dad's memorial service will be:
Sunday, May 23, 2010
@
2:00pm
@
NewSong Church
945 W. Covina Blvd.
San Dimas, CA 91773
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for a donation to be made to NewSong Church, whose mission and vision were close to Dad's heart. If you so choose, please put the words "In Memory of Don Hays" in the memo section of your check or in the comments section for the online donation site. All donations are tax-deductible.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
the good fight has been fought...
Dad went to be with Jesus yesterday morning at 5:43am. it was a peaceful departing. he was where he wanted to be when he died -- at home.
on wednesday morning, mom and i decided that something needed to change about dad's care because it became more and more difficult to get him to the bathroom and back. that morning, mom had an appointment so my brother Gregg and i took care of him for those midday hours. the hospice doctor, nurse and social worker came around 1pm, which was the time mom came back from her appointment. we decided to order a hospital bed and necessary meds to keep him comfortable in what we knew would be his last days.
the bed came and he was transferred into it. the doctor told us it would be no more than a week, maybe two. little did we know that 12 hours later, he would be in heaven! it was really so fast, i don't think we even understand it. MCC is so aggressive and such a fast moving cancer. the doctor and nurses had never seen anything like it.
we had asked our church's care team earlier in the day to ask some gentlemen in our church to come and sit with dad through the night so mom and i could get some sleep [i don't think mom has slept much in the last two months!]. an elder from our church came and sat with dad, prayed over him through the night, and stayed with him through those last few difficult hours. what a blessing for us!
God made himself known through every part of my dad's journey, even these last few days. he felt little or no pain. he had a positive attitude about life and even about this fight, willing to go the distance to do everything to defeat it with God's and science's help. so much to live for! and all of those tough treatments of chemo and radiation prolonged his life; he supported me through every major life event one can have, even losing a spouse to death.
i love my daddy and i will miss him so much. i have all the wisdom that he passed on to me that i may pass on to my children and those funny sayings he had.... what a funny guy he could be sometimes.
i love you, daddy. give Brian a big hug for me. i'll see you again someday.
Psalm 91
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
on wednesday morning, mom and i decided that something needed to change about dad's care because it became more and more difficult to get him to the bathroom and back. that morning, mom had an appointment so my brother Gregg and i took care of him for those midday hours. the hospice doctor, nurse and social worker came around 1pm, which was the time mom came back from her appointment. we decided to order a hospital bed and necessary meds to keep him comfortable in what we knew would be his last days.
the bed came and he was transferred into it. the doctor told us it would be no more than a week, maybe two. little did we know that 12 hours later, he would be in heaven! it was really so fast, i don't think we even understand it. MCC is so aggressive and such a fast moving cancer. the doctor and nurses had never seen anything like it.
we had asked our church's care team earlier in the day to ask some gentlemen in our church to come and sit with dad through the night so mom and i could get some sleep [i don't think mom has slept much in the last two months!]. an elder from our church came and sat with dad, prayed over him through the night, and stayed with him through those last few difficult hours. what a blessing for us!
God made himself known through every part of my dad's journey, even these last few days. he felt little or no pain. he had a positive attitude about life and even about this fight, willing to go the distance to do everything to defeat it with God's and science's help. so much to live for! and all of those tough treatments of chemo and radiation prolonged his life; he supported me through every major life event one can have, even losing a spouse to death.
i love my daddy and i will miss him so much. i have all the wisdom that he passed on to me that i may pass on to my children and those funny sayings he had.... what a funny guy he could be sometimes.
i love you, daddy. give Brian a big hug for me. i'll see you again someday.
Psalm 91
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Saturday, May 8, 2010
hard days....
friends-- i wrote the following in mid April but never made it on to my blog site to publish it. i will be posting a further update tomorrow:
I hesitate to write as it is difficult for me, but here goes.
My dad has been told by his doctors that there are no more treatments that he
may receive. No more radiation. No more chemotherapy. The reason for this is
because the treatment has become ineffective. It's no longer working.
And it's true. He would receive treatment and the tumors continued to grow, as
they do now. They are growing very quickly. The kids and I went away for an
overnight stay at a friend's and when we got home, I noticed a significant
amount of growth from the tumors; even new ones had formed. Also, the older
tumors have begun to weep and bleed as the cancer is eating through the skin.
The large tumors beneath or near his jaw have begun to displace it, making it
difficult for him to eat or drink. Honestly, my father looks very little like
his former self. His voice is changing, too, as the tumors encroach upon his
esophagus and throat area.
Dad's mood is melancholy as he worries about the coming days. I pray he looks to
the skies for the hand of God to bless him and the arms of Jesus to comfort him.
Though he does try to keep a good attitude for us sometimes, he is depressed and
emotionally and physically exhausted a lot of the time.
And so, family and friends, I write an honest account of the happenings here. It
is not easy. Mom is his 24/7 nurse, while dr's and nurses from hospice care have
now begun to visit at least once a week. I try to help when I am home, as I have
a new job that allows me to continue homeschooling the kids.
Please pray for us all here and give Mom or Dad a call or email to encourage. We
will let you know further in awhile, if more help is needed. Thank you for your
prayers.
I hesitate to write as it is difficult for me, but here goes.
My dad has been told by his doctors that there are no more treatments that he
may receive. No more radiation. No more chemotherapy. The reason for this is
because the treatment has become ineffective. It's no longer working.
And it's true. He would receive treatment and the tumors continued to grow, as
they do now. They are growing very quickly. The kids and I went away for an
overnight stay at a friend's and when we got home, I noticed a significant
amount of growth from the tumors; even new ones had formed. Also, the older
tumors have begun to weep and bleed as the cancer is eating through the skin.
The large tumors beneath or near his jaw have begun to displace it, making it
difficult for him to eat or drink. Honestly, my father looks very little like
his former self. His voice is changing, too, as the tumors encroach upon his
esophagus and throat area.
Dad's mood is melancholy as he worries about the coming days. I pray he looks to
the skies for the hand of God to bless him and the arms of Jesus to comfort him.
Though he does try to keep a good attitude for us sometimes, he is depressed and
emotionally and physically exhausted a lot of the time.
And so, family and friends, I write an honest account of the happenings here. It
is not easy. Mom is his 24/7 nurse, while dr's and nurses from hospice care have
now begun to visit at least once a week. I try to help when I am home, as I have
a new job that allows me to continue homeschooling the kids.
Please pray for us all here and give Mom or Dad a call or email to encourage. We
will let you know further in awhile, if more help is needed. Thank you for your
prayers.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
an update long overdue
if has been two months since this blog has been updated and for that, i apologize. it's been a busy two months for everyone here at our household, but here I am finally updating everyone.
after my last entry, dad was told that the chemo he was having wasn't working, as was evident by the continued growth of his tumors. so the doc said that he would switch it up to another chemo treatments dad had had when all this began. it worked then and it may very well work now. a week or so later, dad was very depressed about his changing physical appearance [his tumors are growing outward on his face] and other factors in his health. the next day at church, the pastors, elders, & the entire congregation prayed for him during the church service. what a blessing to dad & mom!
while the kids and i were in atlanta visiting family, mom and dad thought they noticed the tumors shrinking in size. in fact, the lumps on the left side of his face & the one on the left side of his neck were. unfortunately, the ones on the right side remained large. the one under his right eye is very large & is interrupting his eye sight, as it is resting against his glasses.
Dr. P decided that he would continue with carboplatin since some of the lumps were getting smaller. mom and dad told her about all the people dad has praying for him. she said that he might just as well stay with the same chemo for the time being. Maybe it is the prayers &/or the chemo so why change now? and we agreed.
so carboplatin continued until two weeks ago. dr. p said she was not seeing any change in the tumors as far as reduction in size. after some blood tests and monitoring of the tumors, dr. p informed my dad that he will no longer be receiving chemotherapy because it is no longer working. in fact, the chemo treatments are now harming him. last week he ended up in the ER for a blood transfusion or two because his blood levels were so low; he himself noticed he didn't feel right.
so please pray that all the lumps go down; that the Lord continues to heal him from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet; that his overall general health will be maintained. our God hears the prayers of his people.
Thank you to all for your faithfulness. We really appreciate it. more updates will be given with more frequency as life is beginning to slow down a bit. :) <3
after my last entry, dad was told that the chemo he was having wasn't working, as was evident by the continued growth of his tumors. so the doc said that he would switch it up to another chemo treatments dad had had when all this began. it worked then and it may very well work now. a week or so later, dad was very depressed about his changing physical appearance [his tumors are growing outward on his face] and other factors in his health. the next day at church, the pastors, elders, & the entire congregation prayed for him during the church service. what a blessing to dad & mom!
while the kids and i were in atlanta visiting family, mom and dad thought they noticed the tumors shrinking in size. in fact, the lumps on the left side of his face & the one on the left side of his neck were. unfortunately, the ones on the right side remained large. the one under his right eye is very large & is interrupting his eye sight, as it is resting against his glasses.
Dr. P decided that he would continue with carboplatin since some of the lumps were getting smaller. mom and dad told her about all the people dad has praying for him. she said that he might just as well stay with the same chemo for the time being. Maybe it is the prayers &/or the chemo so why change now? and we agreed.
so carboplatin continued until two weeks ago. dr. p said she was not seeing any change in the tumors as far as reduction in size. after some blood tests and monitoring of the tumors, dr. p informed my dad that he will no longer be receiving chemotherapy because it is no longer working. in fact, the chemo treatments are now harming him. last week he ended up in the ER for a blood transfusion or two because his blood levels were so low; he himself noticed he didn't feel right.
so please pray that all the lumps go down; that the Lord continues to heal him from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet; that his overall general health will be maintained. our God hears the prayers of his people.
Thank you to all for your faithfulness. We really appreciate it. more updates will be given with more frequency as life is beginning to slow down a bit. :) <3
Thursday, January 7, 2010
green light
the doctors gave the go-ahead for the chemo treatment to begin today, but upon seeing the growth of the other tumors, changed it to an even stronger one.
when reading my Bible this morning, i came across this passage and found it appropriate:
your prayers are coveted.
thank you.
when reading my Bible this morning, i came across this passage and found it appropriate:
Psalm 86
1 Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer;
answer me, for I need your help.
2 Protect me, for I am devoted to you.
Save me, for I serve you and trust you.
You are my God.
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
for I am calling on you constantly.
4 Give me happiness, O Lord,
for I give myself to you.
5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
6 Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;
hear my urgent cry.
7 I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble,
and you will answer me.
8 No pagan god is like you, O Lord.
None can do what you do!
9 All the nations you made
will come and bow before you, Lord;
they will praise your holy name.
10 For you are great and perform wonderful deeds.
You alone are God.
11 Teach me your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honor you.
12 With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to your name forever,
13 for your love for me is very great.
You have rescued me from the depths of death.[a]
14 O God, insolent people rise up against me;
a violent gang is trying to kill me.
You mean nothing to them.
15 But you, O Lord,
are a God of compassion and mercy,
slow to get angry
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
16 Look down and have mercy on me.
Give your strength to your servant;
save me, the son of your servant.
17 Send me a sign of your favor.
Then those who hate me will be put to shame,
for you, O Lord, help and comfort me.
your prayers are coveted.
thank you.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
a vacation and 'the real deal' in the new year
well, dad got a week off from his chemo treatments as his radiation ended the day before Christmas. what a gift to not have to see doctors or the inside of a cement room between Christmas and New Year's~! but with sores in his mouth subsiding, the "burn" and blistering side effects came on like a freight train with enough pain and itching intensity to drive a man crazy! the dark color of the burn has begun to take on a nice rosy hue and the tumor alongside dad's left jawbone has drastically reduced in size; in fact it's not even noticeable... yay!
on the other side of that coin -- or rather his face -- a few other tumors have popped up, one the size of a small macadamia nut under his right eye. it doesn't seems to let up, not even for a minute...
so, today, dad has a dr's appointment to see about the next step -- good blood levels for a new, more intense [dad calls it 'the real deal'], chemotherapy infusion tomorrow. we'll see and i'll keep you posted.
mom is doing okay, though it is hard for her to see her love in pain. she has been so strong through all this. they both have; i see where the example of my own strength has stemmed from -- all rooted in Jesus and a good attitude about life.
please be praying.... ask God to lead you in your prayers. as we have experienced in times past, God does hear the prayers of His people.
on the other side of that coin -- or rather his face -- a few other tumors have popped up, one the size of a small macadamia nut under his right eye. it doesn't seems to let up, not even for a minute...
so, today, dad has a dr's appointment to see about the next step -- good blood levels for a new, more intense [dad calls it 'the real deal'], chemotherapy infusion tomorrow. we'll see and i'll keep you posted.
mom is doing okay, though it is hard for her to see her love in pain. she has been so strong through all this. they both have; i see where the example of my own strength has stemmed from -- all rooted in Jesus and a good attitude about life.
please be praying.... ask God to lead you in your prayers. as we have experienced in times past, God does hear the prayers of His people.
Monday, December 28, 2009
42 years together and the after-effects of radiation
today is my mom and dad's 42nd anniversary -- wow! congratulations you two love birds...
on another note, dad finished his radiation treatments Christmas Eve. We were able to spend Christmas together, enjoying traditional Swedish feast on Christmas Eve, opening gifts from Santa Christmas morning, then visiting Brian's family and mom's sister's family on Christmas Day. it was action packed but so good for all of us as we were able to remember 2 precious lives who were lost to us this year -- my husband Brian and mom's sister Nancy -- with those who loved them. we ventured to the OC to commune with Brian's mom, brother, and sisters. Nancy's husband, Joe, drove up from the desert to spend the evening with mom's other sister Priscilla and her family and friends in Pomona. it was a really good day despite the loss of two dearly loved ones.
now, for dad, the aftermath of the radiation is setting in. burning and pain -- worse than the worse sunburn you've ever experienced -- and because it was on a portion of his face, he has extremely painful sores in his mouth that basically limit his eating ability -- he barely eats enough for a bird. he is in a lot of pain and doesn't quite know what to do. please pray for him. he is intense need of it.
we hope you all had a merry Christmas and that the new year will bring health, happiness and God's blessings to you in abundance.
on another note, dad finished his radiation treatments Christmas Eve. We were able to spend Christmas together, enjoying traditional Swedish feast on Christmas Eve, opening gifts from Santa Christmas morning, then visiting Brian's family and mom's sister's family on Christmas Day. it was action packed but so good for all of us as we were able to remember 2 precious lives who were lost to us this year -- my husband Brian and mom's sister Nancy -- with those who loved them. we ventured to the OC to commune with Brian's mom, brother, and sisters. Nancy's husband, Joe, drove up from the desert to spend the evening with mom's other sister Priscilla and her family and friends in Pomona. it was a really good day despite the loss of two dearly loved ones.
now, for dad, the aftermath of the radiation is setting in. burning and pain -- worse than the worse sunburn you've ever experienced -- and because it was on a portion of his face, he has extremely painful sores in his mouth that basically limit his eating ability -- he barely eats enough for a bird. he is in a lot of pain and doesn't quite know what to do. please pray for him. he is intense need of it.
we hope you all had a merry Christmas and that the new year will bring health, happiness and God's blessings to you in abundance.
Monday, December 21, 2009
home sweet home
don got out of the hospital on 12/11 -- just in time to see the grandgirls in their performance of a christmas carol at APU. he expressed to the docs how important it was for him to be there, and after assessment, they let him go home after a week's stay in the hospital.
thank you for your prayers. he has started up chemo again and radiation too. he'll be having radiation until Christmas eve... [merry Christmas to you, donald! hehe]
anyway, he still has a bit of a cough and finished up his antibiotics today.
oh! on a kind of fun note, don's son gregg and his wife cindy came over for a visit and brought him a yummy homemade carrot cake filled with pineapple, raisins and all the yummies... it was delish. that was their Christmas present to dad... that and a pleasantly lengthy 4 hour visit :)
pray for a restful holiday time with family as we all are dealing with events of the past year and that God is clearly made known to those around us, in us and through us. have a wonderful holiday season!
thank you for your prayers. he has started up chemo again and radiation too. he'll be having radiation until Christmas eve... [merry Christmas to you, donald! hehe]
anyway, he still has a bit of a cough and finished up his antibiotics today.
oh! on a kind of fun note, don's son gregg and his wife cindy came over for a visit and brought him a yummy homemade carrot cake filled with pineapple, raisins and all the yummies... it was delish. that was their Christmas present to dad... that and a pleasantly lengthy 4 hour visit :)
pray for a restful holiday time with family as we all are dealing with events of the past year and that God is clearly made known to those around us, in us and through us. have a wonderful holiday season!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
time for an oil change
yup, it's that time again... white cells are high and hemoglobin is low so don had another bood transfusion last night. that means that he'll be in the hospital until at least tomorrow. mckenna and avery are a little sad because there's a chance that he'll miss their performance in a christmas carol tomorrow night... be praying he'll be able to join the live audience!
anyway, here's a photo of him getting that oil change and mckenna keeping him company :)
at least there's a smile!
anyway, here's a photo of him getting that oil change and mckenna keeping him company :)
at least there's a smile!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
God's goodness
don is still in the hospital as the docs deduced that he had pneumonia in one of his lungs. he'll be there for another day or two while they give him some antibiotics via IV and just monitor his overall health.
as far as the memory loss, they think it could have been fever spikes, as there is no tumor action happening near the brain -- thank God! he will be resuming radiation & chemo treatments next week.
God is good and prayers are being answered. will post more when more is known... thanks so much!
as far as the memory loss, they think it could have been fever spikes, as there is no tumor action happening near the brain -- thank God! he will be resuming radiation & chemo treatments next week.
God is good and prayers are being answered. will post more when more is known... thanks so much!
Monday, December 7, 2009
hospitalization for monitoring
this afternoon, dad was taken to the ER because his fever was persistent from last night and the docs all warn that fever could be the sign of infection. so with all of the happenings of yesterday, mom decided to take him in.
he had blood tests, CT scan, chest x-ray and a couple other tests to see what was causing fever. he has also contracted a cold with deep chest cough. because of these things, he will be kept in the hospital for a few days so that his fever/symptoms can be monitored, and they can be certain that there is no sign of pneumonia.
please continue to pray for him; i will make it a priority to keep posting re: his condition.
he had blood tests, CT scan, chest x-ray and a couple other tests to see what was causing fever. he has also contracted a cold with deep chest cough. because of these things, he will be kept in the hospital for a few days so that his fever/symptoms can be monitored, and they can be certain that there is no sign of pneumonia.
please continue to pray for him; i will make it a priority to keep posting re: his condition.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
chemo, radiation and confusion...
administered. since the journal was last written, don has had 3 different and new chemos. none of them have seemed to work, as the MCC is growing and his hair is growing back -- sure signs that it isn't.
dr.p has returned and she says the only way to slow its growth is to couple chemotherapy and radiation together. so radiation started this past week. he will continue to have radiation for a total of 10 days over the next 2 weeks, focusing on his neck area. this latest version of chemo seems to be working on smaller tumors but the large one on his neck is still growing, though at a much slower rate, and new smaller ones keep appearing on his head, neck and face.
today, we had a couple of disconcerting moments where don was struck with long bouts of confusion where he seemed befuddled as to what to do, what to say or where to go. then, when the moments would pass, he would have no recollection of what happened in the time passed. mom and i are concerned and deduce that it might be due to sudden changes in temperature [from hot shower to cold house; from cold outdoor weather to toasty indoors -- each one happened after these incidents] that may cause some swelling near the brain. mom will be contacting dr. p tomorrow regarding this. he is also experiencing chills/shivering and sweats, likely side effects of the chemo.
please ask our God to guide you as you continue to pray for don, rachel, heidi and the kids as we face new challenges day by day. God's ear is not deaf to the prayers of His people!
dr.p has returned and she says the only way to slow its growth is to couple chemotherapy and radiation together. so radiation started this past week. he will continue to have radiation for a total of 10 days over the next 2 weeks, focusing on his neck area. this latest version of chemo seems to be working on smaller tumors but the large one on his neck is still growing, though at a much slower rate, and new smaller ones keep appearing on his head, neck and face.
today, we had a couple of disconcerting moments where don was struck with long bouts of confusion where he seemed befuddled as to what to do, what to say or where to go. then, when the moments would pass, he would have no recollection of what happened in the time passed. mom and i are concerned and deduce that it might be due to sudden changes in temperature [from hot shower to cold house; from cold outdoor weather to toasty indoors -- each one happened after these incidents] that may cause some swelling near the brain. mom will be contacting dr. p tomorrow regarding this. he is also experiencing chills/shivering and sweats, likely side effects of the chemo.
please ask our God to guide you as you continue to pray for don, rachel, heidi and the kids as we face new challenges day by day. God's ear is not deaf to the prayers of His people!
Friday, October 23, 2009
life, cancer growth and a change in medication
most of you probably know what has gone on in our family over the last 2 months and it obviously has not been easy. heidi and the kids moved in with don and rachel after brian's passing in september. rachel's sister nancy passed away just 2 weeks after brian. so in the midst of it all, don has continued to receive chemo treatments and have doc appts with dr. wong, dr. p's temporary replacement until december.
about 2 weeks ago, at one of those appts with dr. wong, there was the realization that dad's chemo treatments were ceasing to work. his tumor had begun to grow again [really at an alarming rate, as the cancer was becoming immune to the meds and got aggressive -- one can see it growing]. at that point, dr. wong put the brakes on the treatment and set don up for MRI and CT scans and a new chemo regimen.
this past monday, don had surgery to have a chemo port put in so that infusion of his medications would be easier -- no more stickin' him with a needle in his arm! they used it thursday and it went splendidly well. he was happy and relieved -- a wise decision, indeed!
so this week, a new treatment was started. yesterday he had a 1 hour infusion of the new med. this morning he awoke visibly tired and a bit weary, though in good spirits as ian had a cuddle on his lap. nothing like a cuddle with ian! he has been going to the docs several days weekly for neupogen [white blood cell] shots and will continue on that regimen; he will not do hydration again until the doctor deems it necessary.
don will be having a consultation for radiation on november 3rd. it is not his first choice and he is quite hesitant.
please pray:
about 2 weeks ago, at one of those appts with dr. wong, there was the realization that dad's chemo treatments were ceasing to work. his tumor had begun to grow again [really at an alarming rate, as the cancer was becoming immune to the meds and got aggressive -- one can see it growing]. at that point, dr. wong put the brakes on the treatment and set don up for MRI and CT scans and a new chemo regimen.
this past monday, don had surgery to have a chemo port put in so that infusion of his medications would be easier -- no more stickin' him with a needle in his arm! they used it thursday and it went splendidly well. he was happy and relieved -- a wise decision, indeed!
so this week, a new treatment was started. yesterday he had a 1 hour infusion of the new med. this morning he awoke visibly tired and a bit weary, though in good spirits as ian had a cuddle on his lap. nothing like a cuddle with ian! he has been going to the docs several days weekly for neupogen [white blood cell] shots and will continue on that regimen; he will not do hydration again until the doctor deems it necessary.
don will be having a consultation for radiation on november 3rd. it is not his first choice and he is quite hesitant.
please pray:
- for wisdom on all sides.
- don's peace of mind and trust in the Great Healer.
- rachel's peace of mind and trust in the Great Comforter.
- heidi and her three children.
- that God will lead you to pray for issues that are possibly unknown to us all.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
the journey continues....
dad will be having chemo again this thursday and this is his 2nd consecutive week of treatment for this round. this is typically when the side effects hit hardest, so please pray that they stay away!
dad's in good spirits -- as usual :) -- and mom is holding up well. please keep them both in prayer.
i will post more later.... thank you for your continued prayers!
dad's in good spirits -- as usual :) -- and mom is holding up well. please keep them both in prayer.
i will post more later.... thank you for your continued prayers!
Monday, July 13, 2009
the irony and the hope
after dad's hospital stay in the same room with the same nurse on the same days as last year [how weird is that?], he was able to come home with relatively no more intense side effects from the chemo on 6/15, minus the intense deep itch he has on his torso, lower legs and ankles. please pray for this as it does not go away except for short periods when an anti-itch cream is applied.
the next two treatments on 6/25 and 7/1 were of a lower dosage with virtually no side effects. the large lumps on his neck have gone down significantly in size and the one on his left temple is gone completely. he has been getting neupogen shots to increase his white blood cell count so as to not have another episode of breathing difficulty, shakes, etc. as last year.
dad's doctor, dr. p, is on maternity leave for the next two to three months so his doc will be dr. wong. please pray for this transition and wisdom and insight for both parties. dad continues with chemo treatments this week [7/16 - ian's 2nd birthday!] and next. we are praying that he will be able to join the celebration of ian's 2nd year as an incredible blessing to our entire family without feeling too tired or worn down, as well as increased stamina and healing. dad has always wanted to travel to alaska, so we are praying that there will be a period of time where he will feel well enough and have the doctor's blessing to go and enjoy such a trip - really a lifelong dream.
thank you so much for your prayers. we will continue to keep you posted!
the next two treatments on 6/25 and 7/1 were of a lower dosage with virtually no side effects. the large lumps on his neck have gone down significantly in size and the one on his left temple is gone completely. he has been getting neupogen shots to increase his white blood cell count so as to not have another episode of breathing difficulty, shakes, etc. as last year.
dad's doctor, dr. p, is on maternity leave for the next two to three months so his doc will be dr. wong. please pray for this transition and wisdom and insight for both parties. dad continues with chemo treatments this week [7/16 - ian's 2nd birthday!] and next. we are praying that he will be able to join the celebration of ian's 2nd year as an incredible blessing to our entire family without feeling too tired or worn down, as well as increased stamina and healing. dad has always wanted to travel to alaska, so we are praying that there will be a period of time where he will feel well enough and have the doctor's blessing to go and enjoy such a trip - really a lifelong dream.
thank you so much for your prayers. we will continue to keep you posted!
Psalm 33:21-22 (NIV)
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.
Friday, June 12, 2009
chemo, another hospital stay and mom's birthday
two weeks ago, dad started his chemo treatments - one a week for two weeks in a row, one week off. this week was supposed to be his week off of treatment. no treatment but a stay in the hospital instead. the severe side effects from the chemo caused major dehydration and fever [a sign of possible infection]. so monday night, he went to the ER to get it checked out and he has been there since. side effects have not subsided much and the doctors have him on a liquid diet to keep him hydrated.
mom celebrated her birthday this year - as last year - in the hospital with dad. ironically, in the same room at the same hospital as last year! but this time, the kids and i cheered them a bit by bringing flowers, balloons, cards and a dinner of in-n-out [just a strawberry shake for dad!] in order to celebrate!
please continue to pray for dad's healing and progress. some good news: the bumps on his face and neck have decreased in size significantly. thanks to those of you who have been praying for him.
mom celebrated her birthday this year - as last year - in the hospital with dad. ironically, in the same room at the same hospital as last year! but this time, the kids and i cheered them a bit by bringing flowers, balloons, cards and a dinner of in-n-out [just a strawberry shake for dad!] in order to celebrate!
please continue to pray for dad's healing and progress. some good news: the bumps on his face and neck have decreased in size significantly. thanks to those of you who have been praying for him.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
today...
...dad will be starting chemo treatments again, after 6 months of clean health. the large mass on the side of his neck is MCC, growing every day. his oncologist, dr. p, got him into chemo treatments early this morning. praise God for great caring doctors.
please be praying for healing, peace, calm, no pain, no counteraction with his leukemia. our God is greater than cancer and his healing power is deeper still.
mom continues with physical therapy and is making great strides. she has an appointment today.
just taking care of business...
please be praying for healing, peace, calm, no pain, no counteraction with his leukemia. our God is greater than cancer and his healing power is deeper still.
mom continues with physical therapy and is making great strides. she has an appointment today.
just taking care of business...
Sunday, May 17, 2009
6 months have passed....
...and Dad has had a relatively clean bill of health during this time, often going a month or two with no dr's appts... praise God! we had a wonderful Christmas together and he has been enjoying time with the grandkids and friends.
after his radiation, though, he found out that the treatment had killed a salivary gland in his mouth, causing two teeth to rot and become a bit abscess. this swelling extended into his jaw and his dentist referred him to Loma Linda Hospital in Riverside County. after 2 months of waiting [it's a teaching hospital so they are very busy] and oncoming pain, he was finally seen. he will be having those teeth removed at the end of May. it will have been almost another month and a half of waiting to have them removed.
meanwhile, this swelling has increased and is now a noticeable size [about the size of my dad's hand extending under his ear toward the back of his neck]. the Kaiser doctors are concerned, not only about the fact that he has not had those teeth pulled yet [this is surprising to them, actually], but that the swelling has increased and is causing pain, so they are running some tests. we will know more about what exactly is happening this week. please be praying with us that it is not MCC [merkel cell carcinoma]. we will keep you posted.
[as a side note, we lost our dear friend Sam to stomach cancer in March. we miss him so very much. our friend Judy had surgery to remove the tumor on her lung and is recovering well. Mike will find out more this week about how his treatment has been working for the cancer in his bladder].
after his radiation, though, he found out that the treatment had killed a salivary gland in his mouth, causing two teeth to rot and become a bit abscess. this swelling extended into his jaw and his dentist referred him to Loma Linda Hospital in Riverside County. after 2 months of waiting [it's a teaching hospital so they are very busy] and oncoming pain, he was finally seen. he will be having those teeth removed at the end of May. it will have been almost another month and a half of waiting to have them removed.
meanwhile, this swelling has increased and is now a noticeable size [about the size of my dad's hand extending under his ear toward the back of his neck]. the Kaiser doctors are concerned, not only about the fact that he has not had those teeth pulled yet [this is surprising to them, actually], but that the swelling has increased and is causing pain, so they are running some tests. we will know more about what exactly is happening this week. please be praying with us that it is not MCC [merkel cell carcinoma]. we will keep you posted.
[as a side note, we lost our dear friend Sam to stomach cancer in March. we miss him so very much. our friend Judy had surgery to remove the tumor on her lung and is recovering well. Mike will find out more this week about how his treatment has been working for the cancer in his bladder].
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
radiation is finished! and please pray...
dad had his last dose of radiation yesterday... that's something to give thanks about! he is tired now, and will continue to be for awhile, but he has finished his 17 treatments.
also, several friends have discovered they have cancer over the last weeks/months and i am going to mention only first names and where the cancer was found so that you might pray with us. let's face it -- cancer sucks! but our God is bigger and more powerful than that nasty stuff. so please pray for the following folks along with us, as dad's heart is with them also:
*Mike -- kidney/bladder
*Sam -- stomach
*Judy -- lung
*Karen -- colon/liver
may God continue to bless you in this season of Thanksgiving... and we thank God for life in abundance!
also, several friends have discovered they have cancer over the last weeks/months and i am going to mention only first names and where the cancer was found so that you might pray with us. let's face it -- cancer sucks! but our God is bigger and more powerful than that nasty stuff. so please pray for the following folks along with us, as dad's heart is with them also:
*Mike -- kidney/bladder
*Sam -- stomach
*Judy -- lung
*Karen -- colon/liver
may God continue to bless you in this season of Thanksgiving... and we thank God for life in abundance!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
physical therapy and radiation
mom had her first physical therapy appt. yesterday and it went well. she can move her forearm and hand and bend her elbow with little pain. yay, mom!
dad started his second week of radiation today and he's looking good. just a little bit of redness on the area, nothing too noticeable. the kids and i had a nice treat today of having blendeds at the coffee bean & tea leaf in chino hills after his appointment. a nice time for all of us! though the kids did miss grammy :(... hopefully next time she can join us!
dad started his second week of radiation today and he's looking good. just a little bit of redness on the area, nothing too noticeable. the kids and i had a nice treat today of having blendeds at the coffee bean & tea leaf in chino hills after his appointment. a nice time for all of us! though the kids did miss grammy :(... hopefully next time she can join us!
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