Cantaloupe and Phone Calls

This is super short, but definitely one of the best posts!! On Wednesday after her biopsy Mom was super tired and felt awful. Thursday was a little better, but still pretty awful. With each day she is feeling a little bit better. We were able to see countless tender mercies this week, but the one I want to share is from Friday.

On Friday Mom didn't want to eat anything because her insides weren't the happiest after surgery. But she woke up that morning craving a cantaloupe and nothing else. (I guess it could have been a weirder food haha.) That morning she tried to think of a friend that could bring her one, but she wasn't sure if they were in season or ripe yet. Someone called her that morning and asked how she was feeling and Mom mentioned how she really wanted a cantaloupe. That friend replied with how cantaloupes normally have to sit on your counter for a few days before they are ripe, and that she had two cantaloupes that were now ripe! She brought my Mom cantaloupe just when she needed it!! That friend really helped because my Mom was feeling a little forsaken with the pain on Thursday, but on Friday this friend was able to remind her that Heavenly Father is still looking out for her. All through her just having two cantaloupes when she needed it. God cares about the little things.

Later that day Mamma got another phone call. This call was from her oncologist in Seattle. They said that her treatment is "very treatable!" So we are so full of hope and so thankful! My parents will meet with the doctors this week to discuss what treatment is, but it looks like she won't have to do chemo. We thank you for all your prayers and dinners, but would appreciate if they would keep coming... especially the..... prayers! ;)

Results! Psych!

We have had so many wonderful visits so far! Mom is just loving it all!! With her trip to Seattle, they finally called back with her "results." I say "results" because office called today and told us that the first tube of blood didn't meet the quality check. So now the doctors are working on processing the second tube. But the oncologist would like to move forward, so on Wednesday Mom will go in for a CT Biopsy. (Prayers would be super appreciated that day!:)) Now to the more upbeat things!

We have had our sweet Aunt Ivy and cousin Alisa for a whole week! They helped so much! We also have 2 other aunts and my grandma here too!!! We have had so many people come and bring dinners or clean our house! We are praising all your names!! Thanks to all that have helped! Even those 5-minute visits! We love them!

{Mom, Aunt Ivy, cousin Alisa}

{Aunt Tamera, Madre}

{Mom and the boys}

Mom has been in Primary, and Dad is the 12-13-year-old scoutmaster. These sweet guys came and helped out in the yard for youth group!

Visitations rights of Mom

Everybody wants to know when they can come and visit my Mom, but at the same time don't want to bother her. We super appreciate the concern and love we have been feeling!

My Mom is a people person! She loves people. She loves to talk to people. Cry with people. Hug with people and laugh with people. Especially laughing. With all of this, she LOVES visits! She loves it when people just stop by for a few minutes to talk or visit for lunch! Mom really just loves to know that people are thinking about her. That means the world to her! Whether it is by someone sending a text or stopping by, it brightens her day! For visits feel free to drop by between 11 and 3. She will usually be home, and we will make a sign that she can put up if she is resting! So feel free to swing by without notice! ;)

We have gotten so many gifts of generosity and love all of them! I wanted to share two of my favorites!

This amazing punching bag for all our frustrations, and to remind us we can beat this!

This box of sunshine!! It was seriously the cutest! (It actually came from my Aunt Ivy's young women. But the thing is, Aunt Ivy was at our house! Her young women met my mom a few months ago, and to the initiative to send it to my mom without Ivy's help!!) I don't even know these girls, but I love them!!

We are still waiting for test results, but once we get them I will let you guys know what is up! Thanks for all your prayers!!

Special(ist) Update

Today my parents were in Seattle to see a specialist. We are super hopeful, but since I was not there, I let my dad write up the details of the visit.

Dad: "We were in Seattle today and saw a pulmonary oncologist, Dr. Santana. He was great! We spent over an hour with him discussing Kimberlee’s illness. I would say he was very positive but not delusional in plans for her recovery. This is what I remember: In short, she will probably have the tumors for the rest of her life, however long that is. We are after treatment and not a cure. Treatment can increase the length of her life. We don’t know how long. He has had patients live for 1-2 years or up to 10. He was encouraged that Kimberlee is so healthy, outside of cancer, and she really is. He said if she wasn’t so healthy he would be more concerned and started chemotherapy in the hospital today. So given her level of health, he feels the best treatment option is, in my words, gene therapy. He says some lung cancers grow because they have a genetic mutation that has “turned on” the cancer cells to grow a tumor. If she tests positive for some of these genes that we can aim treatment at those genes or mutations. This would be a pill, not chemotherapy. If she has the genes and if she responds well to this treatment this could drastically impact her tumors. The tumors could shrink which would reduce or eliminate the cough Kimberlee currently enjoys. This could also reduce her pain in her shoulder. Currently, her pain is controlled during the day with ibuprofen and adds a little hydrocodone at night as needed. Her pain is well controlled for now.

"He was encouraged that her liver functions tests (LFT’s) are normal. These show how well your liver is working, and again hers are normal. There is a chance that these blood tests won’t show anything, meaning she doesn’t have a high level of the genes circulating in her blood. This is good and bad. It’s good in the way that she doesn’t have a high enough level to be detected. It’s bad in the respect we won’t know which specific genes’ the tumor has. So then we need to do a guided CT biopsy. This is essentially using a CT scanner to guide a needle into her tumor in her chest. Then many cells could be taken for analysis. I have already been in contact with our local pulmonologist to schedule a guided CT biopsy in a couple weeks depending on the blood tests. The blood tests take 10-14 days for results. So we are trying to be proactive, seeking the best treatment and diagnostics. We should be able to do lots of the treatment, whichever kind we do, here in Yakima. Dr. Santana may give us the treatment plan and we get everything done here. If we do the gene therapy route these medications are expensive. We are pleased to report we paid off our student loans this month so now we have full access to our income to take care of this. It makes us laugh that we thought our big news of April was telling everyone we have our loans paid off. We often laugh at that!

We are trying to stay positive and patient while we await tests. So it will be a couple weeks before we know anything more and start treatment. It seems like forever to wait longer. But, this may lead us down a road that Kimberlee doesn’t need chemotherapy now, and possibly ever. So she is encouraged by the thoughts of not enjoying all the wonderful side effects of chemo. She is excited to be herself and be present with the kids as long as she can. We all know chemo treatment comes with costs in quality of daily life. He did say that no matter which treatment we do cancer will eventually mutate. It will overcome whatever we do, but between now and then we seek out the best treatment options. We are willing to do whatever we can to treat her but want to enjoy quality days whether it is 1 day or a million, we want to enjoy quality days every single day! We take moments every day to embrace a little longer. When I leave to work, our goodbye kiss is a little more meaningful and tender. We are focused on enjoying moments together.

"We want to thank everyone for everything they have done so far. We have been overwhelmed. But not in the way you think. Of course, we have shed tears and lots sleep over this adventure. But we have been truly overwhelmed by all the love and support we have received. I wish I could thank every person individually who has brought my wife flowers, or left a note, or food, or a sunshine basket, or a hug when she was down, or the kind words via text, or activities with our kids, or dinner at your home, or a ride for my wife to an appointment, or all the other things I’m forgetting. Thank you for all the wonderful support! We count our family, friends, and relationships among our greatest possessions!

"To sum up: we are awaiting tests to determine what type of treatment is best for Kimberlee. Then we will begin treatment.

"Each day we pray for effective treatment. We feel all your love and prayers. We feel uplifted by all you have done for us! Thank you so much!"

The way he said it was just so perfect! But I just love seeing how my parents treat each other. It has always been loving, but I have seen slight changes. The constant holding of hands now. Being more conscious of being together instead of doing things apart. Helping and seeing eachothers needs before their own. That is what true love is, and I am so glad I have two amazing parents who emulate this! All I can really add is a thank you! So imagine me hugging each of you 5 times through this screen! And I don't mean an awkward 2-second side hug. I mean a long, two arm squeeze of all my emotions and thanks! Now go give your loved ones a hug and tell them you love them! Thanks again for all the prayers and love you've given us!

MASSive Detection

The first part of November 2017, Mom got a cold, along with a few of the kids. Each of us kids quickly rebounded in just a few days, but Mom was down for the count. She was tired and worn out for a solid month. She finally got over the cold, but her cough lingered, and she just hasn't been able to shake it. On March 19, Mom and Dad flew to Texas for a week to visit dad's brother. While they were there Mom prayed to just enjoy all the family and to not have any pain. And she did! She was fine all week, but as she flew home she started having a rough time again. A cough was coming in full swing. Mom was finally thinking about going to the doctor to see what was going on, and to figure out a few other things. She couldn't sleep for a little while. She felt sick to her stomach all the time. Things were just not going her way. On March 28, I was leaving for work and Mom started to complain about her shoulder. Her muscle was really hurting and bothering her. About 10 minutes after I left the pain got so severe that she was crying. It was so bad she couldn't even drive herself to the doctors. Mom was about to go on a walk with a friend, so she let her know she couldn't go but was hoping her friend would take her to urgent care. Her friend did, and so the doctor visits began.

Urgent care sent her to the ER to get a D-Dimer test done to verify if she had a blood clot in the lung causing her pain.  The test returned with a little elevation that couldn't rule out the blood clot but wasn't at such a high risk it was for sure but the ER doctors chose to do CT scan for verification. The CT scan showed that there was no blood clot, and Mom was so excited! Mom asked if they knew what caused the pain and the doctor then got super serious, and internally that kind of freaked my mom out.  The doctor then disclosed the fact that the CT showed a mass on her right lung, 10 cm in mass and suspicious for malignancy.  They also found a mass on the Liver suspicious for metastatic disease and mediastinal adenopathy suspicious for metastatic disease.  The doctor then did a CT scan of the lower quadrant to check for any other masses.  An MRI was done later for verification of possible masses there too.  All seemed to be fine. The doctors never actually said the word cancer, but they sent her home with a cancer pamphlet.

As the next day was my first day of the quarter, and the other kids had school (plus a few tests), my parents kept their news to themselves for the evening. Mom said that her and Dad never really went to sleep that night. They were in just too much shock. Then the next day, when I got home early from classes Mom, said three words I never thought I would hear come out of her mouth. "I have cancer." Dad then got home a little bit after me, so the three of us went for a walk. When the girls got home we went out for lunch to give them some sunshine before the storm. When we were finally all home they made the announcement to the rest of the kids. Many tears were shed, but we went to console ourselves with some frozen yogurt.

Since then we have been blessed with so many dinners, visits, and flowers. We have really felt the love from so many around us. Thank you all for your prayers! With the discovery, Mom has made many doctors visits and had her first biopsy (bronchoscopy) and an ebus, to find out what the doctors are going to need to do in there. Today we finally got the results back on that biopsy. Her cancer is stage four and is called nonsmall cell carcinoma. There is cancer in the lung, liver, and lymph nodes. But we plan on fighting this and kicking cancer's trash!