Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Good news and bad

Well, I have so much to say that I’m not quite sure where to start.

Let’s see, shortest first - my PET scan showed that I’m still in remission!  Not only that but the oncologist, himself, called to tell me.  I will go back in six months, but yippee!!

Regarding my Sprint crisis - A very nice and helpful Sprint Nextel Account Service Specialist contacted me and took care of our issue.  She removed the offending line at no charge and apologized for the problem.  Double Yippee!
. . .I agree with you and would like to offer you the ability to cancel the 6th line without having to pay the Early Termination Fee, since we cannot accommodate you and allow the 6 lines to remain on one family plan.  I would like to apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience in allowing us to resolve this for you.  You have been a valued Sprint customer for many years and we would not want something of this nature to interfere with the relationship.

Tristan, 17 month old grandson of mine, had to have oral surgery on Friday.  He did great!  Short explanation, a few months ago we noticed a dark spot on one tooth and his mom got him in to see a dentist, she was told it was some sort of mineral discoloration, possibly from his vitamins, Iron specifically.  Over the months since he got more dark spots on other teeth and Brit didn’t want to take him to the same dentist.  Every dentist she called did not want to see him until he was 3 years old (When did this start?!)  It took many phone calls and getting his pediatrician involved, but she finally found a dentist to see him.  They said he had many cavities, they did not pin point a cause and some could be genetic, but he needed several caps and they put him under for it.  It turns out they only capped his front top four teeth and the others were fine under x-ray. It all actually went rather quickly and he did great!  He will be seeing the dentist every six months now.

Now, the longest item.  When my husband changed jobs last year he began working with a man who’s wife has multiple myeloma and for the last year I have been sending her cards and notes.  Through our husbands I’ve tracked her progress through two stem-cell transplants.  Finally, she was well enough that she gave me a call and we agreed to meet in the middle (Oshkosh) for lunch.

Three weeks, I drove an hour away to meet the lady who had been on my mind so much this past year.  Upon meeting there was instant comfort, we had an ease of talking you don’t often find with someone.  We spent several hours just sitting and talking, and I think I’m safe to say that we both left feeling mighty good inside.  She is an absolute wonderful woman!  We agreed to meet at least once more before Christmas and I decided to start calling her every week or two.  In the mean time, I was scheduled to see the oncologist on Tuesday and she was scheduled to see hers on Wednesday so we set a time to talk after those appointments.

It’s pretty funny, because when we would talk on the phone, we always set up a time to talk in a few days.  For awhile she had to see her oncologist every 3 days but she had worked up to going every 10 days and was so happy with that.  She got permission to go on vacation and was really looking forward to going this September.

Then she told her oncologist that she had been having a little pain in her hip.  He immediately scheduled an MRI and a tumor was found, a rather large tumor, 5-6 inches and it was decided she would start radiation and chemo, once again.  I am still having a hard time grasping how she can go to meeting me over an hour’s drive away, to being hospitalized and time ticking, in just a few days.

I haven’t been able to talk to her for the last week, she’s just too weak, but our husbands talk every day or so and her prognosis isn’t good.  The doctor’s were talking in weeks, now they are talking in possible months.  So that’s a little bit of good news.  But in amidst all of this, they have also found a tumor in the motor center of her brain, so for now, that is the tumor being attacked.  She’s not strong enough for them to work on the hip tumor and the brain tumor so brain trumps hip.

I would appreciate any warm thoughts, prayers, vibes, etc, you could send her way.  She weighs on mind heavily everyday.

24 comments:

  1. Oh my God Lisa, that's terrible!
    Sending you and everybody around you all the good vibes I can find !
    Hugs xxx

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  2. Hugs to you and many healing thoughts to your friend. I so glad your own news was good.

    What happened with your Grandson's teeth happened to someone I know years ago. She had been told that he was lactose intolerant and as she did not breastfeed for long and he did not like the lactose free formula she gave him sweet drinks and juice in his bottle all the time. His teeth were completely black by the age of 3 when they removed the lot. It obviously was caused by not enough calcium in his diet. Obviously I do not know your circumstances but perhaps he may need some extra vitamins or calcium supplements to strengthen his little teeth. Im so glad for him that your daughter did not wait until he was 3! I hope he feels better quickly! Poor little darling!

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  3. Oh Lisa. My heart goes out to you, my friend. I am so glad that your own tests came out so well. And I am sending all the prayers and good vibes I can find your way for your friend. Sure hope that she and her husband get through this with as much strength as they can. Let me know if there is anything I can do.

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  4. Sending vibes her way! Good news on my end...a lump was detected in my mother's breast and she just had a biopsy. It turned out the be fiber cysts instead of cancer. Praise be to God!

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  5. You're surely creating a positive vibe for her! :)
    Cheers, Klaus

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  6. Sending positive vibes and warm thoughts her way.

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  7. Congrats to you on your good news!

    Many prayers and hugs regarding your friend.

    P.S. There is something sparkly for you at my place.

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  8. That's a lot of stuff going on. I'm glad it's mostly good, but the new friend's stuff isn't good at all. I know she has support, but I'm glad she has you, too. I'm sure she knows how much you care about her and send good thoughts and prayers her way. More from here going her way, too.

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  9. Lisa, with all your beautiful photography and adventures with your grandson and family, I forget you've had cancer and that it's always at the back of your mind. I'm so glad you are able to support this woman and be a voice of encouragement to her. Hoping the best for the both of you.

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  10. anglophilefootballfanatic.comAugust 14, 2008 at 4:46 AM

    Yay on the Tristan front. I know how the dental issue was worrying you. About your friend, that is so tragic. I hate how this damn disease robs people of their health. I'll be praying for her.

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  11. I am so glad that your scan came back clear!!

    I am very sorry to hear about your friend...I will definitely keep her in my thoughts and prayers.

    I am glad Tristan went through his surgery just fine. Is he given a bottle or sippy cup of juice and/or milk when he goes to bed? That would cause the decay on his front teeth.

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  12. I will try to go in order....

    **I'm so happy to hear your GREAT news!!!! (((HUGS)))

    **I'm so happy a NICE sprint person called you and resolved the DUMB issue that anyone in customer service should have been able to resolve! UGH!

    ***Glad to hear your grandbaby is doing good! =) He sounds like a Super Trooper!

    ***I'm so so so so very sorry to hear about your friend! She is lucky to have you in her life! Someone who is so caring and strong!!! I will pray for her!!!! You both are in my thoughts!!!

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  13. That is great news about being in remission!!

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  14. That's fantastic news, Lisa! Double Yipppppeeeee!! I am so glad your tests came back with good news!

    Your friend sounds like a very warm and wonderful person. I will keep her in my thoughts and prayers. Sending good vibes her way!

    Oh my, poor baby. That is odd, that no other dentist would see him. My peditrician told me to take my kids, when they turned a year old. I understand that they are small, but if they need treatment, why would they turn him away. Very strange indeed.

    Have a wonderful day!

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  15. That's sad and difficult. My thoughts and prayers are with her.

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  16. So sorry to hear about your friend and what she's going through. I'll keep her in my thoughts and prayers. She is lucky to have such a friend as you.

    I am ecstactic over your good news! YAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    My little guy had oral surgery, I guess about a year ago. I know I blogged about it. Anyway, down here there is NO problem finding pediatric dentists!!! They take them at 2 years or younger if necessary!!! How awful to have to go through so much to find someone to take care of him. My guy has had his two front teeth missing since his surgery and I figure he still has 2 years to go before they grow in. I can't picture him with front teeth! At least they didn't have to do THAT to Tristan!

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  17. !) Doing the HAPPY DANCE for your good news.
    2) Hoping the little one recuperates nicely.
    3) Keeping your friend in my thoughts.
    4) You know how I am about lists !

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  18. **HUGS**

    Im sending all my good vibes your way!

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  19. Wow what a bittersweet post. I am so thrilled for your news. That is truly reason to celebrate. Yet saddened by your friends news. Prayers are on their way at mock speed Lisa.

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  20. Lisa, I'm very happy about your news. I'll keep your friend in my thoughts.

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  21. Sending lots of positive thoughts and warm wishes your way :) So excited to hear your news. We will be keep your friend in our thoughts and prayers. xoxo

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  22. Congrats to you! And I am definitely thinking of your friend. That must be so hard.

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  23. Dear Lisa: It's been a bit over 2 months since I last checked your blog. It certainly has changed - very crisp and clean; as always, lovely.

    I was wondering how you were doing, and glad things have gone well for you. I'm sorry about your newest friend - if you remember, my daughter (her name is Lisa Marie) lost her mother-in-law on June 13, and I know the doctors waited until just about 3 weeks before she died, to finally confess to the family they hadn't held much hope for recovery. All you can do is wish this wonderful woman comfort and peace during these last days to come.

    I thought this beautiful video might be soothing to you. Warmly, Diane - http://journeytosleep.blogspot.com

    Here's the video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ibc8sD5sgw

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