chemo changed to Wednesday.

OK, I should be better about the updates and I should know better then to confirm dates until I really talk to the nurse from the doctors office. Chemo has been changed to Wednesday. But there is good news. Michelle, my sister is coming in on Tuesday and she will be able to go with me to the treatment. I am so grateful and thankful she has been able to change here schedule. It means so much to me.
We will then go to Hudson to be with our parents towards the end of the week. We are both very anxious to get there. Mark is still there with my mom and is driving her to buy her new cell phone and 37in flat screen TV for their room and a new dish washer and he has set them up for her. She loves having him home. He is very handy with those things.
Dad is progressing slowly. Still has the 2 chest tubes and oxygen which he will have when he goes home. Pain has been an issue and sleep too. no one is able to get sleep in a hospital. He is eating OK and up walking which is huge. Everyday is a new day and new challenge.
Again, i can't tell you how much we appreciate all of the encouragement. just the few words can change my day or my attitude. Tim and the kids love to eat and appreciate everyones help. You are all an amazing group of people. We love you all and are truly blessed.
Happy Monday.
Love ya
Lisa
PS thank you for praying for my parents. They need more then just physical healing. Pray for their hearts too.

chemo will begin

Well, they say God truly only gives you what you can handle. I have decided in the day and age of technology we should be able to contact anyone, anyplace and any time. Well, yesterday my mom's cell phone broke. No big deal but it was the day my dad was having surgery. The initial thought was only a lung biopsy to see what kind of infection was in his lung. But the outcome was a lobectomy(removed the upper lobe of his left lung) and its positive for cancer. So when you can't get a hold of your mother, you can't drive and your anxiety level is through the roof, what does one do? clean, pray, scrap book(should go and look at those pages) and call your sister thirty times while she's at work and pray some more, oh and I seemed to have cried a bit too.
I did finally call the hospital ICU and the unit secretary was wonderful and she gave me the update that Dad was off the vent( breathing machine) and drinking fluids. All wonderful signs, I cried again. My brothers Jammie and Mark are going to stay with my mom over the weekend and Michelle is coming into town on Wednesday. We will head up there too. I did finally get to talk with my mother late last night and she is doing better. She spent time with my dad and and friend took her out for dinner. She had a wonderful sense of humor and made me laugh. See God is good. Oh by the way she is going to get a new cell phone today. hee hee
I did finally get the plans for chemo yesterday too. We start on Monday. Will have 6 treatments once every 3 weeks. Will get a new wig soon and Tim has decided to get a red one and a cutie little outfit to go with it. i think he should look really interesting in a red wig and outfit. LOL Matthew asked if he could shave Tim's head and Tim had to really think about that since Matthew doesn't shave yet....yes he has facial hair all ready. OH help me. why do they grow so fast?
I want to point out that God did not give me more than I could handle. Well the lack of communication with my mother was terrible but i talked and laughed and cried with my sister all day. The diagnosis of CA with my dad was awful but now I will have a bald friend to go through treatment with. They think they got all of it too since they removed the upper lobe. Lastly, we have a plan. It is so hard to wait and not have a direction. Now we do. I will be done by May. I will have hair by the fall. This will all be behind me and yet I do see the foot prints in the sand and KNOW God has been with me during this journey and will continue.
I am so blessed by all of the wonderful people around me. I can't tell you all enough how grateful we are. The meals, the calls, the laughter, the taxi service, the everything means so much to us. It is such a help and we couldn't do this without you. Thank you
Love, Lisa

oncology appointment

Well today was the day to find out if we get chemo or not. well we didn't. We are still waiting for a test to come back. Really though, we talked about the options and the MD feels that oral and chemo are the best choices. So whats the next step. We have another appointment next week. i should hear about the test results by next Monday and we can go from there. both Tim and I feel very peaceful about the decision and the outcome. WE have decided we want to grow old together 90+ or so. Shannon feels I should get a bleach blond wig and Tim desires a Red/auburn look. Should be an interesting adventure.
I am feeling much better everyday. The mind is very willing and ready but the body is very slow in following and not very willing. Tim is still off this week and being the taxi cab driver for the wrestling boys. DID we ever have sports practices over Christmas break? I can't remember that long ago. hee hee. I hope you all have a wonderful and joyful New Year. May 2009 be even better then last year.
Love to you all
Lisa and Tim

Merry Christmas

Only 3 more days until Christmas and we can't wait to celebrate our Savior's birth. Without Jesus we have no hope. I have hope(most days). I have my oncology appointment on Jan 30th. Tim is going to go with me and we will have a plan. Sometimes that is really all I need, just a plan. It does seem to make it easier to handle. We are all doing well and trying to stay warm. Know How much I appreciate all you have done for us and provided for us. We have been eating so well and enjoying the visits from friends and family. You really don't know how much that means to us all. I hope you have a wonderful holiday and celebrate with style.
We love you all
Lisa, Tim, Sean, Matthew, Shannon

MD appointments

well, Had a good appointment with Dr. Shaughnessy(breast surgeon) and she thinks everything looks great. Yes, they found the tumor to be bigger and more spots....so whats the treatment plan. All cancer has been removed but they are still considering chemo. Something we thought we were going to miss out on. Well maybe not. I have to meet with the oncologist first and we will decide the best treatment plan. I have/had given this up and realized the worst is over. The cancer is gone. I am a survivor. Its just another blip in the road. If children can do chemo so can I as one friend said. God is continuing to pull on my heart. Please pray for me as I am struggling with all of this. each day is better then the last. I am feeling better, healing fast, and doing more each day. Please pray for Tim and the kids as we have something new to figure out. Shannon has really struggled with all of this surgery business and mom not being 100%. Its amazing how it all comes out. I am so looking forward to the next two weeks with the kids and Tim being off. I am desiring for life to be "normal" and for us to celebrate the meaning of Christmas and enjoy life and family and friends. I hope you are able to do the same. Its amazing when you have to stop and put things in perspective sometimes. Well off to do some Christmas shopping today with my mother. stop by for cookies and bakilava(sp). Nana has been busy.
Love to you all
Lisa

on the road to healing

Hello Everyone,

Nana is here and helping me out with lots of love. She is wonderful to have here and such a blessing to everyone. She has gotten to attend Shannon's band/chorus concert, celebrate Shannon's 11th birthday, Matt's band concert on Thursday hopefully. Sean's was cancelled due to weather. These are all firsts for us all and wonderful to have her here. I am healing fast. not as fast as I would like but everyday is better. Went to the Dr.'s today and he removed the last drain and I got a good check up. He is pleased with what he saw and my mom wants to come to all of the other appointments with me because Dr. Taylor is very cute and his bed side manner makes him even appealing. Yes, Tim has met him!!!
I have my breast surgery appointment Thursday morning. Mom is going to take me. We will find out the actual treatment plan and make the oncology appointment. Will let you know the outcome.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate everything from you all. The flowers, PJ's and robe to the calls and cards. They mean so much to me. The kids and Tim are eating great and love coming home from work/school with a yummy dinner each night. I can't imagine going through this without the support and love of you all.
love,
Lisa

One week

Hello Everyone,

Well, to put it mildly, it's been one heck of a week. Today is one week since the surgery. Lis is making progress, a little at a time. We went to the reconstruction doctor on Wednesday and he removed 3 of the 4 drains from her. She still has one drain in her stomach, due to come out next week. She has also switched from Percoset to Vicodin due to the shakes her body was experiencing on Percoset. She had a shower the other night and said it was the best one ever. She had to sit in order to enjoy it, but said it felt great. She's also been eating crackers and a half sandwich from time to time.

There have been times in the past several weeks when she's asked why this has happened and is she doing the right thing with a full mastectomy. We've prayed and asked God for his guidance and peace through all of this. Well, yesterday she received a phone call from her breast surgeon doctor. The results of the pathology report came back from the double mastectomy. The right breast was clear, as expected. However, in addition to the cancerous tumor that we knew about the report also discovered four more pre cancerous tumors in the left breast. So much for a lumpectomy. We both thank God for his guidance and your prayers for the confidence we felt by choosing a double mastectomy.

This may change things a bit regarding treatment. Her doctor and several oncologists will discuss whether they feel she will need chemotherapy. She will find out next Thursday if she needs this treatment.

We ask for your continued prayers. I've noticed her attitude has improved and she continues to find strength in God, family, and friends.

Thank you,

Tim