...and on every street corner you'll hear.......

SILVER BELLS!!!!!!

I know, I know....it took me long enough to get this picture up. The last 10 days have been......well....busy. 

Dad finished his LAST treatment on December 6th, and here he is ringing that bell! It was an exciting morning! 

His surgery is scheduled for January 17th. His homework assignment from now until January 16th is to EAT, EAT, EAT whatever he wants. He is to get his belly back. 

The first few days after finished treatments were tough. He felt quite icky and experienced some abdominal pains, but I believe we are past that now. We spent with day with my parents yesterday. Sam took Pap some PB chocolate chip cookies "to make him feel better." Mom just called about 10 minutes ago to say Dad has eaten them ALL. Guess I know what I'll be doing later in the week...making lots and lots more! 

Plans for the Christmas season are plenty. My brother and his family are visiting next weekend. My parents will be with me on Christmas Eve (Dad's birthday) and Christmas Day. My inlaws will be joining us too. We're looking forward to having all of Sam's grandparents together. We will head to Tennessee with my parents on the 27th for a long weekend with my sister and her family. January 17th will be here before we know it. 

Prayers are working. Dad is doing incredibly well and we ask that everyone continue to keep him in your prayers. Pray for the heavy and healthy appetite he will need to gain weight. Pray no issues arise with his health to interfere with that surgery date. Just pray. 

It's Christmas time...in the city. 

Much love to all.....Jen

ANSWER: Thursday, December 6, 2012......

"What is .....the date of Dad's last treatment?"

I'm sitting with Mom & Dad at the Tremont in Baltimore watching Jeopardy. We just got back from having a beverage and little bit of dinner at Oshea's Irish Pub. Dad's not feeling too great, so his appetite isn't fantastic.We're looking forward to ringing that bell and saying good-bye to the staff at UMMC radiation oncology department. Nothing personal, as I know my parents. Just ready to proceed to the next step of this journey.

There are no more appointments throughout the remainder of this month.....hopefully! Dad will return in early January for restaging tests. The pre-op is January 11th with surgery on the 17th.

We look forward to having a normal routine throughout the Christmas Season. Our family believes we have so many blessings to reflect upon going into the New Year. The support we've experienced from family and friends has truly helped make the last few months a little more bearable to move through. We continue to pray for complete irradication of this cancer, and appreciate the many prayers blog fans and friends have sent our way, as well.

I'll post a picture of the ringing of the bell!

Much love to all............Jen

Yes, NO News IS Good News......

Happy December, Everyone! I hope readers enjoyed a very nice Thanksgiving. Our family certainly did. It was a small gathering of people, but a good size for Dad to enjoy the day.

Just to bring everyone up to speed, because I know it's been a few weeks, Dad was able to be home for 4 straight days over Thanksgiving. That's the longest stretch Mom & Dad had spent in their own house since mid-October. I give them so much credit for the routine they've had to endure the last 6 weeks. Old people (yeah, I said it)  rarely want to leave home for long periods of time, so I know this schedule has not been easy on them, but they've marched through it, navigating the shuttle services, appointments, treatments, etc....very well.  I am very excited to share that Dad only has 4 radiation treatments left, and we believe he had his last chemo infusion last Thursday! Woo-hoo! Happy dance! Mom & Dad will be able to check out of the Tremont this Thursday morning, and say good-bye!  On that last day of radiation, Dad will be able to ring a giant silver bell, symbolizing that he is finished! This bell is located in the waiting area of the radiation oncology center. The staff that have worked with the patient also come out to the bell with the patient to celebrate and support this monumental event. I just think this bell is the coolest thing. What a way to say goodbye to the treatments and the staff, AND provide witness to those waiting for their treatment that the silver bell will soon be theirs to ring too.

Last Friday, Dad had a follow up appointment with Dr. Alexander, his surgeon. What a GREAT appointment! We learned that preliminary results of his treatment are good. Dr. Alexander was very pleased. Dad looked good and seemed to feel pretty good too. Dr. Regine also stopped in to consult with us and between the two of them, gave Dad the license he wanted.....go do and eat whatever he wants. Since this whole journey has begun, Dad's lost 30+ pounds. The docs actually told him they want him to get his belly back for surgery. Who would've thought?

.......and we have a surgery date of January 17th, which fits in very nicely with my original planning. As a friend pointed out, the date works well for Dad for two reasons: totally drugged up for the Inauguration (and oh heavens, for those of you who know Dad, he'll need that!), yet able to enjoy the Super Bowl from his own home on his NEW flat screen. Yeah, Dad went to work on Saturday, got a haircut, then headed to his favorite appliance store in Hagerstown to purchase his and Mom's early self Christmas present---a flat screen TV. They've been living with the old school floor stand model for the last 15+ years. Maybe longer. It was time

Today is Sunday, and Dad had called his buds to include him in the what I like to refer to as the "Holy Gospel Golf Day." Every Sunday, this same group of mid-lifers and geezers get together on the greens. I'm fairly sure most of the those guys believe in miracles (After all, why play golf if you don't believe a hole-in-one is possible?); they play on a course on a mountain (Purely to feel closer to God, I'm sure of it.); and each of them prays an average of 3-6 times per hole.  The guys gladly included him in the four-some and I wonder if it was to improve their own handicaps. I mean, seriously, if you can't play better than the old geezer with cancer....sheesh......!!!  Unfortunately, though, all that TV shopping on Saturday zapped Dad's energy level, so he did the right thing, canceled, and recouped at home to be in the best shape to finish out his last week in Baltimore.

This has been a roller coaster of a couple of months. Right now, we're flying high and feeling optimistic. Thursday morning, after Dad rings that bell, will be bittersweet. We will miss the staff, but that's what Christmas cards are for:)

Much love to all.

Jen

The Comforts of Home.....Finally!

Many apologies to everyone for not updating you this week. Been playing catch up at work, and home, and SLEEP, but I'm not so sure I've accomplished any of the aforementioned. 

Here's the scoop:

Dad was discharged from UMMC Monday night with a handful of new meds, and a drain coming out of his back to help the gall bladder function, and (hopefully) to prevent any further infections. After settling back into the routine of "home away from home" at the Tremont (who continue to be AWESOME!), he was finally able to get some decent sleep.....no one to come in and change the trash, take his vitals, or just be loud for some random reason. Just the hum of his own snoring and Mom playing Free Cell (or "sickle cell," as Dad calls it) on her iPad. 

He and Mom have been learning the ropes of taking care of the drain and doing well with it. Dad was able to complete an entire week of treatments this past week--radiation each day and chemo on Thursdays. He's begun to feel a bit icky after the chemo, but the zofran for nausea has worked very well for him. Getting a full week in has provided the reassuring sense that even though last week's infection created another bump in this journey, we are well on our way to annihilating this cancer. In fact, Wednesday was a great day. Dad resumed his walking and trekked the 8 blocks from the hospital to the Tremont! Rock star! 

Yesterday I went down to Baltimore to get Mom and Dad and to be present for Dad's appointment with Dr. Jiang, his medical oncologist. One could tell by her body language that she was very pleased with Dad's progress since last week and she was MORE than thrilled with his blood work. The tumor marker number had decreased by almost half from last week to this week. That decreasing number means that the treatment is right on track and doing what it's supposed to be doing---killing the cancer! We are halfway through with 13 radiation treatments, and 2-3 more chemo treatments to go. Typically, surgery is 6 weeks after the last treatment, which puts a surgery date for mid-late January. Although I've earned an "Honorary Medical Degree" from the UMMC radiation oncology team (that's a story for another time), I'll leave determining a set surgery date up to his regular team. If, by chance, my professional opinion is sought (and one never knows), I will shoot for a date 2 weeks prior to the Super Bowl (Jan 21st would be perfect) so that Dad will be able to watch the game in his own house. I believe my approach to setting this date will afford Dad the 6 weeks to heal from treatments AND meet his sports needs. It's somewhat of a "holistic" approach, don't you think?

This morning (Saturday), the plan was for Mom to go her way for a mani/pedi/hair day, and Dad to go his way to the office (yes, that meaning he's STILL not retired) and hair day...each driving themselves. This is a great sign b/c I don't think Dad's driven in over a month. He's just not felt the strength, and there's nothing like independence to boost your mental spirits. This is also great b/c I think they are spending WAY too much time together,and their personalities are ebbing and flowing and become unrecognizable, at times. Everyone knows Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? Well, I have felt like Snow White this past week, observing each of them transform through phases of at least 5 of the Dwarfs: Happy, Sleepy, Grumpy, Dopey, and Doc. Oh wait, let me add Bashful. Mom tends to look that way then Dr. McDreamy comes in the room. 

Today is a beautiful fall day. Mom and Dad are in their own home with their feline kids, at least for a little bit. We look forward to having my sister's family come in on Tuesday in preparation for Thanksgiving at my house. Although recent life events have given all of us reason to be "grumpy," God certainly has also given us reason to be thankful for His many blessings. He has blessed us with the family and friends who tune in to this blog to seek updates. Your prayers and cards to Dad have provided more support than you'll ever know. Yesterday, Dad had 2 weeks worth of mail to go through. He enjoyed each card. In fact both of my parents have. It's just nice to know that you're thought of and prayed for. An old classmate sent a newspaper clipping from Dad's high school football days. Another colleague from Kiwanis sent a dollar coin, as a "dig in the rib" to Dad. That kind of stuff is incredibly appreciated. Thank you! 

I hope to get at least one more blog in prior to Thanksgiving. If I don't, I hope everyone enjoys each moment with their friends and family next week. 

Much love to all......Jen

Just a quick update...

Within the last 24 hours, the nose tube and the pee cath have been removed. Yay! That has made a nice difference in how he feels as a human. He's still experiencing excruciating pain, as it still vacillates between an "8 and 10," so he's still prescribed regular morphine shot every 3 hours along with 1000 mg drip of Tylenol every 6 hours. We still have an inflamed gall bladder.

This morning's news from the Grey's Anatomy Team is hopeful. Dad will be able to start clear liquids this morning. If that settles nicely and doesn't flair anything up, he'll be able to have small amounts of a bland, low-fat diet later in the day.   I know he's hungry and maybe a few calories to mix up the morphine may help curb the "grump factor." Yeah, we got the grumps. He's tired, hungry, and getting frustrated with all of these complications. Plus, the hospital is not a place to expect to get rest, for any of us. Sheesh! Do we REALLY need to come in and change the trash that's NOT full at 1:30 in the morning? And bang every piece of furniture while you're at it?

So, since I've started this entry, Dr. Engelman with Radiation Oncology has been in. Believes Dad looks a million times better than yesterday even. Said Dad wouldn't be discharged until they can determine exactly which antibiotic will kill this bacteria. Right now he's on a "big gun" antibiotic, that kills everything. Then it also depends upon the form this antibiotic comes in, only IV or oral. So, it looks like Mom and Dad will be here through the weekend.

Just can't catch a break!

So here we are again, unexpectedly, getting to know even more of the staff at the UMMC here in Baltimore. I received a call from Mom this morning shortly after 4am to tell me that she and Dad were in the ER down here. Dad had awoken around 1 a.m. in excruciating pain. He tried sipping coca cola. He tried some milk of magnesia. He tried walking it off. Nothing worked. Finally, he told Mom he had to get here. Mom called all the doc numbers in "the binder" to get advice on what to do. Dr. Jiang, Med Oncologist, answered her cell in the middle of the night, and told Mom to get him to the ER asap. So, there they are, 3 a.m. at the hotel, calling a taxi to get to the ER. Taxi never came. The folks at the Tremont also tried to flag one down, but also to no avail. Finally, a Tremont bell hop used his own car to transport my parents to the hospital. God, thank you for that angel! I know what you're thinking, "Why didn't they call 911?" Umm....hmmm....yeah......not sure. Evidently calling 911 was "too much trouble," but getting into a strange car with someone they don't know was a good idea. I'll say it again, raising parents is not easy!

I arrived around 6:15 a.m. By that time, Dad had two IVs going with saline, one in each arm, and had already completed a bag of IV antibiotics. He was, and still is, in excruciating pain..... told me this is the worst pain he's ever experienced in his life. His pain level has consistently been a TEN, which means for the average person, it's really a 20+. He's been asking for more morphine, and often. Typically, he has never been a person to request painkillers or come close to seeking out medical attention. The Snead's are a "suck it up, tough it out, and move on" group of people. Apparently, now, though, we're letting strangers take us to the hospital to GET meds! My how far we've come!

CT scan showed that his gall bladder was inflamed, and filled with bacterial fluid.....again, and it had  perforated. Explains the pain. The good thing is, his vitals have been perfect. His labs didn't indicate a high white cell count, so the infection hasn't gotten too far. No nausea, or fever, or vomiting. Just this blasted pain! This gall bladder has been nothing but trouble.....Dad wanted it out and the surgical team said that was their plan. Welllll......that was the initial plan....to remove the gall bladder. But when Dr. Alexander arrived, the surgery brakes were put on, and then Plan B.

Oh so, THERE'S a funny story.

Soooo....... keeping in mind that we are in a teaching hospital.....and if you are a Grey's Anatomy  fan, you know exactly what that might look like. The McDreamy's and the McSteamy's are plentiful, indeed; I'm sure there are things going on in the on-call rooms I'd rather not know about; and the surgical residents DO definitely tend to be a little "vulturous." Not sure if that's a word, but....sounds good. Anyway, I can attest that the stereotypes witnessed on that show could very well be true. They are "savages for surgeries!" (Sounds like a t-shirt slogan.) When the surgery team...and I mean team, like enough to be a football team...came rolling through the ER to see Dad, the interns were all atwitter with excitement, their eyes bulging and glazed over, and their chatter focused on, "Did you hear about the gall bladder? The perforated infected gall bladder?" The excitement on their faces that this infected, perforated gall bladder on this pancreatic cancer patient might need to be surgically removed gave them all a bit of a crazed look.....like they'd been up all night, which.....I guess is possible too. They couldn't do enough to try to squeeze around the bed to take a peek at this potential surgical candidate that in a few months would also offer up a whipple to one of them. Would it appear insensitive if I tried raffling that opportunity off?

So Plan B did not entail surgery at all. The surgery students' dreams were completely deflated, and the "team" dwindled down to only 3 after that. Dad suddenly became a teachable moment. How awesome it was to see Dr. Alexander with this football team of young surgeons huddled around a monitor examining Dad's CT scan, all the while teaching to these students the reasons surgery was not a good option for this case.  Doing surgery now would really break up the treatment plan right now. It would also delay the whipple. Neither of which we want! So, they did a (let me see if I can spell this expensive word) percutaneous cholecystostomy.....they put a drain in his gall bladder to get the pus out and continuously drain any bile out of the gall bladder. This drain will be in for weeks. I'm good with that. It's not the most glamorous of apparati tohave to sport under your clothes, but this infection stuff is frustrating.
Step back 14 hours prior to this latest attack of pain.....

Dad was a ROCK STAR yesterday. He'd been eating well. His treatment schedule was becoming an easily navigated daily task for him by this time, and he had walked by himself from treatment back to the hotel yesterday! That's 8 blocks! Who would've thought we'd be where are today, looking at this situation once again. Deja vu.... we all found ourselves on such a high, only to be faced with yet another challenge. I know the Lord doesn't give us more than we can handle, but sheesh! Can we catch a break?

It's now after 6pm. The procedure is over and Dad and I are back in the ER bay waiting for a room for him. He's getting morphine every 3 hours. He's rocking out to classic country on Pandora radio (love my Galaxy SIII!).  Seems to be resting more comfortably now. Dinner for him has consisted of ice chips and honey lemon hall's cough drops. He's got a tube down his nose into his stomach to continue to drain bile juices out of his tummy too. Mom was exhausted. She needed a big break. I sent her back to the Tremont to de-stress and sleep.  Hopefully, she will.

I know there are prayer warriors out there reading this blog....please continue. Pray for renewed physical and emotional strength. For both of my parents. This infection came out of no where....

Much love to all. We appreciate all that everyone has done for us! I hope God is ready, b/c he's got a LOT to listen to tonight!

My goodness, Mother Nature. You certainly know how to throw us all a good punch! Can you just hold off on any more mammoth storms until we're all finished up with our visits to UMMC? You've shown us all that you are definitely a force to be reckoned with!!  Hopefully all of those able to read this posting were able to "weather the storm" relatively unscathed. We watched the track of the storm over the weekend and determined that we needed to get Mom and Dad settled in their hotel room on Sunday versus Monday. Yeah, probably one of the better decisions made. As I tooled around between home and school on Monday, I was very glad that I wasn't trying to navigate in and around flooded Baltimore streets yesterday. The folks at the Tremont couldn't have been more pleasant and accommodating taking Mom and Dad a day early. These people have been extraordinarily helpful and friendly. I can't say enough.

Monday's treatment wasn't without its challenges, though. No shuttles were running from the hotel, so Mom and Dad had to get a cab to get Dad to treatment. They made it there and back safely. Woo-hoo and kudos to them! Now that's commitment.... all toward the annihilation and deterioration of the 4cm "hurricane" on Dad's pancreas trying to wreak its own havoc. No force of nature is going to keep   us from taking the steps needed to rid my Dad of this wretched disease. Sorry, Sandy!

Dad sounds good and seems to be getting stronger the further out he gets from that infection. He finished up the antibiotic on Thursday, and since then his taste for foods is slowly coming back. He seems to be eating well. Dr. Regine gave him the green light to eat just about whatever he wants, short of ingesting packets of sugar everyday. They're going to hook him up with a dietician this week or next. I have not confirmed, but I don't think Dad was able to get a treatment today; only emergency vehicles were permitted on the roads in Baltimore. This is not a big deal. They'll just add one on to the end in December if that's the case.

The worst of the storm for them in Baltimore, and probably most everyone reading this, was last night into early today. I was glad to have the blindness of the night (and....admittedly the effects of quite a bit of Pinot Grigio) to bring on just a little bit of sleep.  The Weather Channel spoke of the Eastern Panhandle counties at least 3-4 times in terms of downed trees and flooding and power outages. Mom and Dad live in the woods on the Potomac River and have a boat and dock; yet, there was no one in the house to keep watch in the event leaks started, trees fell, boats floated away, etc. and I was fairly sure the feline children were of no help other than to express their absolute indignation that they were left to their own devices under such horrific conditions.

The light of day showed that God was watching over their house last night and brought forth the "angels with chainsaws."  Again, that Honeywood Family came through....The cat-sitting neighbor called Mom from the house just as the power was coming back on to indicate that the interior of the house appeared to be fine. No water crept in as far as she could tell. The felines were fine, although had much to say (of protest, I'm sure). That is amazing news to me. In the days before shop vacs, I remember helping to mop up inches of water from the basement with old rags and buckets for hours every time there'd be a hard rain like that. Thank you, Lord!  Mom was also told that there was "A" tree down in the back and the branches were in and around the heat pump unit. Wellllll.....yes, that is technically true, but that's not the ONLY downed tree. One of my Honeywood Moms texted me 3 pictures of "the rest of the story." Good-ness! There is more than one tree,  and each had the potential to create great damage to the house, but each tree fell in such a way that it missed the house. One of the trees, which must be 100 years old, was completely uprooted. When I think of what could have been.......Thank you, Lord!

Shortly after receiving those pictures, my Honeywood Mom called me to reassure me that all was really okay and I didn't need to come up. In the background, I could hear the voices of what was soon to become those angels with chainsaws.....the Honeywood Dads. They were going to get what they could away from the heat pump. At least I think Dad's set for fire wood for the winter:)

The support system that is there is second to none.  To you folks in Honeywood, I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done so far. The cards, the food, the "around the house" chores that cannot be kept up with right now, as Mom and Dad "live" in Baltimore each week. You all are ROCK STARS!!!

Hope everyone enjoys the fun of Halloween. I've got a little Batman to take around for a few treats tomorrow night. Will be in touch soon after.

Three Down, Twenty Five To Go

Took Mom and Dad down to B-town yesterday and will go back to pick them up tomorrow morning. Dad just didn't seem very strong yesterday. Could've been the anxiety of getting down there, settling into the hotel, and taking his first radiation treatment. Anxiety can be exhausting.

I won't say we got through yesterday's first treatment without a hitch, b/c we didn't. Dad did great. It had nothing to do with him. The center had 2 machines down, which cannot be helped. They were running waaaay behind. His appointment was at 3:15, and we finished up at 5:15. I just didn't need for that to be the first experience. I didn't want Mom and Dad to become discouraged from the start, thinking it was going to be that hectic for the last 27 treatments. There was also a logistical problem with getting his blood drawn in preparation for chemo today. I won't go into it. Let's just say I went a little Shirley MacLaine from Terms of Endearment on the nurses.....just a little bit.

Talked with Dad tonight. He sounded great. He said the chemo was easy, and he said he feels better today than he's felt in a long time. He told me he was going to go to the treatment tomorrow by himself, which is fantastic news! I hope he feels as great tomorrow morning when he wakes so that he really can go through the treatment alone. I think that would serve his psyche well. He's always been in control, and this sign of taking control back is GREAT! The state of your mind is as much a part of this journey as the physical breakdown and removal of the cancer. Let's pray for more days like today! Of course, my husband tells me Dad's decided to go it alone so that the Shirley MacLaine's spirit stays in Hollywood. Everyone's a comedian....

Next time I see Dad, he will have three treatments down, with only 25 more to go. We pray for a smooth process from here on out. We pray that he maintains this "up" of feeling good and taking control. We pray that this "thing" succumbs to the forces of radiation and chemo, and we pray that through all of this, Dad will actually become better and stronger, knowing that he is steps closer to erasing this disease from our lives. The support from family and friends has lifted our spirits. It's comforting to know that while we are going through the logistics of this and navigating the tough spots, there are so many that have us in their hearts and are lifting us in prayer. I am thankful for my school family and my church family and the many prayers each of them have included us in.

As always, much love to all, and good night......Jen

Overwhelming, Terrifying, and Worth a Good Cry...or Two

Yes, I know. It's been too many days since my last post. Let me catch everyone up.....

Originally, Dad was supposed to have had surgery today to remove that 4cm tumor from his pancreas. Well, change in plans....slightly.

Last Tuesday night, Dad had received a call from the radiation oncologist. His team had met again on his case that day and determined that since he had experienced such a significant systemic infection, he was not in the best shape to undergo a major surgery. That infection caused major tissue inflammation around his gall bladder and liver. His surgery was going to be delayed at least two weeks if the plan remained to do surgery first and then treatment. The team didn't want to do nothing. It is, after all, pancreatic cancer. So, they decided to do chemo and radiation prior to surgery, and begin that immediately. That would ensure that the margins would be clearer and larger when surgery does occur, and that "something" would be happening in this war on this cancer while the inflammation settles. I was actually glad to hear that he wouldn't be having this surgery yet. Dad is much better, and getting stronger each day, but he's not where he was October 5th. He needs time.

Last Wednesday's appointment was originally scheduled to be the "pre-op" appointment, but it turned out to be another consultative appointment to see the team again, to review the new plan and to meet the medical oncologist, Dr. Jiang. She is new to UMMC, and seems very good and is very well respected by Drs. Alexander and Regine.  If those two view her as a rock star, she must be.

So again, we left UMMC feeling pretty good. The team is in place. The plan is in place. The accommodations are set up. Dad will begin treatment this Wednesday. He has 28 radiation treatments ahead of him, with 6 weekly chemo infusions each on Thursdays....all in Baltimore. Mom and Dad will go down on Mondays. Stay for the week, and return after treatment on Fridays. While my sister was in town last week, she was able to set up arrangements with the Tremont Hotel in Baltimore for my parents. There is an arrangement between the cancer center and this hotel for discounted rates to "live" in their kitchenette suites through the week while patients undergo treatment. They provide free parking and a free shuttle to and from the center.

 Old people do NOT like to leave home. They do NOT like change, and they especially do NOT like a change in their routine. My parents fit into this mold. Yep, I said it.....out loud. But Dad knows that this really is the way it has to be. If he wants the best care and be close to his team of doctors throughout treatment days, he and Mom must do this. It's not going to be an easy 6 weeks, but we believe we are blessed to have this care within a reasonable distance. We are thankful for the accommodations provided by the Tremont at such a reasonable price. These gifts have been placed before us, and we plan to unwrap each week ahead.

As Wednesday draws near, I know Mo
mand Dad get a little more anxious. It is overwhelming and terrifying and worth a good cry or two to know that you are in "the club." It's much different sitting in the waiting room surrounded by people of all ages who have not a strand of hair on their heads knowing that YOU are now one of them. You are all part of the same club. You are not visiting. You are one and the same. You have cancer. You're "pretty" sure you'll be okay, but your mind wanders. You think about your kids. You think about the possibility of not being there for them anymore. It is overwhelming and terrifying and worth every bit of a good cry or two....or ten trillion.

I talked with Mom tonight. Dad was sleeping. She said he felt even stronger today than yesterday. He seemed to eat well throughout the day. These little victories.....  The topic of what was to come the rest of the week came up. I heard the change in the tone of her voice----stress. It's the responsibility of being the driver in addition to being the caregiver. It's too much. She needs to be focused on Dad, not the drive. The drive is easy. I can do that. Matt can do that. As Pete the Cat says, "It's allllll good."

Two Felines and a Pot of Italian Wedding Soup

After an emotionally trying four nights in the hospital, Dad was finally discharged from UMMC yesterday afternoon, only to get stuck in traffic on the way home and be stricken with his gout. Poor guy. Mom and my sister, Jill, were tired from the day and the drive, yet still needed to join the rest of the Walmartians (possibly in Sponge Bob PJs) in WV to battle to get prescriptions filled. Good grief, everyone was exhausted. Blessings come in the most wonderful disguises, though....

Two felines and a pot of Italian Wedding Soup....

For those of you who know my dad, it's probably a little difficult to believe that he's one of those cat people. Sammy and Rummy, the feline children of the house, are far more spoiled than any of us human kids were growing up, and most times, I actually think my parents like them far more than they did us too. Eh, who could blame 'em? No one made Dad feel more welcomed than those two felines. Dad resumed his normal position on his sofa and Rummy resumed his normal position on Dad's lap. Empty house. Peace and quiet. Remote in hand. Cat on lap. Feline therapy, with a little Judge Judy in the background, had officially kicked in. The little things....the small blessings.....

My parents moved to the Honeywood neighborhood in WV during the summer of 1979. They are still there along with most of the neighbors my siblings and I grew up with. What a family we all have become over the years. I have "sisters" and "brothers" and "parents" that far extend my genetic family tree. Although during times like these I feel guilty for moving kind of far away, I find comfort knowing that Mom and Dad also have many "brothers and sisters" who cannot do enough to support my family right now. These folks have watched my Sam, taken over the yard work, winterized Dad's boat, and last evening a "Honeywood sister" made a pot of her Italian Wedding Soup, of which my dad LOVES, and delivered it with love. Say what you wish about folks in WV, these neighbors are a blessing.

A good night's rest in his own bed without being awakened every hour led to a productive Tuesday for Dad. Yup, he went to work for 4 hours. I know, he's amazingly tough. It's how the Snead's roll. My brother is like that too. Hopefully that tough spirit will stick with him over the next couple of weeks!

CT results regarding the lung spots are not conclusive, at least not that we've been told. The spots are less than .5mm each and there is one on each lung. They are too small to biopsy at this time. We continue to pray that these are a result of the bacterial infection and NOT pancreatic cancer cells that have spread to the lungs. We have an appointment tomorrow with Dr. Alexander, and we hope to get more info from him. On that note, there's been a very recent change in the treatment plan. Dad received a call from Dr. Regine this evening, the Radiation Oncologist. The "team" met again today and discussed Dad's case and the most recent events leading to his infection, and his overall health at this time. In light of the infection and inflammation in the gut,  the team has now decided to change their plan. They now want to delay surgery and do chemo/radiation first. We are all a little deflated by this news and will seek answers to our many questions during our appointment tomorrow. The last time we met with Dr. Alexander, we left on a high. We left with such hope that this horrific disease was going to be conquered and managed by Dad and his team, versus the other way around. We pray that after we meet with him again tomorrow, we leave feeling the same way. I know that Dad wants this darn "THING" (a descriptor borrowed from a dear, dear friend also battling this very cancer) cut out sooner than later, but I trust that the team knows the right path to take. We just pray that God's plan also aligns with this path.


What a roller coaster.

Much love and thanks to all.............Jen

It has become ingrained in elementary educators brains not to refer to anything as "bad," which could refer to behavior, parenting, or cafeteria food.  So, with that in mind, I have news that is great, news that is good, and news that could be much, much better.

The great news is that Dad finally took a shower, shaved, and brushed his teeth. If you haven't seen him lately, trust me, that is GREAT news. The good news is that he was able to drink a little bit of milk and some tomato soup today.

The news that could be much, much better.......Yesterday we found out that he had bacteria in his blood. That bacteria was identified this morning to be Klebsiella. Klebsiella is naturally occurring in the GI tract. When his gall bladder wasn't draining, it created a perfect petri dish environment in his GI tract for this to grow and enter his blood stream.  So yes, he is "septic," which is an unfavorable condition for a cancer patient getting ready for surgery. Fortunately, it is not a drug resistant type of bacteria, so it can be eradicated with antibiotics. The antibiotic originally prescribed was penicillin. Turns out, Dad's allergic. I guess when you've never had to take them in 70 years, you don't know what you're allergic to. Who knew?

When they did the CT scan Thursday night/Friday morning, it showed nodules on his lungs. Enter news that could much, much better #2. Because the CT ordered was for the GI tract, it only caught the lower portions of his lungs and this is where the nodules appeared. Another CT scan is being done today of his entire lungs. The docs aren't saying what it could or could not be.  Again, that news could be great, or good, or.......don't want to think about the possibilities.

Prayer warriors, you know what to do. Please...............................love to all! Jen

....and off we went!

Dad has been feeling progressively worse as this week has progressed. Things came to a head and escalated quickly yesterday........

Mom called me in the morning to tell me that Dad had spiked a fever of 103 Wednesday night, which for an adult, is not good. Although fever is a symptom of pancreatitis, which is what we thought was going on, a fever that high is usually a symptom of some type of infection.....and that's where things lie right now.

Mom and Dad were advised to go to the closest ER yesterday, which was Meritus Hospital in Hagerstown, MD. They provided fluids and pain meds and took lots of labs. None of the labs were pointing to any ONE cause. The ER doc on said that white cell count, liver enzymes, bilirubin were "slightly" elevated, but he didn't seem to know WHY Dad was feeling like poo. Nurse Amy was a gem and did what she could to help Dad feel better, but they were clearly out of their league with this. Meritus consulted with University of MD and Dad's awesome team of doctors at UMMC took no time to make the decision that he would be transported by ambulance to Baltimore that afternoon.....and off we went!

Dad arrived shortly before 6 last night. They already had his room ready to go, and he was watching TV when I finally got here. His room has a great view to the helipad, so every time a chopper comes in and out, I have to watch. Admittedly, I'm a child at times. Because he came from another hospital, anyone entering Dad's room must be gloved and gowned. This precaution is taken until all of the labs run on him come back clear that he's not carrying some unsavory "bug" from Meritus to here. I'm not crazy about the yellow gown, but the purple gloves are a nice addition to my Raven's attire.

More labs were done, and in the middle of the night, Dad was taken for a CT scan. This afternoon, Dr. Darwin performed another ERCP to replace the stent with a new one. Dr. Darwin said that the first type of stent that was put in on Sept 25th, wasn't draining the gall bladder as efficiently as it needed to, so they replaced it with a metal one which really opened up the plumbing. The gall bladder was backed up and became enlarged, creating a nice environment for an infection to take hold. There is bacteria in Dad's blood. Not good. Not good at all. Mom doesn't know the potential ramifications of that, which I'd like to keep that way. I have not had this discussion with Dad yet. I want to wait until he's feeling better. We got him here in time. Dad is here for the duration of this weekend, at least, on non-stop IV antibiotics. This infection must be stopped in its tracks!!!! We hope this does NOT delay surgery, but there is that possibility.

I know some of you readers will be in town on Sunday to watch the Cowgirls lose to the Ravens, or maybe you're just here to watch the cheerleaders. Either way, if you would want to stop in and visit Dad, give Mom or me a call first to see if he's up to it. Right now, he feels entirely too yucky to entertain visitors. Not to mention, he's not seen the inside of a shower in a day (or 2 or.....um....more?). We believe with 2 days of this new stent and IV antibiotics, he'll be a new man by Sunday.

We thank everyone so very much for their help and support. My colleagues at worked jumped in and took over when I had to leave school suddenly yesterday. My "other parents" in Honeywood took Sam for me yesterday so that I could be with Dad. The offers of support have ranged from watching Sam to administering enemas (Thank you, Barb F. Dad says, "You're way too anxious!")

For my prayer warriors, please pray that Dad wakes tomorrow feeling much better. Pray that this infection is "put in its place" and disappears from his bloodstream sooner than later. Pray that my mom finds comfort and learns to navigate the caregiver role with more confidence. (She's a bit of a hot mess.)

Have a good night.....much love to all.....Jen

Helllllooooo Percocet

So after our "high" on Friday and a couple of days with Dad's pain being only a "3," he's now hit a low point. He's not well. At Dad's request, Mom called me late Monday night to tell me that Dad was experiencing significant pain in his abdomen, chills, nausea.....and just feeling very icky. I just don't think they knew what to do--go to an ER, or not? Is this something to be scared or worried about, or not? I slept in my clothes in the event they called me in the middle of the night and needed to meet them at the hospital. Thankfully, the pain got better with a little help from his friend "Polly Percocet", and by morning, the pain was a bit more tolerable. I think Dad's going through a bout of pancreatitis right now, which is extraordinarily painful. Dr. Darwin said this was a possibility after the biopsy procedure. The symptoms were dead on and there's really nothing to do but become best buddies with the Percocet and lay around and REST........

.......and therein lies the problem!

Folks, we have a naughty patient on our hands. He's NOT resting! After getting home late Friday night, Dad got up Saturday morning to mow the grass in the yard and, I do believe, at their river lot. Then he carried heavy bags of solar salt to the basement and dumped them into the water softener. There was also a shopping trip to Sam's Club in there somewhere. Gee, the next thing you know, he'll be climbing trees with running chainsaws to cut the tops out (For those of you who know THAT story, you know what I'm talking about here!). Oh so then, off to work he goes Monday, Tuesday, and today!!!! The man is in excruciating pain and just will not let up. However, lest we not forget to mention his enabler...aka...my mother. She's driving him to work b/c he can't drive b/c he's on Percocet!!! Houston, we have a problem here! Hello!!!! Sigh.....it's tough raising parents these days. They really should be grounded.

From my previous blog, readers know that a big team of docs were putting their white coats together yesterday to firm up their game plan for Dad. The big question was what to do first---surgery or radiation/chemo? Dr. Alexander is going to perform the Whipple first. Yay! Pre-Op with the anesthesiologist is the 17th with surgery on the 22nd, all in Baltimore. Dad will be in the hospital for about a week. Based upon what Dad's going through right now, that surgery couldn't come any sooner! It's going to be a looooong 10 days if his symptoms do not improve.

Continue to keep Dad in your prayers and positive thoughts. Pray not only that his pain alleviate, but also pray that he comes into some common sense in the near future (now would be good), and learns to leave these chores at home and at work for others to do. He needs to assume horizontal membership on the couch and remain there. It really is what he needs to do in order to get himself "in shape" for this upcoming major surgery. It's like he needs to prepare for his own personal Super Bowl, and he's simply too stubborn to show up for his own conditioning!

Thanks everyone! Much love to all and goodnight.....Jen

Praying for "Parallel" Plans

Shew....what a long day yesterday. We finally got home after 8pm, putting me in Hamilton after 9:00. The time was worth it, though. Much was learned, much was accomplished, and Mom, Dad and I left on an "up." There is somewhat of a plan in place, and that's very much what Dad needed to hear. He's a planner. His immediate plans? Golf tomorrow. Baltimore Ravens game on the 14th....a much better reason to be in B-town!

Our appointment with Dr. Alexander was in the morning. He was as impressive as I thought he'd be. He confirmed when looking at the MRI what Dr. Darwin had seen during the endoscopic ultrasound -- that the tumor appeared to be localized to the head of the pancreas. It had not appeared to have spread into any surrounding organs, blood vessels, or lymph nodes. Stage IIA. Although cautioned that neither MRI nor ultrasound images are 100% accurate, we are optimistic and PRAY that when surgery is performed, Dr. Alexander will observe with his very own eyes that the tumor is localized. Go prayer warriors!

Sounds easy enough, right? Well, not so fast. When you have pancreatic cancer, nothing is really that simple. There's always something that throws a bit of a challenge to the team of doctors. Based upon my experiences with teams of doctors, they embrace a challenge, and that they did. The team effort was amazing.

The tumor is up against a fairly important blood vessel. There does appear to be a thin, fatty layer between the tumor and the blood vessel, which indicates that the tumor hasn't invaded it. It's just "kissing it," for lack of a better descriptor. So, the question that came up yesterday was whether or not to treat with radiation/chemo first, or surgery first? Enter impressive doctor #3 from UMMC, Dr. Regine, Head of Radiation Oncology. With him was, who I believe to be an "attending," Dr. Ingelman (Grey's Anatomy has taught me so much). These doctors also believe that the tumor is localized to the head of the pancreas, but showed concern for the location next to this blood vessel. The bottom line is getting a decent size clear margin when performing surgery. The bigger the margin, the better the chances of totally eradicating the cancer, which is always the ultimate goal. At one point in time, there were 8 of us in the exam room discussing next steps. This 4cm tumor was getting lots of attention, and so was Dad. Just the recipe for boosting spirits.

On Tuesday, October 9th, Dad's case will be reviewed with a more comprehensive team of doctors. At that meeting, they will determine step #1: surgery or radiation/chemo. Regardless of Step #1, the UMMC team has prepared us. We are ready. Dates are scheduled, and Dad's been temporarily tattoed and belly molded for radiation. If surgery is first, our pre-op is Oct 17th with surgery on the 22nd. The surgery will last about 4-5 hours. Dad will be hospitalized for about a week. Dr. Alexander said that Dad should be able to at least use a putter within 5 weeks after surgery. Imagine how much he'll milk the golf handicap after that! Gives the term "geezer golf" a whole new meaning:)  If radiation is first, Dad will begin Oct 15th for 28 Monday-Friday treatments. If he doesn't miss any, his last treatment day will be November 21st, the day before Thanksgiving.

Soooo..... the question came up about whether to stay at the "Hope Lodge" in Baltimore. The Hope Lodge is funded by the American Cancer Society. It provides accommodations for cancer patients and caregivers. It was highly recommended by the oncology team, "Mr. Snead, everyone who stays there is very pleased. You will be tired during treatments. You won't want to travel back and forth. They offer yoga, meditation, support groups for patients and caregivers, but you'll also have your privacy." [Picture in your head Charlie Brown's teacher talking--wah, wah, wah. This was pretty much how Dad was taking this all in. Dad in yoga? Seriously???] Dad didn't seem too interested at first, and then....music to his ears....."...and Mr. Snead, the Raven's cheerleaders tend to visit and make appearances...."   Ummmm, need I say more?

By the time we finished with the radiation mapping, it was after 5:00. We were tired, but on an adrenaline high. Dad still has much ahead of him regardless of what comes first, but there is a plan. We pray that the UMMC plan parallels God's plan.

Our highest accolades to UMMC! Much appreciation and love to all who sported purple yesterday in support of  not only my family, but also our dear friend Sharon, whose first post-surgery chemo treatment for pancreatic cancer was yesterday. We love you, Sharon!

Much love to all.....Jen

Hot dogs, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut?

I need to vent for just a few lines.....why can't medical professional make this cancer things less stressful? Why does the responsibility to track down the test results and gather CDs with MRI images on it fall on the patient? The patient has just been told that he/she has CANCER! There are so many other things swirling around in the patient's mind and doing homework assignments for the doctors is not one of them! The technology is there people, use it for goodness sake! Sigh......not sermon. Just a thought. Thanks for listening.

On to it....

Dad has been at work all week, and my Yahoo inbox is happy. Knowing him, he's preparing for his upcoming absences after surgery, trying to make sure everything is in its place. What a lot of people may not know is that Dad has volunteered a lot of his time for Kiwanis over the last 30+ years, most of them serving as treasurer. He's not only trying to tie things up neatly for his company, but also his treasurer duties with the Kiwanis Club. It would be unlike him to leave things any other way.

He seems to be doing "okay" in light of his upcoming appointment with the surgical oncologist in 2 days.  We were not able to get in any earlier. Our appointment is at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. The wait is ever so stressful and overwhelming for all of us, but especially for both of my parents. Keeping busy is best right now. Mom has been trying to busy herself with cleaning the house and visiting her family in PA. To make every effort to help keep her mind busy, I've selflessly (of course) offered up MY house for her to clean too, and fyi.... no sign of her yet.

Evidently Dad's appetite that returned after the biopsy and stent procedure has been that of his grandchildren. He had specifically asked for hot dogs, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut for dinner the other night. What's it tomorrow night? Chicken nuggets with mac and cheese? Oh, and let's not leave out the warm apple dumplings topped with vanilla ice cream he's had too. Guess we're working on gaining those 10lbs. back.

I know lots of you have oodles of questions about what's going to happen next. Those questions will be answered on Friday and I promise to post then. Based upon what we've been told so far, although Dad's mass is big (>4cm), it appears to be contained to the pancreas. (Yay!) We are looking at Stage IIA. (Yay!) He is a candidate for "resection." (Yay!) If you wonder what that means, do a Google search for the "whipple procedure." It is an impressive surgery; one that is very involved, and takes more than 6 hours to perform. Dr. Alexander is internationally recognized for his work in this area. (Another yay!) All of this sounds scary, but it still gives us much reason to be optimistic. I feel sure that, like everything else Dad does, he does well. (ok, maybe minus his golf game) Dad will do well with this too.

I cannot thank everyone enough for supporting my parents the way you have over the last couple of weeks. Our 'Honeyworld' friends are the closest "family" my parents have right now. All of us kids have moved away, and having you Honeywood folks in their backyard is reassuring to my siblings and me. You all have been so wonderful and supportive. The other "family" that I have at my school is second to none--ya'll are ROCK stars! The support and prayers and little notes mean so much to all of us, and I'm sure we'll need them more than ever in months to come.

More to come in a few days. Thank you again for so much love and support. Much love to all....Jen

Not what we had hoped.....

I apologize for the silence, but yesterday was such a draining day that I just didn't have the energy to write last night. Unfortunately, the news we received yesterday was not what we wanted to hear. I spoke with Dr. Darwin around noon, and he confirmed what in our deepest of hearts we probably already knew, but had hoped and prayed that the 15% would be in our favor. Dad has an official diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, Stage 2. Stage 2 is good. We'll take that. Although the mass is large, at 4cm, it appears to be contained to the pancreas. It appears to be able to be removed. All of the questions we now have going into this next step will be answered by the surgical oncologist, Dr. Alexander, next Friday, October 5th. That appointment will be a consult on next steps, scheduling the much anticipated surgery date, and determining exactly what the surgery will entail.

I am very thankful that my sister's family came up late Thursday night to be with Mom and Dad when they received the news yesterday. I would not have wanted them to have to stare at each other alone after receiving my call, and I was relieved to be able to talk with my brother-in-law, Marc, rather than Mom. Mom is having a hard time. Many of you want to know how Mom and Dad are doing. They are sad and....stressed....and just want things to progress more quickly than they are. We all do. They don't really want to talk about it or answer questions. Makes it difficult to stop thinking about it when you have to constantly talk about it.

Today was a GREAT day, however! Mom and Dad came to Virginia to my house for the day. Jill, Marc, and the kids were all here too. Sam and Will started their own "Hamilton Polar Bear Club" and were swimming in the pool. The guys watched the WVU game. Dad's "couch coaching" was in full swing and he even partook in a "fancy boy beer" (Dad's term for any beer other than Bud). Dad was great. He looked good. He ate well, and obviously his coaching was strong b/c they won! It was a much needed jaunt out of the house and out of WV for the day. From what Mom said, Dad mowed the lawn this morning.

I pray for an earlier appointment with Dr. Alexander. I pray for a surgery date that will be sooner than later. I pray for supernatural wisdom for each person at UMMC who will have Dad in his/her care. I pray that Mom and Dad can hold peace in their hearts at such a stressful time.

It's going to be a loooooong week.

Good night and love to all.....Jen

Dad is doing great right now. He has not taken any pain meds since yesterday afternoon, and he's entertaining going to work for a little while tomorrow. For those of you on his email distribution, you know this means......clear out your inbox b/c he's got FOUR days worth of emails to catch up on and forward! By lunch time tomorrow, we will all be caught up on the latest uses for dryer sheets, Coca-cola, and WD-40. We will learn the "real" story behind our current President....AND.....we will be privilege to some of the funniest videos of some of God's cutest creatures....baby animals. Yes, my email friends, my Yahoo inbox will be fulfilled once again. It's been a little empty in there, and I welcome the business!

In college I had the opportunity to wait tables and tend bar. It was one of the greatest jobs I ever had. I learned a lot about dealing with all kinds of people. I also learned that not everyone understood the concept of tipping. Only receiving an hourly rate of $2.19, earning adequate tips to compensate for the tax pay out was important. Back then, I learned to truly appreciate exactly what "15%" meant. I was thrilled with 15%. I was pleased with 15%. I find myself tonight being, once again, willing to be appreciative, thrilled and pleased with 15%. There is a 15% chance that this "mass" is absolutely benign, and when I take that perspective, 15% sounds pretty darn good to me. We pray that the path report we receive tomorrow shares this very news. I know Mom and Dad share no desire to make that call tomorrow, and they've said as much.  I will make the call. The anxiety is overwhelming. The fear is paralyzing. You shake dialing the phone. Your heart pounds in your ears so loudly that you have to turn the volume up on your phone. Your voice crackles just talking to the other person on the phone. You try not to cry. What do you say? "Hey, ummm, I'm calling to see what...umm. I'm calling to see if I have....ummm....." You simply hope that the person answering can take over the conversation for you. This was my experience in 2010. I can relate to what my dad is going through.  Two years ago tomorrow, I underwent my first surgery to remove breast cancer. Funny how life times things. 

Tonight I am happy that Dad has a Ravens game to "coach from the couch." Tomorrow I am happy he is going to work. It's amazing how important these little distractions become. 

To all, keep Dad in your prayers. Pray for that 15%. If that 15% is not God's will, pray for the inner strength our family will need to work through the next part of this process. 

Love to all.....Jen

NOT an emergency?

It's been a long day...again. Dad has been able to eat a little, including a few Good & Plenty licorice candies every now and again. Yeah, Mom is none too thrilled with that.  The pain doesn't seem to be letting up, though. The need for the Percocet has been constant. I'm guessing having your pancreas stabbed with a 25 gauge needle 5 times has caused the inflammation Dr. Darwin said may occur.

I spoke with Dr. Alexander's office this morning. He is the surgical oncologist we have been referred to. He is highly recognized in the field and seems to be a rock star in the world of pancreatic issues. The "first available" appointment, according to the scheduler, is next Friday morning. I respectfully told her that was just not soon enough for us. She put me on hold for a while "to see what she could do." When she came back on she indicated that Dr. Darwin's referral had not indicated that my dad's case was an emergency, and  Dr. Alexander was not there for her to speak with. Not an emergency????  Really???  I wanted to scream, "Hello in there, lady! My dad has this THING on his pancreas and we want it out yesterday! THAT IS an emergency!!!!"  I just must be purely exhausted b/c for those of you who know me, I'm usually a pretty direct person and in times of emotional crisis, speaking my mind has never been an issue. (Yeah, Dad and I are cut from the same cloth.) She apologized, but again stated that October 5th was the first available. Of course we took that appointment and with the understanding that if something opened up sooner that we wanted it.

But maybe the fact that this is not considered "an emergency" is a good sign? The pancreas is not the favorable organ to have a 4cm mass to decide to take up residency, but along the way there have been small blessings to give us reason to be cautiously optimistic. I like to think that this "non-emergency" is another one. We have many friends, family and even strangers praying for Dad's health, and praying for supernatural wisdom upon the health care specialists working with him. I ask that we all continue our prayer warrior efforts. I pray that Dad's pain ease so that he may swing a golf club sooner than later ;)

Many thanks and much love to all.....Jen

Judge Judy makes everything better....

We finally left the hospital around 3:30 this afternoon. Dad was not feeling terrific. Let's just say that we now know for sure that anesthesia makes him feel sick. Dr. Darwin had indicated that pancreatitis was a possible side effect of today's procedure so it appears the Percocet is going to get a work out tonight, too. Dad opted to ride in the back seat, but don't think for a minute that his discomfort and nausea prevented him from any "back seat driving" out of Baltimore. Knowing my dad, he just wanted to get home and resume normalcy as soon as possible and he wasn't about to risk that by me getting turned around in B-town during rush hour.  Since I was driving HIS car, I allowed it :)

...and resume normalcy was what he did. As I was walking out the door to head to the pharmacy, who else did I hear on the TV lecturing an individual on the stupid, lazy, and irresponsible decisions made than Judge Judy. The entertaining rants of Judge Judy makes everything better. Normalcy had been officially resumed!

The reports provided by Dr. Darwin indicated that we have reason to be cautiously optimistic. We do not have a final path report yet, so nothing is confirmed yet. Tomorrow we will schedule an appointment with a surgical oncologist. We hope to see him by the end of this week.

Dad seems to be finally sleeping soundly on the couch.

Thank you for the messages, thoughts and prayers.

Much love to all....Jen

It's hard not to giggle....just a little....

So my mom and I are sitting in the family waiting room at the UMMC in Baltimore. What an amazing facility and what an amazing staff of people. Ironically, Mom was just here on August 13th for a surgery of her own. Little did we know that more than a month later we would be back, but the patients would have traded places. We have made a "new friend," about a dozen chairs down from us, who has a set of headphones on and, who I believe, plans to audition for American Idol. As Sam would say, she is "rocking out" and singing as loudly as she can.  I believe she was placed here to lighten the hearts of us waiting to hear about our loved ones. We have bonded. Funny how you bond with strangers at emotional times. However, I still wish Simon Cowell were here. As stressed as we are, it is hard not to giggle....just a little.

The procedure being performed today is an upper endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound test. Dr. Peter Darwin, who has performed 3,000-4,000 of these, indicated that he will take a look around (I believe he's really looking at staging), do a fine needle aspiration (biopsy), and put in a stent in the bile duct. The bile duct is being blocked by a 4cm mass on the pancreas. The stent will relieve the jaundice. After the procedure, he indicated that we would all have a "sit down" and talk about what today's procedure has revealed. I'm praying for the 15% chance that this thing is benign.

Dad is dealing well considering the man hasn't been a hospital patient since he had his tonsils out at the age of 5. So far, he is being very cooperative. For those of you who know my dad, you know what I mean:)  It was interesting to listen to the long list of questions asked and his responses. He really doesn't know if he's allergic to anything or how he reacts to anesthesia or how he typically heals/responds to surgery b/c he's 70 (almost 71) and he's not ever had a hospital stay. He's always been on the other side. He looks pretty good, but it was evident this morning that the jaundice was in the whites of his eyes had set in. Dr. Darwin noticed immediately.

For my prayer warriors, keep praying. Love to all....Jen.

"Procedure????"

"Procedure?"

I have spoken with my mom a few times today. It's not a good thing that she's at home alone right now. Too much time alone with her thoughts. The good news is....We have an appointment tomorrow at noon for a "procedure." However, Mom doesn't seem to know what that procedure is, and I'm sure Dad is not being forthcoming with her. I am pleased with the urgency with which this specialist is treating this case. I hope to be further impressed tomorrow during our appointment.

Stay tuned.....

Brown Pee Never A Good Thing....

So maybe that's sharing just a little too much info immediately, but as it turns out all throughout your life, your pee has a lot to do with one's overall health, and that's where this story begins......

A few weeks ago, over several chats with my mom on the phone, she had been mentioning in passing that Dad just "hadn't been feeling well." He had "a bug." He had very little appetite and was only eating vanilla ice cream. My dad has never really been sick. He could probably count on one hand the number of times in his life where he took an antibiotic of any sort. He's never had any type of surgery. He's never had a hospital stay. Of his same aged peers, he's been of the "healthiest."

After hearing that he enjoyed only two beers at the Ravens Monday Night FB game on September 10th, I knew there was more going on. (I've tailgated with my dad many times. It's been one of "our things" over the years.) When I started to push for a little more info, Mom added to the "not feeling well" the fact that he had been peeing BROWN. When I heard that, my gut dropped. I had heard these combination of symptoms far too many times in the last year, and I knew it could potentially mean Dad was in for some life-changing news. Unfortunately, I was right.

On Thursday morning, Dad finally called his Dr. to get an appointment. He was seen immediately and spent most of his day, except for the time spent in his truck during a fire drill at the medical facility, waiting on results. On Friday morning, he was sent for more tests: MRI and CT Scan. On Friday evening, my parents learned that Dad has "a large pancreatic mass pressing on a valve between the liver and pancreas," and he is being referred to a pancreatic specialist at the University of Maryland. (Just as an fyi, my mom just had surgery August 13th at the University of Maryland. Yeah, they've had quite a bit going on lately.)

At the time of this posting, we are just waiting to hear when his appointment will be. As we learn more info and are ready to share, I will post to this blog and hope to use this as the primary means of communicating info for my parents. Mom and dad are very overwhelmed with this information and what it could potentially mean for our family. Please feel free to ask me questions on here or post comments, etc....

Many thanks for all of you who are already our prayer warriors.