My mom called City of Hope on Friday to find out what was going on. The nurse agreed he should get in to check his levels and they scheduled him for within that next few hours. My mom also asked about the results. The girl was hesitant on the phone and said that they were in, but that she didn't think that she should be the one to read the results to them. This made my mom very nervous. They headed down the hill. Dad ended up not needing a transfusion, which is great that his body is naturally responding well after the chemo. My mom went ahead and met with my dad's doctor and could tell that she had been wanting to wait on giving my dad his test results at his scheduled Wednesday appointment. Now that they knew the results were in, they wanted to know.
The results show that the mass is the same size as before and at this point are unsure if the chemo is working. It might be possibly keeping it from growing, but at this point we are unsure. They say that there might be a chance that one small part looks a little smaller.
Needless to say, its been a rough couple days. But what amazes me is that I have never seen such strength from anyone in my life like I see from my parents. I guess it shouldn't amaze me because its been that way my whole life. And I know that strength only comes from God.
I called my mom to check on her and dad last night. She said that she had just tried skyping me and I didn't answer. She wanted to call me to encourage me and to give me some positives to focus on. This is the woman that's not only the best caretaker I have ever met, but loves unconditionally, serves unconditionally: cleaning up vomit, rubbing dad's head and back, giving him foot massages, making him whatever food sounds good, getting him anything he needs, making him cozy, giving him his meds on time, taking him to every doctor appointment, never leaving his side, etc, etc........ this is the woman that calls me to encourage me, while I'm on the other side of the world yet feeling like I wish I could do so much more to help. She wanted to encourage me with some of the positives (so here's to encourage you also): the cancer has not spread and continues to only be the mass and in the bone marrow (they believe), unlike before when it was all over his lymph nodes throughout the body; he is also down to one morphine a day and not in pain; his stomach is not swelling like before; and his levels are normal for the first time in a long time.
If you ever face a trial and want to have the strength that we all can see in my parents, I sure hope that you can have the "peace that passes all understanding" and if you don't know how to receive that, I'm sure my parents would love to share that with you.
Dad's appointment for Wednesday remains; they will proceed with the bone marrow biopsy and then begin surgery to install the hick-man catheter into my dad's chest. They will also decide then if they will finish the last chemo round.
After talking to my mom last night, she handed the phone to my dad. I couldn't help but just cry the entire time I was on with him. But before I could even talk, he just wanted to know how Cody was (because he had an allergic reaction to a mango and his mouth swelled up). At a time in life when you can honestly only be thinking about the misery that you feel, he's thinking of others, not just himself. My dad is such a good man. All I could do was thank him for his continual fight, strength and reliance on God. He just said, "of course... I won't give up. I'll keep fighting." I love him for that. I know its got to be hard to maintain a good attitude when you throw up all day and just don't feel very good, but his smile remains. Dad and Mom even watched "Christmas with the Kranks" last night and just cracked up together. Dad was getting a crack out of the mom in the movie answering the phone in hyper hysterics whenever the daughter called, and saying that my mom gets just as ecstatic when I call. I loved watching him tell me that part and laughing tonight. What a nice ending to my day. My mom told me a story from a movie called "Faith Like A Potato" and it sounds like a great storyline and has a really good message. Check it out if you'd like :) It's definitely encouraged them.
If you want to have some positives to focus on, this video has helped me all day.... to see the joy on my dad's face and to imagine him even blowing out more birthday candles.
Still praying for a miracle...... Please continue to do so also
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