Crossley update

Lillian Marie Stogner Crossley
June 16, 2007

Not much info, but did find out the biopsy report is not expected until next mid-week. Family does not expect any decisions regarding treatment or surgery until the doctors get the lab report.

I do have the phone number for her hospital room. If you want it, please let me know. She is in St. Luke's Hospital in Allentown, Pa.

Trip to Pa. canceled.

When Mother told me this morning she did want to go see her sister, I knew she would back out. And she did by about 11:00 a.m. I had just hoped she wouldn't. I hate it so much that they won't ever see each other again. They look so much alike and have always been very close. There is another photo of the two of them here on the blog. (Click Crossley label)

Lillian and Ruby

1946 in Gatlinburg, TN

Mom had started trying to get some things packed and wore herself out with what little she had done. She has decided she just cannot make the trip. It's hard for me to prepare for traveling and being away for long, so I can imagine how hard it would be if I were almost 90 years old!

Blessings and hugs,
Lillian

Doctor appointments, Earl & Sam T

Earl said he climbed the stairs from our basement twice today without his cane. That's progress! He doesn't use it much while walking around the house, but does still take it when he leaves the house.

Earl has an appointment with the oncology doctor on Wed. Aug 1st. We assume chemo will start soon after.

My father, Sam Trentham, has an appointment on Aug. 2nd with Knoxville Orthopedic. One of his feet/legs is getting numb from just below the knee down. He has finally agreed to go get it checked out.

As you pray, please remember my guys as they face these appointments.

Blessings,
Lillian

Lillian Crossley - Stomach cancer

I got news a few minutes ago that Mother's sister, Lillian, has stomach cancer...tumor at top of stomach. It's 7-8 cm and was not there a month ago. Drs aren't talking surgery. She's 87 and has lymphoma in her neck and chest. Kidney's aren't operating at full capacity, either. She's in hosp. already having problems getting food down. Does not sound good at all. Dr mentioned feeding tube. They took biopsy of stomach tumor, no results yet.

When family took her to hosp. she was very anemic. She got 11 units of blood.

I will probably go with Dad & Mother to Allentown, Pa. tomorrow to see her. I went to see her while we were in Philly. So glad I did! Guess we'll head out in the morning and I hope to get back Monday or Tues. as I have to work!

Please put her and sons , Jack and David and their families on prayer list.

I put a photo of her and Mother on the blog back in June. Click on the "Crossley" label on the right side of screen to jump to it.

More later as I get news.

Lillian

Earl fell on Saturday

I have debated about whether to tell you about Earl's fall. It scared me so badly.... I'm still not over it. He probably won't appreciate me telling on him!

He is ok except for a 1/2" cut across the bridge of his nose and a scratch above his eye. Minor carpet burn on his right knee. His right hip was sore for a few days, but he's getting around better now.

I think this fall may be related to the sleeping pills he has been taking. After we got back to Tenn., he was having a hard time getting back to sleep after getting up to go to the bathroom during the night. At times he would still be up around 5 or 6 a.m. He went to his Dr. who agreed with Earl that he needed to get his days and nights turned back around. Dr. prescribed something to help him sleep. Suggesting he take 1/2 pill when he could not get back to sleep.

Earl had been taking the sleep aid about two weeks was sleeping better. Then, he got up Sat. morning about 6:15 a.m. and fell. He said he could feel himself falling, but there wasn't anything to catch himself to keep from falling. The crash woke me with such a scare!

His head landed about 10-12 ft. from anyplace he should have been. I imagine him, in his mind, falling forever! His head was about a foot from the wall and about two feet over from a large wall mirror. Glad he didn't hit/break it!

I don't know now how I did it, but after making sure he wasn't hurt badly, I picked him up!! I know! I've paid for it for several days! I had gotten his walker and he used it to get on to the bathroom. He was very dazed and almost fell a couple of times by the time I got him back into bed. I have wondered if he might have taken too much sleeping aid and over medicated himself.

Monday morning, about 6:45, he almost fell again. This time, he was using his walker going to bathroom. He woke me when he fell forward holding on to the walker and hit the door facing going into the bathroom. If he hadn't stumbled into the door, he would have fallen head/face first over the walker. This time, I was furious! It almost had to be the sleeping pills. He has never done anything like this in all the weeks since his surgery!

We bought some Tylenol P.M. which he took last night. (I hid the sleeping pills!) Then about 6 a.m. this morning he insisted on taking 1/4 of a sleeping pill. Fortunately, there are only a couple of pills left, so I'm hoping I can talk him out of getting any more. I know it's aggravating when he can't get back to sleep, but I don't like cleaning up blood, applying bandages and worrying about broken bones!! Both of his hips have already been replaced, so he sure doesn't need to break one of them or something else!

We still have not heard from the chemo Dr. but we'll contact him, if we don't hear from him this week.

Earl is cooped up here at home.... working a couple of hours daily now in his home office. It means a lot to hear from friends. Thank you to everyone who has sent cards, called and visited.

Please continue to remember us in prayer. I'm praying for more patience!! :-)

Lillian

If you are reading this blog, I bet you can relate to this!

Thanks to my niece, Stacie, in SC for sharing this. Enjoyed a good laugh!

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2007 when...

1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your
coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list

AND NOW YOU ARE LAUGHING at yourself.

Special hello to 3 North gang

We appreciate Linda and Kerri from 3 North (Fox Chase) stopping by to say "hello". Great to hear from you! Please tell all the gang Earl is doing well. Still not winning any foot races, but he's still walking several times each day. Also eating better each day. So far, he hasn't lost any of his meals since the second discharge from FCCC.

His incision has finally healed. There was another place near the bottom that puffed up and I squeezed for a few days. We have finally left off all bandages as of yesterday.

We are waiting for the chemo Dr. to call. He was to contact Dr. Watson and then let us know when treatments will start. We expect to hear something in the next couple of weeks.

Earl is having to buy new Jeans & dress pants. He has lost so much weight, he's having trouble keeping his pants from falling down!! Finally donated a BIG bag of his pants. His shirts are swallowing him whole, too, but they won't fall off!! :-)

He has discovered the motorized shopping carts. He has used them the last couple of trips to grocery or other shopping. Now, I'm the one trying to keep up! He can go & go & GO! He was spending a lot of time sitting somewhere on a bench, while I made the rounds. Not any more!

This week....

Really not much going on. He's just recovering and I'm just working. This will likely be what the next few weeks will be like, until he starts chemo and radiation.

It was good for me to get back to work on Monday and see everyone. A LONG week, but a busy mind doesn't have time to dwell on home matters! I'll welcome a break this week by being off for the 4th!

Earl has been fending for himself during the day. He is walking outside several times each day. Eating small amounts of whatever he wants. Avoiding fatty foods.

The open place in his incision has closed up to the point that we stopped packing it yesterday. Hopefully the small place will continue to close and heal without further problems. Another place festered this week and I have been draining and treating it. It seems much better today.

The big thing that is getting to him right now is that he has his days and nights switched. He never has gone to bed until after the 11 p.m. news. Now he's waking up around 2:30 or 3 a.m. and can't get back to sleep until around 5-6 a.m. He is napping during the day and then isn't sleepy when he should be.

Earl at cookout 6/30/07

I did take him to my sister's yesterday afternoon for their annual cookout to celebrate her husband's birthday (July 2nd) and The 4th of July. Earl ate TWO hotdogs! That's a lot for him now! It was so hot, he didn't feel like staying too long. He was ready for a nap when he got home. And he wonders why he can't sleep at night!?!?

Earl has ventured downstairs to his office a few times this week. Going thru mail and checking email, but not attempting any real work yet. His mind isn't clear enough to really concentrate on work. He's still so weak.... isn't able to do much for very long.

Dr. said recovery would take about eight weeks and as things look, it'll take that long or longer for him to recover. I hope the treatments aren't too debilitating.

Boredom is his enemy, too. He wants to GO.... then we go and he's ready to sit down or head home shortly after we get anywhere! So, if anyone has time to call or visit.... he will definitely appreciate any contact, now that he's feeling better.

Won't bore you any more with our boredom!

Hope you have a good week and A HAPPY FOURTH!


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We're home!

Enjoying the sunshine and freedom of outdoors!
6/21/07

Me watching him walk off on his own... (not hovering!)

Parting ways in Bulls Gap with my brother, Mike, and his cushy ride!
"Thank you, Little B" for meeting us in Chambersburg, Pa.

See more photos here:

Photos - Final days in Philly

Click on "slideshow" at top right of screen

or click on any thumbnail photo to enlarge.

We did finally make it back home today. Such a relief!

We are so thankful for a safe trip back home. We were so warmly greeted by family and a stack of mail that included several cards.

The most surprising, I guess, was one signed by a lot of Dollywood employees. Earl is a member of the "Dollywood Pin Club" and has become friends with Henry the "Pin Man". It was so nice of Henry to send the card with so many good wishes and signatures from Dollywood employees, who do not even know who Earl is. So many people are praying for Earl! The magnitude of all the prayers and concern for Earl is so humbling for both of us.

As we traveled back down I-81 today I saw a sign near Abingdon, Va. that said "Knoxville 128 miles". I was so tired.... thoughts of "we're almost back in Tennessee" and "Thank you, Lord, for a safe trip" hit me..... next thing I know... I'm crying like a baby! I must have bawled for 15 miles or more. I was in my car alone, following the motor home. So, I just had a good cry. Thankful for that big box of Puffs!

This was the first time I had cried about any of this. I've been so determined to be "strong" for Earl and have managed to get thru the past 3-4 months without breaking down. I guess I have needed to do this! My "how do you spell relief" moment!?

Now, we get a grip and tackle the next phase. Earl's treatments, chemo and radiation, will begin near the end of July. He will certainly need the month of July to regain his strength and some of his weight. He is so weak. He can climb a few steps, but only when he has something to hold on to to help pull himself up. There were seven steps down/up to the apartment and four steps into the motor home. It seemed just about all he could do to manage them. But, he did!

We forgot to take his cane, from his hip replacement days, and had to buy another one in Philly. It sure helps in his walks when he has wobbly moments. I have tried so hard not to "hover" and let him do for himself when he can. He comes so close to falling.... I'm a nervous wreck about the possibility of him falling and breaking something!

He has been so good, from the day after surgery, to walk several times each day as instructed. It may be at a snail's pace, but he's moving and determined to get stronger every day! His attitude is always so positive, too. If attitude has anything to do with his survival.... he WILL beat this!

We also know that it's going to take the prayers, love and support of our families, friends, church family and even the strangers we do not know. This means so much to us and is so very important and appreciated every waking moment!

Words cannot begin to convey how loved we feel! THANK YOU everyone!

THANK YOU, LORD, FOR BRINGING US THIS FAR!

We still have such a long way to go!
Lillian

At last! Home tomorrow!

We're spending the night in Wytheville, VA.

We really don't know how we would have made the trip if Mike and C. A. had not come up in their motor home. It has made a world of difference in getting Earl home and allowing him to sleep and rest on the road.

We left on June 2nd and returning 21 days later. Total of 14 days in hospital.

We're only about 3 hr 30 min from home. We'll be home tomorrow!

We're on the road again!

We were supposed to call Dr. Watson on Friday to discuss heading home. About 3 p.m. Thursday Earl had had about all he could stand of the apartment, the twin bed, the couch and the recliner!

Every time I woke up Wed. night he was in a different place. He was playing musical beds.... he'd be in the bed, then the couch, then the bed, then the recliner and back to the bed. I don't know how much he actually slept, but he couldn't have rested much. I know I didn't just checking on him.

Since we didn't have an actual appointment on Friday, I suggested he go ahead and call the Dr. and just see what he would say. Earl has been doing fine since getting out of the hosp on Tues. When he discussed this with the Dr. today the Dr. did ask him if he was already half way home and just calling. Earl told him "No, we're just about a block from the hospital". Which we were.... Earl had demanded that I take him away from the apt. so we had driven to a park that is across from the hospital. He walked around some and sat in the sun. He just enjoyed being outside for a little while. We were at the park when Earl called Dr. Watson.

Dr. Watson finally told Earl he could go home. Earl said "Let's go home"! We went back to the apt. and started packing. In about two hours, we had packed up three weeks worth of stuff and loaded it all into the car. We had to take the key to the hosp, gas up the car, get Earl a bite to eat and by 7 p.m. we hit the road.

We made it to Harrisburg, Pa. and stopped for the night. Earl is really tired. Went straight to bed. We'll take it easy in the morning. We are to meet Mike and C. A. (my brother and his wife) in Chambersburg, Pa. mid morning. They are in Gettysburg, Pa. tonight. After we meet them, we'll head on down the road.

We will probably spend another night on the road and get home some time Saturday.

It will be so good to be back home. This has, undoubtedly, been the longest three weeks of our lives!

Earl out of the Hospital

Earl was released from Fox Chase yesterday, June 19th, to go back to the apartment with Lillian. He seems to be getting back in the right direction with the stomach issue. He will be seeing Dr. Watson on Friday, June 22nd to make the determination if he will be released to come home. Please keep those prayers flowing, they feel they may be coming down the home stretch back to Tennessee. Home again!! Love to all for your support and prayers.

This post by Pat Carver

Pathology report

Dr Watson came in about 6 p.m. with pathology report.

The tumor was 7 cm or about 3". It was stage 3 which is the typical stage of most of Dr. Watson's patients. Of the 21 lymph nodes removed, seven tested positive. Only 1 in 4 survive 5 yrs. He said Earl's chances are not that good. That Earl could have a recurrence within two years.

Strongly recommended chemo and radiation. These to start after Earl recovers some.... around the end of July.

Dr. is letting Earl out of hosp tomorrow, but wants us to stay around for a couple of days to make sure Earl is ok, before we hit the road. He wants to see Earl on Friday and if everything is ok, we can head for home.

Granted this is not the best news we could have wished for, but the tumor is out and now we do have hope that Earl can be the 1 out of 4 that makes it!

Please continue to pray for us. It's going to be a rough road thru the rest of 2007.

Thank you for all your prayers, emails, comments, and support.... just everything everyone has done .... we appreciate each and every one of you. We would never have made it this far without your help and prayers.

Lillian & Earl


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Here another day!

Earl is making progress. The stomach drain came out Sat. night. He was on liquids Sunday. Regular meals today. He got unhooked from IV this morning. No IV pole tagging along on his walks! He does still have the IV in his hand, but they only use it when they need to give him antibiotics or other meds. He's hooked up right now for about an hour to get the antibiotic.

Now, we hope his stomach will get the hang of what it's supposed to be doing and we'll get to come home.

Earl said someone told him this morning there would probably be no need for him to see Dr. Watson on Wed, since he's been here for last week. So we may get to head toward TN on Wed, if he gets out tomorrow.

I haven't mentioned it to Earl, but I have wondered if Dr will want to see Earl in another week. That was the plan when he got out of hosp last time. He absolutely will not be happy with that. He wants to GO HOME NOW! We should find out tomorrow morning when we'll be traveling.

We're meeting my brother, Mike, in the Lancaster, PA area so Earl can travel back in his motor home. Should be a lot easier on Earl.

Lillian

Wonderful caretakers at FCCC

Earl was very blessed to have such wonderful ladies to take care of him and help make his stays at Fox Chase as comfortable as possible. Thank you for all your smiling faces and words of encouragement during his recovery. All of you have helped make our stay here very pleasant.

Though we will be glad to get back to Tennessee, we will long remember each of you. Thank you for everything!

I know there are others that were not working at the time of these photos and hope to get pictures of them tomorrow. These two photos are both night shifts.

Someone let me know, if I misspelled names or have names in wrong order.

Lillian Lancaster

3rd North Nursing Staff (first stay 6/3-6/11)
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Philadelphia, Pa.
(L-R) Marilyn, Laura, Glenda, Donna, Dara, Sarah

3rd South Nursing Staff (second stay 6/13-6/19)
Fox Chase Cancer Center

Philadelphia, Pa.
In front (L-R): Eileen & Selina
In Back (L-R): Allie, Stephanie, Maria, Melissa, Earl,
Sheila, Niccole, Jennifer, Sue

My Aunt diagnosed with Lymphoma

Sisters, Lillian and Ruby
January 2005
Now 87 & 90 years old

Yesterday, I traveled up to Schnecksville, Pa. (near Allentown) to see my Mother's sister, Lillian (87 yrs old), for whom I was named. She learned this week that she has lymphoma cancer. The glands on the right side of her neck are swollen. She will be undergoing further tests, we assume checking to see the extent of the cancer.

Copied from About.com:
There are two main types of lymphoma: Hodgkin's lymphoma and non Hodgkin's lymphoma. While both types of cancer develop in the same way, the single factor that distinguishes the two is a single type of cell - the Reed Sternberg cell. This cancerous cell type is found only in Hodgkin's Lymphoma and can be distinguished from other types of Lymphoma by the way it appears under a microscope.

Furthermore, Hodgkin's lymphoma and non Hodgkin's lymphoma grow and spread in different ways. If a lymphoma diagnosis is made and does not contain the Reed-Sternberg variant, the cancer can then only be Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Also called Hodgkin's disease, Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer of the lymph tissue found in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and bone marrow.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma covers a far more broad range of cancer cells. There are about 30 different types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. These types of lymphoma can be difficult to diagnose as there are so many types.

Tubeless again! (Happy Father's Day!)

The stomach drain came out last night around 7 p.m. after being on a six hour schedule all day. The drain was off for six hrs. then turned on to see what came out. No intake of liquids or food since Wed. night admission.

He got first tray of full liquids at noon today. Instructed to sip, not try to drink everything in sight. Save some for another hour. Not overdo! Small meals several times a day. He even got ORANGE jello! Not his favorite, but sure reminded him of home & UT. There is also a rope-like thing holding the room door open. It's orange/white!

This morning the Surgical Fellow told Earl he might be released Monday a.m. Earl is READY to get out. The nursing staff have all been wonderful, but he has had enough of the bed and chair!

Earl was weighed Friday @ 170 lbs. Before all this started he was 220, so he has now lost 50 lbs. since end of March. He had lost about 35 lbs before coming up here. So, he's lost another 15 lbs since surgery on June 4th. He does not, however, recommend this method of weight loss!

Our prayers now are that he will be discharged tomorrow and is going to be able to work his way back up to eating normal meals without further problems.

Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there.

Lillian

Not getting out today

The assistant Dr. told Earl this a.m. that he won't be getting out today. The tube may come out this evening or in the morning. I would think they'll then start feeding him again to see what happens. This could take another day or so.

They call these young doctors "Surgical Fellows" (male or female).

Anyway.... Earl may not get out until Sat. or Sun.... we don't really know. His Dr. should be in some time today with more info.

Then, we'll just have to hope his stomach continues to work right. He's getting antsy to head home! Or, at least, out of here and back to the apt.

Earl's Mother fell early yesterday morning about 7:30 a.m. My Mother was the only other person there (in basement apt). Dad had already left to do a couple of odd jobs. She was able to call out for help and Mother heard her on the baby monitor we had hooked up before we left. Otherwise, she could have been in the floor for a while. Mother called 911. Public assist calls are referred to the Rescue Squad. Our daughter, Liana, was pulling time at squad, so she and three guys rolled to help her up. (Two of them were "green shirts".... high school kids in training). His Mother didn't break anything, so we've been told, but her shoulder is sore, where she landed on it.

Hospital room & phone number

Earl is in room (deleted) this time. His phone number is 215-(deleted)

Earl update 6/14/07

Good morning everyone,

First.... thank you to my sister for last night's post. We have no Internet access at the apt, so have not checked the blog or email since Monday a.m.

Earl got a real good chuckle out of the comments left about the "cheesecake" photo. Thanks for taking time to leave the comments.

Doctor told Earl this morning that his stomach is just being a bit sluggish about emptying like it should. It's being stubborn (like Earl?).... one nurse said "like a mule". We've been told that what is happening has nothing to do with what he ate or what he did or didn't do. Early release made no difference. It might have happened even if he were still in the hospital. So, I guess we don't need to second guess about "why".

While in hosp last week, Earl was getting one medication via IV that helped make his stomach work/empty. He may be sent home with pill form of that this time. Did not have that after release on Monday.

Doctor said they would keep the tube in today and may let him out tomorrow (Friday). This is just a temporary set-back!

Thank you for the continued prayers.

Lillian

Earl (setback) Re-admitted to Hospital in PA

Earl had to be put back in Fox Chase today. He started having problems with his stomach. Vomiting several times today, so Lillian called and they had her bring Earl back to the hospital. They have re-admitted him and re-inserted the nose tube to drain his stomach again.

X-ray did reveal he did not have any blockage and it was not caused by foods he had eaten. It seems, from what they have told them, that what is happening is something that is quite typical following the Whipple procedure he had done. They are saying basically, his stomach still has not woke up completely and is not emptying like it should. Will take more time to get it back in order. He's not allowed any fluids as long as the tube is in his stomach.

Don't know how long he may have to stay this time, but hopefully will not be too long. As fast as he's been recovering, hopefully this will be a fast fix-it. Please keep Earl in your prayers, they have definitely been a life saver. I want thank you for all the support and prayers that help keep Lillian and Earl going forward. Earl has been doing so good, so any setback is definitely dis-heartening, but faith and support helps to put things back in the right perspective.

This post by Pat Carver