Speedy at the grocery!

Beware! He might run over you!

No chemo this week

Earl has done very well with his chemo so far. The only thing he has complained about is headaches the afternoon and next morning following chemo. No problems with nausea.

He was glad to not have to go for chemo this week. He will start second series of treatments on Aug. 30th.

He has been taking something to make him feel hungry, so he is eating better. Has gained maybe five pounts in the last couple of months.

He started practicing his trumpet this week and plans to play at church tomorrow. Another milestone!

Thank you for all your thoughts, prayers and words of encouragement.

Lillian

Lillian Crossley - Stomach cancer update

The news about Aunt Lillian is not very encouraging today, but at least the doctors have started treatment. She would only have one to two months without any treatments. She received her first chemo treatment on Wed. She got another dose of medicine on Friday for something.... sorry I don't remember what Jack said about it.

She and/or family has been told the anemia was caused from the tumor causing her to lose blood thru the stomach. This is what put her in the hospital as reported here earlier. Click on the "Crossley" label to filter the other posts about her.

The stomach cancer has been identified as a lymphoma and is taking up 1/3 of her stomach. The lymphoma in her neck is also getting larger.

Jack reports she is doing okay right now. Assume this means she is still up and about. He did say she can get confused about things at times.

Jack is trying to make plans to bring her to see my Mother, (her sister) Ruby Trentham, sometime soon as he can.... if she feels like she can make the trip. Mother just isn't able to travel these days.

At this point, they don't know how long she will receive chemo. Guess it will depend on how well the tumor responds to chemo.

Please pray for Aunt Lillian and her family as they face and fight this devastating disease. She has two sons, Jack & David, who have given her several grandchildren. Her husband died in 1984.

Lillian T Lancaster

Death in family

Horace "Whitey" Yeaton, 87 year old husband of my Aunt
Gladys Trentham Russell Yeaton died on 8/14/07 at his
home.

Receiving friends and service will be Friday,
Aug. 17th at Maryville Friends Church starting
at 6:30. Memorial service at 7 p.m.

Lillian T Lancaster 

3rd Chemo Treatment

Earl is doing very well with his chemo. He has not been sick or nauseated immediately following chemo or the next day.

He was sick Sat. night and did vomit in the wee hours of the morning, but we don't really think this was because of the chemo.

Oncologist is talking like Earl is Superman or something. Earl's blood work today before chemo showed his white count to be over 5000, which Dr. said is "normal". He said most people have counts down around 1000 to 2000. He doesn't seem to understand why Earl's is still so normal.

Either this is another of God's miracles or perhaps the flax oil Earl takes every day. We have been wondering how much the flax oil might be helping. Maybe this is an indication!

Whatever and however, we gratefully accept the results and give thanks!

Lillian

CA19-9 results history

I looked up Earl's CA19-9 history.

On 4/3/07 it was 572 before bile was drained
On 5/1/07 it was 309.6
8/9/07 it is now a grand total of 5 (This blood was drawn before first chemo)

Great News!

Earl went for his second chemo treatement today. Test results were there from blood drawn last week, before any chemo.

I don't remember the exact numbers, but his tumor marker, CA19-9, before the bile was drained the first week of April, was over 500. When Drs. were debating surgery, it was still a little over 300 when 200 was desirable for surgery.

Today his CA19-9 was 5. Dr. Grossman was shocked. He says normal is between 0 and 35 and that surgery must have gotten all the cancer. But, he also said "we're still doing chemo". We know there is the possibility that cancer cells may be wondering around looking for a place to set up housekeeping!

Thank you everyone for all your prayers and please continue to remember Earl as he continues with his chemo.

Prayers are answered! God is so good!

If any of the nurses from 3rd floor at Fox Chase read this, I would appreciate it if you would let Dr. Watson know about this. I plan to check to see if the results were sent to FCCC, but would like Dr. W to know. This is so wonderful!

Lillian Lancaster

First day of chemo

Chemo went fairly well. Took about two hrs. total after they
finally got him hooked up. He got nausea medicine thru IV
first, then the chemo. I think I should have got some nausea
stuff, too.

I don't know if it was just being in "that place" or what.
Lots of memories...and smells... from the days when I was
there. Almost like I was getting a treatment. :-(
I was relieved to get out of there!

They called in two medicines for nausea, just in case.
Hope he doesn't have to use them!

He didn't get sick or anything, so this first treatment
wasn't too bad. He didn't feel too good today, but
hopefully he'll feel better tomorrow.

I think I was in worse shape afterward than he was. I never
even thought about how I would feel or react to being in
that setting again after all these years. It was almost
like I was back in the middle of chemo again. Memories
flooded back that I had not thought about for many, many
years!

God's blessings to you all!
Lillian

Earl Chemo Scheduled

Earl's chemo starts early tomorrow morning. We are to be there at 8:30 a.m.

He will get weekly chemo for three weeks, then skip one treatment, which means he'll be "off" chemo for 14 days, then back on for another three weeks. This will continue for about three months as long as his blood counts remain high enough to continue. Dr. Grossman said Gemzar (gemcitabine HCI) is harder on the bone marrow than the 5-FU I received for colon cancer. More info on Gemzar. He will have blood work before each treatment.

Chemo will stop after about three months, then radiation will start. He will not get both at same time. After he finishes the radiation treatments, he may get another couple months of chemo. The way I counted, this is six to seven months of treatments, which will run into January or February 2008.

At this time, a port is not being recommended. Each treatment will only last about 30 minutes, so he'll only spend about an hour there each time.

Three months of treatments will only be nine infusions. Another two months of chemo after radiation, would be six more. This is approx 15 treatments. Unless he starts having real problems with his veins, he probably won't get a port.

I really dread these treatments for him. I went thru a full year of a similar schedule and remember all too well.... Dr. Grossman was my oncologist.... I felt today like I was starting my treatments all over again! That this should be me, not Earl!!

He has already lost so much weight. I just could not stand the smell of food, much less stand to eat at times. He will likely lose more weight.... Oh, I hate this for him! Tears won't help, but..... here I sit....

Well... I made it thru a whole year. With God's help and your prayers, Earl WILL make it thru a few months! :-)

Earl admitted this morning that THIS had him scared. Today was a hard day for both of us!

Please remember us as you pray.

Lillian

Crossley

Aunt Lillian was released from the hospital on Sunday. She is home, up and around some. She is not eating very much, but the blood she received while in the hospital has strengthened her some.

I talked to her son, Jack, today. They have not received any results from any of the testing done in the hospital. He said she has an appt with her doctor on Friday. He will let me know when they have any news.

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!


Largest Database of Images
For Comments And Profiles at
FreeCommentTags.com

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!