Good news
Dear Family and Friends,
This afternoon at 4 we met with Dr. Melynk in Antioch. Nan was feeling rough for reasons I will explain later. Dr. M came right to the point. He showed Nan the PET scans which sort of overwhelmed her with the magnitude of the existing diease. There is a lot of tumor mass. However he told us that some of the tumors were essentially dead, turned to fluid. The bottom line is this, there has been no change in tumor size in the past 3 weeks, since the last CT scan. That my friends is very good news and it slowly sank in for Nan and me both as we sat there. I explored if there was anything that could be done to try to solve the blockage but he thinks the tumor mass has flattened the bowels to the point where they are blocked. He was unwilling to consider a lower GI test or a upper GI, he felt it was not worth the discomfort Nan would experience.
Nan went to the doctors today feeling rough due to the fact that we were unable to pump her stomach out. Apria arrived with the new improved suction pump which pumps continuously. Unfortunately it takes some time to get started and we were out of time needing to leave for the doctor and they had taken away the pump were were used to so Nan had to live with a belly full of fluids. It made the trip to and from the doctor rough and she was on the edge of nausea the entire time. When we got home we started the pump and it immediatelly started pumping out fluid and so far has pulled about 300 ccs. Within a few minutes Nan was on the phone sharing her good news with loved ones in Texas and then headed to sleep. She has been asleep now for hours on her new mattress Apria brought at the same time.
We both woke this morning with great trepidation and concern. We had no idea what the report would reveal and could only hope for the best. The actual report is very sobering due to the amount of the disease but the fact that for the last 3 weeks no tumor progression has taken place is very important.
So tonight we are home resting up, thanking the Lord for AMN and its positive effects and certainly thanking you for your prayers and kind thoughts in Nan's behalf. Marilyn has gone to see friends in Sacramento so its just Nan and me this weekend. Once again we have lots to be thankful for and certainly lots to seek the Lord's help with.
This evening I have come down with a summer cold so I'm sitting in the recliner with a mask on and Nan is enjoying her new hospital bed mattress and has decided to stay downstairs tonight. right now we have the suction system turned off since Nan just took pills at 9:30 and we realy don't want to pump the meds right back out after she has taken them so we wait as long as possible, up to three hours if we can and at least 1 hour at the least.
So I wrap it up now, I have every med I can find in the house, am gargling and need to push some orange juice well that is except I don't have any orange juice in the house.
We send our love to each and every one of you.
love
tim and nan
This afternoon at 4 we met with Dr. Melynk in Antioch. Nan was feeling rough for reasons I will explain later. Dr. M came right to the point. He showed Nan the PET scans which sort of overwhelmed her with the magnitude of the existing diease. There is a lot of tumor mass. However he told us that some of the tumors were essentially dead, turned to fluid. The bottom line is this, there has been no change in tumor size in the past 3 weeks, since the last CT scan. That my friends is very good news and it slowly sank in for Nan and me both as we sat there. I explored if there was anything that could be done to try to solve the blockage but he thinks the tumor mass has flattened the bowels to the point where they are blocked. He was unwilling to consider a lower GI test or a upper GI, he felt it was not worth the discomfort Nan would experience.
Nan went to the doctors today feeling rough due to the fact that we were unable to pump her stomach out. Apria arrived with the new improved suction pump which pumps continuously. Unfortunately it takes some time to get started and we were out of time needing to leave for the doctor and they had taken away the pump were were used to so Nan had to live with a belly full of fluids. It made the trip to and from the doctor rough and she was on the edge of nausea the entire time. When we got home we started the pump and it immediatelly started pumping out fluid and so far has pulled about 300 ccs. Within a few minutes Nan was on the phone sharing her good news with loved ones in Texas and then headed to sleep. She has been asleep now for hours on her new mattress Apria brought at the same time.
We both woke this morning with great trepidation and concern. We had no idea what the report would reveal and could only hope for the best. The actual report is very sobering due to the amount of the disease but the fact that for the last 3 weeks no tumor progression has taken place is very important.
So tonight we are home resting up, thanking the Lord for AMN and its positive effects and certainly thanking you for your prayers and kind thoughts in Nan's behalf. Marilyn has gone to see friends in Sacramento so its just Nan and me this weekend. Once again we have lots to be thankful for and certainly lots to seek the Lord's help with.
This evening I have come down with a summer cold so I'm sitting in the recliner with a mask on and Nan is enjoying her new hospital bed mattress and has decided to stay downstairs tonight. right now we have the suction system turned off since Nan just took pills at 9:30 and we realy don't want to pump the meds right back out after she has taken them so we wait as long as possible, up to three hours if we can and at least 1 hour at the least.
So I wrap it up now, I have every med I can find in the house, am gargling and need to push some orange juice well that is except I don't have any orange juice in the house.
We send our love to each and every one of you.
love
tim and nan
posted by Tim Mustard @ 8:06 PM
4 Comments:
At 10:45 PM,
Anonymous said…
Tim,
I told you my plan was best but nooooo you had to do your way. I am older I said listen to me but noooo you had to do it your way. I weigh more than you do so listen to me I said but noooo you had to do it your way. I have straighter hair than you do so listen to me, dang it but no you had to do it your way. Now admit it I was right. None of that worrying yu did helped anything. I told you not to worry but noooo you had to do it your way.
Now the worse news you have had in years. I was right and you were wrong. I'm marking on my calendar right now. It feels good I'll tell ya. I can't remember the last time I was right it must be on last years calendar but that felt good too.
Besides the gloating I am praying that there will be more AMN good news in your immediate future.
Wes
At 11:23 PM,
Anonymous said…
Hi Tim and Nan,
I will plan to come by Sabbath afternoon 4-5ish probably- I'll bring OJ -Glad for the "good" report, different pump and new mattress.
Loved singing with you Tim at the service today- Even though you were in one pew and I was in another. If Bart and Dolly had been closer we could have had a quartet!
Sylva
At 12:20 AM,
Anonymous said…
Hi Tim and Nan, Tumors the same, new mattress, new pump ... it is good news.
Gerry and I ate sugar free ice cream today and we both had the "back door trots" and that we a scary feeling as we are leaving in a few hours for our trip to Boston and on to other areas in that neck of the woods. We will be going to Marilyn's state, Rhode Island, too. I was in bed but could not sleep so got up and read some emails and then the blog.
Keep a song in your heart and think positive. Praying for you as we travel. Love, Barbie
At 6:33 AM,
Unknown said…
Wa-hoo!! Yeah God!
Tim and Nan, what a terrific Sabbath you will have today as we all join you in thanking Him for answered prayer! Before heading to bed last night, John "forced" me to check your blog to see how the Dr. appt. went--but nothing had been posted yet. So we are both absolutely thrilled to read this morning that the tumors are not growing--and the added perks of a new mattress and pump!! Sweet!!
Enjoy a relaxing, OJ-filled day, Tim! And Nan--enjoy your man and knowing all around this great earth you are being remembered not only in prayer, but in lots and lots of love!
Karen
(PS--tell Sylvia hi this afternoon--and Wes? Love that fact he never changes--always ready for a laugh!!)
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