Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday Patrick!

Did you know that Pat weighed 10 lbs. when he was born at 12:45 AM in 1957?  Did you know that he was eating cereal out of a bottle when he was three days old?  Do you know that is probably why I had a 10 lb. baby boy named Garrett that was two weeks early?


Bless his sweet heart!  It stinks being in the hospital on his birthday, but I am so very thankful we are here in Tulsa.  God went before us and he knew what Pat needs.  It feels so much better knowing that this is this staff's speciality and they know his history.  I am sorry though we are so far away from home.  God says to abide in His presence and that He is holding our hand, so we are.

Pat  doesn't feel good today.  He is on heavy pain meds as his pain in his back is at about an 6 to 8 and they are trying to get on top of it. I just met with the doctor and she is trying to make sure that he is comfortable.  Pain levels are important around here as they want your body fighting the cancer and not the pain. They are giving him three different kinds of antibiotics to fight the infection and they feel that the medications were started early enough yesterday to be of big help in fighting it.   Dr. Cheek believes that the infection is coming from his bile duct area which can cause the back pain too. He still has fever that comes and goes along with chills.  We will definitely be here until Monday as we will see Dr. Roeder, the gastroenterologist, and get his opinion.  He may have to have a procedure called an EGRP, which is like an endoscope that goes down and looks at the troubled area to see if there is any blockage or perhaps the stent is blocked.   Please pray his fever breaks, his pain gets down to a 1-2 and that the doctors will have w/d/g (wisdom, discernment and guidance).  

The kids are sad that they are not with their dad on his birthday. Please pray for their comfort and peace while we are away.  Garrett has a basketball in Lipan today at noon....go Spartans!  


I will check back later.  Thank you for sending Pat birthday wishes.  His phone is blowing up and  am forwarding messages that you send m.

Hugs!

Paige
xoxo  

Hello Balloon Friend

Good Morning and Happy New Year!

Hope you had a good New Year's Eve!  Pat was out at 9:15 and woke up about 12:15 AM.  He had a pretty good night, but at 5:00 this morning he hit his worst pain level I have ever seen.  Right now he is prn on his pain meds, so when he slept for four hours uninterrupted he paid for it.  We finally got the pain under control. The doctor just came in and she is going to put Pat on a pain pump so that he can get relief when he needs it.   Dr. Cheeks has ordered a CT scan today, so I am thankful that we can get this on a holiday weekend. Specifically, we need to pray for answers and solutions to this infection.  

Kelly and Brian came yesterday to hang out with us here at the hospital.  They live in Yukon, outside OKC, so they are pretty close.   Kelly drove me to the mall and so I could get Pat some more t-shirts and sweat pants.   Later in the afternoon Misty drove over from OKC to visit us too.  It was great to see her as we have been friends since my freshman year in college and it has been couple of years since we had a chance to visit.  God hugs again!

If you saw my FB page you saw Pat's birthday balloons that were sent to us from our Life Group and our Kids. Talk around the floor brought in all kinds of nurses to see our balloon surprises.  The picture you see is the cutest little balloon figure that just makes you smile. Pat was so proud of his balloons from the kids too and was bragging on them.  

I will update you later this afternoon after we CT results.  

Hugs!

Paige

xoxo

Awesome News

I can hardly wait to get this post published as we are so excited about the news we heard today.  By the way, howdy!

Are you ready for this?  (here the music starting?)  Pat's tumor markers are down from 152 to 114 and let me remind you that when we began this journey in October, his numbers were 1142! Below 45 is normal.  Marie, the nurse practitioner said "This is a phenomenal response in such a short treatment!"   Wow!  I even asked Marie if "Wow" was a good word in this situation and she said yes!  She said "well yes, wow is a word and yes it works!"  I just love her. I know...it sounded goofy to me too!

Pat and I are overwhelmed, thankful and just plain teary-eyed over this news. We know without a shadow of a doubt that these great numbers are an answer to prayer.  How humbling to know that so many of you are lifting Pat's name up to our Heavenly Father and asking for healing and His continued miracles.  Thank you for taking our requests to God and now I ask you to thank Him.  Prayer is the biggest gift you could give us.

On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.  Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answers to the prayers of many.  (2 Corinthians 1:10-11, NIV).   

Pat is about to begin his chemo.  They are going to start the new drug Aredia tonight.  It will take two hours to administer after his chemo, so we will be here for a while tonight.  He will also get the nasty Neulasta injection in the morning before we catch the flight home. This is the drug that causes his bones to hurt.

We needed this news tonight!  We are celebrating tonight and basking in God's goodness and His faithfulness.  What a great birthday gift to Pat two days early!

We Love You!

Pat & Paige

xoxo  xoxo  

An Update

Hello!  I hope that you are staying dry!



Okay I could have less doctor visits in my week.  This morning I accompanied Matt to his neurologist.  She prescribed another preventative medicine along with magnesium.  She also prescribed another drug in the form of a nasal spray to be used when he feels a migraine beginning.   If you have known us very long then you know that Matt has battled this since his Freshmen year in high school.  I am tired of seeing him struggle with these as they are painful and they interrupt his school and work.  We really like his neurologist, Dr. Hughes and her compassion.



Elizabeth has been in the bed most of the day and is doing really well. She has a bit of swelling in her sweet cheeks and I think she will be up and around in the next day or so.



As I mentioned yesterday in my post, we are going to Tulsa in the morning.  Overall, the past two weeks after treatment have been really good compared to the previous weeks following chemo, but remember we omitted two drugs (Zometa and the Neulasta). We are not sure if he will receive another drug that we were educated on called  Aredia. It will replace the Zometa.  Aredia is prescribed to treat hypercalcedmia and the damaging effects of cancer when it has spread to the bones.   He had his blood work done this morning and his white blood count was good.  Needless to say, we are a little apprehensive in what Thursday's treatment will deliver.  Please pray for wisdom and discernment for the doctor to make the right decision as well no side effects to either drug they choose.  



I am reading the final pages of Mary Beth Chapman's book "Choosing to See" where she and her husband, Steven Curtis, share their journey when their little girl, Maria, was run over by her brother, Will.  This is what she said to Maria's sisters.  "It's not fair I know! There are lots of things that don't seem to be fair, and they're so hard.  But girls, God has asked us to do hard.  It really stinks and I wish we didn't have to, but this is what our family has been called to.  If we all stick together, we can do hard".  When I read this I just shook my head yes.  



Yes means God asked the Easterlings to do hard.  Her description of hard was said  perfectly and put into words that describe how I feel and I know Pat would say the same.  This reminds me of my life verse since 2008, John 13:7  Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” That is the verse I live by now.  It is all I have for now.
Will check back in from Tulsa tomorrow. 

Hugs!
Paige
xoxo  

The Necklace

Daddy's girl

Three days til Christmas!  I only have four gifts wrapped, but I was done shopping until Elizabeth reminded me of one more gift I need to buy. 
What is so cool is that I continue to get God hugs every day.  Yesterday when I was shopping at the mall and walked by the Estee Lauder counter a cosmetic sales lady noticed my necklace.  This necklace is special.  It reads "Life Is Special Handle with Care".  It is unique and has a layered look with the word prayer written on it. She commented on it and asked where I got it and I told her my friend, Robyn, sent it in the mail to me.  I have to share this story with you as it just another example of friends who reach out to us and God uses them to minister to us.  Robyn said that she bought the necklace several weeks before she sent it.  She didn't even think she was going to send it to me after she bought it.  She got that nudge and put it in the mail. The day I pulled in to the driveway and parked by the mailbox (remember it is my job to get the mail)  was one of those tough days.  I opened a card and this necklace fell into my lap. I just started bawling.  Her gift is precious, but the timing is what touched me so much. You see I didn't need this hug the week when she bought it or even the day before.  I needed it that very day....a God hug.   Okay back to Ms Estee with the bluest eyeshadow I have ever seen.  I shared with her my story and then she put her arms on mine and said "I promise to pray for you" and she shared with me more words from her heart.  I told her our name was Pat and Paige and that I would come find her when we get our miracle.  
I am humbly giddy tonight!  I came home after being gone most of the day to a clean house.  My anonymous  angel paid for our house to be professionally cleaned.  Oh my gosh I can't tell you how wonderful it feels.  Girls I think you know!  To have your whole house clean at the same time is usually not the case for me.  So, tonight I am sitting on my couch (one of the reasons I am not wrapping gifts tonight) because I want to smell the clean and enjoy my house and try not to be too much of a nagging mom to my kids in keeping it clean.  Thank you sweet angel!  A clean house is an awesome hug.
I am sorry to say that Pat is not fever free now.  At 1:30 this morning he woke me up with severe chills which lead to fever of 100.6.  I was able to get him warm and he eventually went back to sleep.  His care nurse, Adeline, called today to check on him and she says that she feels like it is from the chemo. Dang.  Just like Matt's migraines, I want to know the reason. Today he said he felt like felt pretty sluggish, but we did have a double date lunch with Conny and Angela.  Conny said he found the best hamburger around, so we went to Dixie House today to check it out.  Pat and I both fasted for our 11:30 date and I am not kidding you, it was the best burger that I have had in so long.  I also judge a good hamburger by the french fries, don't you? I cleaned my plate!
Have a good evening and I will chat with you tomorrow!
Paige
xoxo