Hello again from Houston,
We are happy to report a positive meeting with Yao. Compared to the scan Kim had in January, the tumors show what he called "no significant change" overall. Unfortunately, a couple of those pesky lesions are putting up 1-2 millimeters, but most are holding strong with "absolutely no change" (I took notes, hence the quotes). Her other, nearby organ functions are completely normal--great news for a cancer whose danger potential includes secretions that damage innocent bystanders (i.e. kidneys and such). Yao's estimation was a less-than-5% change.
You may be thinking to yourself, "Ok, I know no growth at all is ideal, but no *significant* growth, how am I supposed to feel about that?" Here is the collective Love family answer: you should feel great. In the big scheme of things, and over eight months, this growth is tiny. In fact, Yao used the underwhelming and painfully clinical phrase "what one would expect." Having just left a place filled with folks whose cancers grow 100% in two weeks, we feel lucky, blessed, and closely guarded by a great and watchful Someone.
Since we've gotten a good report, Kim gets another 4 months before returning to Houston, and if (when!?!) that report is good, she gets bumped up to six months. Still no action to take besides waiting, but then again, we are becoming very, very good at that.
Thank you all again for your love, support, words and prayers.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Round Three
Hello All,
Abby here. We wanted to give everyone an update on this, Kim's latest rockstar tour through M.D. Anderson. We girls both flew in so all four of us could be a part of this visit. So far, there's been lots of nerves, plenty of laughter, a little anxiousness--and what I now understand to be standard fare around here--a good bit of waiting around. Here's the recap...
Day 1: Weather in Atlanta on Monday delays Abby's arrival into Shreveport, which turns into Abby's arrival into Monroe, which turns into Abby's arrival into Houston. Kim and Dicky race to pick her up. Thanks to Gloria the shuttle driver (whose cats, Elvis and Priscilla, were tragically misnamed according to their respective genders…don’t care? Neither did I…) Abby arrives safely at the Holiday Inn Express and is united soon thereafter with road warriors Kim and Dicky.
Day 2: Carrie texts at 4:45 a.m. to let us know she has made her first flight. Phew. We were all dreaming about being awake and being concerned about that. The Hot, Hot, Hot (their phrase, not mine) Holiday Inn breakfast renewed our spirits. We scoop up Carrie at Hobby and head for meal number two and Kim’s last sustenance of the day before her tests begin: Mexican! Ole!
1:00 arrival at M.D. Anderson and straight to Kim’s first appointment. She gives them blood and an x-ray glimpse of her insides. We try very hard to be the most fun people in the waiting room so mom (and we) all forget for a minute why we’re there.
3:00 CAT scan. Kim drinks the Koolaid (a.k.a. radioactive Mylanta) with a brave, brave, verge-of-regurg look on her face. She’s called in for the scan, during which time she amiably asks the nurse what complicated and surely fascinating chemical interaction takes place between that iodine in the IV and her blood to make her feel so warm? Kindly he puts it in laymen’s terms, “We heat the idodine.”
5:30 Kim is returned to us after having been poked, prodded, and perused. Watching a bit of news, we discover that Carrie just narrowly missed an FAA implosion and all breathe a silent “thank you JESUS” that a computer glitch didn’t strand her along with thousands of others in Atlanta. In celebration, we hit the buffet. All is right with the world once we’re fed.
Ok, now that you’re caught up, you can join us in waiting, the official leisure activity of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. We meet with Dr. Yao on Thursday morning so he can read the results. I am fully expecting him to pronounce a clean bill of health, but if y’all want to keep praying, I won’t argue.
Kim/Mom wants to make sure everyone knows how much she appreciates your calls, texts, prayers, and emails. For some crazy reason this woman forgets how WONDERFUL she is and marvels that so many other wonderful people care for her deeply. Don’t worry—we are sure to remind her with frequency—but it’s great when other people do too.
More later. We thank the Lord for the encouragement and love of his sweet community.
Abby here. We wanted to give everyone an update on this, Kim's latest rockstar tour through M.D. Anderson. We girls both flew in so all four of us could be a part of this visit. So far, there's been lots of nerves, plenty of laughter, a little anxiousness--and what I now understand to be standard fare around here--a good bit of waiting around. Here's the recap...
Day 1: Weather in Atlanta on Monday delays Abby's arrival into Shreveport, which turns into Abby's arrival into Monroe, which turns into Abby's arrival into Houston. Kim and Dicky race to pick her up. Thanks to Gloria the shuttle driver (whose cats, Elvis and Priscilla, were tragically misnamed according to their respective genders…don’t care? Neither did I…) Abby arrives safely at the Holiday Inn Express and is united soon thereafter with road warriors Kim and Dicky.
Day 2: Carrie texts at 4:45 a.m. to let us know she has made her first flight. Phew. We were all dreaming about being awake and being concerned about that. The Hot, Hot, Hot (their phrase, not mine) Holiday Inn breakfast renewed our spirits. We scoop up Carrie at Hobby and head for meal number two and Kim’s last sustenance of the day before her tests begin: Mexican! Ole!
1:00 arrival at M.D. Anderson and straight to Kim’s first appointment. She gives them blood and an x-ray glimpse of her insides. We try very hard to be the most fun people in the waiting room so mom (and we) all forget for a minute why we’re there.
3:00 CAT scan. Kim drinks the Koolaid (a.k.a. radioactive Mylanta) with a brave, brave, verge-of-regurg look on her face. She’s called in for the scan, during which time she amiably asks the nurse what complicated and surely fascinating chemical interaction takes place between that iodine in the IV and her blood to make her feel so warm? Kindly he puts it in laymen’s terms, “We heat the idodine.”
5:30 Kim is returned to us after having been poked, prodded, and perused. Watching a bit of news, we discover that Carrie just narrowly missed an FAA implosion and all breathe a silent “thank you JESUS” that a computer glitch didn’t strand her along with thousands of others in Atlanta. In celebration, we hit the buffet. All is right with the world once we’re fed.
Ok, now that you’re caught up, you can join us in waiting, the official leisure activity of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. We meet with Dr. Yao on Thursday morning so he can read the results. I am fully expecting him to pronounce a clean bill of health, but if y’all want to keep praying, I won’t argue.
Kim/Mom wants to make sure everyone knows how much she appreciates your calls, texts, prayers, and emails. For some crazy reason this woman forgets how WONDERFUL she is and marvels that so many other wonderful people care for her deeply. Don’t worry—we are sure to remind her with frequency—but it’s great when other people do too.
More later. We thank the Lord for the encouragement and love of his sweet community.
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