A Long, Overdue Update

Hi everyone! It's been pretty much same old same old around here and I was away for a little while. I told you all that my sister, Marie, had a strapping baby boy! That was very exciting! A little too exciting since she had to have an emergency C-section and there was NO time for ANESTHESIA. She is obviously a very strong woman! Both are doing well. Jean and mom wondered if I might be able to go. I asked my ras-onc, Dr. Kane. I think Dr. Kane's thought was "once she starts radiation, she won't be able to go anywhere for awhile, and it'll be good for her to see her sister and new nephew." So I decided to go. Off the 5 of us went--mom and Jean with Benny and Jakey. Jean has and Expedition with 3 rows of seats, so I sat in the 3rd row. Motion back there wasn't great, but it weas much better than sitting in front where I could see road motion and lots of light. The trips down and back weren't awesome, but I made it and it was well worth it to see Marie and Matthew! Lots of baby snuggle time. As my mom put it, with all that has happened in our family in the last couple of months, she thought I needed to see Marie as much as Marie needed to see me. Here is baby Mattthew...
How could that face not be therapeutic!

Isn't he so cute! Handsome little guy! Well, here is the update as I know it on me...

I've been doing pretty well. Headaches haven definitely gotten better. My incision/scar is continuing to heal, more each day. I was at a church conference this weekend with my mom. I got a message from the rad-onc's office that they want me to come in form my first radiation treatment at 11am on Monday. He originally said they have to do a second set-up before the first treatment, so the first actual treatment may not be until Tuesday. I'm a little confused, so we'll keep you posted. Please pray for no side effects--that all normal brain tissue will be spared, no fatigue, no hair loss, no skin changes, etc.

I haven't seen the neuro-onc at U of M again, but I got a call back from her nurse. We finally have all 3 path's back. I haven't seen the reports myself, but from what I've been told on the phone, none of them show grad 4 cells. Praise God! The bulk of the tumor was grade 2, with some grade 3 changes. Tumors are treated like the highest grade of cells present, so they call it a grade 3 (anaplastic) astrocytoma. Dr. Rogers at U of M is recommending radiation initially without chemo, but chemo following radiation. I haven't gotten to speak with her yet, and of course, it's ultimtely our decision. Pray that they do not feel chemo is necessary.

I think I covered it all. That's all I know for now. If there's something new after apppointments the next couple of days, I'll reupdate. Thank you for your continued support! Love,

Laura

It's Been Awhile....

Hi all! Sorry it's been awhile since the last post, but not much to tell, I guess. The only thing that's been exciting recently (not in a good way) is that I got cellulitis in my face. Ugh. Fortunately it was on my left side, but started to creep to my right side which is when I got concerned (since that was the side of surgery). I was placed on a very hefty antibiotic and looked much better even by the next day. Praise God! I am continuing to improve each day with that. I still have s mild amount of swelling and am still a little red and splotchy on the face. At least it's not flaming hot and tender now. Huge improvement!

The headache is much better! I am no longer taking pain medicine around the clock. Only when I need it now, which is a big improvement. God is healing me day by day. Still no further word on other path reports. It's a waiting game I guess.

I switched radiation-oncology doctors. We really liked the original one....super nice guy, but they didn't do the type of radiation that Dr. Yasargil recommended. We decided to go with his recommendation, which meant we had to switch doctors and hospitals. I have my initial consult with the new radiation-oncologist tomorrow afternoon. Please pray for that appointment.

I had a nice day Friday at my friend Nicole's. She always gives me an invitation to spend the day at their house for a change of scenery. She even has a guest bedroom ready for my for my nap. And believe me, she makes sure I get a nap and a walk. As she puts it, she "mother hen's me"! Very funny, and true, in a very good way.

Yesterday we headed to Lansing for MSU football. Still no game for me, but Chad goes with the family. I stayed at my parent's with Jean and Jakey, where it was quiet and warm.

The most exciting thing in the last week was that my sister Marie had a beautiful big baby boy. An emergency c-section brought Matthew into the world weighing 9lbs 9oz & 22 1/2 in long. Mom and baby are both doing well. Yippee!

Please continue your prayers for my total healing and for low grade path reports from the next 2 opinions and no need for chemo. Thank you. Love,

Alisha and Jean Left; Good News Today!

Alisha had to leave today to go back to her family in Arizona : ( It seems like she just got here yesterday. Jean took her to the Detroit airport. It was great to have she and Lauren here. Everyone that has come has been so helpful...driving me to the grocery store, taking me to appointments if Chad can't, etc. Here's a pic of Alisha and I before she left:

We went to see Dr. Spencer, the neurosurgeon in town that is following me after surgery. I started having some funny swelling on the left side of my face, neck, jaw, ear over the last couple of days. Less concerning since it's the side opposite the side of the tumor, but still something worth checking out to rule out an infection. I started thinking maybe it just had to do with the fact that I'm only laying on my left side, and everything is draining that way, so all the swelling is going down. He told us that this is a very common reaction post-op for my type of tumor resection...an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system that leads to swelling...which would also explain the swelling I've had in my left leg, which sent us in for a venous doppler late one night last week after seeing the neuro-oncologist at U of M who insisted I have a doppler that night because of the swelling and some leg tenderness. The doppler was obviously negative. Thank you Lord!

While we were with Dr. Spencer today, he asked us if we had seen the pathology from UAMS. We told him we hadn't actually seen it, but that many people had told us what it said, and that we were confused because we had been told many different things. Good news from that conversation! The majority of the tumor is a grade 2 (benign) with some portions being grade 3. The confusion was in how the pathologist wrote the report. It was written 3/4. But there is no in between. There are certain features microscopically that make it a 3, and certain features that make it a grade 4. It was very specifically stated that there was no necrosis in my tumor, which is what it takes to make it a grade 4. Praise God!

We are still waiting for the pathology report from Johns Hopkins and from U of M. After that, the neuro-oncologist will be able to make a better recommendation. However, after the explanation today, Chad and I are much more hopeful that chemo will not be needed. It's when a tumor is grade 4 that chemo is insisted upon. It's more ify with grade 3.

I have an appointment with the radiation -oncologist tomorrow for more preparatory work for radiation. No treatment yet. Please continue to pray for my appointments and for the further pathology that is yet to come back. Also continue to praise God with me for answered prayers and good news...of a total tumor resection and an low grade tumor! Thank you all for your continued support. We will continue to keep you updated.

Alisha's Kids

I will later post a picture of Alisha, Lauren and I. For now, I'm going to show you some pics of Alisha's kids, because they are too cute not to share. She has 3 kids: Chase, Andrea, and Lauren. They all wanted to come visit, but Lauren was the only lucky one. Oh is she adorable! I was fortunate and got to see them all when I was teaching a course in Arizona in April...just a few weeks before Alisha had Lauren.

Alisha and Lauren are here!

My friend Alisha and her 4 month-old little girl arrived last night from Arizona after a long day of traveling! Yippee! She's my best friend since 5th grade...I don't get to see her very often and it's great to have her here! Nicole just came over with Gibson and the 5 of us went on a walk (Doctor's orders). What a beautiful day! Another MSU football game today...and I'm being a good girl and avoiding too much stimuli and I stayed home. I know it would be too early, because car rides and sometimes the TV even bother me. Things I wouldn't expect. Jean and Jakey are coming back tonight to stay until Monday. Jean will take Alisha to the airport on Monday.

Headaches are definitely getting better! Praise God! I made the mistake yesterday of trying to go the whole day without pain meds because of some othe side effects of those types of meds. I ended up having to take some last night. Chad said, you know honey, you probably shouldn't just go cold turkey off of that, don't you think? Funny how things that are common sense when you're the doctor aren't so much when you're the patient.

For those of you that have been asking, no final path report yet, so no final treatment plan has been proposed to me. And no, I did not have my first radiation treatment. I met with the radiation-oncologist for a consult, but there's quite a bit of planning that has to happen before the first treatment. That's what I know for now. Thanks again for all your support and prayers...so much appreciated.

Jakey 8 months

Let's try this again. I couldn't find my camera, so Jean had to take the pics of Jennifer and I and email them to me. She also emailed me a couple of Jake from his 8 month photo shoot, which I'm sure most of you will get when she sends out her August highlights photos. Look at his big bright blue eyes above...and those long eyelashes! Below, look how cute his toes are! He loves to curl them! I'm doing well. Still trying to get out and walk and get my naps in. Was around too many people yesterday, still don't do really well around crowds, so at the Professor's advice, I didn't go to the MSU football game yesterday. He thought that would be too much stimulation...and I think he is right, so I'm taking it slowly. Headache is continuing to get better. Praise God! Thank you everyone for your continued prayers for healing.

Jennifer

My friend Jennifer left today to go back to her family in St. Louis. It was great to have her here! Here is a picture of us. She was my roommate my freshman year in college. We had a lot of fun these last few days. My friend Alisha (from high school) will come next Friday with her little girl Lauren. Jean is still here with baby Jake. She will be leaving tomorrow, but will come back next week when Alisha comes. She comes to help with everything--with the driving around, since I'm not allowed to drive and specifically pick anyone up from the airport, the washing of my hair, the food prep, the house cleaning/up-keep, etc. She's been so very helpful! Jakey had his 8 month birthday while they were here...here is a a picture of how cute he is...it's hard not to pick him up! I've been good, though.Having troubles with the pics again, so I'm post again with Jakey's pictures.