears before he left. It is just a God thing. No other way to explain it.

Thank you for praying with us today. His love was made so evident to us throughout the day today. We love you all so.


Tonight we are also thankful for chocolate pudding cups and sweet nurses. They make our stay much more pleasant.

Be back soon.



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no fun...

Hey Ya'll. 

Not much change here.  She's still in the hospital.  She's still in pain.  She's not eating.  I don't think she's really been to sleep since she checked in on Tuesday.  She will nap, but usually wakes up from dreams from all of the pain medicine. 

Hate to sound like Debbie Downer tonight, but just keepin' it real.  We are all a little anxious about the upcoming week.  As far as we know, she will be transported to Birmingham to begin rehab tomorrow.  Not sure what all this is going to entail.  She's pretty much immobile.  The nurses adjust her and keep her as comfortable as possible, but with both ankles gone, and her not being able to use her left arm because of the lymphodema and cellulitis, she's lost her independence.  I can't even begin to imagine just how she feels.

Thank you sweet friends and family for all of the visits, calls, texts, emails, messages, and gifts.  We love you and thank you for making our days brighter.

My heart hurts for her tonight.  Please continue to pray for her and us.  I hate you cancer.  I hate you for taking away her independence.

broken ankles...

A lot has happened since this time last night.  Let me fill ya'll in...

Mom had a pretty bad fall last night.  Long story short, she was walking from her bedroom to the kitchen when she had a little "spell" and fell.  Thank goodness I was at their house when it happened.  I immediately knew from her scream that this wasn't just another fall. 

Turns out she broke three bones in her left ankle and one bone in her right ankle.  She had surgery this afternoon to fix her ankles and to also draw the fluid off of her lungs.  She is in the hospital in Troy and will remain there until Monday or later.  After that, the game plan is to go to Birmingham to begin rehab.  This will last six weeks or so.  Things get a little complicated because she broke both ankles.  Her freedom and independence have come to a crashing halt.  She will have to learn how to stand and walk again.  

She is such a trooper and has overcome so much.  With her will and determination we know she will overcome this, too.  She needs your prayers tonight.  I left her, not too long ago, and she was hurting a lot.  The next few hours, days, and weeks are going to be extremely painful for her.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you so much for all of the visits, calls, and texts today.  Hard days like today are made easier because of precious friends and family like you.  We love you all so!

It's been such a long day.  Be back tomorrow with another update. 

xoxo,
c

short and sweet...

Not much change since the last post. She ended up not getting the nerve block. Doctors said that would only be a temporary fix to the pain, probably lasting no longer than 8 or so hours. So, the came up with a new plan with different pain medicines. So far, so good! They seem to be doing the trick. Her pain has been tolerable and under control since starting the new pain medicines Thank you Lord for providing.

She's back in Birmingham tonight. She will start a new cycle of chemo tomorrow morning. Her chemo schedule remains the same. Once a week for three consecutive weeks and off the fourth week. She wishes the "fourth" weeks came sooner and lasted much longer. She will also have a mammogram tomorrow. This is just to double check to make sure everything is going well with the treatment. Prayers tomorrow for a clear test.

She has been very tired and weak the past few days, but her spirit remains strong. Rob continues to be the best medicine for her!

 

As you say a prayer for Momma tonight, please say a prayer for the hostage situation. Our hearts are broken for this precious little one.

xoxo,

c

home, birmingham, and nerve blocks.

Hip, hip hooray!!!!  She was able to come home from the hospital yesterday!  The pain is still very much there, but the change up in her pain medicines and the addition of the pain patch seemed to work a little better for her.  She was SO happy to be able to come home. 

She was supposed to go to Birminham for treatment this past Monday.  Because of being in the hospital, she wasn't sure when she would go back.  Her treatment nurse called yesterday afternoon to let her know she was scheduled for scans, chemo, and an oncologist visit today...starting at 8:15.  So, she only got to spend a few hours at home resting, before packing and jumping in the car to head to Birmingham. 

We always get that nervous feeling in our stomachs on scan days.  The time spent between the scan and the doctor visit seems to drag by.  All of the "what if" questions fill our minds.  So happy to report tonight that her scans were good!!!  Her cancer has not grown any, so this means that the chemo drugs that she is on are working!!  Praise the Lord!!!!

It was so crowded today that she had to go over to the hospital for her treatment, instead of the usual Kirkland Clinic.  She said it seems like everytime she has to go for treatment the number of cancer patients grow more and more.  There is so much sickness everywhere you look.

She also met with Dr. Stewart, a pain doctor, today.  Her oncologist and this new pain doctor have decided to give her a nerve or multiple nerve blocks to try and reduce some of the pain that she is in.  They are going to discuss it with another team of doctors in the morning, and we should know more tomorrow afternoon.  She will probably have the blocks done either tomorrow afternoon or Friday. 

xoxo,
c

such a trooper.

She really is.  Such a trooper.  In every sense of the word. 


She is still in the hospital.  Still in a lot of pain, but today was a tiny bit better.  The pain is always there, but instead of getting really intense and then easing up, then really intense and then easing up, it was a steady, constant pain today.  Which, is good, from what they tell us.  That means that the combination of pain meds that they are using, seem to be working.  When I left tonight, Dr. Woods was going to increase the dose of her pain patch.  Fingers crossed it will work and help her to rest well tonight.  Her spirits are good, but she is past ready to come home.  She is so tired of feeling bad and is ready for some better days.  She was supposed to go to Birmingham today for treatment.  Not sure when she will pick back up with that.  That's about all for tonight.  Thank you for your faithful prayers.

xoxo,
c

no fun.

2013 is not off to the best start.  Dr. Woods admitted her into the hospital today following her appointment.  He thinks she probably has another blood clot in her arm, which is causing the significant amount of pain she has been experiencing for the last few days.  She had an xray and ultrasound of her arm today which were both extremely painful. 

She has a very high tolerance for pain.  The highest of anyone I know.  It was hard to see her in so much pain today.  Our prayer tonight is that they can get her pain under control.  We should know for certain tomorrow whether or not she has another blood clot. 

Thanks for your calls and texts today.  We appreciate each one. 

resolving.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year sweet friends!

In 2013 I am resolving to be a better blogger.  We'll see how long it lasts. :-) 

Thank you for all of your sweet emails, messages, and texts of concern since the last post.  Things are about the same with mom.  She has continued on with her treatments and continues to amaze us all with her strength and courage.  Unfortunately the pain in her arm has gotten a lot worse this week.  She will go back to the doctor tomorrow, and we will go from there. 

Leaving you with a song.  How awesome is it to know that He never leaves us!  Hope it speaks to your heart like it did mine.

xoxo,
c

conquered.

We are all physically overwhelmed by the outpouring of prayers lifted on mother's behalf.  Thank you seems so inadequate for all of the love and concern that you precious friends have shown us over the past 24 hours.  Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to pray for momma today.  To the complete strangers who prayed for her today, thank you.  You have touched our hearts in a way that we will never forget.

Here is the definition of conquered.

 Hate the picture is blurry, but you get the idea.  Dr. Forero thinks she was having mini seizures when she was having the fainting spells.  He took her off of some of her medicine that he believes was causing this and all of the sickness.  The scan was completely normal!!!!  They go back next week for regularly scheduled scans and chemo.  Thank God for answered prayers today.  Forever He is faithful.  Love to all...

prayers. needed.

Mom had to make an unexpected trip to Birmingham tonight for a brain scan first thing in the morning.  She just hasn't been herself in the last couple of weeks.  Without getting into too many details, her oncologist thought it would be best to go ahead and come up tonight for a scan in the morning, just to make sure everything is ok. 

Anytime we hear the word scan, we all get a little antsy.  Even more so when you add the word brain in front of it.  She is very scared.  Please keep her in your prayers tonight and during the day tomorrow.  I will update tomorrow night when we know more.  Thank you from the bottom of our broken hearts tonight. 

keeping up...

I wish I was a better writer and update-r.  There are about 10 million reasons I could list about why this blog hasn't been updated more, but I will skip them.  Truth is, life is hard....and busy...and most days, between the pain and the sickness and the swelling and all the sleeping, it's hard to see His comfort and grace.

Last week was her off week, and it was lived to THE fullest.  Her week was jammed pack with independence, being Sweet P, and Sunday was even spent back in church!!!  Talk about His faithfulness! 

However, this week has been back to the same old routine that I have mentioned on this blog before.  Those off weeks don't come nearly enough and fly by way to fast!  We get a glimpse of "old" momma and before we know it, it's over. 

She will get treatment tomorrow and have lympodema therapy on Wednesday. 

I will leave ya'll with some sweet pictures of our handsome butterbean.

 

Keep praying her up!

routines...

I can't tell you how many times I sat down to update the blog, and couldn't find the words to say.  Ya'll, she has hit a routine.  Things are very much the same from week to week.  There is only so many ways to say she is tired or nauseous or gone to chemo.  Whewwww!  I wanted to say something, but didn't want to sound like a broken record. 

Since my last post, she is still being such a champ with her chemo.  Week in and week out, it knocks her completely off of her feet, but in true Peggy fashion, she keeps fighting and going back for more.  Not going to lie, chemo has been really hard on her these last few weeks.  She has NO energy and is sick from time to time.  She sleeps a lot.  A lot, a lot.  Simple things such as taking a bath or getting up to eat wears her out. 

Her doctors are happy with her treatment plan.  She had "the works" done last week, and all her scans and tests came back with positive results.  Right now, it seems as though the chemo is working. 

She also visited a new lymphodema doctor who has diagnosed her with reflex sympathetic distraphy (RSD).  I couldn't even begin to tell you what all that entails, so read here.  Her arm is some better, but still a constant hurt and pain.

Thank you to those who are still such an encouragment to my Momma.  Your visits, texts, phone calls, sweet notes and cards have not once gone unnoticed.  The love that you all continue to show her is a constant reminder of the love that Jesus has for all of His children.  Continue to keep her in your prayers.  The trip to Birmingham each week is very demanding on her tired, fragile body.  We love you. 

Be back soon..

xoxo,
c

and the winner is...

After lots of prayer. And a few discussions...



And after talking her her oncologist...



We think that the best decision is to...



Keep her on the same trial that she has been on. Big, huge, very tough decision. But after it was all said and done...


We feel as though we made the right choice. She has responded so well to it, we hate to chance her coming off. She will start back with the same chemo routine next week. (One treatment per week, for three consecutive weeks, and the fourth week off.) Please be in prayer that her arm does not flare back up when she starts back with chemo. Worst case scenario and it does, she will have to come off of the trial. This time, no questions asked.

Thank you for praying with us today. Your prayers helped ease our worries.

xoxo,
c

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fork in the road...

Big day tomorrow! We have reached a fork in the road with Mom's treatment, and tomorrow is decision day.

You know all of the complications with her arms. The swelling. The redness. The pain. The discomfort. Her oncologist can't be a 100% at this point, but he now thinks that this is being caused from the chemo drugs she is on. During her last hospital stay, they did lots of tests and ruled out many things that it couldn't be caused from. So, now after being on the trial for many cycles, it's the only other explanation as to why her arm won't get any better, and only seems to get worse.

So, the big decision. Two choices really. 1.) Stay on the trial that she is on. 2.) Go on another clinical trial, this one used for the prevention of cancer, instead of attack. If she comes off the trial she is on now, she can never go back on it. She has responded so well to these two drugs, it's very scary to opt to come off of it. But, then there is the arm pain.

She has an appointment tomorrow at the clinic, where a decision will have to be made. Please pray that we would be led in whatever way that is best for her. Such a big decision that so much is riding on. Pray for clarity and peace that comes along with having to make such a huge decision.
Will post tomorrow about her day. Love y'all.

xoxo,
c




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the best medicine...

Mom was finally able to come home from the hospital last week.  The hospital visits seem to become more and more frequent.  Her arms and pain seem to be doing better.  She goes back to Birmingham on Wednesday for a CT Scan to check the clot and hopefully to resume with chemo. 

This little fella has been the best medicine for her...

Update later in the week!

It is what it is...

MRI confirmed what we already knew about the blood clot it her left arm. That's the only one she has, praise God!!! Such an answered prayer. The blood clot in her left arm may or may not be causing her right arm to flare up. Doctors really aren't sure. It could even be some of the side effects from her radiation treatments. After all, she did have an extra high dose. None of the doctors are really sure at this point. Talk about frustrating!!

They want her to start lymphodema therapy again, but we don't know if the therapist in Dothan will or not. It's pretty risky considering she has a blood clot. Which, we totally understand, and do not not want to put her at even more risk for developing another one or causing the one she has to break off.

Doctors have all but ruled out surgery to remove the blood clot. They say it's not worth the risk. Their advice is that it is better to live with the pain and discomfort for now. Easier said than done!

Tomorrow all of her hospital doctors are meeting with Dr. Forero (oncologist) to discuss whether or not she can resume with her chemo treatments. Hopefully, they will discuss this first thing in the morning so we can get out of here and head home. She is past ready!!!

It is what it is. Life is not always glamorous, but we will fight on.

Here are a few pics from today. You can still see how red and swollen her arms are. Sometimes the pain medicine makes her a little hot...you will see a fan.

Love you all. Thanks for all of the special visitors. You have brightened our day so much!!!










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Better tomorrow...

Hey y'all. Mom's main doctors did not come around this evening. Dermatology came by and said they were stepping back. They have ruled out skin infections. The three biopsies from yesterday all came back negative for infection. We expect to know something in the morning from the Oncology and Vascular doctors.
She was put on a morphine pain pump today. She is sleeping good now. So glad the MRI is behind us. Thank you for your prayers...they pulled her through. We had a small breakdown right before, but she handled things like a champ. Here's to a better tomorrow.




Thank you all so much for the phone calls, texts, Facebook messages, and visits. We try to respond to each, but if we didn't, it wasn't because it went unnoticed. We appreciate your thoughts and encouragement so very much.


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More clots...

Today has been a hard day.
To backtrack, she was put in the hospital Tuesday afternoon. Her bad arm has been really swollen and discolored for sometime now. This week her right arm started swelling and becoming discolored too.
Doctors do not really know what is going on. After lots of different tests and three biopsies today, they are thinking that the original clot is actually a lot larger than they had thought. Now they are thinking that besides being in her left arm, the clot may stretch down into her chest, through some large vessels. Definitely not news we wanted to hear. She will have an MRI in the morning. This will give the doctors a better view of how large the clot actually is and how many there are. She is very scared tonight about the MRI. She had one her last stay here, and it didn't go well at all.
Here are a few pictures from today. Please pray for her tonight. Blood clots are such a scary, unpredictable problem to have. Please pray for her to rest well tonight and for the Lord to calm her fears.
Be back tomorrow. Love y'all.







Feeling a little scared...



Video chatting with her most favorite baby boy...




Sweet P and PooPaw miss this little fella...




1of 3 battle scars from today (notice how red her arm is)
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