Day 2 of the Pre-Treatment for Lymphoma

Today was the scheduled Bone Marrow procedure.  Although the actual needle insertion for the marrow lasted only 20 - 30 seconds, she said the pain was very intense.  The bone marrow was taken from her lower back and that made it uncomfortable to sit or even lay, she was rearranging herself all afternoon as it hurt.  And the tape covering her port pulls on her skin and that makes it uncomfortable to even sleep or turn during the night...She will be able to take a shower on Friday and take off the tape. She can hardly wait.

The doctor is guessing that she may be able to start her chemo next week...there are some issues with insurance.  One major hurdle that has been resolved is from the company who makes this drug for the clinical trial Dina has agreed to be a part of.  The company has agreed to sponsor Dina so there will be no cost for her...that was major! Her insurance tends to lump all treatments as one...not separate even though the drug for the clinical trial is given 4 days after the primary chemo and they can and will reject the cost if it is all lumped together...so having the company sponsor Dina is really huge for them.

Two days later... 

After writing the above post at 7:30 PM on Wednesday night I received a call from our family doctor.  If you had read an earlier post from August, I think it was, I mentioned having a kidney stone and a CT scan while in Idaho on vacation.  During that scan a small mass was shown on the lower quadrant of my lung and I was told to get it checked out further.  So I did...and had another chest CT scan and it did indeed show a "nodule" about 1/2 inch and it didn't appear to be calcified...which I mention because the doctor said most calcified nodules are benign...I then had a needle biopsy done this last Monday Oct. 1 and the doctor was calling to give me the report.  

It is cancer.  Now hang in there with me and let me tell you the whole story...I am "home alone" when the doctor calls, so I am kind of numb and shaking and feel like my heart will just pound out of my skin.  But you know I love the Lord and I trust Him and yes I was scared, but I wasn't thinking anything really serious...like this can be fixed, right?  I'll just get chemo with Dina and be fine.  When Scott gets home I tell him what the doctor says...and sometimes being smart and remembering things can be a detriment!  Ha!  that is not my problem..being smart and remembering...At any right, what he immediately thought was this was something that has already metastasized and the prognosis would NOT look good.  (because the doctor had told me it was NOT lung cancer and it looked like it came from somewhere else)  So the night and yesterday was very stressful for him.  I was kept busy with Jalen because Dina had echo cardiograms and EKG done yesterday...so I watched him in the morning and took him to school AND yesterday was the Pumpkin Patch Field Trip day and YES, I got to ride the school bus with him and go to the pumpkin patch!  Fun day with my little guy Jalen...and before going to school we had to play with his 'nerf'' gun...he has two or three...and I get the one with 6 'bullets'...he gets the long distance one with 20 bullets...we run and hide and duck behind and under everything...and we laugh and laugh and have so much fun...but it is wearing on this old body after and hour!  He of course wants to keep going!  Then because he slept in his own bed (he is over 5) well, almost the whole night (minus 4 hours in the middle) I treated him to orange chicken at Panda Express..his favorite place to eat...that was before school at 11 am...

I just realized that I really just ramble, don't I?  I guess my point was that I didn't really have time to ponder or think about this 'cancer' that is inside me...too busy playing and having fun...So, I tell Dina that she needs to make an appointment for me with her oncologist right away...we are all kind of 'numb' feeling and saying, you are NOT serious, right?  How can both of us have cancer...this is unbelievable...Dina did make the appointment and I will see him next Wednesday, Oct 10.  In the meantime, Scott is nearly beside himself thinking the absolute worst, so he personally calls the doctor and because Dina had made the appointment and talked to the doctor about me, he was already reading my reports and scans etc.  So he calls Scott back during the second set of the varsity Volleyball game and talks to him.  He tells him that it looks like something that could be surgically removed...it looks like it is contained, and he will want to do a few more tests before seeing me next Wednesday.  So Scott slept a lot better last night and is feeling more hopeful.

Now back to Dina's schedule...

Today is a free day and the good news is she will start her chemo next Friday!  We are all planning to attend the Women of Faith Conference this weekend...we go with a group of friends...It is tonight from 7 - 10 and Saturday 9 - 5.  We are all looking forward to this wonderful time to be filled with the words of the Lord, to remember there is HOPE and joy in trusting in Him and we sing worship songs that is a beautiful way to pray.  And we get to hear testimonials from many people...men and women alike...we have been going for about 6 years now and we really look forward to this weekend.

Dina has received a couple of packages in the mail from our beautiful relatives.  One cousin, Linda, sent an awesome knitted hat with the most beautiful flower on it...the colors are all gorgeous...thank you Linda.  and my sweet almost 90 year old Aunt (my mom's sister, Lorraine) made three felt hats with flowers, if you have been to the  Caring Bridge site HERE Ellie posted a picture of Dina and her best friend Emily wearing these hats.  And you really must go read the journals that Ellie is writing about her Mommy and this journey they are all on together...She has a unique writing skill and she is just awesome...Love that girl!

So that is all for now...I will keep everyone posted about both of us now...Prayers are gladly accepted and cherished.  We truly feel so blessed by the outpouring of love and prayers from everyone.  God bless you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts!