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.

Update on Aunt Gladys

Spoke to Sandra this morning. Gladys will be staying in transitional care for another week or so. She is just not strong enough to return to her room at this time.

She gets short of breath when she walks any distance (Still using walker). She is still not eating enough to regain the strength she needs to be able to go back to her quarters.

She is very disappointed! She wants to go back to her room!!

Please continue to pray for her.

Earl's third chemo treatment

Earl received the third round of chemo today. He will get a fourth treatment next Monday. Then he will go in on Sept. 3rd for blood work to see what his CA19-9 is. This will give them some idea as to how the chemo is working.

He also got a shot today to help with the diarrhea. He got the shot around noon and can tell tonight that it is helping. The shot is supposed to work for 30 days!! This has been such a big problem for weeks. I know he will be so happy, if it really works.

Earl will go back to get results of blood work on Sept. 8th.

Update on Aunt Gladys

Email from Sandra on 8/18/08:

Everyone,
Thank you so much for your prayers, visits, and encouragement
for mother. Ten days after her bowel resection, which is a
major surgery for a 40 yr. old, she is leaving the hospital
today to go to Morningview Transitional Care. 

She is doing well with the pain, and is determined to get
her strength back again.  At 91 yrs. old, it may take a few
weeks to get her back to the point she can again live in her
assisted living apartment, but she is determined.  Mom is
having difficulty eating, as nothing tastes good wish I had
that problem!), but she is faithfully drinking Ensure each day
which will provide some nourishment.

She is most upset about missing so many Sundays at Madison
Avenue!  I appreciate all who have come to visit her.

When she gets to Morningview Transitional Care, she will be
listed as Gladys Russell.

Thanks so much for caring!

Sandra

Up on Aunt Gladys

Aunt Gladys is having good days and not so good days. Her bowels and kidneys seem to be back on course. They have been getting her to walk some. She sits up on side of bed to eat. When she walks she has pain at her incision. Pain seems to be her main problem. She may get out of the hospital Monday or Tuesday.

Update on Earl's treatments

Took Earl back to the doctor last Friday for his second shot. Turns out he wasn't supposed to get another one that soon. We didn't find out why he had been told to come back. Wasted trip!

Blood work on Monday showed his white count is much improved. He is scheduled for the third treatment next Monday. Then a scan to see if the chemo is doing anything. No schedule yet for scan.

Please continue to pray!

Lillian

Update on Gladys

(Copied from email Tues afternoon)

Everyone,

Thanks so much for the prayers for mother's recovery!
After her bowel resection last Friday, we were afraid
she was facing renal failure over the weekend.  Her
doctors have done a great job of dealing with that,
and she has apparently "turned the corner" today.

The doctors have reduced the amount of pain medication
she is receiving, so the pain is a problem.  They felt
she needed to be more alert to be able to get up, and
sit in a chair, etc.  Today her bowel system worked,
so there was celebration by the nurses!

We all know that 91 years is a good, long life, but
I think mother plans to be here a good while longer.

Thanks again for prayers and support.

Sandra

Update on Aunt Gladys

Surgeon removed about 10" of her colon, untwisted a kink that was found in her colon below the tumor, and repaired a hernia. She was having a lot of pain after surgery, so an epidural was done to help control that. Doctor now thinks the kink/twist may have been causing the blockage.

At 4 p.m. Saturday, her kidneys are not working very well. She has been given a lot of IV's to try to get her kidneys working, but is not having much output yet. Nurses were trying to contact the Doctor to find out what should be done about her kidneys.

She is doing better. Not having very much pain today. Not using much pain medicine.

Please remember her and her family as you pray.

Lillian Lancaster

Surgery for my Aunt

Gladys Russell (91 yrs old)
March 14, 2008 at funeral of her sister, Kate

Gladys Russell, my Aunt, spent eight days in the hospital
week before last. She was having abdominal pain and Dr.
thought her stomach was just not emptying because the
muscles were not working right. She was put on a drug to
make the stomach contract and hopefully empty better.

She had been out of the hospital for seven or eight days
when she was re-admitted to the hospital this week due to
bleeding from colon. Her daughter, Sandra, was called
at 4 a.m. and went and picked her up and took her to the
hospital.

A colonoscopy was done Thursday. They found the bleeding came
from diviticulitus(sp?). Looking higher up in the colon, they
found a cancerous tumor that was virtually blocking her colon.
This may have been the reason for her stomach not emptying.
If not for the bleeding, the tumor would likely not have been
found.

Surgery is planned for sometime today (Friday). Doctor is to
meet with the family Fri. a.m.

Dr told Gladys that if she had to have the tumor, it was in
the best place. They should be able to remove it and do
resection. Dr. doing the scope did not think it was involved
outside her colon. He was pretty certain it is cancer. Biopsy
was taken.

Colon cancer seems to run in the Trentham family. If you
aren't being checked every five years, you should check
with your doctor. Colon cancer is so treatable, if found
early. Otherwise, it is a silent killer. THERE ARE NO SYMPTOMS
until it's too late! Ask me.... I know.

Second treatment

Earl went for his second chemo treatment on Monday. His white count was down to 1700, but they proceeded with treatment. He had to go back on Tues. to get a shot. Assume this was to aid in increasing his white count. He ached all over the next day.

He goes back today (Friday) for another shot. The third chemo treatment has been postponed. He will skip next Monday, so it will be two weeks between the 2nd & 3rd treatments. Guess this will depend on his white count by then.

He went thru 10 treatments last fall and his white count never got low. Now, after one treatment his white count is this low?? Same chemo.

Earl is still able to work most days. He went to Crossville today (Thurs) to office of a client. He is still having the back pain, when he lays down to sleep. Sitting straight up is only way to relieve the pain, until the Tylenol kicks in.

He has lost so much weight. Still around 160 lbs. He is concerned about his ability to continue playing handbells. He loves playing, but his bells are fairly heavy, so don't know if he will commit to another year.

Please continue to pray for Earl.

Thank you!
Lillian

The Ugly Beast is Back!

Yes, it’s back! Earl’s cancer has returned… or maybe never left. His CA19-9, which has been less than two for the last year has jumped up to 40. Up to 35 is considered normal, but for Earl, it is elevated. He finished up his treatments at the end of December. So, it’s only been seven months.

He has been experiencing back pain in the kidney area of his back for a couple of months. It mainly occurs at night when he lays down. Tylenol has been controlling it fairly well. Doctors had been trying to track down the cause of the pain.

Then, he started losing weight around the end of May. He had lost 26 lbs. putting him down to 158. He has had no appetite during this time. He had gained about 5 lbs. in the last 10 days and was 165 today.

He is on his fifth round of antibiotics for a bladder infection that won’t clear up. It will clear up, but flares up again after the antibiotics stop. They thought the pain might be from the bladder infections. Another doctor thought it might be related to the radiation. Not according to the radiation doctor! It would have shown up much sooner after the radiation.

He finally called the Oncologist and when he found out Earl had lost so much weight so fast, he ordered a PET scan for last Thursday. We went this morning and got the news that his cancer is back and “glowing” in the area of the pancreas and has spread to lymph node(s) down deep on the left side of his heck…. behind the collar bone.

The Doctor, when asked, told Earl “It is fatal. I can’t cure you, but I think we can buy you some time”. So, we are back to square one. Without treatment, Earl may have six months. With treatment, he might have one to two years. All this will depend on how he responds to the chemo. It’s pretty much the same story we got, when this started in April of last year.

He was told today there were three different chemos he could be given, maybe all together. This would be very hard on him and make him very sick. They are going to try the same one he got the first time. See how he responds to it. Guess the others will be later options. He goes back tomorrow for chemo, then will continue on a Monday schedule.

Earl has contacted his Philadelphia surgeon, who has asked for copies of the PET scan and/or the report. Don’t know if he will have any suggestions or not. Additional surgery is out of the question, according to the Oncologist.

It’s been very hard telling the kids and the rest of the family. Earl’s Mother is 91 and is the last member of her family left. I know this will be very hard on her, as Earl is her only child. Her health is not the best, but she is still taking care of herself at this time. She has her own apartment, where our two car garage was.

We thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for all your prayers, support and encouragement during the past year. It has meant so much to us.

We again ask that you remember us as you pray. We are gearing up and will wage another battle against this powerful enemy. The war isn't over yet!

Lillian

Ryan's story continues

If you click on the "Overstreet" label way down on the right side, you will find earlier part of Ryan's story.

Ryan ended up having to change oncologist in January due to his insurance changing at work. This change resulted in him having to find new doctors. He ended up with the very doctor who treated Lance Armstrong. He is more aggressive in the treatments. Ryan was successfully treated with radiation and chemo and pronounced cancer free with the lung cancer.

Then, about two-three weeks ago, he got an infection in the lung connected with scar tissue. They did scans, x-rays.... something that included the upper part of the liver when they looked at the lung. Lungs did not show any cancer, but they did find a small place in the liver. Sounds like it was just a fluke that they even found this. Full body scan did not find any more cancer.

Ryan got a port put in yesterday and received his first round of chemo to treat the liver cancer. He will get three treatments, each three weeks apart. Then, they will go from there. His Dad (my brother) said this chemo will "knock him on his fanny" by the second round. Must be much worse than what he got for the lung cancer.

Ryan's job, where he had worked for 12 years, was eliminated some time in April (I think). So, he is still out of work at this time.

The company paid insurance will end Oct. 1st. Please keep Ryan in your prayers. Times are very hard for the family right now.