Great Day!

Hey everyone! On our way home. Great appointments today, and the physicians were fantastic. My gamma knife procedure is scheduled for 11/9.

Just to clarify, this gamma knife treatment has been a possibility for quite awhile. They wanted to see how the tumors responded to chemotherapy first. Since two of the many tumors I have are still growing, all of my doctors have decided that this is a good time to use the gamma knife procedure.

Based on some of the texts that we've received today, I think I should also clarify that gamma knife isn't really a knife at all. There...feel better? It is stereotactic radiation. Many tiny beams of radiation (less than a mm in width) that can send a concentrated dose right to the tumor. It is an outpatient procedure, and after a check up the next day, I should be able to come home if there are no complications.

Thank you so much for praying for me, my family, and my physicians. Would you believe that my new neurosurgeon at MD Anderson Cancer Center way down in Houston TX is from Jeff's hometown here in the Show Me state? How cool is that, that God would see fit to have me scheduled with her? I didn't know her before the appointment, but I'm so glad that I'm her patient.

Anyway...that's that! I am very pleased with my day's appointments, very comfortable with the upcoming event, and very thankful to be blessed with friends like you!

Have a great night!

Leslie

Fast Forward to October

I know I haven't written for awhile. Sorry if you've taken the time to check in on me, and I haven't left any information.  Here's what is going on:

I am in Houston again tonight. Jeff and I were here last week (10/25-26), and found out that two of the tumors on my brain have increased in size again (on 3 scans in 18 weeks). So I am back again, and will meet with the neuro surgeon and the neuro radiologist tomorrow morning (10/30) about gamma knife surgery. 

 

I am feeling fine (with the exception of this crazy sinus infection). I still don't show any indications of having cancerous tumors on the brain. Passed balance, coordination, memory, hearing, and vision screening just fine. Hoping to know the scheduling details of my gamma knife procedure after tomorrow's visits.

 

Jeff drove home Sunday to stay with the boys. I am down here with my mom and dad, and we are hoping to drive home following my appointments tomorrow. 

 

I would appreciate your prayers for the physicians who are going to be working with me, and for my family. I'll try to let you know when I know more. 

 

 

Thanks so much,

 

Leslie

Good Morning!

Don't faint, but I am actually posting on my blog!  I know...shocker!

We have had a very hot and uneventful summer.  Stayed pretty close to home.  School has started, and everyone seems to enjoy the predictability of a daily routine.

Owen is 13, and is enjoying 7th grade so far.  He is running cross country, participating in Student Council, playing percussion in the band, taking guitar lessons (thank you Grandpa Davis), and enjoying being in the youth group at church. He's a bit TOO busy for this momma, so we may be putting a hold on the guitar lessons in the near future.

Levi is 9 (almost 10 he'll be quick to tell you) and is really liking the 4th grade.  His class is the only one in the building with a real rabbit in the room.  It is even allowed to roam around the room, and this is evidently just the "awesomest" thing ever.  For the second year in a row, he is in the same class as his best friend in the whole wide world, Scott.  Doesn't get much better than that.

Isaac is 8, and is in the 3rd grade.  He likes school, especially PE, recess, and lunch.  Library and art are really fun, too. He would just really like to be done with math.  I mean, he can add and subtract. What more does a boy need to know? We are working on acquiring a better attitude on the academic aspect of 3rd grade, as well as good handwriting.  I know in this computer age we're in, the focus on handwriting has waned. However, it is still important to me, and when every word is a combination of  UpPeR & LoWeR case letters, I get a bit annoyed. 

Jeff is working for Paul Davis Restoration, and enjoys what he does.  He is so good with people, which really comes in handy when you are dealing with folks who have come through a tornado, or water damage to their property, or damage to their home due to a fire.  And his patience with irrational people just blows me away.  There is a reason that this is his occupation and not mine.

I am doing pretty good, and enjoying our "back in school" routine so far.  It is far less tiring to schedule doctor appointments when you don't have to consider childcare.  I return to MDAnderson September 13&14 for a rescan of the brain.  If my tumors haven't grown, I'll continue on the same treatment plan.  If there are any increases in the size of the tumors, we have to modify my current treatment plan.  Hoping that is not the case, because I am tolerating this chemotherapy regimen, and really don't relish the thought of having to start something new.

At any rate, we have enjoyed our summer, and our air conditioning. I think we are all looking forward to crisp autumn days, apple cider, pumpkins, and corn mazes.  With the drought, we may have to settle for the crisp days and the cider alone. Anyway, temps below 90 would be delightful.

I hope you are having a wonderful end of summer.  We appreciate all of your prayers, as well as your notes and gifts of encouragement.

Blessings to you all,

Leslie

Catching up, Part 2

Facebook post, 8/3/12

 

My scans show no new tumors. One may be slightly increased in size, but the doctor isn't sure. Could be inflamation, could be scar tissue. No cancer on spine. No cancer cells in spinal fluid. Back in 6 weeks for rescan of the brain to decide if I keep doing what I'm doing (treatment wise) or if we move on to something else.

I appreciate all your prayers and encouraging words.
David Jeremiah once said, "It is absolutely right to expect a miracle. It is absolutely wrong to schedule it."

I have to agree with him. I trust that God has a plan for all of this time consuming, tiring, impossible to understand cancer diagnosis that we are all watching unfold. I will accept His complete and total healing whenever and however He chooses to send it.

Until then, I will rest in His peace, rest in his grace, and rest in this fantastic king-size bed that just happened to be the only bed the Holiday Inn had left! Isn't that just a shame! Haha!

Have a great weekend and we would appreciate your continued prayers for us as we travel home.

Blessings,
~Leslie~

Catching up Part 1

Facebook post, 8/2/12

At MD Anderson. Had labwork done at 6am, MRI of the brain at 6:15am, and now getting ready to have spinal fluid drawn. Do I know how to have a good time or what?

Tomorrow I start again at 6:15 am with 2 more MRIs. I am feeling really very good. Looking fwd to tomorrow's appointment with my Dr to find out the results. Hoping all is stable, improved, or gone. I'm not picky.

Have a great day, and I'll let you know what we find out.

Leslie

Hello Again, Hello

Well, finally I am able to access my blog.  I am not a computer "techy" person, so when my computer said that my blog was not accessible, I just shut it down and checked on it often until I could get on and blog.

For those of you who haven't read it on Facebook already, my most recent scans have shown that the tumors (3 of the 11) on my brain are increasing in size.  The first response was to change my medication, and so now I am taking new IV chemotherapy, and no longer taking oral medication.  I have these treatments once every 3 weeks, and then I have my Ommaya injection weekly.

I am heading back to Houston this week for my first follow up scan since I've started my new IV meds.  I hope the scans show that the chemotherapy is working.  I'm braced for "not so positive" results, as they have been the norm for awhile, but I am hoping for the best. Now that I can blog, I will try to update this coming weekend about what we found out at MDAnderson.

On a more perky note, the boys are out of school, and I am trying to enjoy it.  In case you didn't know (haha!), little boys have an abundance of energy. We've been swimming, and hiking, and bike riding, and the boys have been involved in basketball camp.  We've been rock climbing and fossil digging and playing at Silver Dollar City. Jeff took Owen and Isaac down into Marvel Cave at SDC.  They loved it!  Levi had NO interest in going underground for any length of time.  So, he and I enjoyed a sidewalk show during the World Fest festival instead.

Our good friends, Kevin and Renee Waters, took Jeff and I (me?), zip lining.  Can you believe I did that?  What's more, the sun went down on us while we were in the middle of our zip lining expedition, so I mustered up my courage, and reluctantly stepped off the platforms into unlit zip line paths through the treetops. Bugs were out in full force, and although a scream or a good laugh would have been appropriate, I tried to keep my lips sealed so as not to ingest any additional protein. We had a lot of fun, and made some great memories. I would do it again if I got the chance.  I was just getting the hang of it when we finished!

Other than that...OH!  Also, Jeff and I celebrated our 20th anniversary.  We enjoyed a lunch date on the patio of Cantina Laredo, overlooking the water at the Branson Landing. It was very enjoyable, and the weather was nearly identical to our wedding day weather.  Sunny, low 70's, light breeze. Perfect!

Ok. Other than that, I really haven't been up to much. Looking forward to finding out scan results this coming week, and to traveling to Houston with my husband.  Not in that order, necessarily!

Thank you for your continued prayers. 

Leslie

If it's not one thing...

Something is wrong with my computer.  We are trying to get it fixed.  It is frustrating to say the least. 

On the medical front, my brain lesions appear to be growing, so they have taken me off my oral medication, and replaced it with a regimen of IV infusions.  I am hoping that this is effective. I return to Houston at the end of April to see if how things look.

At this point, it seems the only way I can communicate over the internet is via facebook.  Maybe here, time will tell.  My email doesn't work, and it's a huge inconvenience given all the correspondence that goes through that venue.  I would appreciate your continued prayers for my health and for the health of my family.  You continue to be such a blessing to us. 

Take care! 

Leslie

Long Time A'Comin'

Well, hello! Did you think I had fallen off the face of the earth? I have discovered it is much easier for me to write creatively when I am in TX, without a household and family to look after! We have been so busy that I have neglected to share my updates with you. My last visit to MDAnderson was in November,just before Thanksgiving. My scans showed no new growth of the treated tumors, which is wonderful. Furthermore, no cancer cells were found in my spinal fluid, which was also fantastic news! My physicians decreased my intrathecal injections to once a week, instead of twice weekly. I still take oral chemotherapy (2 tablets per day), and have an IV treatment once every three weeks, all of which I can do within 15 minutes from home. Jeff started a new job that keeps him busier than any of us really like, but he loves what he does, and he is so good at it. The boys are busy with school. Owen is enjoying the 6th grade, while Levi and Isaac are busy learning in the third and second grade. Owen and Levi are having a great time playing rec league basketball, while Isaac and I are enjoying cheering them on without spilling any popcorn! Jeff coaches the 6th graders with his good friend John, and then assists John in coaching the third grade boys. Between two practices and two games per week, plus school, work, and chemotherapy treatments, I haven't found the time or energy to blog. So there you have it. I haven't given up on writing. I just haven't sat down to do it. I hope you are doing well. Thank you for all your continued prayers. They are felt, and their answers are noticed by my doctors, my nurses, and my fellow patients. You are a blessing to my whole family, as well. Take care, and I'll update again soon. Blessings, Leslie