Another Trip to Houston

On Monday (8-8/2011)Lynette and I flew to Houston Texas to talk to a doctor about a clinical trial. We are having an MRI, PET scan and electrocardiogram tomorrow we run these tests to see if I qualify for his clinical trial, they are also getting my tumor tissue from M.D. Anderson to be tested for which chemo will be effective for me. As soon as we know more, we will update the this blog We don't have a scheduled time for when we return yet.

-Kyle

Lastest Update

On Saturday, July 9, Kyle had a seizure right before we were going to go boating. It's a miracle that he wasn't behind the wheel of his truck, pulling the boat, with a truckload of family and friends. That would have been devastating!

The seizure was caused by a new tumor growth. We are not going to have it removed because the risk of affecting his motor function is too high. We are praying that the new chemo will control the tumor from growing.

Kyle's heart went into atrium fibrillation (A-Fib) during the seizure. Today they zapped his heart back into a normal rhythm, so hopefully tomorrow he will be able to come home from the University of Utah Hospital.

We still need your prayers-- we are in this for the long haul.

Lastest News about the Birthday Boy =)

Sorry that I haven't taken the time to update this blog in a while, but I do have to admit that it was easier in Houston to get it done. I have a lot more things pulling me in many directions when I am at home.

Kyle jumped back into work too soon. Not that going to work was bad-- just working eight hours a day was not wise. By Friday, he was exhausted and his incision started to leak every so often a clear liquid. He was unable to sleep all Saturday night because the leak was now a gush. He and I went to the emergency room Sunday morning and finally at 4:30 p.m. he was admitted to the hospital. Surgery was scheduled for early Monday morning to stop the leak and add a few drains. He has been in ICU since then because they are the only floor that deals with drains. He has a major headache and is very nauseous, but is doing well. Hopefully, the drains will come out Thursday or Friday. He wants to be home in time for Alyssa's Mission Farewell on Sunday. I'm sure that he will be there.

Today is Kyle's 49th birthday. We are so glad that he is here with us and pray that we can share many more birthdays with him in the years to come.

Back to work...

I was able to go back to work today, feels good to be feeling more normal. I know everyone is surprised to see me back so soon, but what can I say, prayers are answered. I know this. I have seen so many miracles in my life this past year, how can I deny them. My head is still a little swollen and sore, and still a little nauseated, but can push through it. Thanks again for the support, thoughts, prayers on my behalf and my family. I truly do appreciate it. It was nice to get home to see my youngest boys go to Jr. Prom :) Even though they fought it. Its not their favorite thing to do. But they seemed to have a fun time.

Kyle

Going Home

Kyle is doing so good that we get to fly home tomorrow. We are just leaving the hospital right now and walking over to the hotel. We will spend the night and then Kevin Rieske is going to pick us up in the morning and take us to the airport. He has been so helpful both this trip and last year.

The pathology report has not been completed yet, so we will have a phone conversation with the oncolgist next week. Kyle will have 4 weeks of recovery before he can start anything.

Thursday's News

Yesterday was a long day for us. I have to sit in one room the whole day because that is where they come to get you when they have updates or when the surgeon wants to talk to you. It is physically taxing on me. I can never time things right because everytime I left for something or another the nurse was looking for me. I want to the restroom and when I came out the surgeon was there waiting for me. Luckily, I wasn't gone for long because he would not have waited for much longer. He told me about the surgery (see previous blog). Then the waiting continued. Kyle was in the recovery room from noon until 10:30 p.m. because there were no rooms available. I continued to wait in this room until his nurse would call me to go and visit him for 5-10 minutes at a time. He was very nauseaous--throwing up or dry heaving whenever he was awake. In the 10 hours that he was in the recovery room, I saw him a total of 4 times. Finally, he was moved to a surgical floor. I helped him get settled and off to sleep. I arrived at the hotel at midnight. I went right to sleep and slept like a baby.

Today, Thursday, Kyle was allowed to get out of bed. His tubes and IV's were removed. His pain level is a 3 in his head and neck. His head is swollen. He is walking great. Dr. McCutcheon had mentioned that second surgeries were rough and that the patient would feel so bad that they don't even think about going home, but Kyle is not showing any of the symptons that the doctor mentioned. In fact, he feels good. I hope that we can make it home by Sunday.

Today, we are just walking around the nurse's station, watching movies, and eating. Right now he is getting a MRI.

Thanks for all of your comments and prayers--love, Lynette

Surgery Successful

Although, Kyle and I checked into the hospital at 5:00 this morning, surgery didn't start until 8:20 a.m. and finished at 11:45 a.m.--a little over three hours. They were able to use the same incision line as before. Dr. McCutcheon said that it was a tumor and not nercosis. It was shaped like a sausage with a length of 3.2 cm. He cut out the main tumor and an extra 5mm worth of surrounding tissue. He also cut out some of the tissue that connections the right brain with the left brain. He mentioned that second surgeries often require a longer recovery time--so we don't have an idea as to when we will be home. He will reevaluate on Monday.

We have confidence in the doctors here and feel good about having this tumor removed. Dr. McCutcheon said that no two GBM's are the same. Some grow fast and furious, while others are slower. But as much as you try to get all of the fingers out--it isn't unusual for some of them to grow back. That is why regular MRI's are an important tool to catch them early.

I'm doing great emotionally and physically. It is very hard to sit, but not too bad. Thanks again for your concern for us. Love, Lynette