Thank You for the Prayers
I want to thank you for the prayers for my sister in law, Tia. She has had lymphoma on and off for 10 years and she is only 53. This last bout has been brain tumors, the second one being very aggressive. She just finished a week of another nasty chemo. She was very sick and had to go back in hospital with infection due to alarmingly low white blood count. They got her out of ICU and the count is slowly coming up. She had her MRI last night and the tumor has shrunk slightly. That is good news since the previous scan showed that it doubled in 4 days before they started this horrid chemo. Anyway, she will be home for Thanksgiving and will start the next round after that. Thanks again for the prayers. It has been touch and go with the bleak initial scan and the infection. You folks are the best, for sure.
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Replies to This Discussion
- Reply by GinaG on November 12, 2011 at 9:48 am
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Dear LadyD,
What wonderful, fantastic news, I'm sooo happy to hear!
The timing couldn't be more perfect if we planned it: Thanksgiving. The more we Thank God, the more Blessings there will be to be thankful for.
I will continue to include you all in my prayers and keep sending healing thoughts and energy. What a resilient spirit she has! And this time, as if the growing tumor and aggressive chemo protocol wasn't enough, she wound up with neucopenia too? With all that Sicilian DNA--AND her clan's love and support...That cancer doesn't stand a holy chance.
Thank you for the update,
GinaG.
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- Reply by mrscindy on November 12, 2011 at 11:45 am
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Prayers are such an easy thing for all of us. What she and your family have been going through, now that's hard! Of course we will all continue to pray for her, her family and your family. After all, you are part of the BakingCircle family and we are pretty powerful in number! Prayers flying her way right now!
~Cindy
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- Reply by dachshundlady on November 12, 2011 at 4:45 pm
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And Tia knows that a wonderful bunch of people are praying for her, all over the country and even in other countries. I know it helps. At the worst time in ICU she had septocemia and her gut had shut down. For the last 24 hours she finally has gas which, for once, is a good thing! :-)
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- Reply by dachshundlady on November 14, 2011 at 2:08 pm
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Tia got a great written report today; the radiology report from her MRI. The bad tumor has shrunk by 2/3 and is imploding! They will do the next round of aggressive chemo after Thanksgiving and then reassess. So our family thanks each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers. So for today, it feels like a miracle.
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- Reply by mrscindy on November 14, 2011 at 10:56 pm
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Please give Tia lots of hugs and kisses from each one of us. We are so relieved that she is doing better and I know this must seem like an answer to her prayers. That radiology report is, indeed, a miracle, but, then again, that's what prayers are for. We have lots more to share for her. She is going to beat this!
Tell her to relax and enjoy Thanksgiving for it is truly something to give thanks for!
~Cindy
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- Reply by dachshundlady on November 16, 2011 at 6:11 am
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Tia was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon. She is one happy camper.
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- Reply by meghildreth on November 18, 2011 at 1:38 am
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I have great faith in the power of prayer. I am sure it has helped me through some terrible times. I think I am permanently on my little sister's prayer circle list!
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- Reply by dachshundlady on November 22, 2011 at 7:19 am
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More good news. Tia's platelet count it up to 151,000. At one point she had none. She called me crying with joy. She can start another round of chemo on Friday and my husband will be out there to help her thru the first couple days in the hospital.
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- Reply by mrscindy on November 22, 2011 at 9:33 am
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Yay!!! Who knew we could be so excited about starting another round of chemo. I always HATED the mere thought of another round of that dreaded poison, but this is great news!
My thoughts and prayers are speeding towards her right now! This is one of her 'blessings'.
~Cindy
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- Reply by omaria on November 22, 2011 at 11:07 am
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DHL. I wanted to also say who wonderful it is to have a brother and SIL who care so much. The fact that her brother comes all the way from the East Coast to be with her must give her a profound feeling of being loved. I believe this helps her fight this terrible illness.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on November 22, 2011 at 1:50 pm
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Yes, and she often thanks me for "letting" him go. I kiddingly tell her that I am glad to get rid of him for awhile . . . well, half kiddingly. She has 5 sisters and a brother still alive but she actually prefers having my husband there. He is supportive without getting hysterical, they laugh together a great deal and he can translate the doctor-speak. He also protects her from all sorts of people when she needs rest, both at home and in the hospital. He also knows when to make himself scarce when she has friends visit at home; he doesn't try to insert himself into every facet in her life, something the sisters struggle with at times.
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- Reply by GinaG on November 22, 2011 at 2:49 pm
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I am profoundly touched by what a good friend your husband is to his sister, what a guy! And don't minimize or dismiss the value your role has here: I wish my SIL was as supportive, what a difference you make! I'm glad she knows that.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on November 29, 2011 at 6:17 am
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Here is hubbie with our son and daughter and, on left, a cousin in Tia's back yard.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on November 29, 2011 at 6:20 am
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And here he is with our son and future daughter in law.
They all had a wonderful time with Tia.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on November 29, 2011 at 6:56 am
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And this is what Tia was able to watch. My son said his stomach hurt from laughing so hard.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on December 13, 2011 at 11:57 am
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Tia finished her round of chemo but is, once again, seriously ill. She has no white blood cells to speak of and now has fungus in her lungs. Today they do some sort of tracheal wash to try to combat the fungus plus a biopsy plus an MRI. They have to anesthetize her for the tracheal wash. We are all very worried and continue to appreciate all your prayers. Even if the MRI shows good results, she has to survive this horrible treatment. My husband spoke to her on the phone last night and he said she is at her lowest yet. He offered to see if the vet clinic can find someone else for a couple weeks so he can fly out but she said no, there is nothing he can do while she is in the hospital.
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- Reply by buttercup on December 13, 2011 at 4:29 pm
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I'm so sorry to hear this. I wish I had some great words of wisdom to say at times like this, but there are none. We'll continue to keep her in our prayers and hope this goes well. I'm sure it's a great deal of stress for your DH not being there with her. We'll pray for good news.
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- Reply by omaria on December 13, 2011 at 6:00 pm
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DHL, First Paddy and now you also with sad news. Just like Buttercup I don't have the words to bring comfort. I hope with all my heart that she will pull through and that you can have a worry free Christmas. Why do these things hurt so much more around this time of year ? Ria.
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- Reply by mrscindy on December 13, 2011 at 10:02 pm
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Like buttercup and Ria, i have no words to make this better. I dearly wish I could think of something, anything, to make Tia feel stronger. This type of setback always hits the hardest. It seems like the bad news is never ending.
She is in our prayers, you know that, but you and your wonderful, giving, loving husband are also in our prayers. This has been very hard on your whole family and we on the Baking Circle know that. You are our family and when family hurts, everyone hurts. Please know how much we care and how hard we are praying for Tia and your family.
~Cindy
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- Reply by dachshundlady on December 14, 2011 at 6:18 am
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The good news is that she made it thru the procedure and the MRI shows that that tumor, once again, has shrunk. Now we pray that she can just survive all these secondary problems caused by the chemo. Then the doctors have to decide if they can move right to radiation or if she has to go thru this horrid chemo again. We just don't know if she can get through this round, let alone another one. Before she went back in for this chemo she began learning meditation. Aside from the other benefits, she will need it for the radiation treatments because she is claustrophobic. I guess she has to wear a fitted mask of some sort that holds her right in place as the radiation hits the brain from all different angles. But, we cross that bridge when we come to it.
One of the good things that has come out of this is a reconciliation between Tia and her older sister (there are 6 sisters and 2 living brothers). It occurred due to my "gentle" prodding of my husband who worked on Tia when he was out in California. They now communicate and the older sister will be in California next week. She is hoping Tia will be well enough for her to visit her and help in any way. This makes me so happy despite all the anguish.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on December 14, 2011 at 10:15 am
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Tia called me this AM and sounds soooo much better. As a result of the positioning for the aspirate biopsy, something happened to clear out her chest a bit so she can breathe much better. Just a funny little happenstance. And knowing that the tumor has reduced has helped her mental state. Now if they can just get that white count up . . .
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- Reply by mrscindy on December 14, 2011 at 10:36 am
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Mary Ann, I'm so glad she's learning the meditation. You cannot imagine how much this will help her. Being claustrophobic can be frightening when in closed MRI's or radiation machines. And learning to breath and relax is such a good thing.
I'm so happy she is reconciling with her sister. Hopefully this will also bring her some peace and strength. I'm sure the stress of that anger has been sapping. And that her sister is coming to help is wonderful news.
Great news about the reduction of the tumor! Chemo sucks! Been there, done that! I'm praying she can get through it. She is stronger than I. I'm not sure I would sign up for another round of that stuff. It's hard. Really, really hard! She has all my respect for doing it!
Prayers, always prayers, coming her way and yours!
~Cindy
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- Reply by dachshundlady on December 15, 2011 at 6:23 am
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Good news, Tia's white count has started to rise which is wonderful. It is still very, very low but at least it is not still near zero. Her spirits are better too. She told me yesterday, before they ran her blood work, that she could just feel that her white count was climbing. I could understand that if it were the red blood cells, but it surprises me that she can tell with the white.
I really have to take more puppy pictures today as she just loves receiving them and showing them to the hospital staff.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on December 16, 2011 at 6:13 am
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Well, the night before last, Tia had a slight set back; part of the lung they biopsied collapsed. But they have her blowing in a thingie which should reinflate it. And now instead of having a white count of near zero, it is up to 850!! We are happy about that for sure. The MRI shows that the tumor has halved yet again so no more chemo. Next step is radiation and then stem cell therapy. AND next week her older sister IS going to visit her in the hospital and stay right there with her. It will be good to have another "watchdog" there. You really need an advocate all the time. Like with the MRI. Tia thought they were supposed to do the contrast type but they dismissed her. Sure enough, the radiologist needed it so she had to get a second one. And I am SURE that they will get paid twice. Infuriates me. Then the other day the doctor asked if she had eaten. No, she hadn't because the kitchen never sent up her protein shake. When DH or his sisters are there, they are like pit bulls; not letting go until they bring what Tia needs.
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- Reply by mrscindy on December 16, 2011 at 12:56 pm
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You are SO RIGHT about having an advocate there. Whenever I am in the hospital that is the very first thing I set up. I make sure one of my 'sisters' is in the room with me at all times. You cannot imagine the number of times they have quite literally saved my life. They ARE like pit bulls, but you need that. I'm so glad Tia's sister will be there for her. When someone else is doing the 'watching' it takes a tremendous pressure off the patient!
As always, prayers!
~Cindy
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- Reply by dachshundlady on December 20, 2011 at 5:41 pm
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Tia's older sister is there now and playing watchdog. She called me and said that Tia is worse than she expected and, now that she has witnessed the situation, is adamant that we need to keep someone at the hospital all the time. The only snag is that Tia really wants my hubbie, her big brother, the most. So he may have to make excuses to his boss and go out after Christmas. They pulled her pic line because THAT was the source of her lung fungus and the new yeast infection they discovered. They entered her body thru that darn line. So now she has to endure new IV's with her poor, overused veins. She starts radiation tomorrow and, when she gets thru all this, they think they may want my husband's stem cells instead of hers. He was the only match.
Thank you for your continued prayers.
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- Reply by mrscindy on December 21, 2011 at 6:46 am
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Oh, Mary Ann, a blessing and a curse. That your husband's stem cells are the only match is both good and bad, but if it is what she needs then he will do whatever he has to do. It's a blessing that he IS a match. So many times there is nobody in the immediate family to donate.
Finally, her older sister is seeing first hand what she hasn't seen in a long time. And, yes, she NEEDS to have someone there 24/7 to watch over her. Is it any wonder she wants the one person who has been there for her so often? Her older sister could have been that person long ago, but now she needs her big brother. He knows everything that has happened and he knows just how she wants things done. I'm sure, after dealing with clients his whole life, he also knows just the righ thing to say and does so with understanding and compassion. Veterinarians (I know because my BFF/should-be-my-sister is one) are trained from the beginning to be intuative to situations with patients they cannot talk to. She is blessed to have him to take care of her when she needs him the most.
I know this creates a hardship for you, too. To not have your husband at Christmas has to be tough, but something tells me you are one very tough lady. You will come through this better and stronger. And his employer will just have to put his big boy panties on and deal with it.
Know that Tia and your entire family are in our prayers, daily!
~Cindy
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- Reply by dachshundlady on December 21, 2011 at 2:10 pm
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Luckily all 4 of Tia's daughters are home and a couple of them are strong enough to play watchdog, at least thru Christmas. The husband is making up the schedule of the 5 available siblings/friends so they can have it covered. He has to go visit his parents too so he needs to get this in place. Luckily they are wealthy and can pay to fly everyone back and forth. So the only thing the volunteers "lose" is salary or vacation time.
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- Reply by altardee on December 21, 2011 at 2:59 pm
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MaryAnn
I just eant to add that I comtinue to pray for Tia and all of you. When I read of all that she has endured and is enduring still,. I reslize how very fortunate I am. I have been spared from intense pain, and have the loving support of my sons and nieces. I comlete my radiation on Friday and will know the results in about four more weeks. Pray for me as I pray for you all.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on December 21, 2011 at 7:57 pm
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That is wonderful that you are almost done with radiation. And just before Christmas.
Hubbie talked to brother in law tonite. BIL has to go to FL in Jan to visit his parents. His dad has Alzeimers so he wants hubbie to go out for 4 days to stay with Tia. They both feel better with him there.
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- Reply by dachshundlady on January 03, 2012 at 6:27 am
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Quick update on Tia. She has been home for over a week, going to weekday radiation sessions. She still has the lung fungus which worries my husband. It is a bad one but they are treating her with IV meds at home. She is supposed to get stem cell transplant in Feb but DH worries that when they kill off her bone marrow, the fungus will take over. They really need to get it eradicated before they start anything else. It sounds logical to us but sometimes the medical profession has no common sense. While the older sister, Lou Ann, was out there she was with Tia in radiation. EVERYONE was masked and gloved and in walked a man with neither. Lou Ann said "Where's your mask?" He said he was a doctor. She replied that she did not care and told him to put on a mask! He complied but really, does he think that as a doctor (god), he has no germs? Of course they are not all like that but there are enough arrogant SOBs to discourage you.
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- Reply by GinaG on January 09, 2012 at 10:00 pm
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That is disgraceful. I have worked in medicine most all of my working life, but never inpatient. I have only done outpatient and emergency, and I'd have no idea the contrast among certain doctors and nurses in the wards and units of inpatient care until I was a patient myself.
The first time, I was 27 and Clinical Manager--My bosses, the VP and CEO of the hospital, sent flowers. The nurses were impressed. I heard them whisper their names. Apparently they gave each other the heads-up to tow the line, because I got the kind of bedside care your mama gives you.
Fast forward to cancer at 42 and no other history of hospital stays and I can tell you stories that support everything other posters say and then some. I'll spare you from most of the terrible details, but I must tell you what I have learned about reverse-isolation after being there and having spoken to a number of cancer patients with neucopenia or other issues, sent to "the tomb."
There is such thing as incompetency among both in-house physicians as well as nurses and for whatever reason, patients in reverse-isolation are ignored. Attitude among the staff seems to be, "Why bother?" It was as if they were just going through the motions to offer care, yet left me for dead: I had severe hypotension; a ridiculous fever, no white blood cells and tachycardia. All the things you see when someone is dying. There was nothing wrong with my mouth, however, and I wasn't afraid to use it.
It isn't arrogance, but abject stupidity and incompetence for a medical professional to ignore basic, fundamental protocol when attending to a patient in reverse-isolation or otherwise, NO exceptions. He's not coming in that room alone, he's bringing in every patient he's touched and been exposed to before he got to her room. Also, the incubation period for bacterial and viral infections are often asymptomatic, he knows that. What a jerk.
I'm thrilled to hear that Tia is feisty and still has a mouth on her! Brava, Tia! She'll tell em' how the cow chewed the cabbage!
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- Reply by dachshundlady on January 10, 2012 at 5:28 am
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Yes, that's why we try to have a member of my husband's family there (Tia's husband and daughters are either not there or not protective). My mother in law raised kids that aren't afraid to speak up. And usually Tia is so weak and sick that she CAN'T speak for herself. Right now she is back in hospital with shingles. DH flies out this Friday and will be there until Tues evening. We have a whole line of siblings and friends lined up to be with her over the next few weeks.
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