Gladys update from Sandra

Everyone,
Thanks so much for your prayers and concern during mother's
recent hospital stay. She spent a week - 9/9-9/17 - because
of inflammation in her abdomen around the surgical site of
her bowel resection.  The main treatment was IV antibiotics
and pain medication.  She is doing some better, but will
remain on a mainly liquid diet for another couple of weeks.

We took her back to her apartment in Morningview Assisted
Living yesterday afternoon, so she is much happier!  Please
continue to pray that she will improve, and regain her
strength.  She continues to be very weak, and time will
tell if she will be able to continue living in the assisted
living apartment.

We really appreciate all of your prayers, calls, messages
and visits!

Thanks so much.
Sandra

Earl - Monday 9/15/08

Blood work today showed Earl's potassium is low, so he was instructed to eat bananas. He also has a bladder infection again, which is likely the cause of the fevers. So, he's back on antibiotics. This just makes round 5 or 6.... I've lost count.

He did get chemo today. He also got two shots for the diarrhea. Hope it works better this time. Just hope the double dose doesn't stop .... everything! When I got home today, he was so pale. He looks so washed out! When I mentioned it, he said I was the second person to tell him that today. He said he felt ok, just tired. Guess it's no wonder with all that's going on with him right now.

He goes back next Monday for blood work and follow-up. He will see the Doctor on the 29th.

Please pray for strength for Earl to get thru the treatments, the infection, the diarrhea. He has so much going on, it's hard to even know how to ask you to pray. Just remember him.

Update on Aunt Gladys from Sandra

Everyone,
Some of you are aware that mother was readmitted to the
hospital last Tuesday evening for excessive pain near her
recent incision site.  She was doing very well after her
bowel resection done on Aug. 9th, and had returned to her
apartment in assisted living on Sat. Sept. 6th.

Unfortunately, that was very short-lived. She has been in
the hospital for a week this time, and the doctor informed
me this morning that her pain is coming from the lower
right side of her colon.  Apparently, it is very inflamed
and swollen, which causes her extreme pain each time she
eats. They are able to control the pain with morphine,
but that isn't a good long term solution.

The doctor says poor circulation in the area is the main
cause of it not healing as it should.  At 91 years old,
mother's circulation isn't good, so the healing may take
a long time, if at all.  I am not sure whether or not she
will be able to return to assisted living if she must be
on strong pain medication - probably not.

She is very alert, and aware of all that is going on with
her. Just pray that the Lord will do whatever is best for her.

Thanks for your support!
Sandra

Gladys back in hospital on Sept. 9th

Gladys spent three days back in her room. She called Sandra Tues. afternoon saying she was having a lot of pain. At recommendation of the assisted living staff, Sandra took Gladys to the ER. A CT scan without contrast showed swelling and inflammation in the area of her surgery.

She was admitted that night and has continued to have pain, which seems to be much worse in the evenings. She has been on IV antibiotics since being admitted.

A CT scan with contrast was done Saturday and they should get results of it on Monday and find out what the Doctor recommends next.

When Sandra went to see her around noon today, Gladys was sitting up eating her lunch. Seemed to be okay then.

Saturday 3 a.m.

Earl woke me Saturday 3 a.m. with a fever of 103 degrees. This is the third round of fever he has had in last 10 days. He goes for chemo tomorrow and will let them know about this before he gets lab or chemo.

Thursday fever again!

Thursday was another rough day for Earl. He had a fever again. Felt bad all day. Did not even try to work much. Still has the diarrhea. Not as bad, but still a problem. I worry about dehydration.

Earl feels better today. Just weak.

Gladys is back in her apartment

Talked to Sandra today. Gladys was moved back into her apartment in Assisted Living on Saturday, Sept. 6th.

Sandra was met at the door by staff yesterday when she went to see her Mother. Gladys did not go to breakfast or lunch on Sunday. She promised Sandra she would go for the evening meal, but she only ate a couple of bites. She is still drinking her Strawberry Ensure.

It's only been four weeks since her surgery. We hope she will begin to regain her appetite, so she can build up her strength.

Please continue to pray for the family during these trying times.

Lillian

Earl's test results from Sept. 3rd.

Guess we got some good news. I would have been happier with better, but Dr. seemed satisfied that the numbers have come down some. Count started out at 43, dropped to 39 (we didn't even know that) and today (last Wed.) it was 30. At least, it isn't going UP!

Earl was down to 159 lbs. today. Lost a little. Not surprised.... since he is still dealing with the diarrhea. Plus, he had a fever from Thurs until late Saturday. We don't know what that was all about.

Earl will go back tomorrow for chemo, then again next Monday. Off on the 22nd and will see Dr. again on 29th. Earl will get another shot for the diarrhea on 29th, unless it is still a BIG problem next week, then he can get one on the 22nd. He has to wait 30 days between shots. Dr. said they would give Earl a larger dose next time to try to control it better.

Dr. was most pleased that Earl's back pain has been gone for last two to three weeks. He said that says more than the CA19-9 count.

Dr. went to M.D. Anderson conference last week. He said nothing he learned there indicated anything else would work any better than what Earl is already getting in the way of chemo. Nothing suggested that giving Earl a combination of drugs would work any better, either. Would just be a lot harder on him.

So, I guess we just keep hammering away with the current treatment and PRAY a lot!

Blood work on Wed. 9/3/08

Earl has completed four treatments and will be going for blood work tomorrow. The main test we'll be anxious to see the results for is the CA19-9. This was 40 before he began this series of chemo. Please pray that the chemo is working and that count will be much lower. We are to get the results on Sept. 8th.

Earl is optimistic that the chemo is helping. His pain at night has been much better the last couple of weeks. We hope this is an indication that good things are happening!

Earl fell twice on Sunday. Once at church as he was walking down front right before he started up on the stage for practice before the church service. He was carrying his trumpet case. Might have bumped his foot on it. Knocked skin off the back of his arm above the elbow about 3-4". Place less than the size of a dime. No idea how he did that.

Later Sun. evening he stumbled and about fell over the coffee table in the LR. Julie had been coloring with Liana's markers earlier in the day. He hit his wrist on the small metal suitcase like box with the markers it it. The lid was up and the corner sharp. He has a gash about 3" long. It's kinda ragged. Hope it doesn't get infected!

Monday, he hit his hand on something.... he doesn't even know when/how.... and knocked a hunk of skin off the back of his hand. His skin is so thin. It doesn't take much to bruise or tear his skin.

We appreciate your concern, encouragement and definitely all your prayers.