Easter Morning

I have to share a verse I read this morning from John 20:31  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.  He's speaking of the things that were written about Christ in the Bible and that not everything he did was recorded, but there is still enough to believe.  And the best part, how do we have eternal life?  through his name!

Yesterday my brothers and Dad came up to visit and take Mom home with them.  Lexi is staying a few days.    I got 2 of the tubes out so now I have one tube in each lung.  We need to see if these lungs will seal off.

The swallow test went ok.  Basically it showed the same to a little improvement from January.  No penetration by any consistency of the wrong pipe.  But it definitely continues to make a difference if I tuck my chin down and to the right as I swallow.  For some reason I just don't feel that hungry most of the time and I feel like I get full fast.

I don't think there is much else to say.  Enjoy your Easter plans and time with families.  Above all rejoice that Christ was willing to give his life and then was victorious over death that we might be able to reign with him.

Love,
Derek & Leann

Thurs night and Good Friday

Derek had a better night.  The oxygen came off and his pain pump is gone.  He is now relying on oral pain meds oxycodone and tylenol.  He's walked three times today and had a visitor from work.  The complication today was the swallow test that Occupational Therapy did bedside showed he needs a more thorough swallow study done in radiology which is still supposed to happen today according to the nurse, but I'm starting to wonder.  He cannot eat or drink anything until they get that done according to the hospitalist in order to be "safe".  He has been coughing after each swallow which can be a sign of aspiration.  I'm praying they don't mention a feeding tube.  I believe if given time, he will be able to eat enough again.  Coming out of surgery I don't know if the swallowing isn't working as well because of shortness of breath and pain or if he's a little nervous when trying to swallow, but pray for this to improve please.

Thank you and may the Lord and His suffering, death, and resurrection be remembered by each one of you this precious season.

Leann

Details of Wed night and Thurs

Wednesday night Derek slept pretty good, but woke to push the pain pump a few times.  I arrived a little after 7a today (Thursday) and he was battling pain, but soon was "caught up" again.  He ate oatmeal and chopped pears and some juices.  He walked for the first time around 10am and did probably 30 feet with a walker thing called a podium which he could lean on for support and have all the tubes connected to the appropriate things on it (suction, oxygen, catheter). He felt good after that walk, pain-free for a time, and read a magazine.  He walked again an hour later about double the distance and wanted to work on the laptop, but by the time mom went and got it at the guesthouse and got back he never did get to working.  By the time we ordered lunch, he was showing signs of being really worn out and after the food arrived he didn't end up eating it.  The respiratory therapist had come in and seen him take a drink and cough right after the drink.  This concerned her that he might be aspirating which they don't want any of that. So, a swallow test is ordered for Friday morning and he was told not to eat or drink until that test.

The catheter came out, but he's not able to void, so it might be going back in.  They've upped IV fluids to see if that helps.  His mouth is really dry and we have to swab and sip water.  His third walk was shorter and he was in pain on the right side where the tube is.  He took an afternoon nap.  This evening, they were able to get us moved to a private room which I really like, so I'm staying the night.  He did want to check email around 8p...it's always a good sign that he's feeling ok when he wants to work a little.

Mom and I went for a long walk and ate pannekoeken for dinner while they walked Derek a 4th time and moved him.  He was able to talk on the phone to the kids today and to Doug.  It's about 9:30pm here and he's not quite ready for lights out.  It sounds like we might have a visitor tomorrow and more on Saturday which will be nice.  My parents are bringing Lexi up with them this weekend, and I'm really looking forward to hugging her.

Derek had Mennonite singers come by Wednesday evening and he requested When All Of God's Singers Get Home.  It's a beautiful song.

Have a good night everyone,
Leann

Derek's awake

We've been visiting with Derek, and he is still a little sleepy but doing well coming out of the anesthesia from the surgery.  He is in his room with lots of tubes:  catheter, chest tubes on either side, oxygen in his nose, oxygen monitor on his finger, and blood pressure cuff.  Plus 2 IV sites that are not receiving anything right now.  His pain is a ZERO right now (thankful for that!), and they will soon hook him up to a pain pump so he can run that when he does start to feel the pain.  They are sure he will have some, but he's still under the surgery pain relief right now.  Not eating/drinking yet until they release him to.  Just wanted to give another update for the kids at Grandma Stoller's if nothing else.  They are fine "doctors/nurses" and will want to know these details.

Sorry to report

Derek is through with the lung pleurodesis procedures and biopsies.  The surgeon informed us that there is cancer on the lungs which has most likely contributed to the lungs collapsing.  I don't want to believe that the cancer has metasticized (moved to another location).  The surgeon felt that the procedure went well.

There will be a pathology report in a couple of days confirming the type of cancer.  At that time, they will suggest chemo treatment options.  Radiation on the lung is not an option, because there are so many tumor spots. 

We have agreed to have Derek's tumor/blood entered in a targeted gene testing program which is fairly new here at Mayo Clinic.  It is in the Individualized Medicine division.  This could help determine which chemo drugs to try.  There are three different tests...one taking as long as 2 weeks, and another taking 3 weeks, and the third taking 15 weeks.  We are only patient #12 here to go through this process, so there are not many statistics and certainly no promises. 

We haven't seen Derek yet or received our room assignment, but we will be located on the Francis floor 5 at St. Mary's hospital, Mayo Clinic, for the next 5 days at least and probably more.

I trust in God Almighty who knows and sees all things, and He LOVES us more than I could ever love Derek, and that's a lot.

Love to all of you who are praying and helping,
Leann

Mayo - now Right Lung

We made it up to Rochester without incident.  It was slow going for an hour or so with solid ice on I-74 but once it cleared up, the roads were dry the rest of way.  Thanks to Dad Sauder for driving us up.  I had one MRI last night and the other ones this morning.  I was supposed to have a PET scan this afternoon but at a Dr mtg in-between, he could tell my right lung had the weaker sounds.  I had a little pain on the way up that made me wonder, but it's been really hard to tell what short of breath is.  So I wasn't surprised when a chest xray showed that the right lung had collapsed.  (Chest tube is currently in the left side)  So I'm scheduled for tomorrow morning to have the pleuridysis done again to both sides.  This time they'll make 3 incisions or so per side and stick a scope in so they can really look around.  The surgeon will do physical abrations in addition to the talc.  I'll be put out for all this.  He also plans to biopsy one of the nodules that the lung xrays have been showing.  So we'll finally know what that is all about.

Overall this is not a good step.  But we are glad to be at Mayo where stuff just happens so fast.  This doctor seems to know what is going on.  He said 4-6 days in the hospital, but hard to say exactly for sure.

Thanks for all the prayers that have already been offered on our behalf.  God is in control and we are not going to stop trusting in Him now.  We'll keep you posted once we know more.

Love,
Derek & Leann

Home update

Things are going pretty well at home. It's good to have the kids home with us for a couple days before we head to Mayo for MRI scans.  Lainey grew up so much in the last 3 weeks.  She's sitting up a bunch more and almost ready to crawl.  We hope to go to church tomorrow at least in the morning and make it to Stoller Easter in the evening.  Monday - Wednesday we plan to go back to Mayo's for regular followup scans and meeting with the oncologist there.  Our plan is to drive up Monday morning and back Wed night.

We've got a home health nurse coming to check on me every couple days while the chest tube is in.  It has sounded quieter (less air leaking) but Leann thought she heard a lotof air moving when I coughed this morning.  I go back to the lung doctor on April 1, and have an xray to take a couple days before that.  The air leak needs to totally stop before they pull the tube.

Love,
Derek & Leann

A couple pics from last week's anniversary celebration: