Posted on 09/23/2006 5:32:40 PM PDT by Hi Heels
From Tom, ZM's husband:
Sorry for the long silence.... It has been quite a ride.
On Monday 8/28 we met with ZM's oncologist to learn the results of the chest and abdomen CT scans. As I told you in my last update, all the news was good and we decided to switch to the chemo pill since ZMs veins were shrinking. We had great fun for the rest of the week planning how to use the time we would be getting back since she would not be sitting in the infusion room for 4 hours every Friday.
Over the labor day weekend (Sept 3,4) ZM began to have problems moving her left side and she become quiet and hard to communicate with. On Tuesday morning (Sept 5) she slipped into a near comma state and was taken to the hospital via 911 services. In the ER they ordered a brain scan and delivered the news that the cancer had spread to her brain and she had multiple tumors causing lesions in the right side of her brain, some as large as 5 centimeters. These were also causing swelling in her brain and increased pain. ZM's oncologist ordered more test and then told us that the tumors causing the lesions were inoperable. We were told that our options were to (1) simply give up and go home with hospice care or (2) try some radiation of the brain. The radiation may result in some temporary improvement or at least make ZM more comfortable.
So on Thursday (9/07) we moved ZM to a hospital in Plano, TX where she could receive radiation treatments as an inpatient. By now ZM was basically in a coma and could not move her left arm o r leg and could not even force her eyes to look to the left. That afternoon, they developed a treatment mask for her and did the first radiation treatment. After a 3 hour sleep ZM woke up able to move her left arm and leg some. A combination of steroids was prescribed to shrink the swelling in her brain. On Friday afternoon she received a 5 minute radiation treatment and following an hours sleep she woke with full use of her body, sat up in bed and pronounced herself hungry for the first time in weeks. Radiation is only done Monday thru Friday, so we hung around in the hospital over the weekend with ZM improving by the hour. The Doctors have all said they are astonished with her recovery/progress. They are now referring to her as their September miracle.
Following radiation on Monday (9/11) she was released from the hospital and I brought her home. She is 100% off the oxygen now and has had no pain medication since Thursday (9/07). She requires a walker to get around, but is getting stronger each day. We return to the hospital in Plano (30 miles each way) for radiation treatments and she continues to take the steroid to reduce the swelling. All this activity has left her with a bit of confusion, but today she tried to get on line and read some of her email.(Since she hasn't looked at email in well over a month you can imagine the stack of mail she has.)
We will continue the daily radiation treatments on Monday and Tuesday (9/26). After that she'll continue on the steroids but will return to her regular daily activities. ZM and I believe that -- Thanks to the prays and good thoughts - this is a permanent fix. However, she'll be returning to the doctors for blood work and check-ups on 10/10. Hopefully she'll get a clean bill of health at that time.
Thanks so much to everyone for the cards, emails and keeping her in your prayers.
See? OUr "treatment" is working. PLEASE keep this wonderful FRiend in your thoughts and prayers! God bless!
Prayers being sent for Bert and again for Zac's Mom.
Thank you so much! Prayer is our only hope.
Thanks so much. How anyone can make it through such tough times with the prayers of all, I cannot imagine.
Oh dear, freeper prayers for all our freepers, especially the ones in ill health.
You're welcome. Prayer is the ONLY thing that truly works.
life
I have noticed the power of freeper prayer...you take care of yourself also.
Prayers for you and Bert...
sleuth
Prayers sent!
My beloved wife was taken away by this horror, cancer, at the age of 43. May God give you and your husband strength to confront this.
Thank you for the ping, MoJo2001.
FR is so much more than a forum, it has become family. And when one family member is in trouble, we all feel it.
Prayers for Zacs Mom, for peace and healing as God will it. (Not my will, but Thine.) And for all of our family members, that they find joy and peace in all that comes their way.
I am so sorry!!!!
Thanks so much. There people on FR that you just know have the ear of God!
Dear Lord,
Thank You for Maria Bush and her husband Bert.
Thank You for giving them 48 years of marriage.
Thank You for Your love.
Lord, we lift up Bert to You as the doctors tend to
his cancer.
Your will be done.
In Jesus' Holy name.
Amen.
Prayer ping.
Thank you so much for the prayers. We have had a long life together (since I was 16), but never ready to give a loved one up.
I understand.
I will remember both of you in my prayers, Maria.
The Lord be with Tonkin, Zac's Mom, kattracks, and JulieRNR21's husband!
It has been almost ten years and I have never stopped loving her. She was an extraordinarily beautiful woman who gave me two handsome, terrific sons. One a Navy Nuke and the younger is graduating this term from college. I see their mom in both and they were the lights of her life.
God blessed me by giving her to me for 20 yrs as he has you with your beloved husband. So we have had something that many never experienced and should give thanks for those blessings hard as it is to let go when we must. Godfearing people like you know that He knows best and accept His will.
I join in urgent prayer for your husband and for you!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.