Make a Wish Kir...

Spoiler Alert: GOOD NEWS!  

The ups and downs of the past 6 weeks makes for weary women.  I continue to be amazed at the strength and determination of my "ginnywyf'.  At 3:30 pm on Tuesday (3/24) Gin called to say that the radiation Docs were concerned about major edema in Gin's legs.

Before I go on, I need to remind you that Ginny had a new stent replaced Monday morning to open up her right ureter and get her kidney function back on track.

Okay back to the edema.  So Docs wanted to be sure the swelling was just fluid and not caused by a clot and clinic CT scans were backed up so they sent her to St. Mary's ER.  Yup - GROAN.  

Finally at 10:30 pm Gin finally had her scan and the ALL CLEAR - thank God.  After assessing the weather, we opted to stay in Roch for the night at got to our appointments this morning.

Okay here is the "make a wish"part.  This birthday girl is screaming WOO HOO from the rooftops.  SURPRISE - the BASTARD TUMOR is SHRINKING!  So much so that the radiation team had to recalibrate systems and develop a new radiation plan for Gin today.

6 more treatments and then we sit back and enjoy a SERIOUS radiation and chemo holiday.  This is the most hopeful news we have had throughout our 5 years of tackling this tumor.  There is surprise at the level of shrinkage and the team anticipates more.

So this exhausted and giddy birthday girl is walking in gratitude this afternoon.  Grateful for gin and her sheer will to WIN.  Grateful for a brilliant medical team.  Grateful for super pals for helping with transport, dog sitting and covering work hours lost.  Grateful for prayer and encouragement of the masses (that's you peeps).  Grateful-Grateful-Grateful.

kir

Everyone is happy that we are home...

Quite a Ride

Okay before you read, KNOW that we are home and Gin is amazingly well.

At three o'clock yesterday afternoon (Friday) Gin called from Rochester to say that she had completed her radiation and was in her car (she drove herself...grrrrr).  She was experiencing significant abdominal pain and was letting me know that she was going to go to friend Libby's house to sleep some and ride out the "episode".   We "discussed" my coming to get her and she won.

The ugly thing about all this is that there are a few major things that we/she doesn't have control over...so who can blame the independent and determined Gin for wanting to take a little time and then finish the task of going and returning on her own from treatment.

At four she called back, "it's an obstruction, can you come and take me to the ER?".  The challenge was the 50 minute drive between us.  I instructed her to have Libby take her to the ER at St. Mary's and I would meet her there.

Quite frankly, obstructions scare me more than the Cancer.  Gin's innards are riddled with scar tissue.  A stubborn obstruction could result in life threatening surgery.

I arrived at the ER at 4:40 (oops) and Libby and Gin were in triage.  The ER "experience" began.
The ct scan was completed at 7:30, the results at 8:45 and the surgical consult at 9:40.

Findings?

1) Ginny did not have a "true" obstruction BUT several sections of her bowel are super narrow due to her current and previous treatments and her system was stopped.

2) The stent that Ginny has had placed in her right ureter to keep the bastard tumor from interfering with her right kidney function was "clogged".

Solutions?

1) Monday (3/30) Gin is already scheduled to have a new stent put in.  Her kidney will be fine so we will solve that problem Monday morning.

2) The pseudo obstruction resulted in being admitted to St. Mary's, the insertion of an NG tube and contrast being introduced to her digestive system in an effort to get things moving.

The good news...all systems are a go!

The afterthoughts for Kir?  
On one hand, this "ride" is scary, unpredictable, frustrating and painful.  On the other it is full of grace, wonder, faith and in its own way beauty.  Yep I said beauty.  We had several tender moments  over the past 24 hours.

This battle - this living with cancer is ugly in so many ways but there is something more in it all.  Maybe it is because I have walked this road before with loved ones and am not afraid of journey.

The beauty of the past hours has been in Ginny, in her courage and her spirit.  It is in her resolve to make an imprint on everyone she encounters regardless of how miserable she feels.  It is in the reminiscing of moments shared and trips taken during the hours and hours of waiting.  And it is in the celebrating over horrible hospital coffee that we were headed for home later in the day.

Post Script:

Gin had several "suggestions" for staff about improvements they might consider.  The first and most concerning being the toilet that flushed for 15 seconds using GALLONS of water.  Her second suggestion was the placement of furniture and the "art".

In an effort to meet her desire to admire art hung outside her view I brought the art to her as we waited to be "set free".

Art Appreciation 101

I look at this "on our way home" selfie and shake my head.  I hate this roller coaster ride but with each rise and fall we love more, learn more, live more.

love
kir

Those of you receiving our blog via email push.  Visit http://justkirjustgin.blogspot.com to see the pics.

An Update and A Little Honesty

Treatment number 15 today.  10 more to go.  As I type sweet Gin is in our bed.  The side effects have been a challenge.  I am not sure she would agree (always looking for the bright-side) but I know the radiation is taking its toll.  We are declaring an official countdown for these final 10 and hoping that the "yuckies" do not get worse.  Gin is coping but I/we would hate to see the side effects increase.  Is hard to watch and there isn't a whole lot I can do to help.   The upside - if the Doc is right, the side effects and challenges Gin is experiencing are an indication that the radiation is indeed doing something.  Of course that is speculation at this point, it will be weeks before we know what did and did not happen.  After the treatments end, we will wait several weeks for her to heal and then there will be tests to see the results.

Next Wednesday, March 25th, we will have a meeting with her primary Oncologist to talk about  life after radiation and the options.

We continue to ask for prayer, positive thoughts and energy.  As before, we pray for Gin's stamina. In addition we pray for her "systems" to calm down and work despite the fact that they are being assaulted daily.

At this point Gin is instructing me to tell you all that she is still cheerful!

Over the years Gin and I have talked a lot about the "battle" language used but those living and dying with cancer.  Gin has always resisted describing her life with cancer as a battle...until today.  There have been several moments over the past weeks where Gin has expressed herself in new ways...I am hearing foreign words.  Fight - Battle - Losing.  We are at war - Gin is fighting - some days we feel like we are losing.   Wow - now there is some truth.  I hesitate to write it.  If we confess that we are worried perhaps people will think we are giving up.  WE ARE NOT!  Dukes are up.  But there is a sense of relief in being able to say it...write it.  We are worried.  We are preparing for what is coming.  We are hopeful and at the same time operating in a realm of reality.  Sigh.

So pray people...pray.

This photo was taken in November 2009 - we were in Italy.  Our first trip abroad together.  Gin felt poorly towards the end of the trip.  She saw her Doc once home - it was the return of her Cancer (first diagnosed in 1998).  It has been an amazing run.  5 years of treatment and "putting up with it".  This wife wants more time with her "ginny wyf".  More moments...more trips...more stories...more love.

8 down 17 to go...

8 treatments done.  It has been a challenging 3 weeks for the Lindbloom-Larsens.  Friday was day 8 of 25 for Gin.  She is scheduled weekdays throughout the month of March.  We will celebrate the "final" treatment for this round on March 31st.  Overall things are going well.  Gin has been a champ, dukes are up.  That being said, the treatment is beginning to show itself in side effects.  Immediately following treatment Gin feels quite "poorly".  We are glad that her radiation is scheduled in the afternoon.  This gives Ginny her mornings to do what she needs to accomplish.  Our prayer for Gin is simple - stamina.  She is beginning to feel the fatigue of treatment and yesterday experienced her first bout of nausea.  

We had some questions about the last pic I posted, so here is another look with some more specific markings.  A family member suggested making a "voodoo" tumor to stab after each treatment.  A great idea :)

From the care taking/support side of things I am holding up okay.  My work schedule and other life happenings have added to the general stress of life.  That being said, we are committed to living our best life together as we walk this part of the journey.  We are so grateful for family and friends.  We covet good thoughts, positive energy and prayer.