Cancer Mail

Below is a photo of encouragement. I have affectionately named it "cancer mail"...notes and cards from "you guys"...my friends. It measures three inches high! Three inches of encouragement. If I could add to this all of my e-mail messages, facebook posts, and comments to the blog, my stack of encouragement would surely grow two feet and walk away.

THANK YOU for the cancer mail. It's the best kind of mail. Really.

Our Crazy Two Weeks...

I wanted to post a few photos of our crazy two weeks of my surgery and recovery. We are so thankful for Grandma and Grandpa and Granny and Papaw (say that three times fast) who worked so hard to keep our house together and our son loved to pieces. Sure, we did have a few days of "detox" from the spoiling, but that's not a bad trade.

Please note: I realize that the following photos of me are not the most flattering. I wish I could say I was one of those people who looks naturally beautiful after major surgery and while in a fog of pain medicine with no shower for six days. That's right...six days. No shower.

This was Brady's first visit to see Mommy in the hospital, one day after surgery. I cried when I saw him, so then he cried, and then he wanted nothing to do with me. It was great. We took a few trips up and down the hall so he could entertain the nursing staff.

My mom and Brady were pretty "tight" and I don't think they allowed anyone else in their club. My dad was allowed in occasionally but not me or Jason. HA.This was Friday morning when I was first released from the hospital, only to be readmitted 24 hours later. I'm smiling because of the the cute boy who finally decided he'd sit by mommy...and I'm smiling because of the vicodin, too.

Daddy and Brady visiting Mommy the second time around.

I was released again on Monday morning, and for good this time, with a great pathology report as a send-off present! That brought my total count to 2 nights in the Intensive Care Unit and 4 nights in a regular room. (By the way, the means 6 nights of not sleeping at all, but who's counting).

By this time, my parents had left and Jason's had arrived. I must say, I had a blast hanging out with my in-laws for a week. We had fun together when I was awake and coherent, and they did everything for Brady and the house so I could just recover.

I felt like Brady grew 10 pounds and three inches. He just seemed so much older by the time I was home. I missed him so much!

Papaw and Brady were fast friends. Granny has way more energy than I do! Even when I am 100% healthy, she's got me beat!They came bearing gifts - matching Cowboys shirts for father and son. We decided we could possibly end up being Dallas fans since the Browns stink this year (and every year) and although I grew up a Broncos fan, I have nobody to share that with in Ohio! You can see, it is quite a pickle for me. I'm sure you are glad that I am still talking about it right now.

The weather was kind of yucky for most of their stay, but we did take one sunny afternoon trip to the park. Granny went down the slide with Brady who was belly laughing the whole time. He cried when we put him back in the stroller.

Love the smiles. Yes, mine is still partially pain med induced, but mostly because of that one-year-old laugh!Finally Jason and I spent some time alone in Cleveland at the Taylor Swift concert with 50,000 screaming teenage girls. Despite our hearing loss, we had a great time. Our pictures turned out really lame and this is the best one! You can see my scar has improved, and it looks even better now. At this point I am smiling because of the Percocet...which is even better than Vicodin, who knew?? HA HA.

One more photo...here is the boy in his fleecy jammies playing with his new stacking train from my parents. If you put one of the blocks on the stacker for him, he claps for you. Hilarious, and also kind of a confidence booster. HA HA.

Thanks for reading this and my ridiculously long photo captions that are probably only funny to me. I really get wordy when I update the blog in the middle of the night, huh?

We are so thankful for the Lord's provision for us during my surgery. We felt His healing hand and He answered our prayers. He gave us wonderful parents to care for us and who rearranged their lives to be here. We are so blessed, and yes, I have said that 100 times and will likely say it 100 more times!

CANCER SCHMANCER!

Now, off to bed.

Winter Hat

It's getting cold outside! Brady got a new hat for winter...

Another Reason to Praise!

Just got back from a meeting with the radiation oncologist. Bottom Line: NO RADIATION! He feels my cancer has been treated at this point. He did want clarification on something in my pathology report, so he made a call to my pathologist and will follow up with me. But still...NO RADIATION!

This has been my cancer journey so far: Diagnosis...followed by dark days of unknowns...followed by HOPE...followed by blessing after blessing after blessing...and the blessings just keep coming! And through it all: unwavering comfort from the Lord! Without the Lord my cancer journey would be much different!

Next step: Post Op appointment with Dr. Khalil in a week. Then PET/CT scan in six months to make sure the cancer has not reappeared. Scans will continue and if I have five years of clear scans, I will be considered cancer free!

One minor item for prayer...I broke out in a rash around my incision that is crazy itchy and bothersome. It is rapidly spreading up my neck and onto my face and down across my chest. I called the doctor and started a steroid last night to try to put a stop to it. Pray that the rash will go away because it is driving me nuts! I might have to duct tape oven mitts to my hands so I will stop itching! :)

Quick Update from Doctor

• Dr. Khalil is actually leaning towards radiation therapy which would start around the end of October. While this is another hurdle and hassle, it is also another measure of prevention from the cancer coming back, in addition to our very best tool...PRAYER! We will meet with our oncologist on Wednesday, Oct 7 to learn more and get the oncologist's opinion. I will post an update after that appointment.
  
• My hearing loss is only fluid on the ear from the swelling and trauma of surgery. Hearing should be fully restored to that ear in time...praise God!
  
• Dr. Khalil kicked up my pain meds to something stronger and I took a Percocet induced nap on Friday afternoon, which can only be described as pure bliss. Yes, I am up in the middle of the night writing this blog again, but only because I need to take another dose and I usually sit down waiting for it to kick in!

News not from the Doctor:

• Jason and I are sneaking off to Cleveland tomorrow night to see Taylor Swift live in concert (in her sold out tour)! My dear husband knows how much I love Taylor (I feel like a teenager) and contacted a local DJ he knew at one of the Akron radio stations, told him our story, and flat out asked for free tickets as a surprise to me! The program director of the station called us and told us that she would be delighted to give us tickets, and that her husband had actually passed away of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue just seven years ago! We picked up our tickets this week, and it was encouraging to meet her and talk about each of our stories. We can't wait to celebrate our good news and just get away and be together. We have overnight care lined up for Brady who will likely forget we are gone as soon as the car pulls out of the driveway! I'll post pictures and a blog of our getaway next week.
• Granny and Papaw leave tomorrow and we will miss them! They have worked themselves to the bone taking care of the house and Brady while I recover. I don't know what we would have done without them this week; not to mention my parents the week before. We have been so blessed by our parents!

And, since blogs really are boring without pictures, here's two...

We've discovered he'll eat just about anything if you add ketchup!

The other day when we were eating lunch, I gave him my ipod to play with so we could eat in peace. He went to his favorite spot by the stairs and proceeded to listen to some tunes! :) I love the drool soaked shirt, without it I might think he was ready for kindergarten. Thanks again for reading...see you next week!

Still Here!

Hey All,

We don't want you to think that we have abandoned the blog...I have some great pictures to post and want to write a full update next week. Jason's mom and stepdad are helping us out this week, so we are enjoying spending time together and I am also attempting to heal. I knew I would overdo it most days, and I have. I just find it hard to stay down when I feel so invigorated and revived, like I was literally given a second chance!

My biggest complaint this week is pain - the nerves along my incision line are waking up, and since I've been careful with moving my neck and shoulder, and the muscles were cut and damaged in the surgery, I am experiencing a lot of stiffness and muscle pain. I am keeping up on my pain meds and trying to stay ahead of it. Probably another person to blame for this is a 14 month old little fatty who wants mommy to pick him up!

Today (Friday) I have a follow up appointment with my doctor in his office. I believe after this appointment, we will be set up with a oncologist to determine for certain if I will start radiation at the end of October. My doctor feels I am not a candidate, and radiation would only be an extra precaution, but he wants the oncologist to make that call.

I also have a few other questions about healing and long term effects; for instance, I suspect that I have lost some of my hearing in my left ear and I also want to discuss my speech. (If you heard me say that, it would sound like "I altho want to dithcuth my thpeeth"). HA HA. It really doesn't bother me that much; I think it is pretty funny and feels good to laugh at yourthelf, er I mean, yourself.

Love to all! Please keep us in your prayers, as you've been so faithful to do thus far!
~Angie