Christmas at Home

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. It amazes me that another year has somehow slipped by. December marks Kecia's 18th month in her battle against cancer. I am so happy that she's here but so sad about how much pain and sickness she has had to endure to stay. We felt very blessed to have her home with us this Christmas and to be able to spend time as a family. We got a wii this year so much of the day was spent laughing at each other and engaging in friendly competition. Kecia occupied her favorite spot in MY recliner right in front of the fire place and from there she was able to put in quite a few pieces of the 1000 piece puzzle we have been working on. She wasn't able to enjoy any of our Christmas dinner because she was at the tail end of the big chemo rotation, but I do think she enjoyed the time with the family. She finished that chemo round on Sunday so she should get 3 or 4 days of good health before she starts it again for 3 more weeks. Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

GOOD NEWS

12-22-09 Kecia just got the results back from her full body bone scan last week and her bones are STILL CANCER FREE! What a HUGE answer to prayer. The last spot on her brain is still there of course but the doctors considered this to be a big "test" for how well the chemo has been keeping the cancer at bay. They really didn't want to see any new growth while she was still on such strong chemo or it would have meant that her cancer was resistent to it and they were unable to stop the growth. Last year, Kecia was in the hospital on Thanksgiving and again through the whole Christmas celebration. You can imagine how happy we are that she will be home with us for a Christmas that she was told she would never see! God bless each of you for praying so faithfully for Kecia and our family. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

12-16-09

Kecia is recovering well from her gamma knife radiation procedure. She had a severe headache for the 3 days following it, but is feeling much better now. She has done a great job of only opening one of her "feel better gifts" (that she received at her luncheon) and is really enjoying them. The day following her surgery she opened 4 presents and she justified it by saying that the RX instructs her to open "as needed for joy" and she felt that it would take 4 suprises to make up for her procedure. So far she has opened a Snuggie, a chocolate candle, body lotion, a Bible with her name engraved, a really cool Bible reference book that lets you look up any topic and find verses about it in the Bible, a Wal-Mart gift card (that she used part of to buy herself a silver cross neckless and earrings, and a few others that I can't recall right now. She has really enjoyed getting to open a surpise every day and I am SO GRATEFUL to the women of Marsh Lane Baptist who thought of that cute idea and all those who contributed!

On a more serious note, Kecia has asked that I post a request for prayer on a specific matter. She is really battling with bouts of depression and knows that it is something stronger than she can conquer on her own. She knows that she is so fortunate to even be here after getting such a grim prognosis a year and a half ago. She has an amazing army of prayer warriors and the constant support of so many wonderful people. She goes back and forth between feeling so grateful ,and questioning why God is letting these things happen to her. When she starts feeling depressed and questioning God, she feels guilty about it and that just fuels the unhealthy cycle. If you could pray for Kecia on this matter it would mean so much to her.

12-11-09

9:45pm-Jeanie was told that Kecia was done with the radiation and heading back to have the
halo removed
1015pm-Jeanie was taken back to Kecia's room to wait for her...released shortly after
11;45pm-they headed for home

Sorry it took me so long to update this last bit, I worked today and didn't get the full story from Kecia until late this afternoon. It goes as follows:

Kecia ended up spending 7 hours laying on her back on top of 2 metal beams (they had to remove the "padding" in order to bend her body in the positions they needed). She was not allowed to take any of her pain meds that day. It took about 30 minutes to do each lesion and they would let her sit up for a few minutes between each. She said that she just had keep praying "God, please give me the strength to one more", because each time they would do a new one they had to use a screwdriver type thing to pull and push her skull into the correct alignment. She could actually feel her skull moving inside her head. It creeped her out very much and she had the overwhelming sensation that she just had to get out of there. But it kept going and going because they found not 4, but 12 lesions that had to be lasered. (don't know if I told you that in the last update) They were able to get 11 of them, but one of the original 4 had shrunk during earlier treatments and in doing so, moved outside the spectrum in which they were working. (I know that sounds confusing but it's hard to explain in just a few sentences) They will watch it closely and possibly do a different gamma radiation that will require several treatments, but no halo or long treatments like this one. So many people were praying that Kecia would feel the presence of God and his host of angels as they surrounded her and kept her safe. She appreciates those prayers because they worked. She did feel His presence and was greatly comforted by it. In fact, she said if it hadn't been for that, she doesn't know how she could have stayed like that for so long and would surely have made the doctors stop half way through.

Gamma Knife Radiation 12-10-09

Kecia has had a very long and exhausting day. So far it has gone something like this....

6:00am-checked into hospital
7:00am-try to find vein to start IV-have a little trouble but eventually got it
7:45am-gave Kecia some "happy juice" to help with her nerves and anxiety
8:20am-took her back to the OR to put on her halo-it went much better than Kecia was
originally told. Instead of drilling holes into her skull to hold the halo in place, they
used a different kind that only had to be screwed in by hand and only went through
the skin and barely into the skull-(HUGE praise for that one) this part only took
about 20 minutes
8:50am-Kecia gave mom the thumbs up sign and a big (drunken) smile as they wheeled her
back for the "special" MRI. Kecia said "it was alot easier than I thought..it went okay"
11:00- finally back from MRI in the room with Jeanie, slept alot while they waited for doctors
to map the legions on the gamma knife machine..took several hours as it is so precise
2:40pm-wheeled back to begin gamma knife radiation
5:30pm-doctor came out to talk to Jeanie since it would still be several more hours..told her
once they saw the images from the "special" MRI they found that there were not
just 4 spots, but 14. Of the original spots, 1 was the size of a dime, 3 were the size of
sunflower seeds and the 10 new ones were the size of a pin head..they were undetect-
able with the normal MRI's. Not sure if these are new or just now being detected..not
sure if they are dead or alive without a biopsy but they lasered them of course and will
be dead when they are done. Doctor said this is not uncommon and he is not suprised
although we all were and I could hear Jeanie's concern about it through the phone.
Doctor went back in to finish and said it could be several hours.
7:10pm-still in surgery..Jeanie hadn't heard any more..will let us know when she does

I have heard from so many people who are diligently praying for Kecia today. I assure you, those prayed are felt and greatly appreciated! We love ya'll...Jen

12-07-09

A HUGE thank you to all the ladies that showed up to support Kecia at her honorary luncheon on Saturday. She felt horrible physically but so encouraged emotionally! We had lots of good food, fellowship and encouragement. Kecia left with a huge box of gifts and an RX that instructed her to open one package per day as needed for cheer. She got so many that she will still be opening long after the first of the year.
Kecia has a big week planned so keep her in your prayers. On Tuesday she goes in for bone scans of her whole body. They are checking to make sure that there is no new cancer growth and that everything is inactive in all the right places. On Wednesday she goes in for fluid infusion and possibly a transfusion if her white counts are still too low. On Thursday she has the gamma knife radiation/surgery. She will be at the hospital all day but due to the rigerous schedule that she will be on, moving from place to place, she is asking that no visitors come by for this one. As long as all goes well, she will be home that same night. This will be a less than pleasant experience so please pray for Kecia and Jeanie as they tackle yet another big hurdle.
Her ear infection is still not healing up and she is concerned about what could be causing the continuous infection. She hopes to get some answers at her visit tomorrow. I'll update on the surgery as soon as I know something.

12-2-09 I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We were happy that Kecia was home with us, and not in the hospital like last year. She was feeling pretty bad, but she was determined to spend time with the family so she had us pull the recliner into the family. She ate a tiny bit of mashed potatoes and green beans and the cuddled under her blankets and slept. We are hoping that she will feel better for Christmas.
She called this morning and asked me to send out an update asking for prayer again. She has a horrible ear infection. She has been battling it for almost 3 weeks and it just keeps getting worse. It's so bad that they normally would drain it to release the infection, but her white blood counts are so low they don't want to make any openings in her skin where other infections (mainly staff) can get in. She on medications but even with her normal pain meds this is hurting her very bad! She is concerned about her gamma radiation which is scheduled for the 10th. If she isn't infection free with higher counts, they won't be able to proceed. Thanks for your prayers and support in these areas!

Gamma Knife Radiation

11-21-09 Kecia was notified on Friday that her insurance will cover the surgery. What a HUGE answer to prayer! It is scheduled for December 10th. She is still very anxious about the procedure itself, but excited that it is expected to completely remove all traces of cancer from her brain. She felt pretty good this weekend..had dinner with the family on Saturday and made it to church this morning. This was her week off of the hard chemo so she got a much needed break from being sick. She started it again this afternoon so by tomorrow she probably wont leave the bed very much for the next 2 weeks. My understanding is that the "hard chemo" pill is taken for 2 weeks then off for 1 week. She takes the other chemo pill daily, and still goes in once a month for the IV chemo.
She has a tiny bit of hair growth (YEAH!) and has lost a few pounds since stopping the steroid treatment. (YEAH! YEAH!) As you remember, she was hospitalized last year for both Thanksgiving and Christmas so we are excited by the prospect that she will be home with us this year. Your prayers are addictive and we just can't get enough so keep em coming!

MRI results

Kecia's MRI results are in and they show that the lesions on Kecia's brain are not just "scars" , but living cancer. They are the same ones that we have been radiating for 3 weeks and they are smaller, but still living. They need to be dealt with quickly because they can only do a limited number of radiation rounds on her brain. They are able to continue growing even though Kecia is doing chemo now so her doctor wanted to move ahead with the gamma knife tomorrow. Unfortunatly, her insurance is not willing to preauthorize the procedure. Her doctors are arguing it and think they will eventually get it authorized but every day that they wait is dangerous for Kecia. She doesn't look forward to this procedure, but if it's necessary, she would rather get it over with instead of sitting around dreading it for days or weeks. Please pray that Kecia's insurance will come through for her as there is no way she can pay for this out of pocket.

more tests

11-14-09 Kecia had the MRI done to check her whole body for cancer, last week. On Thursday, she got the results which said there is no new cancer anywhere! Praise God for answered prayers! They do still see something at the orginal spots on the brain. Her doctor isn't sure if these are tumors that just weren't completely killed by the radiation or if this is just the "bruises" left by the tumors. He wants to do another MRI on Tuesday that will only target the brain and get a very close up look. If they find that they are still living tumors he will schedule Kecia for the gamma knife radiation the following day. (Wednesday) Kecia is NOT looking forward to the gamma knife, as it will require her to have bolts drilled into her head which will connect a halo. The halo will then be bolted to the table to keep her completly immobile while they pin point and radiate directly into her brain. She will be awake for the whole procedure. We are praying that she will not have to go through all of this and that the original radiation did it's job. Please be praying for her not only on this matter, but also that God gives her the mental and emotional strength to keep moving forward. She started all over with treatment when she was rediagnosed a few months ago and that meant radiation sickness, hair loss, burned skin, larger doses of chemo resulting in constant nausea, dizziness, pain in her feet, sores, headaches and constant pain. She handles it all very well for awhile, and then waking up to the same misery every day begans to wear on her. She really needs our prayers now for perserverence. If you get a minute, send her an uplifting or encouraging email. She is on the computer constantly for work so maybe it will make her smile if we flood her with words of encouragment.
I want her to know that we are aware of her daily struggle and that we admire her strength. She finds great courage in the fact that we believe in her.

A Reason To Celebrate

11-06-09 It is so exciting to see how God answers prayers and takes care of us in the most unexpected ways. As you know, Kecia's job is of the utmost importance to her. She always worries about her job security and is constantly fighting the feeling that she needs to do more..work more hours...be at the office more....We thank God daily for this amazing company who has been used by Him as an instrument to take care of Kecia throughout this financial battle with cancer. Just when it seems like they can't do anymore for her, they suprise us again. Kecia was asked to become part of a new team at Horizon that would allow her to move from hourly pay to salary and that would allow her to work full time from home! They had already let Kecia work from home but she always has quilt about not being in the office more. Now, that quilt can be replaced with thanksgiving. It has required her to go into the office alot over the past week in order to get things set up so she is exhausted when she gets home, but it is SO worth it. This is such a HUGE answer to prayer for her. We serve an AWESOME God and it is so exciting to see Him work in the life of someone we love!

She's home!

10-25-09 Kecia is home! She was so happy to see her "baby", Min Penny. (her dog) She called to let me know she was home, and then she crashed. We all know that the hospital is the last place on earth that a person can get any rest, so she was exhausted. I called to check on her and Jeanie said she had awakened briefly to eat and then went right back to sleep so I guess she is going to catch up on all that she missed this week. They are still keeping a close eye on her complications, but her doctor is very pleased with her recovery. Thank you all so much for keeping our family in your prayers. We are very much aware of them, especially in times of need and the comfort and strength they bring are indescribable!

still in the hospital

Saturday (don't know the date) Kecia thought she would be out by now, but some minor complications have her staying at least one more day. Her blood counts are pretty low so they gave her a transfusion yesterday. It took 4 bags to get her to a "safe" level. Her doctor said she may need another today. Her epidural which has so far controlled her pain pretty well, was removed yesterday and her pain level increased quite a bit. Also, one of her incisions kept bleeding (probably due to her low blood levels) and they wanted to keep an eye on that. Otherwise, she is doing great! She really looks good and her spirits are high. She has had alot of visitors and one of her friends, decorated her room all bright and cheery. As far as hospital stays go..this was a pretty good one. She has really appreciated all the visits, flowers, cards, calls and prayers. I'll let you know when she gets home.

Out of Surgery

Kecia is out of surgery and in her room. They didn't get her back into the O.R. until 2:30 and then it was a 5 hour surgery. I don't know all of the details but Jeanie said the doctor reported that everything went great...just as planned and that Kecia's body responded wonderfully throughout the surgery. She spend an hour in the recovery room and within minutes of arriving at her own room she began the inspection of her body. (so like Kecia isn't it?) A few minutes more and she started trying to text people. She wasn't really able to do it but Jeanie says it was funny to watch her try and pick up right were she left off. I appreciate all of the people who have been praying for Kecia on a daily basis. Knowing that there are literally thousands of people praying for her has given Kecia the strength and courage to face some unbelievably difficult things in the past year. I will talk with her in the morning to get the full story and I'm going up to see her tomorrow evening so I will send out another update after I get back. God bless each of you for taking the time to love our family and for investing yourselves in this very emotional journey. You are GREAT company to keep!

Reconstruction

10-15-09 (I hope that's the right date) I have so much to tell you that I'm not even sure where to start. Hold on tight..here we go....When they found Kecia's brain cancer they wanted to do a CAT scan because it can show everything in greater detail but they couldn't because her breast shields contain metal. Her new doctor (who is really her old doctor), Dr. Wazenski, wants to get that done ASAP so it is scheduled for this coming Tuesday the 21st. She will do her last radiation treatment that morning and then check into the hospital for a 1pm surgery. She will be at Medical City in Dallas. I'll let everyone know the room number when I get one. They are going to do the complete reconstruction right then so Kecia will have "real" fake boobs instead of shields when she leaves the hospital. YEAH! Maybe those will help take her mind off of the fact that her beautiful hair has once again fallen out and left her bald. She made it all the way up until Tuesday with very little hair loss. Then yesterday it just starting coming out in huge clumps. It's really hard for her, but she is taking it like the trooper that she is and tries to stay focused on things that she can affect like work and staying current on medical research. I'm not sure if I already told you this, but her doctor also wants her undergo a procedure called gamma knife radiation. It would involve her wearing a halo to stablize her head and neck while the doctor drills holes in her skull where the 4 cancer spots are located. They then use this gamma knife to remove anything left after radiation including the "mark" that is left even after the cancer is dead. If she is doing well after reconstruction he would like to do this procedure about 2 weeks later. She is nervous about it because she has to be awake for the whole thing. I can't even imagine how unsettling it would be to hear a hole being drilled into your head. She is, however, excited about the chance to completely rid her brain of cancer. Once they are able to do a CAT scan they will know more whether or not they will move forward with this gamma radiation. As of this morning Kecia was saying that she thinks she would like to have visitors once she is feeling better after her reconstruction surgery. She guesses that should be around Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. Of course it will depend on her recovery, but I will try to keep you all updated so you can gage when to stop by. I know there is something else I wanted to tell you but I'm in information overload and this is all I can remember right now. It would be easy to see why Kecia might be down and depressed with all this frightening medical stuff going on, but thanks to all of your prayers, Kecia is in remarkably good spirits. An amazing peace has come over her and she feels mentally and physically ready to handle these challenges. I have no doubt that this is an example of our prayers in action. Please continue to lift her up in prayer especially as the day of surgery draws near.

Great News

10-11-09 After lowering Kecia's steroid from 15 mg to 4 mg per day Kecia is back to her old self! She is feeling much better and was able to get caught up on her work. Her doctor thinks she is lucky not to have had a heart attack on such a high dose. Fortunatly they were able to catch the mistake and correct it before anything serious happened. Another praise...Kecia was told that the radiation would cause her brain to swell, giving her severe headaches, but so far she has not had either. She does have alot of "scalp pain" which she describes like a bad sunburn all over her head, but she says it is tolerable and not a big deal. She is about 3 days into the first chemo pill and so far so good. She will start the second one next week. She is a little concerned about the cost of her medications as the first pill is costing her about $90 per week and she was told that the second one is considerably higher. Say a prayer of thanksgiving this week as we are so grateful to have fixed Kecia's prescription problem! But also a request that her finances are able to cover her meds.

new treatment

10-08-09 Kecia was concerned that her doctor wasn't doing the most aggressive form of treatment so she went to her old oncologist for a second opinion. As expected, he said that if he were treating Kecia he would be doing a few things differently:
1. he would do a treatmemt called gamma radiation that puts electrods directly on the cancer and radiates them
2. he would do the full hysterectomy instead of just an ovarectomy
3. he would be doing chemo now instead of waiting until she finishes radiation

These are things Kecia was wanting to do so she has decided to go back to Dr. Wazenski for treatment. (She left him originally because his clinic and staff were having problems that were affecting the treatment she was getting. He has since moved to a hospital nearby so she is hoping these problems will not get in the way again.)

Kecia found out yesterday afternoon that she does not qualify for the trial study because she does not have any cancer in her soft tissue (aside from the brain) and that is a requirement. So that takes one big decision off her plate. We were praying for an obvious reason to either go forward or reject the trial and it couldn't be more obvious that she will NOT be in the study. We are thankful that Kecia doesn't have to make that decision.

Dr. Wazenski also said that the reason that Kecia has been in a constant state of "panic attack" is because she is on a huge dose of steroid to keep her brain from swelling from the radiation. He dropped it from a 15 (mg I assume) to 4. If she starts showing symptoms of brain swelling he will increase the dose to control it, but try to keep her low enough to avoid the constant panicky feeling.

She started the chemo pills today:one is taken four times a day, the other is taken two times a day. She can expect to be pretty sick for a few weeks. But once all the cancer is gone he will lower her to a maintenancw dose.

They are already looking for a surgeon to do her hysterectomy in the immediate future. Will update more when I know more. We are so thankful to each of you who have stood by Kecia's side through this whole ordeal!

10-06-09 I went with Kecia to her appointments yesterday and it broke my heart to see what she goes through just to make sure that she wakes up to another day. Before her body can be pushed back into the machine that shoots radiation to the cancer site, her head must first be positioned exactly right. From her chest up she is strapped down on the table. Her shoulders are secured tightly so that she can't move even a fraction of an inch. A large mask (I will call it for lack of a better word) that is as deep as her head is strapped tightly over her face and then secured to the table. It only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete the actual radiation, but it ends each day with Kecia in a full blown panic attack. She can hardly breath, and she is helpless to move to a position that would allow her to take deeper breaths. They administered a medication to help with anxiety, but she is shaking and dripping with sweat when they are done. The tech said that it is so tramatic that children are automatically put under for the daily procedure. It broke my heart to see her so exhausted and terrified!
The radiologist reported that there were no other cancer tumors in her body. Praise God! They did blood work to determine if there is estrogen still being produced inspite of her "menapause shot". If there is, that will explain how the ones in her brain were able to grow. Also, they definatly want to switch her to a different chemo since it did not stop the growth. If there is estrogen in her body she will have to get an ovarectomy (remove the ovaries), but Kecia has decided that regardless of the results she wants them removed. In fact, she would like a complete hysterectomy unless there is a good medical reason why she should keep the uterus. She meets with the GYN-oncologist next week to discuss and schedule that surgery.
She has also decided to go forward with the Trial Study if she is accepted. They said they will not take her is she is using the menapause shot, but they will if she has her ovaries removed. She is applying for the study now but will not know until a few days before if she is actually qualified. There are alot of things that can happen at the last minute that could disqualify her. (low blood counts, hospitalization, sickness)
You may be thinking "well, Kecia has definatly decided to continue with treatment" and physically she has, but emotionally she is not committed to her recovery. She is in a serious state of depression. When given "good" news, it's as if it doesn't really register to her. I believe she is in constant fear and it is consuming her. Please pray for Kecia's emotional and spiritual peace and resolve. I am praying that God will help Kecia find the inner strength and fight that she is known for. I am praying that He will surround her with His presence and pour peace all around her.

Trial Study

10-02-09 Kecia has decided to once again fight and not give in to the cancer that keeps attacking her body. She now faces another very important decision. Her doctors think that she will qualify for a new trial study of a certain chemo pill. The pros would be that it is supposed to target cancer on the brain and it would be taken orally rather than through IV. The cons are that it has not yet proven itself and is still in the trial stages and that she would have to have no treatments for 2 weeks before she could begin. This would mean giving the cancer 2 extra weeks to spread and grow without even knowing if the treatment will work. She will be told on Monday if she qualifies. She needs to know by then if she is going to do it or stick to her more traditional methods. If she does not enter the trial, her doctor has another chemo that he hopes will supress the cancer and that she will not be resistant to. She is so scared of making the wrong decision. It is little more than a guess one way or another. We were only able to speak on the phone for a few minutes while she was between scans so I don't know if there is more info or if that is all she has to make her decision with. She asked that I send out an urgent request asking everyone to pray that God will speak to her in a way that she can understand and help her make the best decision. She should also have the results of her full body scan by Monday afternoon to determine whether the cancer is contained in her brain or if it has spread elsewhere. Please keep praying about that as well.

Bald but Beautiful

10-1-09 Kecia's mom just called me and said that they have taken Kecia's measurements and will do her first radiation treatment in about an hour. Both she and Kecia were crying. Her doctor talked to her about the side effects of radiation on the brain. She should expect to have severe headaches, nausea, severe fatigue, and 100% hair loss. Only two weeks ago she started going in to work a few hours a week and joined the Bible study where she is developing new friendships. She commented that it finally felt like she was getting her life back. She bought a few nice skirts, has long hair again (even if it isn't her own) and was trying to get back in shape. Realizing that she is starting over is so painful for her. Thank you all for you constant prayer. We have seen God work a miracle for Kecia once. Let's ask Him to do it again. I am praying for complete recovery from cancer!

9-30-09

Kecia has 4 small spots of cancer on the back of her brain. Her doctor believes that they are new since they are so small which means her body has developed resistence to the chemo (Herceptin). They are scheduling scans ASAP to see if there are more in other parts of her body. They want her to start radiation tomorrow which will continue anywhere from 3-7 weeks. She would then start an oral chemo for an undetermined amount of time. She can expect to be very sick and loose her hair again. She is very concerned about work and insurance. She was recently given a new position at work since she has been feeling so good, but it requires her to come in several times a week. She doesn't have enough "at home work" to make the hours needed. She is on her way to speak with her boss now. She can not afford to loose this job or she will be uninsureable. Her immediate response is that she will begin treatment because of her parents. She says that if she could be sure that her mom would be alright she would choose not to treat. It is possible that this is just a detour along God's road to full recovery. For that reason, she considers treating. But she knows that it may not be in His plan to cure her. If she could know that, she would choose not to treat. Please pray that God gives her clarity as she makes this huge decision.

Cancer Again?

Kecia went in last week and had a scan done of her brain because she had been having pain and pressure for several days. She got a call while at work a few minutes ago saying that she needs to come talk with the doctor because they see something on the scans. They say there is a small chance that it is not cancer, but they feel pretty sure that it is. She is on her way there now. She left straight from work and is going to talk with the doctors by herself. I encouraged her to go pick up Grandad or her mom but she insisted on going alone so she can speak candidly without worrying about anyone elses reaction. Please pray fervently for Kecia. That it is not cancer, or if so, that it is treatable and that God comforts her and speaks clearly to her as she once again faces difficult decisions. She kept saying "This can't be happening..I can't do this again!" Please pray for her mental and emotional strenghth. I will update as soon as I know something.

Infection update

9-13-09 Kecia made it in to work for a few hours this week...her first time back in a very long time. She was still struggling to beat the infection in her breast so she was not feeling great physically, but mentally and emotionally it was wonderful for her. She called me on the way home and said "I know it's not a big deal to anyone else, and it really sounds little, but I feel so good. I know I do work at home too, but it just feels more productive when I do it there with everyone else." She plans on going in for a couple half days this week too and hopefully it will just become standard procedure until she is able to go back on a larger scale. She battled a virus for about 3 days following her trip into work but is feeling much better now. She was already taking a pretty strong antibiotic for the breast infection so it probably helped to keep it under control. Her doctor says she is still on target for her mid-December reconstruction surgery so that is good news. She would like to hurry up and get that behind her.
We met some of the girls in our new Bible study this weekend and it was really nice. We are both looking forward to that.
It's so nice to be able to tell you the good news and not follow it up with anything else. Have a great week and don't forget to thank God for all the little blessings in your life! It's amazing how many I notice now on a regular basis that I didn't really think about until Kecia's diagnosis.
Jen

Hello Strangers

It's been a long time but I know you are still out there. Just a little update and another prayer request for Kecia. She is scheduled to have her breast reconstruction done in mid December. Over the past week she has been experiencing alot of pain in her right breast. It has been increasing over the past few days and she has also had a low fever and been feeling extra tired. This looks alot like the infection that was raging through that same breast when they went in to re-do her port several months ago. She has an appointment Wednesday morning. If it is infected they will try to take care of it with antibiotics. If that doesn't work they may have to go in and red0 her shield on that side. This would delay her reconstruction surgery and add another recovery to her list. Please pray that it can be taken care of without surgery and that things move along as planned. Kecia is very anxious to get back to "normal" and would love to have your prayers to help her avoid this speed bump. Thank you all for being so faithful.
PS Kecia, her mom, and I are supposed to meet all the ladies in our new Bible study group on Friday. She is really wanting to go so please pray that she will feel well enough to have a little fun.

8-23-09 Not much to tell..which I quess is really good news! Kecia still wakes up each morning wondering how she will feel that day because it's still "hit or miss" right now. She finished radiation two weeks ago, but it stays in her system for at least six weeks according to her doctor so it is not unusual that she would still have some pretty yucky days. Because she is such a go getter, Kecia has a hard time accepting that she isn't back up to speed already. She was pretty down the last time she met with her oncologist because even the smallest amount of activity still wears her down and can cause her significant pain. She worried that this was the best it was going to be and wondered if she would ever be "up to speed" again. He did a great job of putting it all in perspective for her. He said "if you knew someone who had been run over by a train and miraculously survived, you would not expect them to be "up to speed" after only a year. You would expect them to walk with a limp, work part time (if they could even work at all) tire easily, still need pain meds, and require lots of therapy." He pointed out that while the outside of her looks pretty healthy, the inside of her body has been hit by a train and that her bones were literally exploding from the inside out. He reminded her of the original prognosis and how far she has already come from those early days. When he found out that she had taken herself off of all her pain meds except for on the "as needed" basis, he scolded her good. He reminded her that when her body is fighting to aleviate pain it is not able to do as much work on repairing old bones and fighting off infection. He insisted that she at least keep using her pain patch which time releases pain meds on a low, but continual basis. She agreed once she understood the reasoning behind it and is in a much better frame of mind concerning her speed of recovery.
Another good thing...Kecia and I hooked up with one of our fellow prayer warriors from Team Kecia the other day for coffee and left with an invitation to join her Bible study. It won't start until mid September but we are very excited!

8-9-09 The bad news is that for each week of Kecia's radiation, the side effects got worse. She suffers lots of dizzy spells, nausea, headaches, and blistered skin on her neck, breast and shoulder. NOT a fun 7 weeks! The good news is....SHE"S DONE! At least for now she is finished with radiation. Her doctor said the scan reveals that radiation has done all it can for now so she is free from that for at least several months. She goes in for her monthly chemo treatment on Tuesday which means she will be out of commission most of next week, but from there we are expecting every day to feel just a little bit better than the day before. She was able to go in to work for about 3 hours early last week and while that may seem like nothing, it was a big step for Kecia. It wiped her out and she slept for 4 hours after returning home...but that's not the point..she went to work! YEAH! Kecia knows that she is a walking miracle and is so thankful for this "second chance". Keep her in your prayers!

half way done

Kecia starts her radiation almost 4 weeks ago and while she did start out strong...the side effects are really catching up with her. She does little more that go to treatment, sleep and work from her bed. She is nauseated most of the time but it is mild compared to how it was "back then". Something you might not know about radiation is that it actually burns the skin at the points of entry, so she has blistered and peeling skin that gets worse (and more painful) every day. She reports that the smell of burned skin bothers her even more than the pain. It was the same when they radiated her spine, but this is so much closer to her face that she is very much aware of it. The good news is that she is half way done.
She has scans done on Friday to determine exactly where they are in the treatment process. If they haven't made as much progress as the doctor wants to see then it could mean extending the treatment for a few more days or weeks. BUT..if they are farther along in the process than they had expected then she may get to knock a few days off of her radiation schedule. We are going to deligently pray that the latter is the case. On another positive note, Kecia has been in communication with her bosses at work and has started working out some of the details of her return to the office. She is so excited about returning to some of her "normal" life and may even get to do some additional training that would allow her to add another dimention to her responsibilities at Horizon. Have I mentioned how thankful we are that God brought Kecia to this company? I don't know if I ever told you all this, but Kecia was trying to get started with another company that she really wanted to work out. It just didn't take off for her in the time frame that she needed so she applied at Horizon. She was disappointed that her "perfect job" hadn't worked out for her, but was thankful that she was hired by Horizon. We had NO IDEA how thankful we would be in just a matter of months when she was given her diagnosis. Just another example of how sometimes what we think is best for us really isn't. And how sometimes God (our loving parent) has to deny us what we want in order to do what is best for us (just like we do for our children) Thank you to everyone at Horizon who supports Kecia in her fight for life on a professional and personal level...and to all who continue to pray for Kecia on a daily basis.
Will update again next week with the results of her scans.

Our girl is still going strong. On Monday she has chemo, radiation and her menapausal shot so she has been feeling really rotten for 3 days. Today was actually a little better but she still didn't leave the bed all day. On the bright side...it forces her to sit and get her work done. I just can't say enough how thankful we are for her job at Horizon. It is amazing how flexible they have been with all her special needs and she is looking forward to being able to return to the office once her radiation period is over. If my numbers are correct, we've got 2 weeks of radiation down and 5 more to go! She is feeling SO much better this time around (as compared to when she was doing full blown treatment) but that radiation really takes all the energy of out her. Last week we were talking on the phone in the middle of the day and I am certain that she actually fell asleep in the middle of a sentence. NO LIE! I woke her up and told her to hang up the phone and get some rest. She doesn't even remember the converasation. Now that is what I call tired! She does, however muster up the energy for small excursions and would love to have visitors, so call anytime. I'll report again when there is something to tell...but I just love it when Kecia has a "boring" life because it means that she is healthy.

Finally, some FUN news to report! Kecia has been waiting for her hair to be three inches long so she could get extensions. She has gone in to this little shop in Dallas 3 times now, asking if it could be done. Each time the girls would sadly say that it just wasn't long enough yet. Finally, she went in yesterday and they told her to get in the chair cause she was gettin hair! It took 2 girls about 8 hours to do her whole head. She was hurting pretty bad from sitting all day but she pushed through it to get her hair. She was so tired by the time they finished that she had to go home without getting it cut and styled. They told her to come in on Tuesday and they would "do her do." When she was ready to pay they two girls suprised her by saying that it was on the house and all Kecia had to pay for was the actual hair itself. She says it will take some getting used to, not only because her head hasn't felt so heavy in a long time, but also because she can feel all the tiny bumps near her scalp where the extensions are attached. She assures me that she can learn to love it since it gives her a small bit of her physical self back. I would love to say that I will send pictures soon, but you would probably all call me on the fact that I have yet to do that once. Anyway, on to the REALLY GOOD NEWS.
Kecia is getting baptized tomorrow! My oldest daughter has been talking with our pastor about getting baptized and a few weeks ago they set the date for July 12th. Kecia said she would like to do it at the same time as Kendall. Kecia has been a Christian for many years, but has never taken that public step before so we are doubley proud. (I don't think "doubley" is even a word but you know what I mean) Stay tuned for more great news..

7-7-09 Just a quick update...Kecia has finished her first week of radiation and is doing pretty good. She is very tired, as expected, but manages to keep up with her job from home so she is not complaining. She still suffers bouts of nausea but controls it pretty well with medication. She is weaning herself off of her pain meds and is down to just the "patch" except for when she has a really bad day physically. She knows she has SO MUCH to be thankful for but still suffers from some pretty tough depression at times. We talk about it often and both feel like it is no coincidence that she usually has a bad emotional day after a few really good physical days. We honestly feel like everytime she gives God and our prayers credit for her recovery she is suddenly hit with a really bad either physically or emotionally. We give the devil credit for that. We're convinced that he just can't stand it when our prayers are answered so he sends a little misery her way just to try and break her. We have the edge though because we're on to his little game. Please continue to pray that her bones will generate new growth as well as for Kecia as she battles daily with bouts of fear and depression that just come naturally with a disease like this. You are still our first line of defense and we value your prayers more than you can know.

6-29-09 Good News For Team Kecia! According to her doctor, the scans reveal no new cancer growth. She is still cancer free! They were hoping that these scans would also reaveal that there was new bone growth so that they could do the surgery on her spine and hip that would immediatly releve her constant pain in those two areas. There was no new growth, infact, to quote her doctor, "we can't do the surgery because your bones are just all used up." Some may have been frightened or offended by such a declaration, but we just laugh. Kecia is much more comfortable with a doctor that shoots straight with her instead of jogging around sensitive subjects. She prefers to have the bare truth so she knows exactly what she's dealing with. I was impressed by her comment ..."that's okay, we've been praying for cancer-free scans. We'll start praying for bone growth now."

More Scans

Last minute prayer request! Kecia got a call yesterday afternoon telling her that they had scheduled her full body scans for tomorrow, Thursday the 25th. She is usually very excited about getting her scans done because it is the only way to measure how much sucess they are having with the treatments. So far, all of her scans have come out showing good news. She was suprised by her feelings of overwhelming fear and anxiety. She knows they have to be done and feels silly for being so frightened. I assured Kecia that her anxiety was perfectly normal. She is working so hard to get back to having a "real life" again and the thought that the scans could tell her that this whole process is starting over is just too overwhelming to consider. We prayed about it alot and she was able to put everything back into perspective, which is always helpful. Her scans are scheduled for 10:00 tomorrow so she is asking that we all watch the clock and pray for her around 9 am. We are asking first, that she keep her eye on the eternal goal and not just the daily one her on earth. Second, that she feel God's presence and take great peace and comfort from it. And last, that her scans continue to be cancer free due to a miraculous cure and not just a medical cure. Thank you for you support and continuous prayers. We probably won't know anything until Monday but will let you know as soon as we do.

It feels like it's been so long since I last posted. That could be because my husband has brought home alot of his work lately and I have had little access to the computer. The good news is that there is no bad news to report. Kecia had chemo last week and while it would be a far stretch to say she felt fine...she sure didn't feel as bad as she used to when she was getting her large weekly doses. She went in today for her big huge shot in the stomach (the one that keeps her in menapause) so she can expect to be very achey and sore for about 3 or 4 days. Tomorrow they start her radiation. She goes in every day at 10:00. They will scan her for measurments and make her do all the yucky paperwork that one would think they could just write "ditto" on everyday. Her actual radiation treatment only lasts about 20 minutes, but she ends up being at the hospital about 3 hours by the time she's done. We are hoping and praying that this will be alot easier on her than it was the first time around, just like the chemo is proving to be. She had her last saline fill a week ago so now they just wait until her 7 weeks of radiation is done to begin preparing for the breast reconstruction surgery.
While she doesn't always feel great and has alot less energy than the average person, I am so happy to report that she looks great. Her hair is about 2 inches long and growing in nice and thick. She actually has enough now to wake up with bed head. While she doesn't find our jokes to be all that funny, she is pleased that it is growing long enough to allow her to worry about having "bad hair days". There was a day not long ago when every day was a no hair day, so all in all this is a big improvement. Since reducing her chemo and going off the steroids, Kecia has lost almost 15 pounds. Her color has returned and I find that from time to time I am actually starting to see that "spark" in her eyes that we have all missed for so long now. GO KECIA GO!

We made it home from San Antonio in one piece but boy are we tired. The kids had a blast and it felt like we never stopped running at full speed. There was so much to do and so little time. It was a great family vacation...but now we get back to the same old grind.
Kecia went in to meet with her oncologist today. They went over her charts and schedules to see if they could double up on some of her treatments so she wouldn't have to keep going in so often. He thinks they may do her shots on the same day as her chemo in the future which would knock at least one day off for her. He is going to review it a little more and let her know at their next meeting. (next week) She had her monthly dose of chemo today and was feeling bad before she even left the center. She knew she would and has planned for several days in the bed. She tries to look on the bright side and said "well, at least I'll get lots of work done." She goes in on Wednesday to get all of her scans done that will take the precise measurments for her radiation which is scheduled to begin on Monday. Her oncologist says they will also be doing her full body scan soon as well just to make sure she is still cancer free. Kecia is a little aprehensive about it because in the back of her mind she is terrified that they will detect something and this whole process will just start over. She tries so hard to put her worries in God's hands but that is alot easier said than done. It is something she really struggles with and would appreciate your prayers on the matter.

6-5-09 I haven't updated in awhile because we have been waiting to find out why Kecia keeps having symptoms of an infection that can not be explained. In the past 3 months she has been on a very powerful broad spectrum antibiotic 4 different times. Two of those times it was in the hospital with an IV drip. She goes in feeling very weak, achey everywhere, low blood counts, etc. and after a few days of the antibiotic she starts feeling better. By the time she finishes her round of meds she feels great again...for about 4 days. Once she is off of them she starts feeling bad and every day gets worse until they start treating again. She wants intense testing to determine the exact type of infection that she has so they can pinpoint the treatment to get rid of it instead of just putting a bandaid on it. We all worry because we know that extended use of antibiotics just leaves you immune to them. Kecia can't afford to be needlessly immune to them. Her doctors seem reluctant to do some of the tests that might help to pinpoint the problem and we are a little confused and frusterated about it all. She plans to try and find out more and get some answers as to why they aren't taking this as seriously as we feel that they should, on Monday. In the meantime, she finished her last antibiotic treatment about a week ago and started feeling the downward slide again yesterday. By today, she was feeling really bad and in alot of pain so we are praying that someone will be able to identify the problem and find a solution. I probably won't be able to upate on that doctor's visit for awhile because James and I are taking the kiddos to San Antonio for a stop by the Alamo, Sea World and the Natural Bridge Caverns. We will be gone all week but will update when we get back.

On a happy note, one of Kecia's friends Karina has joined with a group of ladies to "race for the cure" in the Komen 3 Day Walk. They are wearing t-shirts that say "Happy Birthday Kecia, and are walking in her honor again. (you may remember that they walked for her last year shortly after her diagnosis.) I will try to get pictures of that and see if Lacey (our tech support) can update the blog with a few. Have a great week and please continue to keep our girl in your prayers!!

Birthday Girl

Our little girl is growing up! She will be 29 on the 7th of June. It's hard to believe that it was just one week after her 28th birthday that she was diagnosed with cancer. She was told that she had a few months to live, and that was one year ago! She has traveled a long and difficult road and you have been beside her every step of the way. We are SO thankful that you have been here for our family in so many ways.
We are trying to think of something creative to do for her birthday. (I know, it's only a week away so Im not giving you alot of time.) One of her friends has suggested "buying her a star" and naming it after her. VERY CUTE! So far, I have come up with nothing so we would love to hear any ideas that you have.
PS Thanks for the ideas that ya'll have been sending in on Kecia's insurance situation. Most of them are things we had never thought of and Kecia is following up on every single lead. Ya'll are the BEST!

Kecia made it home from the hospital yesterday afternoon. None of the cultures they took grew into anything but her fever stayed down through the night and all of her counts came back up so they released her without ever finding out exactly what the problem was. Several people were able to make it up to the hospital and she really enjoyed the company. Kecia's dad is in continued discussion with his employer about his position with the company so there is some hope that he may be keeping his job afterall. Yeah! Also, there were so many people that contributed to Kecia's Angel Food fund that we were able to provide meals for the family every month for a whole year. Thanks to each of you for your prayers and support! And don't forget...Carter Blood Care is always in need of blood and platelette donations which will allow you to save a strangers life while helping Kecia with her hospital copays.

To the Hospital Again

Kecia has been battling this fever for over a week now and at her appointment today her doctor decided they needed to hospitalize her. They want to try and pinpoint exactly what is wrong and then treat it accordingly. They are assuming that it will be an ordinary infection of some kind that she is just having a hard time shaking off, but want to make sure it's nothing more serious. They are going to start her on fluids and IV antibiotics while they figure it all out. She is having a very hard time right now and is in need of prayer in several areas. First, for her on going sickness, but also for her financial situation. Kecia has been told that she will need some type of chemo for the rest of her life based on the type of cancer that she has. It was brought to her attention that most insurance companies have a max payout and once you reach your lifetime number they no longer cover you. She has been concerned about that for the past few days, but hasn't felt good enough to make any calls or check into her options. The thought of not having insurance is terrifying to her because her treatment will need to be lifelong. If anyone has helpful information about secondary insurance or options for people with terminal illnesses please share them. (Kecia's cancer is still considered terminal even though there is currently no active cancer) You probably already know that Kecia moved back in with her parents after the diagnosis but you may not be aware of the fact that she pays about half of the bills for the household. She also pays about $1600 per month on medical expenses. She found out this morning that her dad lost his job and that she is now the sole bread winner for her family. She was already very stressed when she left for her doctor's appointment about the financial situation, but now she is on her way to the hospital in great emotional distress. She is asking that we all pray for her physical health as well as her spiritual clarity. It is so easy to say that we are trusting God to take care of the things that we are unable to handle, but it is often alot harder to actually stop worrying and truely give this problems over to Him.

Kecia was due to see her "team leader" today, but she woke up very sick last night and had a 103 degree temp this morning. So, she went to her Oncologist first and they loaded her with fluids and some meds. She is home resting now, but very uncomfortable and not able to hold anything down. For most of us, this is just annoying and we know we'll suffer through it for a few days and then be better. For Kecia, this is still very dangerous. She has very little "germ fighting power" and a cold or infection can lead to things that can kill her. They did a chest x-ray and said it looked clear which is good but they are watching her carefully. She was told to come straight to the hospital if things get any worse. Keep our girl in your prayers! One can never have too many.

Kecia is home from the hospital! Her surgery went as planned and she is recovering well. She reports being sore, but not any more than expected. Last time Kecia had surgery, it bothered her that she always had to ask for help everytime she had an itch because her incision site was too sore to reach. The girls and I left her a personalized backscratcher so she won't have that problem this time around. They are expecting to be able to move forward with the daily radiation treatments in the next 2-3 weeks. That is scheduled to last 7 weeks. I didn't see Kecia today, but we spoke several times and she sounded very positive and upbeat. She was proud to tell me that she had recently purchased her first Bible. I know there are several in her parents' home, but I hadn't realized that Kecia didn't have one of her very own. I wish I had known...that would have made a great gift during all these surgeries and hospital stays. Oh well, she has one now! Will update again soon.....

Another surgery

Kecia saw Dr. Laidly on Friday and was told that her new port looks awesome. It is almost completely healed and functioning 100%. The incision where her old port was removed, however, is not healing up. It still bleeds everyday and is hosting an infection that they can't seem to clear up. They have scheduled her for another surgery on Wednesday to do a "scar restoration." It will involve removing as much infection and scar tissue as possible and then stitching her back up. It could involve a skin graft if they have to remove so much tissue that it cant be pulled together. It sounds like a small surgery...and it is just a day surgery, but Kecia has averaged one operation every 7 weeks since this whole thing began and she is feeling a little down about going through it all again. She keeps thinking that "this will be the last for awhile" but then there always seems to be one more. She has come SO FAR! But surgery takes its toll on the body and she is feeling very tired. Please pray for her as she prepares herself for the procedure that she has come to know all too well.

You would all be so proud of our girl! She went out in public with no hat and no wig this week. She has really struggled with the self image problems that face many woman in her situation. She purchased a wig, but found that during her menapausal heat flashes that it was unbearably hot. It looked adorable on her, but she only wore it a few times. She opted instead to wear her trusty old baseball cap...to the doctor...to the store...,and to church. She joined me the other day to venture out on a small excursion to find a birthday gift for one of my daughters. I noticed immediately that she was "bare headed". She bravely choose to wear only a braided headband. Her hair is only about an inch or two high, but it is getting thicker every day. She checked into getting extensions put in but they can't do that until her hair is at least 3 inches long. When I asked what prompted her decision to go capless she said that it was time for her to deal with the fact that she has "no hair" and do the best she can with it. She "girled" herself up with painted nails, dangly earrings, and new lipstick, and off we went. We didn't get far before she was exhausted, hot and limping, but that's not the point! This is a personal triumph for Kecia and I am so proud of her! She asked me to put this on her blog because she knew you would all celebrate this small (yet, so big) milestone with her.

Kecia had her first round of chemo on the new schedule yesterday. It is a much higher dose than previously, but she would only need to get it once a month instead of every week. She was very hopeful that this would allow her less down time and more productive time. At first, she reported feeling pretty good...a little nausea and tired but okay. However, by late afternoon today she began experiencing a rather painful side effect. Her feet used to be numb and tingly, now they feel like they are on fire. They are red and hot to the touch. She can barely walk and is in excruciating pain when she has to get out of bed. She said she keeps checking because it feels like they are actually blistering. She read the info sheet and it says that these are normal side effects,in addition to cracking and bleeding. Kecia is disappointed because she was so excited about feeling good again and getting back to normal. These thoughts then leave her feeling guilty because she knows she should be thankful and not "crying about a little thing like her feet." I assured her that it is perfectly normal to be thankful for the fact that she is recovering and still cry when her feet burn like fire! Please remember her in your prayers. Ask that the Lord guide her doctor's decisions as she adjusts Kecia's medications and tries to regulate her schedule to allow Kecia a "normal" life while still keeping cancer at bay.

Out of Surgery

4-29-09 Kecia went in yesterday and to her great delight BOTH drainage tubes were removed from her breasts. They were able to add the first little bit of fluid to her shields (temporary breast implants) so she feels a little more "lady like" now. She went in at 9 am this morning to have her new medi-port put in. I got the call at 11:15 that everything went great and that she was in recovery trying to wake up. As we speak (or as I type) she is currently waiting in her room for the nurse to come and wheel her downstairs. I just spoke with her on the phone (3:00) and she sounds really good. She said to thank everyone for their prayers and support. She reports that she is always so nervous before each surgery and that she can really feel the comforting presence of God through our prayers. We are so blessed to have such a remarkable team behind us.

4-27-09 Well our girl seems to be healing up nicely...slowly but surely. She has far less pain now and has lowered her pain meds consideribly to an as needed basis. She still moves like an old granny and can't go very long without rest but her doctors are very pleased with her recovery. She goes in tomorrow morning to see about getting the drainage tubes removed. It looks like they will probably take one out but the other still looks like it isn't quite ready yet. She is scheduled to have her new port put in on Wednesday but that is also in question since her levels are still pretty low and it looks like she may have a stomach virus that she is trying to conquer. She is very pleased with her new team of doctors and that is a HUGE answer to prayer. Kecia is starting to get very restless with this whole "recovering from surgery" thing. She feels good enough to want to do things but not actually good enough to do them. She came out to our house for dinner last night and said it was the highlight of her week. (oh, now that is so sad becasue we literally just ate dinner and sat around talking) She is back to work, doing reports and projects from home which keeps her mind occupied and gives her that sense of accomplishment that Kecia desperatly needs. I am so thankful for that! It does so much more than just pay her bills. She can't stand to just "do nothing", so having work to do is another real blessing that we are grateful for throughout all of this. I will probably wait until Wednesday to update on both doctor visits...We are praying for the doctors' wisdom as they make important decisions about Kecia's treatment. I feel quite certain there will be more good news to come!

Good News and Bad News

Update 4-23-09 Kecia met her new oncologist today. He was recommended to her by Dr. Ladly (Kecia's new "cancer team leader") Kecia and her mom really liked him. He is very direct, knowlegable, and "pro-Kecia". It was comforting that he agrees with Dr. Ladly's plan to discontinue the Taxatere and use only the once a month dose of Herceptin to keep the cancer at bay. He actaully gave Kecia the option of going ahead with the hysterectomy in a few months, or keeping all the rest of her parts and just keep doing the monthly shot that keeps her in menopause. The down side to getting a hysterectomy is...well...kindof obvious, but the down side to getting that shot every month is that the shot is the size of a crochet needle that puts a pill size capsule into her stomach, and then leaves her achey for several days and teary with hot flashes the rest of the month. Luckily, she doesn't need to decide right now and she will just continue with the shots until she decides otherwise. The oncologist checked Kecia's latest scans and thinks that maybe her continued back pain is due to the fact that her spine was so weakened from cancer and then from radiation and chemo, that is has kindof collapsed and is putting continued pressure on her nerves. He wants to do a little more checking (don't know exactly what that means) and then when Kecia is healed they will consider doing a minor surgery to repair those few discs. He compared it to a "lift" that would help align and provide support. If it works, it is a fairly easy solution to a constant problem for her. They will eventually need to put in another port. It was scheduled to be this upcoming Wednesday, but her counts are pretty low so her doctor wants to just wait and see if her body can "recoup" some on it's own. They are not in a huge hurry because she will still have some Herceptin in her system for awhile. He told Kecia she looks great to him. Her response was "yeah, I guess..." (because she is still feeling like a sickly, "useless" person since she can not work or contribute to the degree that she thinks she should) He was very perceptive and said "Kecia, you are at the end of a very long road and it is time for you to start thinking about living again. It's my job to worry about you now. You need to try and enjoy some of your life for awhile." I like that guy! That's just what Kecia needs...a doctor that she trusts telling her that he will take control so that she doesn't have to. That has been one of the hardest parts for her. This is all really good news and I am so thrilled with how far Kecia has come in her recovery but she is still in need of alot of support and prayer. While talking about all of this tonight Kecia's words were positive but her voice was on the verge of breaking. She is fighting so hard to be tough and strong but she is just so tired. From the outside looking in it is so easy to say "wow, this is the easy part, it's all down hill from here". We see easier chemo, less nausea, one surgery down a few more to go. But Kecia hears...more chemo...more weeks of exhausting radiation, another surgery....It it kindof like she runs the race of her life, but when she gets to the finish line (out of breath and exhausted) instead of getting a little rest, she immediatly starts training for the next big event. She has used up all of her strength on the "big stuff" and now she really needs God to work through us to help pull her through the last leg of this race. For those of us who live close, Kecia really enjoys having visitors. Of course it means being flexible with ones plans since you just have to call and say "hey do you want company in about an hour?, since she never knows in advance how she will feel. But I know it breaks the monotony of her "sick" schedule to talk to people about work..boyfriends...family....anything but cancer! Please pray that God will give Kecia the emotional stength that she needs to finish out this amazing journey. She has come so far, no doubt in the palm of His hand, but she isn't seeing the light at the end of her tunnel just yet. Pray that He will rejuvinate her spirit and shine a light that she can see clearly!

CORRECTION

Hello All: It was brought to may attention that my last update implied that Kecia was planning to quit her job. She is NOT quitting her job! Not only does she greatly admire the management team at Horizon for all they have done to help her, but she will always need the insurance that comes from a company type setting. I wanted to take this moment to better explain myself. It is James and I that are planning to sell our home and began looking for land. We have been planning this for over 4 years now and are just now beginning to feel like "the ball is rolling" in that direction. Kecia is excited about her new found goals and feels like alot the things that she wants to share with other cancer patients could be found in the therapeutic setting of the ranch. Eventually, she would like to offer the group sessions and other opportunities on weekends but that is a LONG way down the road for her. She still has a long way to go in her recovery and that is her number one priority right now. She hopes that in the more near future she will be able to put her mentoring program into use but that is another one of those things that she will do from home when she is strong enough to add it to her schedule. Right now she still needs help making that long trek down the hall from her bedroom to the kitchen, so it is not that she is ready to do these things yet. It's just that I was so excited to find out that she has started dreaming again! I had to share with those who helped make it possible. I'm sorry if I got any of you prematurly excited about her progress.....but if you know Kecia...you know that if she can dream it, she can do it!

Plans for the Future

Update 4-19-09 I order to tell you about the plans Kecia has been making over the past week or so, I will first need to update you on a little history. When I first decided to go back to school to get my master's degree (4 years ago) I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I had big plans that included working with fostor children and troubled teens. I envisioned a working ranch where we rescued abused horses and paired them up with hurting kids for a therapeutic and healing experience. The idea of equine therapy is slowing building a name for itself in the counseling field but there are very few people using it. I hope to be a pioneer in this particular area. Kecia was also looking for a new career and felt that she too would be a good counselor who could help many people. She was not, however, certain just what area she would specialize in. She thought about working with people who suffer from addictions, or even those hospitalized with severe psychiatric problems. Until she discovered her calling, Kecia was content to be a general counselor working with all types of people. This is where her experience with cancer comes in. Through this whole ordeal, Kecia has learned so much that one can never truely understand about "terminal" illnesses or the "death sentences" that come with so many diagnoses, unless they have lived it for themselves. She understands the importance of little things, like having appointments scheduled for you, or being able to cry without worrying that it will upset the people around you. She knows that sometimes people want to make plans just incase they don't make it, and that they aren't weak because they sometimes feel afraid. When I visited her the other day it was as if she had just had an epiphany. She was so excited as she told me that she was beginning to make plans for her future. She started by telling me that at first, being blessed with a miracle of her healing was a little overwhelming. She felt alot of pressure to use this second chance that God had given her for His purpose, but she didn't know what that was. She was afraid that she would be given this gift and then blow it, without ever realizing what she was supposed to be doing. But as she lay in her bed recovering from surgery, the word SERENITY kept coming to mind. She thought about it...how it affected her...her family...and others. What a comforting word it was. She had hated my plan to move out to the country (far from everything that was convenient) to be around dirty horses, ducks, and chickens (which she calls wing-ed things). So you can imagine my suprise when she blurted out that she knew her purpose...and it involved working with me on the ranch, providing the peace, comfort and serenity that only nature can provide, to frightened people who were battling cancer. She envisioned so much more than just counseling for her clients. She wants to start a mentoring program, where survivors are paired with newly diagnosed patients to act as "big-sisters" who encourage, discuss options, and help with resources. She wants to hold support groups at the ranch where clients can give and recieve a Godly perspective on all the issues that touch their lives on a daily basis. She said she finally understands how her grandfather can always have such a positive outlook (even as his wife struggled and died at the hands of alzheimer's) and it's because his focus is not on this life. She said she "gets" it now. And she wants others to get it too. She feels so good to have a purpose again, and even better to know that her purpose will glorify God and the miracle that He has blessed her with. Many of you may not know this, but the job Kecia does at Horizon has counted toward her necessary hours for acheiving her counseling license. She and I will have completed our hours in 4 more weeks and should be "full fledged counselors" by the end of May. Our goal is to have my house sold by next summer so that we can begin looking for land either north or east of here. I have spent years praying on this matter and feel very confident that this is what God has planned for my life. I am so happy to hear that He is leading Kecia in the same direction. I can't think of one single person I would rather work with. There is SO much that will have to work out in order for these dreams to be fulfilled...but I think we all know by know that our God is a mighty One and all things are possible through Him. Please pray that God's will on this subject will be made obvious to us so that we will be led in the right direction. Can you believe that just a few months ago Kecia was afraid to even think a few months in advance, and now she is planning big things for her future!?

Pathology Report

4-17-09 Kecia went in to meet with her surgeon, Dr. Ladly, this morning and get her pathology results from the surgery. More good news! There was absolutly no sign of cancer in either her lymphnode or the breasts. There was, however, a little bit found in the milk ducts. That of course was removed during the surgery so I believe it is safe to say Kecia is now, officially, cancer free! I don't believe I have updated you on some of the problems Kecia was experiencing with her team of doctors over the past few months. To make a long story short, the Cancer Center where she has been treated for the past 8 months has been experiencing some financial troubles which have led to cut backs in staff and services. Kecia is so thankful to her doctor and his team for the amazing job they did to get her to this point in her recovery, but feels that a new team of doctors is what she needs to carry her through this second phase. She has asked Dr. Ladly to head up that team and together they have chosen a new Oncologist. They both work out of Medical City and have all the things Kecia will need as she "rehabs" from cancer. (notice that I no longer spell cancer with a capital "C".) She is SO relieved to have found a competent team who has the time and resources to help her. She has secretly been struggling with the knowlege that she needed to find a new team, but so overwhelmed that she just pushed it aside and let it stew and torment her. Now she is passing off the responsibilty of her rehab to those who are trained to do it, and not worrying about it herself. This is a huge weight off her shoulders. Also, her other doctors were telling her that she would need to continue the Taxatere (the strong one) every month and the Herceptin every week, in addition to 5 weeks of radiation. We questioned the continued use of Taxatere when she is cancer free but they insisted. Dr. Ladley was shocked that they wanted to continue its use and said there is no reason to do that. She does want to do the radiation to "seal" the area were the cancer was removed, but said that Kecia will only need the Herceptin every 3 weeks. What this means for Kecia is that she can look forward to feeling good most of the time! She will be very weak from the radiation and will have a few days of sickness after her Herceptin but that will be a vacation compared to what she has been going through for most of the last 8 months. We are so pleased with the progress she is making! What a mighty God we serve!

Home Sweet Home

4-13-09 We were all suprised and pleased when Kecia's doctor announced that she would be coming home today! She is recovering so well...still in a bit of pain, but not more than can be expected. She is still pretty swollen but showing improvement. She is able to move about a little better and is increasing the mobility of her arms and upper body. True to her nature, she is actually "doing too much" according to her doctor and actually passed out after being up out of bed too long this evening. Her doctor was not concerned but told her in no uncertain terms to slow down and allow her body the time it needs to heal slowly. She told me today that she caught herself thinking and planning for the future. She has been taking her life one day at a time for so long now. She hasn't really allowed herself the luxury of planning or thinking too far ahead but last night and today she has enjoyed basking in the idea of a future....her future...a healthy one! She said that while she is SO thankful for all of the prayers and miracles God has sent her way, it comes with the huge pressure of living up to God's plan for her. At first that idea scared her...the idea that because she lived through this whole ordeal she had some very special purpose to fulfill. She doubted whether she would ever know what it was or if she discovered that purpose would she be able to fulfill it? She has spent the last few months really soul searching and trying to find out what special thing God was keeping her here for. We discussed that at length today...and I think you will all be just as excited as she was when she told me about it once you hear what she has to say.....stay tunned 'cause this is just a sneak peek...a commercial if you will....you'll hear more in my next post! LOVE YA"LL!

A Friend in the Hospital

Update 4-11-09 About a week ago, Kecia was in for some pre-op work and she met a young lady in the waiting room who had the tell-tale signs of someone fighting cancer. They struck up a conversation and found out that they had alot of things in common. Sally is a 33 year old woman fighting breast cancer and also scheduled for a double mastectomy. Her heritage is Iranian just like Kecia's and when checking their family trees for any history of breast cancer, both found none. They have the same doctor, the same surgeon and would be in the hospital during the same week. They exchanged phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. After Kecia was assigned to her room they found out that Sally had had her surgery on Wednesday (two days earlier than Kecia) and was in the room three doors down. She visited Kecia's room 3 times yesterday and has been a very positive encouragment for her. It's amazing all of the ways that God sends us what we need in just the way we need it. Kendall and I left the younger kiddos at home with Grandad and went to visit today after church. The girls had made her an Easter basket with homeade cards and goodies. They also made one for Sally and once we got there, Kecia walked Sally's basket down to her which marked her first venture outside of her room. Against the doctors orders, Kecia had looked at her chest earlier in the day, and was horrified by what she described as "frankenstien scars". It was a very difficult thing for her to face and emotionally she struggled with accepting the changes that had occured to her body. While in Sally's room, they compared scars, talked about fears and worked through alot of the emotions they were struggling with. She seemed to feel more comfortable with herself and finds alot of comfort in being able to share this with someone who understands first hand. Physically, she looks really good. Her color is healthy, her face looks full and "bright" again, and she is gaining her strength and stability back slowly but surely. She is still having alot of pain but it is managable most of the time. She needs help doing almost everything, but that is to be expected. Please continue to pray for her speedy recovery and for her emotional strength as she gets used to her "new body".

Update 4-11-09 Kecia is doing well. She had a really rough night after coming out of surgery because her pain meds weren't working for her. They took care of that once the Dr. came in this morning so she got some relief and a little rest. She was up several times to go back and forth from the bathroom to bed and tried to venture out on a little walk around the hall but thought better of it before she got to the door. She is at Medical City Dallas Building A, Room #951 (North Tower) She has her cell phone with her and only turns it on when she is awake and taking calls. I will see her tomorrow after church and will update you again in the evening. I hope everyone has a wonder Easter! Ours couldn't be better, knowing that Kecia is doing well and getting better every day.

Surgery Update: 4-10-09 8:00 Praise God! Kecia is out of surgery. She is resting peacefully in the recovery room and should be brought into the room with family soon. Around 3:30, the surgeon came out to say that she was finished with her part and that it had gone beautifully. They found nothing unexpected or worrisome and said that they were able to remove all cancerous tissues with no problem. She also said that Kecia's bleeding was better controlled that her patients with normal blood levels and they were all very pleased with the results. Around 6:00, the plastic surgeon came out to inform the family that his portion was equally successful and uneventful. He was forced to remove Kecia's port as it was infected and had alot of damaged tissue. He is not the one who can put another port in, so that will have to be done later in the month, but it is a relatively easy surgery compared to this one. It needed to come out so it is actually good news that they were able to get it now. He was able to put in the breast shields which will keep the skin from tightening up and make it easier on her when it comes time to do the implants. Kecia did GREAT! I am so proud of her and thank God for once again coming through for her. I will let you all know tomorrow which room she is in so you can visit or send goodies. She should be there for about 5-7 days. Please join me tonight as I thank God for yet another miracle in our girls recovery story!

Surgery Update-4-10-09 Kecia was taken back to surgery at 10:40 am. She was in good spirits and as peaceful as one can be before a surgery such as this. She knows she is in good hands and wanted me to thank everyone for lifting her up in prayer throughout this whole ordeal. They will be doing a constant blood transfusion through the entire operation. It is expected to last about 8 hours, so I probably won't have much to update before 7 or 8 this evening. I know your day is busy but if you think of Kec off and on please continue to pray for her good health, the surgeons steady and knowlegable hand, and a non eventful surgery. We are so thankful for each of you and the role ya'll are playing in Kecia's recovery.

4-8-09 In Need of Prayer: Kecia spent 7 long hours at the hospital yesterday getting everything ready for Friday's surgery. While not looking forward to it, she has made up her mind that it is necessary and she just wants to get it done. You will imagine then, how disappointed she was to get a call this morning telling her that her blood levels are way too low to proceed as planned. She wanted to go ahead and check into the hospital so they could give her two days worth of infusions but they don't want to do that. The doctors have discussed it and they want her to go ahead and come in tomorrow for the scheduled appointment. (they will give her 4 shots in each breast of radioactive material which will adhere to the cancerous tissue and light it up to make it clearly visible for the surgeon.) They said to come in early Friday for a "pre-surgery infusion" in hopes that it will bring her levels up enough to proceed and then they will have someone infusing her throughout the entire 9 hour surgery. If, however, after beginning the surgery, they see that she is not able to clot, they will have to do nothing but remove the one cancerous breast and then close her up and reschedule everything else. The thought of going through all of this for nothing is very frusterating for Kecia. Even as planned this is going to be a 3 operation process. She can't bear to think it might now turn out to be a 4 or 5 operation thing. She is asking that we all pray that God's hand will be visible in her doctor's decisions. She would like for God to miraculously bring her levels up to a "better than just safe" level. But if that is not His will, she would like for Him to make it very clear as to whether or not they should proceed or postpone so that she doesn't have to do this all over again. Please pray fervently on this subject as Kecia is feeling afraid and unsure and needs our prayerful support. I will let you know if anything else is decided at her appointment tomorrow.

Surgery Update 4-6-09

Kecia is pleased to announce that her port is feeling and looking much better. If it continues healing at this pace she will be able to have surgery as planned. Thank you all for your prayers on this matter. That being said, as the minutes tick closer to the scheduled time of operation, Kecia's anxiety on the subject grows. She knows she needs to have the operation since her breasts are the origin of cancer growth, but the realization that a part of her body will be amputated is very disturbing for her. Emotionally, these last few days have been very difficult for her. I try to prepare her for the grieving process that will begin the moment she wakes up from surgery but one can only prepare so much. Please continue to pray for her spiritual and emotional peace as she begins this not-so-pleasant journey. She meets with her doctor and the surgeon on Tuesday morning for a pre-op evaluation. We are praying that all will be well and they will be able to move forward as planned. Kecia knows the sooner it's done, the sooner she can move on to the next stage in her recovery. Oh how I look forward to the day that she just gets to go in to work or hang out with friends like she used to. I can't wait until she's healthy and "whole" again.

More News 3-31-09
As requested, Kecia's surgery has been scheduled for "sooner than later". She recieved a call on Friday telling her that even though her surgeon doesn't usually do operations on Fridays, they had scheduled her with their first available spot. It just happens to be on Friday, April 10th. Not a bad day to go under the knife....Good Friday! She will probably be there for 5-7 days. Since her cultures came back negitive for infection she will be allowed to proceed with the surgery and they will treat the bacteria in her bladder after she is all healed. They did say that her symptoms are most likely caused from damage to her bladder as a result of the radiation done so close to it back in July. It could heal up on it's own with time but they aren't sure. She is very happy that they were able to schedule the surgery so quickly and looks forward to getting it over with. She is however very concerned about her port again. You will remember all the trouble she had with it a few months ago. It was infected and got very sore. She is experiencing some of the same problems with it and fears that it may be infected again. If it is, they will not do her mastectomy until it is cleared up. She is asking that we all pray for her body to stay healthy enough to get the surgery and that the port will clear up quickly without hospitalization. I'll give you the updated schedule of events as they unfold. Your prayers are very powerful. Thank you for every minute that you spend in prayer for Kecia.

Kecia's first appointment this morning with the plastic surgeon who will be in the operating room during her mastectomy. Not alot of new information was given but it was encouraging to hear that both surgeons are in agreement with this process and will be working together quite well. She is basically just waiting for them to coordinate their schedules to get the surgery. Her appointment this afternoon was with the infectious disease doctor. She learned that there definately is bacteria growing in her bladder but she shows no other signs of an infection so they are doing tests and cultures to determine if it is also an infection or not. If it is NOT an infection, they will probably leave the bacteria until after she had healed from her mastectomy. This sounded a little scary to me because I'm thinking "won't that give it time to over run her body and be even harder to treat?" But the specialist (who may know a little bit more about this than I do) reminded us that there is always bacteria throughout our bodies and most is not harmful unless accompanied by an infection which then attack the body and fuels the bacteria to go wild. If she DOES have an infection then they will have to put her surgeries on hold while they aggressively treat it. This will include hopitalization, IV antibiotics, and support meds to combate all the side effects of the strong antibiotics needed to keep it under control. Sounds like alot, but so much better than Tuesday when they said it was a bacteria that couldn't be treated. Kecia is doing well both emotionally and physically. She said she feels alot better knowing that there is something they can do, and physically she is feeling great. (aside from that "I feel like I've gotta pee all the time" feeling) While she isn't happy about needing it, she is still "okay" with having the surgery. Now we are just praying that there will be no signs of infection, that the bacteria will stay under control, and that the surgery will be scheduled sooner than later. Will let you all know as soon as we hear anything.

Update

When I spoke with Kecia earlier this afternoon she was pretty upset about the news she was given from her surgeon-to be. She told Kecia that they could not do the reconstruction at the time of her mastectomy and that it would not only be 2 surgeries as Kecia has feared, but 3. Based on her estimated time table she thought they could meet with the reconstruction specialist next week, the anesthesiologist the following week and coordinate the first surgery for sometime in the next two months. She would leave the hospital in about 5-7 days with a drainage tube from the breasts that would need to be cared for daily until removed about a month later. And then they would begin preparation for the next surgery. It may seem like a little thing when sitting on the other side of the fence, but for Kecia who was thinking things would move a little quicker (and therefore closer to recovery) all the waiting is very unnerving. She was feeling discouraged and sad and got off the phone to take a nap. (side note: I found out later that she did NOT take a nap, but did some work on the computer instead...just like Kecia!) Anyway, she called a few hours later in much better spirits with the news that the doctor's office had called and already had her set up for a meeting with the reconstruction specialist for Thurdsay morning and the anesthesiologist Friday. Just feeling like the "ball is rolling" helped her get through that discouraging hump. She also has an appointment with the infectious disease specialist for her bacterial infection on Thursday afternoon so I should have alot to report on by the end of the week. Please pray that they will find a way to treat and beat this bacterial infection. Also, during this whole ordeal, and interesting thing happened (or should I say, another interest thing) Kecia has torn her house apart looking for the paperwork about a previous lumpecotomy she had back in '98. Her doctor had said it would be very useful information for the surgeon to have and review before working on Kecia. She couldn't find it anywhere and couldn't remember who the surgeon had been. Then, through a very strange twist of events, the surgeon that her doctor so highly recommended she use, suddenly broke her back and is forced to retire from surgery and will now only be teaching the trade. So, disappointed that "the best in the field" is no longer available, she calls a few of his other referrals. One doesn't accept insurance, and the other left Kecia with a really bad feeling. She ended up meeting with one from her insurance list that someone else recommended and after speaking with her Kecia is astonished to learn that this woman is partners with the surgeon who operated on Kecia in '98. She told Kecia, "Oh yes, I have all of your records and I've already looked them over and feel very comfortable with the planned procedure." Just a coincidence? I think not! How cool is that!!!! I don't know about ya'll, but I feel so honored to be a part of this amazing journey with Kecia. Certainly, if I could, I would take it all away for her. But since I can't, I am so proud to be one of the people who gets to take this walk with her and I must say that I am learning so much along the way. I'm so glad that you all chose to join us!

Update 03/23/2009

Well, once again our celebration is overshadowed by bad news. Kecia has been battling a urinary track infection for about 2 weeks. Not suprising since her counts are still alot lower than that of someone with a healthy immune system and it takes her longer to heal or recover from even small stuff. She wasn't really concerned but due to the discomfort of it, she brought it up to the doctor again. They did some testing and called today to tell her that not only does she have a bacterial infection, but it is not treatable. How many times is she going to hear that she has something that doctors can't really do anything about? She is very frusterated and emotionally tired of this rollercoaster. The pure joy that came from being told she was beating cancer is immesurable and then to be told that she has contracted a deadly infection that will probably kill her is just too much to comprehend. She's starting to wonder.."w hat is God doing to me...? How much more..?" and it's just so hard to accept. My heart is breaking for her. I have total belief that God has brought her to this place for a reason, but I know this would be much easier for her to deal with if He chose to reveal Himself to her. Her doctor is making her an appointment with an infectious disease specialist to see what options she has and what he recommends for her. All this, on top of her appointment tomorrow to determine what type of mastectomy she will have. Not to mention, that while all of this is going on, Kecia is still working full time from home. She is a perfectionist and takes great pride in her work. She is extreamly thankful to her managment team as they have bent over backwords to accomodate her every need. But her worries about not keeping up with her work load is putting alot of stress on her right now. She is just emotionally overloaded and needs o ur prayers! I will update as soon as I know anything tomorrow.

Update 03/21/2009

How many of you are still in the WOW stage from Kecia's last update? I spent the day with Kecia. First we met at church, stayed for a luncheon, then to Grandad's to cut coupons while baby boy napped. Once he awakened we wisked the children to a drop off point where I handed them off to their daddy, and away Kecia and I went to do our grocery shopping. You may not realize what a HUGE deal that is, but 3 months ago she could barely get to the bathroom. I expected her to ride that motorized cart thing, but she insisted on walking...slowly...and kindof limpy...but walking the whole way! She is still in pain but nothing like before. She has decreased her pain meds to an "only as needed" basis (which Im sure will be tonight after her big day) I have realized two areas where Kecia is in need of prayer though. First, the Herceptin that she takes weekly has caused a condition for which I can't remember the name, but it makes her feet numb which is another reason that she has trouble walking and needs to shuffle her feet in order to prevent falling. That is annoying, but manageable. Unfortunately, her feet started tingling a few weeks ago and her doctors say that is also the effect of this chemo. She says the tingling is the same as when your foot is asleep and you can't feel it and then it gets those horrible prickly pains all over it. For us, that would only last a few minutes. For Kecia, it has been going on for over a week. The constant pain and discomfort in her feet is causing her to have restless leg syndrome and makes it very hard to sleep. Obviously, this is one of those areas where we can help by lifting this concern up to the Lord. Also, I think the realization that she is about to enter the hospital "a full woman" and leave it without breasts has really hit her hard the last few days. She wants them removed because it is necessary for her in order to avoid a relapse, but how difficult this must be for her. There is a chance that she can have reconstruction done at the same time so the physical shock would be lessened which would in turn reduce the inner turmoil that comes from this type of surgery. She is preparing herself for the fact that it might not be the case for her and she will have to deal with the physical loss of her breasts. She really needs our prayers and uplifting words during this time. Please join me as I pray that God will send her an inner peace to handle whatever surgery she is faced with. Also, if you get a minute, drop a card in the mail or make a quick call just to check on her. She is feeling good enough to take calls and have visitors and go places now, so this would be a great time to see if you can hook up with her. She has a doctors appt on Tuesday to discuss the type of surgery she will need. We'll let you know how that goes. As always, we appreciate each and every one of you!

PS Jeanie (kecia's mom) got a call on Friday that one of her long time, best friends has a grapefruit sized tumor in her stomach. They are doing a biopsy to determine malignancy but she will need surgery to remove it either way. Her name is Carmen.