We must turn to God for strength...to give us His love to sustain us through this journey. The oncologist appointment was not good news, but not hopeless, so I am holding onto that thought.
First Dina's spleen was massively enlarged (oh...I don't think I like that word "massively"...that kind of scares the crap out of me.) And there were other enlarged lymph nodes in her lower back. The doctor asked if she felt any lymph glands in her neck, or groin...she shook her head NO. But when he physically put his hands on her, he said her neck glands are enlarged, but not her groin and not under her arms.
Even without doing a biopsy he is 100% sure it is lymphoma...the biopsy will determine what kind of lymphoma...so we start with baby steps and get more information to see what we need to do to fight this battle.
Last week after the ultra sound showed the enlarged spleen and the doctor ordered the CT scan for both the upper stomach region and the lower pelvis area (because of her piriformus issues) he said the two were not related...Well, guess what? They are totally related and the Piriformus Syndrome is not what she has been dealing with at all. She has a lesion on her lower spine...this lesion has been eroding her sacrum bone and that has caused all the pain she has been experiencing for the last four months in her back and lower legs.
Can you imagine how long this cancer has been in her body? Like how long before it finally "fractured" the bone enough to cause such pain? That is scary...but we must move forward and not look back. We must stay positive...above all else keep the positive thoughts and the will to conquer this cancer.
The doctor was fabulous, all four of us: Scott --(once again this oncologist asked Scott if he was a doctor...he is the BEST to bring with you to the doctor or hospital, he just knows all the questions to ask, ones you would think of, but others that you wouldn't think until you walked out the door, and yet again more questions that you wouldn't even know to ask), me, Dina and Jamie all agree that we like him. He was a great listener and because he does this every day, he laid it all out for us and how we are going to proceed to fight this....and he had NO doubt in his mind that we can fight and win this.
On Wednesday, she is going to have a chest and neck CT Scan and also a PET Scan. On Thursday she is going to see the Ear, Nose, Throat Specialist who wants to have a physical exam before doing a biopsy. On Friday she is seeing her OB/GYN as she has been bleeding every day since August 16. Next Tuesday she is scheduled for her biopsy and they will take a lymph gland from her neck (there was a cancellation....praise the Lord) One week later she will be back in the oncologist office and all the test results will be back and a plan of action will be put into place. Meaning chemo most likely ...he says the bone will heal itself after the lesion is killed off. October 3 is the date with the oncologist...then we will know what kind of lymphoma this is.
I don't know any more, I know emotionally she is a wreck as is Jamie...the two older girls know a little...Ellie deals with this in her way, which is kind of making jokes or being "flip" with comments, but then in the quiet of her room she breaks down and cries. Lily who is 9, just looked at Dina and said, "It's okay Mommy God will take care of you"....
Dina has a fabulous support group...her two best friends from Seattle both came down this last weekend, they didn't overlap their time, but they were both here for her...Yesterday her friend stayed with Jalen as we all went to the doctor appointment and she got Lily to her volleyball practice, went back to the school to get Ellie and took her to her volleyball practice, then brought them home...what fabulous friends she has. And of course her sister will do anything for her...help in any way. I think more of a burden will fall on Lacey in keeping the Yogurt Shacks supplied and running and the Papa Murphy's too...but she is willing to do that. What she said to Dina was: "I'm on it"
So we will all pitch in and help and we just ask for prayers...prayers for healing, prayers for strength and prayers for comfort...Thank you all so much
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